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Route 234
28 May 2013

The 234 has for some time had a restriction to shorter buses, though it is not quite clear why. But in May 2007 there was a short term need for buses for route E6 (which really does need short buses) owing to late delivery of new buses, so the DMS class short Marshall Darts from the 234 were pinched and replaced by longer 10.2m DLD class Pointer Darts that had been displaced from the 251 by new buses. Although the Marshalls returned briefly (the DLDs going to the 84 – where they did not last long either!), TfL rather liked the idea of longer buses on the 234, and so the arrangement was made permanent when the opportunity arose when route 90 got new buses. This also assisted Metroline in disposing of its Marshall bodied vehicles.

However, for reasons unknown to me it was decided to introduced new buses to the 234 mid-contract in October - admittedly the DLDs were about 11 years old by then, with another 5 years of the contract to go. Even more strangely, the route has reverted to small buses, even though the capability of the route to take longer buses was by then well-proven. These are Alexander Dennis E20Ds to the 9.6m length, with Enviro200 bodywork, and DEM1352 (LK62 DGO) on Whetstone on Saturday 20 October.

Photo © Au Moran.

Brief history of route 234, with thanks to Selassie Lawson for compiling it up to 2002.

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See also routes E6, 251, 84, 90, 134

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