London Buses route 38
Encyclopedia
London Buses route 38 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London
.
The route is the most frequent in London with a bus every minute for a time in the morning peak, and has the highest peak vehicle requirement in London, at 68 vehicles.
and Leyton Green
via Angel, Islington, Dalston
, Clapton
and Lea Bridge Road
and between Victoria and Epping Forest (Rising Sun) on Sundays. It was operated from Leyton Garage
, which opened on the same day. In 1913 a 38A was introduced, taking over the Sunday service and operating between Victoria and Epping Forest (Warren Wood House)
.
World War I
restrictions saw many changes to the 38 and 38A including withdrawals over certain sections for short periods. The most important of these occurred on 15 May 1916 when the 38 and 38A exchanged their eastern branches permanently. The 38 was withdrawn between the Bakers Arms and Woodford (Castle) and re-routed to Walthamstow (Hoe street station)
. In 1919 a 38B was added, running through to Loughton
, with the 38A only running as far as Woodford (Castle). The 38A disappeared in 1921.
On 1 December 1924, a new system of route numbering on London Buses came into force under The London Traffic Act of 1924. Route 38 was unchanged; route 38B was renumbered to 138. Both routes had short working suffixed journeys numbered 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, 138A, 138B as well as 38E, which was the main daily route Victoria Station to Chingford
(Royal Forest Hotel). This situation remained until 3 October 1934, when the newly constituted London Passenger Transport Board
instituted its own numbering system. The 38, 38A and 38E became plain 38. The 138 became 38A.
From the 5 January 1938, on Mondays to Fridays only, the 38 was reduced between Leyton and Chingford and the 38A withdrawn completely. In replacement a route 38B was introduced between Loughton (Crown), Woodford, Leyton, Walthamstow
and Chingford (Royal Forest Hotel). From 3 August 1938 the 38B was withdrawn, and the 38 and 38A returned to normal.
As a wartime economy routes 38 and 38A were re-routed between Clapton
and Dalston
on the direct route via Cricketfield Road (avoiding Hackney) as from 5 May 1943. On 15 April 1959 the 38A was re-routed via Hackney station to replace the withdrawn trolleybus route 581. From 1946 until 1965, the 38 also had a summer Sunday extension from Chingford Station to Epping Forest (Wake Arms) via Rangers Road and Epping New Road.
On 1 September 1968, the first section of the Victoria Line
was opened between Walthamstow Central and Highbury & Islington; six days later on 7 September 1968 a large scale re-organisation of London Buses took place. The 38A was withdrawn, being replaced by three new routes; Red Arrow route 505 between Victoria and Piccadilly Circus
, route 48 between Dalston
and Whipps Cross
and route 20
between Leyton and Loughton. Between Dalston and Hackney the 38A was also replaced by a re-routed 38, which was cut back from Chingford (Royal Forest Hotel) to terminate at Walthamstow Garage, being replaced by route 69
over this section.
On 25 October 1969 the 38 was further cut back to terminate at Leyton Green, being replaced on the Walthamstow section by the newly introduced 55
. The Sunday service was converted to one-person operation on 6 June 1987. When London Buses was divided into 11 subsidiaries operation of route 38 was taken over by London Forest
. On 24 February 1990, the 38 was controversially cut back on Mondays to Saturdays from Leyton Green to terminate at Clapton Pond
. It was replaced over this section by the newly introduced 56. London Forest was wound up in 1991; the route then became a joint operation between Leaside Buses and East London, before being transferred to Leaside Buses. The Sunday service through to Leyton Green was withdrawn from 19 July 1997.
In July 2002 preparation for congestion charging
saw the peak hour frequency increased. Also in 2002, the Sunday service was converted back to crew-operation from 2 June. This lasted until 29 October 2005, when the route was finally converted to one-person operation when articulated bus
es were introduced. A new fleet of Mercedes-Benz Citaro Gs were purchased. The higher capacity of a Citaro compared with a Routemaster
allowed the peak frequency to be reduced.
With the move to replace London's articulated buses, the articulated buses used on the 38 were replaced by standard double deck buses on 14 November 2009. Due to the reduction in capacity, the frequency increased to every 2–3 minutes. The route's peak vehicle requirement rose dramatically, from 47 to 68. It was originally due to rise to 72, but four buses have been saved by curtailing every other bus at Hackney, not continuing to Clapton Pond. When the route was crew operated it required 50 Routemasters.
Brand new VDL DB300 10.4m / Wright Gemini 2
and Alexander Dennis Enviro400s have been bought for the route to convert it to double deck.
New Bus for London to be introduced partially on route 38 from November 2011 to Jan 2012.
