Wednesday, 16 November 2022

Former London Bendybuses Make Their Final In Service Journeys

The last of London’s former bendybuses has made its final passenger journey in its recent home in Brighton. At 7.58pm on Monday, October 31, the final bendy-operated route 25 bus arrived at Old Steine bus terminus in Brighton.

22 of the vehicles earned their keep on Brighton routes 25 and 25X, shuttling 144 passengers at a time between the city and its universities. They became the pride of the fleet for operator Brighton & Hove, which gave some of them striking liveries.

The same bendybus, on the left in London in 2009, on the right in Brighton before its withdrawal 

The vehicles that ended up in Brighton were first assigned to London route 453 (Marylebone-Deptford Bridge) and were the last batch to be ordered for London, arriving in 2007, just ahead of Boris Johnson's mayoral victory in 2008, which led to their disposal from London.

Read an excellent 'My London' report on the withdrawal of the bendybuses here.