London Buses route 16

Infobox London Bus
number=16


ibus=yes
operator=Metroline
length= 6 miles (9 km)
time= 33-55 minutes
garage=Cricklewood (W)
start=Cricklewood
end=Victoria
via=Kilburn
Marble Arch
Hyde Park Corner
level=Daily
frequency=About every 6 minutes
night= Night Bus N16
vehicle=Dennis Trident 2/Alexander ALX400
Dennis Trident 2/Plaxton President
Alexander Dennis Enviro400
pvr=26
day=5:00am until midnight

London Buses route 16 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.

History

Metroline are great fans of cascading vehicles around from one route to another - usually with good reason, varying from passenger loadings and vehicle layouts to economy in engineering. One route that has had more than its share of cascades is the 16, which seemed for a time to be getting new vehicles on an annual basis each summer, though the allocation does now appear to have settled down.

First to come were Volvo Olympians (AVs), as an upgrade from MCW Metrobuses, in 1998. AV 23-38 later moved to the 260 and were replaced by an equal number of new Tridents. Those were the first of what was destined to be a short run of success with Metroline for Alexander, as opposed to the Plaxton President which had been specified before (though by MTL, before takeover by Metroline) and subsequently became standard.

But in 2000 those were in turn cascaded, and replaced by the last Alexander bodied buses ordered by Metroline, TAL 118-134. This batch of TALs was thus unique. The TAs moved to route 32, but have subsequently drifted back partly to cover an increase in service on the 16. The 16 also suffered the indignity of a large number of Dennis Dart single deckers in early 2003, to free up double deckers for the much needed conversion of routes 139 and 189 to double deck. However, full double-deck operation was re-achieved by 17 February 2003, when the Mayor's congestion charge began.

Current route

Route departing Cricklewood

* Cricklewood Broadway "Temple Road"
* Shoot Up Hill
* Brondesbury
* Kilburn High Road
* Maida Vale
* Edgware Road
* Marble Arch
* Park Lane
* Hyde Park Corner
* Duke of Wellington Place
* Grosvenor Place
* Lower Grosvenor Place
* Buckingham Palace Road
* Terminus Place
* Victoria station

Route departing Victoria

* Victoria station
* Wilton Road
* Victoria Street
* Grosvenor Gardens
* Grosvenor Place
* Hyde Park Corner
* Park Lane
* Cumberland Gate
* Marble Arch
* Edgware Road
* Maida Vale
* Kilburn "High Road"
* Brondesbury
* Shoot Up Hill
* Cricklewood Broadway
* Edgware Road
* Cricklewood "Bus Garage"

ee also

* List of bus routes in London
* Metroline

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/016full.pdf Full Timetable (PDF)]