Seventy-Free, Again? (inc NBAD 7)

Arriva London LT356 on Route 73, Hyde Park Corner (© Aubrey)

Yet another ex-bendy bus route converts to the Borismaster. This time, it's the turn of another busy Arriva route, with 73. It's the usual ironic free boarding stuff anyway. So over the course of two months, Aubrey decided to get a few shots of the 73, and during NBAD 7, a few shots of the N73 too.


Arriva London LT353 on Route 73, Victoria Station (CC Aubrey)

Borismasters are becoming so common, they appear in other bus events that don't even relate to London at all! For example, the Wilts & Dorset event and the Reading Buses Open Day (which were on the same day, grrrr). Are TfL really that desperate?


Arriva London LT488 on Route N73, Oxford Street (CC Aubrey)

This also means Walthamstow gets even more nightly Borismasters. Which aren't toasty at 4am!


Arriva London LT493 on Route N73, Euston Station (CC Aubrey)

What they are still is kinda slow when not on the 9, which led me to miss the N205 (grrr!)

The 73 batch is very fragmented, with LTs 352-356, 464-477, 488-500 being the usual convertible LTs, with the final batch of LTs 517-542 having the new rear door arrangement making the LT's original concept to be ironically obsolete! The LT - designed to be two-crewed with OPO at off-peak/night times is now a fully OPO bus with free boarding. Sounds like the articulated buses, but buses which are harder to manoeuvre, ironically! At least they are hybrid(!)