Many thanks for this thoughtful and detailed commentary - and particularly for including the bus, tram and rail connections, which are important when looking at what is a part of a strategic network to try and improve non-driving options for getting around greater London and attract people out of their cars. I think it will be interesting to see how the single deckers operate, why not just make them more frequent? IMO eight per hour would be a good next step: most people are happy to wait 7-8 minutes, so real 'turn-up-and-go', and it would fit better with current rail fequencies at Bromley (N and S), and East Croydon which are mainly half-hourly (dismal but true). Maybe a more frequent single-decker service would run faster (less boarding-time) and attract even more customers - hopefully TfL are thinking about all of this and collecting data! It is perhaps a shame that there isn't a better link with the Hayes rail-line, but the 119 connects Bromley and Croydon with Hayes and West Wickham, directly if slowly, and trams/trains connect them with Beckenham. The express buses so far appear to be a success, and I hope TfL may consider additional strategic routes, such as Croydon-West Wickham-Hayes-Orpington. I agree with your comment about combining SL5 with SL3: probably best keep them separate - but I do hope that TfL manage to run them both at the same frequency! Perhaps they may even 'complete the Superloop' with an express route from Bexleyheath to Barking - or at least to Woolwich; has there ever been a bus using the Woolwich Ferry? At present it's quicker to go into central London and out again! Look forward to your next video

@somenorthlondoner

5 ай бұрын

Very sorry I couldn’t reply to this sooner - I had my left hand in a bucket of ice water for much of yesterday and have been busy with A level work! I think the SL5 is frequent enough but you could be right RE frequency > capacity, of course it would be more expensive increasing the frequency but it is far more endearing if the route were to be even more frequent. What might happen if the route were to remain SD though is it could cause a bit of a snowballing effect really passenger numbers wise, of course we all rely on Google Maps to get around (or Apple Maps too) and so if someone is travelling to Shirley, or Monks Orchard or Bromley from Croydon, the SL5 would show up as the preferred option due to how much more frequent it would be, and as a result the route may become even more overloaded. I think DDs would be a decent shout on a slightly more frequent headway, which would account for future growth along the route passenger numbers wise. I think it would be a good idea using the North Woolwich ferry as part of the Superloop, buses I believe have used it before when deadrunning although it isnt a common occurrence by any means. It would be cool to see the 50 in Bournemouth London Equivalent though! Yes the SL3 and 5 should definitely remain separate, although I think the Bromley stand will become an issue especially if TFL do decide to increase the SL5 frequency which judging by the first day loadings could be looking likely! Unless they choose to drop the 119 or 358s frequency due to the SL5s introduction

@ricktownend9144

5 ай бұрын

@@somenorthlondoner Thanks for replying! re Bromley N, it seems that the SL3 will call at Widmore Rd, presumably to let people change to the SL5 (though it's a bit of a walk), then at the town hall - the nearest it gets to the main shopping area - and then Bromley N. Strange that it doesn't go to Bromley S. Still, they can change their minds, I suppose ...

Really superb on Superloop. SL1 = X34 SL2 = X123 SL3 = X269 SL4 = X239 SL5 = X119 SL6 = X68 SL7 = X26 SL8 = 607 SL9 = X140 SL10 = X183 TfL have plans to introduce a X239 when 239 does not exist, '239' should be given Sydenham - Shooters Hill Road, Sun-in-the-Sands along the line via Westwood Hill, Newlands Park, Lennard Road, Kings Hall Road, Bridge Road, Copers Cope Road, Southend Road, Beckenham Hill Road, Bromley Road, Bellingham Road, Hazelbank Road, Verdant Lane, South Circular Road, Burnt Ash Hill, Lee Road, Royal Parade, Prince of Wales Road and Shooters Hill Road. I see Lawrie Park Gardens bus stands in Sydenham.

Great video. I think a potential extension for the SL5 would be from Bromley to Catford Bridge since Bromley Road only gets served by 2 buses after Downham Way and they can get very crowded during peak hours. Plus the Sevenoaks branch of Thameslink is neither frequent or direct. It could have stops at Lewisham town hall, Catford Bus garage, Southend Lane and Downham before rejoining the main route at Bromley North. Also small correction; the road that goes through Croydon town centre is the A212 not the A23.

@somenorthlondoner

4 ай бұрын

Could do although isn’t the 75 quicker for Croydon to Catford journeys?

First of all, sorry for not seeing this video until now - for some reason it didn't show on my subscription list until now... A great video and very interesting indeed with a lot of detailed information Second, did the bus nearly take you out as it mounted the curb at 2:51?

@somenorthlondoner

5 ай бұрын

Think so, same thing happened when I used it yesterday at Bromley North!

Great Video Harry. The Superloop Livery looks disgusting On a Enviro 200. Let’s see if everyone agrees.

@somenorthlondoner

5 ай бұрын

I personally quite like it haha

Such a good video! This fixes a problem which I'm having with transport KZread is that it often does not say much, as in it talks about the journey they are doing rather than what is around them. In that respect it's a better video than Geoff's video on this as he does not include many interesting facts about the local areas. No offence to Geoff I just prefer it more factual like yours.

@somenorthlondoner

5 ай бұрын

Thanks lol

I believe they can't do much with some of those trees as they are protected

@somenorthlondoner

5 ай бұрын

Didn’t know that…shame if it’s true as DDs would definitely be welcomed on the route :(

As for extensions, I’d like to see it diverted to west Croydon, it’ll terminate at the same place as the sl5 then and make changing between the two super loop routes easier

@somenorthlondoner

4 ай бұрын

Not sure, I think the interchange at East Croydon is adequate at present :)

@PGATProductions

3 ай бұрын

@@somenorthlondoner yea and west croydon is full

I used to be a relief projectionist at the David Lean Cinema. When I was at school, fifty years ago now, there were several pupils from Shirley Oaks Children’s home. I suspect that it no longer exists, but do you know where it was, and what is on the site now? There is another ‘slow’ bus route between Croydon and Bromley, in the 3xx series I think. Does this take a significantly different toute to the 119. I used the 119 a few times some years ago, and it took forever. Why does the SL4 terminate at Grove Park. If it was extended to Bromley it could probably enable the Bromley North railway branch to be closed. I would like to see Tramlink extended to Lewisham to connect with the DLR. I doubt that it will ever happen, but I would use the DLR far more if it did. 21:49 21:49

@somenorthlondoner

16 күн бұрын

Not a local to Croydon I’m afraid so dont know about Shirley Oaks! Re SL4 to Bromley…stand space most likely. I wouldn’t advocate Bromley North to Grove Park closing either. Interesting you say about the Tramlink, from where would you extend it from? 367 I think and that’s the very long way around!

X119 = SL5 are crosslinked 119 together.

the SL3 is getting electric double deckers!

@somenorthlondoner

3 ай бұрын

Yep

Getting from Croydon to Bromley is much easier now.

@somenorthlondoner

5 ай бұрын

Indeed!

why can't they use bendybuses?

@somenorthlondoner

5 ай бұрын

It would be cool but v unlikely!

@pavld335

5 ай бұрын

@@somenorthlondonerwhy is it unlikely? Do they just not have them in their fleet. I noticed the last time I was in Scotland, the only bendybus I saw was in Aberdeen, never saw them in Glasgow.

@somenorthlondoner

5 ай бұрын

@@pavld335 Bendybuses have been extinct for going on 15 years now on London’s streets…would be nice to see them make a return though! Somewhat doubtful given how much more consideration is being given towards the cycling community and how notoriously dangerous bendybuses are!

Ah, Bedlam was the link then......

@somenorthlondoner

5 ай бұрын

Yep lol