There were also in London:
, E3 resident Wiley
has mentioned the route 38 in his lyrics. An example of which is "I'm like the 38 bus cos I never turn up!".
A Routemaster bus with route 38 blinds is displayed in the Falkland Islands
capital of Port Stanley.
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 Arriva London
Arriva London
Arriva London is a division of Arriva which operates bus services in London, UK. It is made up of many previous bus operators including previously independent Grey Green...
.
The route is the most frequent in London with a bus every minute for a time in the morning peak, and has the highest peak vehicle requirement in London, at 68 vehicles.
History
The 38 was introduced on 16 June 1912 as a Monday to Saturday route between VictoriaVictoria station (London)
Victoria station, also known as London Victoria, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It is named after nearby Victoria Street and not Queen Victoria. It is the second busiest railway terminus in London after Waterloo, and includes an air terminal for passengers...
and Leyton Green
Leyton
Leyton is an area of north-east London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, located north east of Charing Cross. It borders Walthamstow and Leytonstone; Stratford in Newham; and Homerton and Lower Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney....
via Angel, Islington, Dalston
Dalston
Dalston is a district of north-east London, England, located in the London Borough of Hackney. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
, Clapton
Lower Clapton
Lower Clapton is a district within the London Borough of Hackney.It is immediately adjacent to central Hackney - bounded, roughly, by the western side of Hackney Downs , the Lea Valley , Clifden Road and the Lea Bridge Road...
and Lea Bridge Road
Lea Bridge Road
Lea Bridge Road is a major through route in North East London, across the Lea Valley from Clapton to Whipps Cross in Leyton. Lea Bridge was once the name of a football stadium for Leyton Orient located along Lea Bridge Road. Lea Bridge Road is an excellent area for residence. The area is welcoming...
and between Victoria and Epping Forest (Rising Sun) on Sundays. It was operated from Leyton Garage
East London (bus company)
East London is one of many operators of bus services contracted to Transport for London, mainly in the east of the city. Its legal name is East London Bus & Coach Company Ltd, and it is currently owned largely by Stagecoach Group, as part of Stagecoach London.-History:East London was established in...
, which opened on the same day. In 1913 a 38A was introduced, taking over the Sunday service and operating between Victoria and Epping Forest (Warren Wood House)
Buckhurst Hill
Buckhurst Hill is an affluent suburban town in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England. Located adjacent to the northern boundary of Greater London, it forms part of the Greater London Urban Area.- Overview :...
.
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
restrictions saw many changes to the 38 and 38A including withdrawals over certain sections for short periods. The most important of these occurred on 15 May 1916 when the 38 and 38A exchanged their eastern branches permanently. The 38 was withdrawn between the Bakers Arms and Woodford (Castle) and re-routed to Walthamstow (Hoe street station)
Walthamstow Central station
Walthamstow Central is a London Underground and commuter rail station. It is the terminus of the Victoria line, and is on the branch of the London commuter rail network operated by National Express East Anglia...
. In 1919 a 38B was added, running through to Loughton
Loughton
Loughton is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is located between 11 and 13 miles north east of Charing Cross in London, south of the M25 and west of the M11 motorway and has boundaries with Chingford, Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill...
, with the 38A only running as far as Woodford (Castle). The 38A disappeared in 1921.
On 1 December 1924, a new system of route numbering on London Buses came into force under The London Traffic Act of 1924. Route 38 was unchanged; route 38B was renumbered to 138. Both routes had short working suffixed journeys numbered 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, 138A, 138B as well as 38E, which was the main daily route Victoria Station to Chingford
Chingford
Chingford is a district of north east London, bordering on Enfield and Edmonton to the west, Woodford to the east, Walthamstow and Stratford to the south and Essex to the north. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross and forms part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest...
(Royal Forest Hotel). This situation remained until 3 October 1934, when the newly constituted London Passenger Transport Board
London Passenger Transport Board
The London Passenger Transport Board was the organisation responsible for public transport in London, UK, and its environs from 1933 to 1948...
instituted its own numbering system. The 38, 38A and 38E became plain 38. The 138 became 38A.
From the 5 January 1938, on Mondays to Fridays only, the 38 was reduced between Leyton and Chingford and the 38A withdrawn completely. In replacement a route 38B was introduced between Loughton (Crown), Woodford, Leyton, Walthamstow
Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
and Chingford (Royal Forest Hotel). From 3 August 1938 the 38B was withdrawn, and the 38 and 38A returned to normal.
