Know Your Routes: 207, Now and then.

It's been a few days since I've written a post, so I thought today, I'd bring you this!

Route 207:

The oldest route out of 207,427 and 607, this route originally ran between Uxbridge and Shepherd's Bush Green until April 2005, back when it was operated from First's Uxbridge base. Prior to this, the route was using TNL's as it was Ealing's busiest route at the time.Then the former mayor, Ken Livingstone, decided to help out with the relatively congested route as buses were always overcrowded, was to trial out a few bendy-buses which could hold more people than a double-deck. A few bendy buses were tested out during the time, and the trials were proved successful. 

When the route's contract was retained by First, brand-new Mercedes Benz Citaros were introduced on the 207. However, these buses were 18m long and could not cope with the tight turns in Uxbridge Town Centre meaning that the route was cut back from Uxbridge to Hayes By-Pass with the Uxbridge section being taken over by then new route, 427 which would start at Acton Market Place, follow the 207 to Hayes By-Pass then go along the former 207 routing to Uxbridge. Also, on the same day, due to tight turns in Uxbridge meant that these brand new buses would be based at a new garage in Hayes(HS).

(C) Lewis N. A bendy on route 207 - The last day of operation.

In 2008, Ken Livingstone sadly lost the elections to Boris Johnson and as part of his campaign, Boris promised that he would axe all bendy-buses on the route as fare-evading was very common.

In the same year, the 207 was extended by two stops, along with several other routes, from Shepherd's Bush to serve the brand new White City Bus Station, where a new shopping centre opened up that's known as "Westfield".

On 10th December 2011, Boris stuck to his words about scrapping the articulated buses and 207's bendies were no longer to be seen, although 207's contract wasn't suppose to expire until April 2012. The 207 was also the last bus route to go through Bendy to Double Deck.  

Most enthusiasts were thinking that the route was getting VN's or DN's, First ordered SN's which is their coding for Scania Omnicity, which is weird due to the reason being that First have never gone with Scania before. The reason owing to this is because Alexander Dennis and WrightBus were jammed with orders and the buses wouldn't arrive on time, which is something Boris Johnson wouldn't approve of, as the buses wouldn't arrive until 2012, even though Boris did say he would end lives of ALL bendies by the end of 2011.

Like all "Know Your Routes" this one wouldn't be without a fleetlist:

SN36031 - YR61 RPU

SN36032 - YR61 RPV 

SN36033 - YR61 RPX

SN36034 - YR61 RPY

SN36035 - YR61 RPZ

SN36036 - YR61 RRO

SN36037 - YR61 RRU

SN36038 - YR61 RRV
SN36039 - YR61 RRX 
SN36040 - YR61 RRY
SN36041 - YR61 RRZ
SN36042 - YR61 RSO
SN36043 - YR61 RSU
SN36044 - YR61 RSV
SN36045 - YR61 RSX
SN36046 - YR61 RSY
SN36047 - YR61 RSZ
SN36048 - YR61 RTO
SN36049 - YR61 RTU
SN36050 - YR61 RTV
SN36051 - YR61 RTX
SN36052 - YR61 RTZ
SN36053 - YR61 RUA
SN36054 - YR61 RUC
SN36055 - YR61 RUH
SN36056 - YR61 RUJ
SN36057 - YR61 RUO
SN36058 - YR61 RUU
SN36059 - YR61 RUV
SN36060 - YR61 RUW
SN36061 - YR61 RUY
SN36062 - YR61 RVA
SN36063 - YR61 RVC
SN36064 - YR61 RVE
SN36065 - YR61 RVF
SN36066 - YR61 RVJ
SN36067 - YR61 RVK
SN36068 - YR61 RVL
SN36069 - YR61 RVM

Thank you for reading and hopefully, you've enjoyed this post!