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London Buses route SL8

{{Short description|London Superloop express bus route}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}

{{Infobox bus line

|number = SL8

|image = Metroline VMH2593 (LF19FXU) Ealing 22.08.2023.jpg

|image_width = 300

|caption = Metroline MCV EvoSeti bodied Volvo B5LH in Ealing

|bgcolor = #2B3990

|titlecolor = white

|operator = Metroline

|garage = Greenford

|vehicle =

|open = 22 July 1990

|close =

|pvr = 19 (April 2019)

|predecessors =

|former_operator = First London

|night = N207

|start = Uxbridge station

|via = Hillingdon Heath
Hayes End
Hayes
Southall
Ealing Hospital
Hanwell
West Ealing
Ealing
Acton
Acton Vale

|end = White City bus station

|length =

|level = Daily

|frequency = 10-15 minutes

|day = 04:25 until 01:25

|time = 56-84 minutes

|map = {{London bus corridor SL8|inline=y|route=SL8}}}}

London Buses route SL8, formerly London Buses route 607, is a Transport for London contracted Superloop express bus route in London, England. Running between Uxbridge station and White City bus station, it is operated by Metroline.

The route parallels route 207 and partially parallels route 427.

History

=607=

File:London Buses route 607 054.jpg Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident 2 on route 607 in August 2010]]

Route 607 was established on 21 July 1990 as an express service on the same route as route 207 between Uxbridge station and Shepherd's Bush Green via Uxbridge Road on Mondays to Saturdays.Low-floor double-deckers flood in Buses issue 536 November 1999 page 14

Its number was previously used by a trolleybus route over the same roads, which operated from 15 November 1936 until 8 November 1960 when it was abolished as part of the London Trolleybus Withdrawal Programme and replaced by bus route 207.{{cite book|last=Webber|first=Mick |title=London Trolleybus Chronology 1931-1962 |year=1997 |location=Shepperton|publisher=Ian Allan Publishing|isbn=0-7110-2528-2}}{{cite book|last=Blacker|first=Ken|title=The London Trolleybus. Volume 2: 1946–1962|year=2004|location=Harrow|publisher=Capital Transport|isbn=978-1-85414-285-6}} It was the only regular route in the 6xx series that is otherwise reserved for school routes. (There had been 6xx limited-stop routes in the 1970s.)

Route 607 was originally operated by Leyland Nationals and Leyland Lynxs.CentreWest puts on the style LT News issue 400 21 November 1991 page 9 In 1995 Northern Counties bodies Volvo Olympians were introduced.{{cite book|title=The London Bus|date=2018|publisher=Key Publishing|page=71|edition=5}} The route was included in the sale of CentreWest to First London in March 1997.{{cite book|title=London Buses: A Brief History|publisher=Capital Transport Publishing|last=Reed|first=John|year=2000|pages=70|isbn=9781854142337}}

In the early 2000s, it was proposed that the route be replaced by the West London Tram, however this project was abandoned in 2007.{{Cite web|last=Lydall|first=Ross|date=2004-10-08|title=Rough ride for tram line|url=http://www.standard.co.uk/news/rough-ride-for-tram-line-6984429.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017040306/http://www.standard.co.uk/news/rough-ride-for-tram-line-6984429.html|archive-date=2012-10-17|access-date=2021-08-14|website=Evening Standard}}{{Cite news|date=2007-08-03|title=Controversial tram plan derailed|language=en-GB|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/6929064.stm|access-date=2021-08-14}} On 29 November 2008, route 607 was extended from Shepherd's Bush Green to White City bus station to coincide with the opening of Westfield London.[https://www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2008/november/new-white-city-bus-station-will-cater-for-10000-passengers-a-day New White City bus station will cater for 10,000 passengers a day] Transport for London 25 November 2008

On 22 June 2013, route 607 was included in the sale of First London's Uxbridge garage to Metroline.[http://www.firstgroup.com/corporate/latest_news/?id=009241 FirstGroup Announces Sale of Eight London Bus Depots] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105122627/http://www.firstgroup.com/corporate/latest_news/?id=009241 |date=5 November 2013 }} FirstGroup 9 April 2013 In April 2019, Metroline commenced a new contract.Metrobus and Abellio gain TfL contracts Coach & Bus Week issue 1351 17 July 2018 page 7

=SL8=

On 15 July 2023, route 607 was renumbered SL8, becoming part of the Superloop network of orbital express bus routes.[https://web.archive.org/web/20230716100410/https://www.route-one.net/news/first-tfl-superloop-bus-route-to-start-this-weekend/ First TfL Superloop bus route to start this weekend] Route One 14 July 2023New numberng for Superloop services Buses issue 821 August 2023 page 20

On 19 August 2023, the hours of operation were extended.{{cite news |last1=Toms |first1=Adam |title=London's first Superloop bus route launched as Sadiq Khan reveals full launch of routes brought forward |url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/londons-first-superloop-bus-route-27324233 |access-date=15 July 2023 |work=MyLondon |date=14 July 2023}}

Current route

Route SL8 operates via these primary locations:[https://www.tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/sl8 Route SL8 Map] Transport for London

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{commons category-inline}}

{{London Bus Routes}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:SL8}}

Category:Bus routes in London

Category:Transport in the London Borough of Ealing

Category:Transport in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

Category:Transport in the London Borough of Hillingdon

Category:London Superloop