As a wartime economy routes 38 and 38A were re-routed between Clapton
Lower Clapton
Lower Clapton is a district within the London Borough of Hackney.It is immediately adjacent to central Hackney - bounded, roughly, by the western side of Hackney Downs , the Lea Valley , Clifden Road and the Lea Bridge Road...
and Dalston
Dalston
Dalston is a district of north-east London, England, located in the London Borough of Hackney. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
on the direct route via Cricketfield Road (avoiding Hackney) as from 5 May 1943. On 15 April 1959 the 38A was re-routed via Hackney station to replace the withdrawn trolleybus route 581. From 1946 until 1965, the 38 also had a summer Sunday extension from Chingford Station to Epping Forest (Wake Arms) via Rangers Road and Epping New Road.
On 1 September 1968, the first section of the Victoria Line
Victoria Line
The Victoria line is a deep-level London Underground line running from the south to the north-east of London. It is coloured light blue on the Tube map...
was opened between Walthamstow Central and Highbury & Islington; six days later on 7 September 1968 a large scale re-organisation of London Buses took place. The 38A was withdrawn, being replaced by three new routes; Red Arrow route 505 between Victoria and Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly Circus is a road junction and public space of London's West End in the City of Westminster, built in 1819 to connect Regent Street with the major shopping street of Piccadilly...
, route 48 between Dalston
Dalston
Dalston is a district of north-east London, England, located in the London Borough of Hackney. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
and Whipps Cross
Whipps Cross
Whipps Cross is an area of the London Borough of Waltham Forest in London, England. It is most famous for Whipps Cross University Hospital.-The environs:...
and route 20
London Buses route 20
London Buses route 20 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London.-History:...
between Leyton and Loughton. Between Dalston and Hackney the 38A was also replaced by a re-routed 38, which was cut back from Chingford (Royal Forest Hotel) to terminate at Walthamstow Garage, being replaced by route 69
London Buses route 69
London Buses route 69 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London.-History:...
over this section.
On 25 October 1969 the 38 was further cut back to terminate at Leyton Green, being replaced on the Walthamstow section by the newly introduced 55
London Buses route 55
London Buses route 55 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London.-History:...
. The Sunday service was converted to one-person operation on 6 June 1987. When London Buses was divided into 11 subsidiaries operation of route 38 was taken over by London Forest
London Forest
London Forest was a subsidiary of London Buses active between 1988 and 1991. Formed as one of the eleven operating divisions of London Buses in readiness for privatisation, the company initially operated from garages at Ash Grove, Walthamstow and Leyton on a network of routes in North-East London...
. On 24 February 1990, the 38 was controversially cut back on Mondays to Saturdays from Leyton Green to terminate at Clapton Pond
Clapton Pond
thumb|300px|Clapton Pond from the South West cornerClapton Pond is a pond and garden, located in Hackney, east London.The name ‘Clapton’ or ‘farm on the hill’ is derived from the Old English words ‘clop’, a lump or hill, and ‘ton’ farm....
. It was replaced over this section by the newly introduced 56. London Forest was wound up in 1991; the route then became a joint operation between Leaside Buses and East London, before being transferred to Leaside Buses. The Sunday service through to Leyton Green was withdrawn from 19 July 1997.
London congestion charge
The London congestion charge is a fee charged for some categories of motor vehicle to travel at certain times within the Congestion Charge Zone , a traffic area in London. The charge aims to reduce congestion, and raise investment funds for London's transport system...
saw the peak hour frequency increased. Also in 2002, the Sunday service was converted back to crew-operation from 2 June. This lasted until 29 October 2005, when the route was finally converted to one-person operation when articulated bus
Articulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
es were introduced. A new fleet of Mercedes-Benz Citaro Gs were purchased. The higher capacity of a Citaro compared with a Routemaster
Routemaster
The AEC Routemaster is a model of double-decker bus that was built by Associated Equipment Company in 1954 and produced until 1968. Primarily front-engined, rear open-platform buses, a small number of variants were produced with doors and/or front entrances...
allowed the peak frequency to be reduced.
With the move to replace London's articulated buses, the articulated buses used on the 38 were replaced by standard double deck buses on 14 November 2009. Due to the reduction in capacity, the frequency increased to every 2–3 minutes. The route's peak vehicle requirement rose dramatically, from 47 to 68. It was originally due to rise to 72, but four buses have been saved by curtailing every other bus at Hackney, not continuing to Clapton Pond. When the route was crew operated it required 50 Routemasters.
Brand new VDL DB300 10.4m / Wright Gemini 2
Wright Gemini 2
The Wright Gemini 2 is a double-decker bus built by Wrightbus since 2008. It was announced in December 2007 but was not named until 2008.It was constructed as an integral with VDL chassis modules. It is available in two versions, the diesel-powered version and the diesel-electric hybrid version...
and Alexander Dennis Enviro400s have been bought for the route to convert it to double deck.
