ROUTE HISTORY... “SING Michael, sing, on the route of the 19 bus,” begins a song by The Clash called 'Rudie Can’t Fail', which featured on their 1979 album ‘London Calling’. The iconic route also found fame in the 1978 Dire Straights song ‘Wild West End’, which contains the line: “And my conductress on the number 19 …” The route dates back to at least 1923, when the London General Omnibus Company operated an open-top NS-type bus with a route 19 plate. Records show route 19 operating from Finsbury Park to Streatham Common in 1934. Today, the route still starts in Finsbury Park but finishes at Battersea Bridge, passing through Islington, Angel, Haymarket, Piccadilly Circus, Knightsbridge and King's Road. In 1993, route 19 became the first Routemaster-operated service to be awarded to
A Route 19 bus in 1923. a company that was not a subsidiary of London Buses Limited. Kentish Bus was awarded the contract for five years after a competitive tender. The buses were painted in the company’s cream and maroon livery with route branding. The operation was taken over by Arriva London South in 1998 and the buses reverted to traditional London Bus red to comply with the TfL requirement for all their services to be at
A Route 19 Kentish bus.
least 80 per cent red. London General won the tender to run route 19 from March 31, 2012, for seven days per week, using new Wright Eclipse Gemini 2-bodied Volvo B5LHs and B9TLs. Stockwell garage originally operated the service, which has a peak vehicle requirement of 26, but in March 2015 half of the buses moved to Northumberland Park. Stockwell also operates the N19 night service. Stockwell driver Sanjay Jani has driven on routes 19 and N19 since 2004, and transferred to Go-Ahead London when the company took over the service four years ago. Sanjay said: “It suits me to drive the late shifts as my wife is disabled and it means I can help her during the day. In the evening, other family members are free to spend time with her. “I know most of the passengers on the route and they know me. There’s always something going on, so every day is different. There are often
Route 19 driver Sanjay Jani. diversions due to roadworks or protests but, as I know the route so well, I can cope with anything that’s thrown at me!”
A Route 19 hybrid bus today.
Retirement n Jim Grover, Controller, New Cross. FORMER New Cross Controller Jim Grover is enjoying a wellearned retirement after more than 40 years in the bus industry. Jim joined London Transport as a driver at New Cross in the early seventies, then went on to become an Inspector at Selkent, covering the New Cross and Lewisham area. He was later appointed Assistant Operating Manager at Selkent’s new Plumstead garage.
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After a spell working for Metrobus, Jim joined London Central’s Bexleyheath garage in February 2001. Later that year, he moved to New Cross garage where he was appointed Road Operating Supervisor. Jim remained at New Cross until his retirement this year on June 21. General Manager for Service Performance Bradley Faithfull said: “We wish Jim all the best in his retirement and we will miss him working alongside us.”
Controller Jim Grover, left, with Bradley Faithfull.