London Buses route 15 (Heritage)

Infobox London Bus
number=15H


operator=East London
length=3 miles (5km)
time= 24-25 minutes
garage=Bow
start=Tower Hill
vehicle=Routemaster
end=Trafalgar Square
via=Cannon Street
Aldwych
level=Daily
frequency=About every 15 minutes
night=Night Bus N15
pvr=5
day=9:30am until 7:00pm

London Buses route 15 (Heritage) is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom operated only by Routemaster buses. The service is currently contracted to East London and is a short working of the regular route 15.

History

This route and route 9 (Heritage) were announced initially as 'A' and 'B' as short workings on existing routes to avoid any potential complications in the future as from 2017 all services have to be operated by Disability Discrimination Act compliant vehicles or an alternative must exist to make the same journey by exactly the same means. The Mayor of London and Transport for London decided to have a deadline of 2006 for their own services with a few exceptions.

One of the two routes, awarded to Stagecoach London (now East London), was for services between Trafalgar Square and Tower Hill, covering the most touristy section of route 15 taking in the Tower of London, Monument, St Paul's Cathedral and Trafalgar Square. An extension to the Oxford Street area was excluded due to severe congestion there. The number of the parallel route 15 was adopted for the Routemasters, despite potential for confusion with the main 15.

Ten buses were allocated to the operator; 5 for the daily turnout, 3 operational spares and 2 as a "strategic reserve". Despite having only a couple of weeks to prepare the vehicles after they left normal service, Stagecoach turned out 5 immaculately presented RMs for the first day launch. The first journey was driven by Peter Hendy, managing director of TfL surface transport.

In April 2008 one of the buses was painted in a special Indian Red and Silver livery, to promote Bow Garage's Centenary. It was first revealed at the LBPT's Cobham bus rally, and soon after entered regular service.

Current route

Route departing Tower Hill

* Tower Hill
* Cannon Street station
* Cannon Street
* Mansion House Station
* Queen Victoria Street
* Friday Street
* Cannon Street
* St Paul's Churchyard
* Ludgate Hill
* City Thameslink Station
* Ludgate Circus
* Fleet Street
* Strand
* Aldwych
* Strand
* Charing Cross Station
* Strand
* Charing Cross
* Trafalgar Square

Route departing Trafalgar Square

* Trafalgar Square
* Charing Cross
* Strand
* Charing Cross Station
* Strand
* Aldwych
* Strand
* Fleet Street
* Ludgate Circus
* City Thameslink Station
* Ludgate Hill
* St Paul's Churchyard
* Cannon Street
* Cannon Street station
* "'Tower Hill

ee also

* London Buses route 15
* London Buses route 9 (Heritage)
* List of bus routes in London
* East London

External links

* [http://www.tfl.gov.uk Transport For London]
* [http://www.londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net London Bus Routes Fotopic]
* [http://www.busesatwork.co.uk London Bus Routes]
* [http://www.londonbusroutes.net/times/015.htm Full Timetable]
* [http://www.geocities.com/routemasterheritageroute/heritagefleet.html Enthusiast Page with vehicle list]