Can I ask you to file a proper complaint to me by iMsg in the first place
please? You can suspect a breach of rules if you wish but it is down to
me to make the judgement whether it is the case or not, and it shall
be handled by authorised personnel where necessary.
I would also suggest you make a query of where those pictures were
taken instead of jumping into harsh accussions like you did in the first
place. I do not see what you have done was any more right at all.
As per your query, I have responded accordingly. If you are not satisfied
you shall email to contact@hkitalk.net.
Route 38: history and legal position regarding the special operations
Short history of route 38:
a. Route 38 run from Victoria to Hackney, Clapton,Leyton and Loughton.
b. when the Victoria Line was opened in 1969, route 38 was cut back to Leyton. Route 20, running between Walthamstow and Loughton replaced the northern section of the route.
c. In the early 90s, as a result of traffic congestion, London Buses cut long routes into seperate shorter routes. Route 38 was cut back to Clpaton Pond, and Route 56 replaced it between Leyton and Clapton.
But, route 38 has always operated from Leyton garage, and the buses had to run empty from Clapton to Leyton Garage. so the route was transferred to Clapton garage.
RT190 and RT191 did operate on route 38 briefly in the late 1940s. it is remarkable that both are now preserved. but both of those buses are not licensed [and insured] to run in public service. The same applied to RMC1456 RT1702 and some other buses that were seen running on the same roads as route 38 but not carrying passangers.
Background to the operation of special buses on last days of routemasters.
On last days of routemaster operation, we normally have special guests appearing on the route, in addition to the normal buses that are running. many of the visitors are old preserved buses.
The official and legal position for this operation is:
The extra buses are operating on a seperate one day bus route. For instance, route 38 is registered as a daily bus requiring 50 buses. the extra 16 visitors were officially registered as operating a one day special route also called route 38.
Those buses had to operate by an approved, officially registered and approved public service operator, carrying an operating disk for the bus.
The bus itself had to pass a licensing test to class 6, and insured accordingly. this means that it can carry passangers and run in normal service.
Those conditions must be legally followed by TfL London buses and everyone in the UK. Otherwise the operation would not be legal, and there is no insurance cover.
As you can see, it is not simple to arrange the special operations, and there is a lot of work behind the scene in getting the operation going.
Another by-law by London Buses [which are the traffic commissioners for London] bans buses from running in the streets showing a route munber and destination- unless they operate in service. such buses should not display a blind at all. and, indeed, we know of instances where such buses were fined by London Buses. indeed I have heard that the owner of RMC1456 had an official warning from London buses!
If you now consider the operation of route 38 on Friday:
1, Normal route 38 with 50 buses running between clapton and victoria
2. extra route 38 with 16 guests - a route registered for one day- between victoria and clapton
3. ST922 running a "photographer service", but not in serice, between Green Park and Mildmay park with official permission by london buses.
When route 159 looses routemasters, the special extra operation would be running on Thurs 8 Dec. The details would be available soon. On Friday,the change over from routemasters to volvos B7Ls would happen at mid day. no specials would run in public service.