New Bus for London to be introduced partially on route 38 from November 2011 to Jan 2012.
Current route
- Clapton PondClapton Pondthumb|300px|Clapton Pond from the South West cornerClapton Pond is a pond and garden, located in Hackney, east London.The name ‘Clapton’ or ‘farm on the hill’ is derived from the Old English words ‘clop’, a lump or hill, and ‘ton’ farm....
- Mare Street (for Hackney Downs StationHackney Downs railway stationHackney Downs railway station is in the London Borough of Hackney in east London. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by National Express East Anglia, on the West Anglia route, and it is in Travelcard Zone 2....
) - Hackney Central StationHackney Central railway stationHackney Central railway station is a railway station on the North London Line in an area of the London Borough of Hackney known as Hackney Central in east London. It is between and , in Travelcard Zone 2. The station and all trains serving it are operated by London Overground.The station is a...
- Dalston Junction StationDalston Junction railway stationDalston Junction railway station is in the Dalston area of the London Borough of Hackney at the crossroad of Dalston Lane, Kingsland Road and Balls Pond Road...
- Essex Road Station
- IslingtonIslingtonIslington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
High Street - Angel StationAngel tube stationAngel tube station is a London Underground station in The Angel, Islington. It is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line, between Old Street and King's Cross St. Pancras stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1. The tube stop serves as a portal to several Off West End, or fringe theatre, venues,...
- Vernon Place (for Holborn StationHolborn tube stationHolborn is a station of the London Underground in Holborn in London, located at the junction of High Holborn and Kingsway. Situated on the Piccadilly Line and on the Central Line , it is the only station common to the two lines, although the two lines cross each other three times elsewhere...
) - Piccadilly Circus StationPiccadilly Circus tube stationPiccadilly Circus tube station is the London Underground station located directly beneath Piccadilly Circus itself, with entrances at every corner...
- Green Park StationGreen Park tube stationGreen Park tube station is a London Underground station located on the north side of Green Park, close to the intersection of Piccadilly and the pedestrian Queen's Walk...
- Duke of Wellington Place (for Hyde Park Corner StationHyde Park Corner tube stationHyde Park Corner is a London Underground station near Hyde Park Corner in Hyde Park. It is in Travelcard Zone 1, between Knightsbridge and Green Park on the Piccadilly Line.-History:...
) - Victoria StationVictoria station (London)Victoria station, also known as London Victoria, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It is named after nearby Victoria Street and not Queen Victoria. It is the second busiest railway terminus in London after Waterloo, and includes an air terminal for passengers...
Bus Station
Previous route 38s in London
This has been the only route to carry the number 38 on a motor-bus route in London.There were also in London:
- Between 1913 - 1914 a HighgateHighgateHighgate is an area of North London on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath.Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, to protect its character....
(Archway Tavern)Barnet BarnetHigh Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
(Tally Ho Corner) M.E.T. Tram route 38Metropolitan Electric TramwaysThe Metropolitan Electric Tramways Company Limited operated electric tram services in suburban areas of Middlesex and Hertfordshire from 1904 to 1933, when its services passed to the London Passenger Transport Board....
. - Between 1913 - 1952 an Abbey WoodAbbey WoodAbbey Wood is a district of South-East London, England, located mostly in the London Borough of Greenwich, and partly within the London Borough of Bexley. It is situated east of Charing Cross.-Development:...
*, WoolwichWoolwichWoolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
*Victoria Embankment Victoria EmbankmentThe Victoria Embankment is part of the Thames Embankment, a road and river walk along the north bank of the River Thames in London. Victoria Embankment extends from the City of Westminster into the City of London.-Construction:...
L.C.C. (until 1933) Tram route 38London County Council TramwaysThe London County Council Tramways was an extensive network of public street tramways that was operated by the council throughout the County of London, UK, from 1899 to 1933, when they were taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board....
* Termini varied
In popular culture
Grime MC and BowBow, London
Bow is an area of London, England, United Kingdom in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a built-up, mostly residential district located east of Charing Cross, and is a part of the East End.-Bridges at Bowe:...
, E3 resident Wiley
Wiley (rapper)
Richard Kylea Cowie , better known by his stage name Wiley is a prolific British music producer, MC and recording artist, and rapper with roots from Trinidad...
has mentioned the route 38 in his lyrics. An example of which is "I'm like the 38 bus cos I never turn up!".
A Routemaster bus with route 38 blinds is displayed in the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
capital of Port Stanley.