London Buses route 88

88
Overview
Operator London General
Garage Stockwell (SW)
Vehicle New Routemaster
Peak vehicle requirement 24
Night-time 24-hour service
Route
Start Camden Town
Via Warren Street
Great Portland Street
Oxford Circus
Piccadilly Circus
Trafalgar Square
Parliament Square
Vauxhall
Stockwell
End Clapham Common
Length 7 miles (11 km)
Service
Level Daily
Frequency 7-12 minutes
Journey time 39-67 minutes
Operates 24-hour service

London Buses route 88 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Camden Town and Clapham Common, it is operated by London General. The route used to be known as "the Clapham Omnibus" when it was run by London General with single-decker buses,[1][2][3] and is sometimes associated with the legal term "the man on the Clapham omnibus".

History

Route 88 was the first "Metropolitan" route to receive AEC NS-type buses, running between Acton Green and Mitcham.[4] Route 88 ran from Acton Green to Mitcham (Mon-Fri)/St Helier (Mon-Fri peaks/Sat)/Belmont (Sundays) in 1950. It was extended further to Banstead Hospital (Sundays pm journeys) in 1961, It was withdrawn from Belmont in 1974 and extended Sunday journeys to Merton garage in 1981.

Route 88 was rerouted to Turnham Green in 1988. It was withdrawn between Turnham Green and Marble Arch in 1990 and replaced by new route 94. It was withdrawn between Clapham Common and Mitcham in late 1990 and Oxford Circus and Marble Arch in 1992.

Between 1993 and 1997, Volvos were used to run the route. For some time, the route was the only one to use the buses.[5]

Route 88 was extended to Camden Town as a result of insufficient stand space at Oxford Circus when route 135 was withdrawn in 2000.

Plaxton President bodied Volvo B7TL double deckers were introduced in May 2009, Alexander Dennis Enviro400 double deckers were introduced in December 2010 and Alexander Dennis Enviro400H double deckers were introduced in June 2013.

London General has successfully retained route 88 with new contracts starting on 13 December 2003 and 11 December 2010.[6][7]

New Routemasters were introduced on 22 August 2015. The rear platform remains closed at all times except for when the bus is at bus stops.[8]

Current route

Route 88 operates via these primary locations:[9]

References

  1. ↑ Time out London guide. Penguin Books. 1995. p. 103. The 88 bus, recently and rather self-consciously styled "The Clapham Omnibus", starts its pleasantly circuitous route from here, to points north of the River.
  2. ↑ Rainford, Paul (1993). "Paul Rainford on bus branding". Design (533): 43. The Clapham Omnibus is the shape of things to come. Run by London General (an LT company) on route 88 between Clapham Common and Oxford Circus, this single- decker, Wigan- built Volvo B10B model sports its own jaunty graphics, designed by the Best Impressions consultancy
  3. ↑ Milne, Ian (2004). A Cost Too Far? (PDF). Civitas. p. 24. ISBN 9781903386378. bus seats on the number 88 London bus — the Clapham omnibus — are made in Australia
  4. ↑ Graeme Bruce, J; Curtis, Colin (1977). The London Motor Bus: Its Origins and Development. London Transport. p. 43. ISBN 0853290830.
  5. ↑ Reed, John (2000). London Buses: A Brief History. Capital Transport Publishing. p. 69. ISBN 9781854142337.
  6. ↑ 2003 Bus Tender Result Transport For London
  7. ↑ 2010 Bus Tender Result Transport For London
  8. ↑ Press Release Transport For London
  9. ↑ Route 88 Map Transport for London

External links

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