Used Borismasters, New Conversion.

Arriva London LT234 on Route 48, London Bridge (© Aubrey)

Route 48 was a notable departure from Leyton Garage, with the route being partially converted to New Routemasters (Borismasters) off other Arriva routes, notably the 38 and 73. Those routes are having their resources scaled back, thus allowing the 48 to eventually go full-LT.


Arriva London DW227 on Route 48, Liverpool Street (© Aubrey)

In the interim, excess VDL DB300s (DWs) from other routes around North London have been drafted for the 48. This includes DWs initially starting out on the 38, ironically. The route is based at Ash Grove garage, where it shares LTs with Route 253/N253.


Arriva London DW244 on Route 48, Walthamstow Central (© Aubrey)

However, with the Route 73 curtailment to Oxford Circus as part of the reduction of buses through Oxford Street, the 48 will be able to fully convert to LT, thus confining one-door boarding on this route to stray buses. This is also the first LT conversion of a route fully with existing LTs, as no new LTs were ordered for the 48.


Arriva London LT234 on Route 48, Walthamstow Central (© Aubrey)

The route has been plying mostly along the same roads (save for a re-routing at Hackney/Dalston, and another one to divert it to Walthamstow Central instead of Whipps Cross) ever since it was introduced to replace parts of Routes 35 and 38A, has had a consistent history with Leyton Garage, being there for most of its life. The only two times it has not been at Leyton Garage was in the 1980s where it was at Walthamstow Garage, and now. Under sectiorisation, it moved to East London, which later became Stagecoach, ELBG and Stagecoach (again).


Stagecoach London 15143 on Route 48, London Bridge (© Aubrey)

The Scanias that ELBG ordered for the route later went off lease, and are with a few operators, including Sullivan Buses. Thus slowly, but surely, the ELBG influence of the former Stagecoach operations is continuing to diminish.