London Buses route 156
Encyclopedia
London Buses route 156 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to Abellio London
.
Station and Clapham Junction (Grant Road). It was introduced as a replacement for sections of the 77A (now 87) and M1 which were withdrawn at the same time. The 156 was operated at Merton
Garage (AL) and it was operated by DMS
. The Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR) was Monday to Saturday 12DMS and Sunday 6DMS. In October 1984 after 7:45pm the 156 terminated at Northcote instead of Grant Road, with the number of vehicles required reduced.
By August 1985, the 156 was extended from Clapham Junction to Vauxhall
(Monday-Friday Peaks only). The Monday to Friday PVR was increased to 18DMS. In July 1987 the Monday to Saturday service between Raynes Park
and Morden
was withdrawn and replaced by new route 163. The route was Monday to Saturday Raynes Park to Clapham Junction. Monday to Friday Peaks Raynes Park
to Vauxhall
Station. Sunday journeys ran between Morden to Clapham Junction. Monday to Saturday allocation was transferred to Stockwell
Garage (SW). The PVR on weekdays was reduced to 16 vehicles.
Two years on, the AL Sunday service was transferred to SW so the 156 was operated daily from Stockwell
Garage, while the PVR for Monday to Friday decreased by 1 bus. By March 1991 the Sunday operation at AL was transferred back, but the Monday to Friday service was still at SW. MCW Metrobus
es were introduced to the 156 at the same time. In May 1991 the allocation was back at AL full time, and was operated by DR's. The route was withdrawn between Clapham Junction and Vauxhall and between Wimbledon
and Morden
to operate only from Clapham Junction to Wimbledon
. The PVR was now Monday to Saturday 9DR and Sunday 7DR.
In 1994 AL allocated a Metrobus to the 156 for school journeys, also MRLs started appearing on the 156 with the DRs still operating. By 1996 the Metrobus was still going on the 156 but the DR buses were withdrawn so it was only operated by MRLs.
When late 1997 came the contract was reassigned to Limebourne. However, the collapse of Q-Drive in 1998 saw the route come under threat. It was operated free of charge by London Regional Transport
for ten days using hired buses. Limebourne restarted operation as an independent company in December 1998 and took over operation of the service again.
The route was operated by Battersea
Garage QB and the double decker school journey was being operated by Nostalgia Bus. In April 1999 the school journey double decker was transferred to Limebourne. In 2001 Limebourne were taken over by Connex bus
, who continued to operate at QB using many of the same buses. A year later Connex converted the 156 to double deck using Dennis Trident 2
s with Alexander ALX400
bodywork (TA's).
Consultation on a possible extension from Clapham Junction to Vauxhall
began in April 2002, and received support from local politicians. The extension was implemented in October 2002, with the operation extended to begin an hour earlier and end an hour later.
During 2004 Travel London
took over Connex and they used the same garage and buses. Travel London became Abellio London in 2009.
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
contracted bus route in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The service is currently contracted to Abellio London
Abellio (UK bus company)
Abellio London and Abellio Surrey operate buses in London and Surrey. They are part of the Abellio Group owned by the Nederlandse Spoorwegen.-History:...
.
History
The 156 began on the 23rd April 1983 between MordenMorden
Morden is a district in the London Borough of Merton. It is located approximately South-southwest of central London between Merton Park , Mitcham , Sutton and Worcester Park .- Origin of name :...
Station and Clapham Junction (Grant Road). It was introduced as a replacement for sections of the 77A (now 87) and M1 which were withdrawn at the same time. The 156 was operated at Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
Garage (AL) and it was operated by DMS
Daimler Fleetline
The Daimler Fleetline is a rear-engined double-decker bus chassis built between 1960 and 1973 in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, and from 1973 until 1980 in Farington, Lancashire, England. However, the last complete vehicle did not enter service until 1983...
. The Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR) was Monday to Saturday 12DMS and Sunday 6DMS. In October 1984 after 7:45pm the 156 terminated at Northcote instead of Grant Road, with the number of vehicles required reduced.
By August 1985, the 156 was extended from Clapham Junction to Vauxhall
Vauxhall
-Demography:Many Vauxhall residents live in social housing. There are several gentrified areas, and areas of terraced townhouses on streets such as Fentiman Road and Heyford Avenue have higher property values in the private market, however by far the most common type of housing stock within...
(Monday-Friday Peaks only). The Monday to Friday PVR was increased to 18DMS. In July 1987 the Monday to Saturday service between Raynes Park
Raynes Park
Raynes Park is a suburb within the London Borough of Merton south-west London, centred around Raynes Park station and situated between Wimbledon and New Malden. It is 8.2 miles south-west of Charing Cross. The area is effectively divided into two by the Waterloo - Southampton mainline railway...
and Morden
Morden
Morden is a district in the London Borough of Merton. It is located approximately South-southwest of central London between Merton Park , Mitcham , Sutton and Worcester Park .- Origin of name :...
was withdrawn and replaced by new route 163. The route was Monday to Saturday Raynes Park to Clapham Junction. Monday to Friday Peaks Raynes Park
Raynes Park
Raynes Park is a suburb within the London Borough of Merton south-west London, centred around Raynes Park station and situated between Wimbledon and New Malden. It is 8.2 miles south-west of Charing Cross. The area is effectively divided into two by the Waterloo - Southampton mainline railway...
to Vauxhall
Vauxhall
-Demography:Many Vauxhall residents live in social housing. There are several gentrified areas, and areas of terraced townhouses on streets such as Fentiman Road and Heyford Avenue have higher property values in the private market, however by far the most common type of housing stock within...
