640, a ride to remember

Most of you haven't been on the 640, which is fair enough because it's one of those awkward school routes where you have to get a day off in the middle of a school term to come and see. However, the 640 is a very special route, because it's one of only a few left in London which still has a flourishing character. Or at least it did until Metroline won the contract.

It was one of those routes which saw the same people day in, day out. Everyone sort of knew who everyone else was, even though they had never conversed. This was all because of the way that Arriva ran the route.


The 640 uses two buses for two journeys, northbound in the morning and southbound in the afternoon. The second journey always used the same driver, who has to be one of the best drivers in TFL service. He kept the community alive on the 640, known as the 'uncle' of the route. And somehow, I became the 'nephew'!

Arriva won the contract for route 640 in 2009, and for some reason two brand new Wright Gemini II buses arrived - numbered 6100 and 6101 - which were to be utilised on the 640 (although in practise they were more commonly found on route 258). I do not know why this decision was made: it can't be profitable to buy brand new buses for an infrequent school route which could be quickly worn down, but it is a decision I definitely approve of. Those 'DWs' are bloody brilliant at the hands of a fast driver!



Arriva have now operated the route for 5 years, and the contract has fallen back to Metroline from Harrow Weald. I agree that it is both more practical and convenient as well as better for the environment to run the route from a garage which is actually on the line of route, rather than in Hertfordshire, and new-ish buses for Harrow Weald is definitely a bonus.

But it's not the same.

for more pictures of Arriva on the 640, please see here