Station. Sunday journeys ran between Morden to Clapham Junction. Monday to Saturday allocation was transferred to Stockwell
Stockwell
Stockwell is a district in inner south west London, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth.It is situated south south-east of Charing Cross. Brixton, Clapham, Vauxhall and Kennington all border Stockwell...
Garage (SW). The PVR on weekdays was reduced to 16 vehicles.
Two years on, the AL Sunday service was transferred to SW so the 156 was operated daily from Stockwell
Stockwell
Stockwell is a district in inner south west London, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth.It is situated south south-east of Charing Cross. Brixton, Clapham, Vauxhall and Kennington all border Stockwell...
Garage, while the PVR for Monday to Friday decreased by 1 bus. By March 1991 the Sunday operation at AL was transferred back, but the Monday to Friday service was still at SW. MCW Metrobus
MCW Metrobus
The MCW Metrobus is a double decker bus model manufactured by MCW from 1977 until 1989, with over 4,000 examples built. The original MkI model was superseded by the MkII model in 1981/1982, although production of the original MkI continued for London Transport until 1985...
es were introduced to the 156 at the same time. In May 1991 the allocation was back at AL full time, and was operated by DR's. The route was withdrawn between Clapham Junction and Vauxhall and between Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
and Morden
Morden
Morden is a district in the London Borough of Merton. It is located approximately South-southwest of central London between Merton Park , Mitcham , Sutton and Worcester Park .- Origin of name :...
to operate only from Clapham Junction to Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
. The PVR was now Monday to Saturday 9DR and Sunday 7DR.
In 1994 AL allocated a Metrobus to the 156 for school journeys, also MRLs started appearing on the 156 with the DRs still operating. By 1996 the Metrobus was still going on the 156 but the DR buses were withdrawn so it was only operated by MRLs.
When late 1997 came the contract was reassigned to Limebourne. However, the collapse of Q-Drive in 1998 saw the route come under threat. It was operated free of charge by London Regional Transport
London Regional Transport
London Regional Transport was the organisation responsible for the public transport network in Greater London, UK from 1984-2000. In common with all London transport authorities from 1933 to 2000, the public name and operational brand of the organisation was London Transport.The organisation was...
for ten days using hired buses. Limebourne restarted operation as an independent company in December 1998 and took over operation of the service again.
The route was operated by Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
Garage QB and the double decker school journey was being operated by Nostalgia Bus. In April 1999 the school journey double decker was transferred to Limebourne. In 2001 Limebourne were taken over by Connex bus
Connex bus
Connex bus refers to the bus company branded Connex that operated in the United Kingdom from its creation in 1996. Connex was a brand name of Veolia Environnement, used in train and bus operating companies...
, who continued to operate at QB using many of the same buses. A year later Connex converted the 156 to double deck using Dennis Trident 2
Dennis Trident 2
Dennis Trident 2 is a 2-axle low-floor double-decker bus chassis originally built by Dennis in the United Kingdom, which was unveiled in 1997 and replaced the Dennis Arrow...
s with Alexander ALX400
Alexander ALX400
The Alexander ALX400 is a 2-axle double-decker bus body built by Walter Alexander Coachbuilders...
bodywork (TA's).
Consultation on a possible extension from Clapham Junction to Vauxhall
Vauxhall
-Demography:Many Vauxhall residents live in social housing. There are several gentrified areas, and areas of terraced townhouses on streets such as Fentiman Road and Heyford Avenue have higher property values in the private market, however by far the most common type of housing stock within...
began in April 2002, and received support from local politicians. The extension was implemented in October 2002, with the operation extended to begin an hour earlier and end an hour later.
During 2004 Travel London
Travel London
Travel London was a bus operator in London which was originally a subsidiary of the National Express Group. In May 2009 the company was sold to NedRailways, now called Abellio...
took over Connex and they used the same garage and buses. Travel London became Abellio London in 2009.
Current route
- WimbledonWimbledon, LondonWimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
Sir Cyril Black Way - Wimbledon StationWimbledon stationWimbledon station is a National Rail, London Underground, and Tramlink station located in Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton, and is the only London station that provides an interchange between rail, Underground, and Tramlink services...
- Wimbledon ParkWimbledon ParkWimbledon Park is an urban park in Wimbledon and the suburb south and east to which it lends its name. It is the second largest park in the London Borough of Merton and also gives its name to Wimbledon Park tube station. To the immediate west of the park resides the All England Lawn Tennis and...
- WandsworthWandsworthWandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
- Clapham Junction StationClapham Junction railway stationClapham Junction railway station is near St John's Hill in the south-west of Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Although it is in Battersea, the area around the station is commonly identified as Clapham Junction....
- Queenstown Road StationQueenstown Road (Battersea) railway stationQueenstown Road is a railway station in South London, between Vauxhall and Clapham Junction. It is a short walk from Battersea Park station and Battersea Park...
- Battersea Park StationBattersea Park railway stationBattersea Park is a suburban railway station in the London Borough of Wandsworth, formerly known as York Road. It is situated at the junction of the South London Line and the Brighton Main Line between Victoria and...
- Vauxhall StationVauxhall stationVauxhall station is a National Rail, London Underground and London Buses interchange station in central London. It is at the Vauxhall Cross road junction opposite the southern approach to Vauxhall Bridge over the River Thames in the London district of Vauxhall...
Bus Station