Chaseside operating buses on TfL Route 111

[lxfe_mxtterz]

Evening all,

Currently waiting for a bus at Cromwell Road Bus Station in Kingston, and very confused to see two Chaseside liveried buses (one Enviro200 and one Enviro400) operating with blinds showing route 111.

My initial thought was additional relief services during the tube strikes, but have just watched the two buses depart empty - very odd yet also very intriguing!

Would anybody be able to shed some light on this please?

Many thanks.

 

[Flange Squeal]

They are operating some tube strike extras.

 

[lxfe_mxtterz]

They are operating some tube strike extras.

Thanks, as I suspected then!

Out of interest, how are they accepting payment for these services? I'm assuming their buses don't have Oyster readers fitted?

 

[stadler]

Thanks, as I suspected then!

Out of interest, how are they accepting payment for these services? I'm assuming their buses don't have Oyster readers fitted?

It is free of charge. You just walk on. The extra strike buses that TFL run are always free.

 

[Hophead]

Kingston strikes me as a rather odd place for Tube Strike extras to be operating, with it being some distance from an Underground station.

 

[stadler]

Kingston strikes me as a rather odd place for Tube Strike extras to be operating, with it being some distance from an Underground station.

Route 111 operates between Heathrow and Hounslow before continuing on to the Kingston area. I presume the main purpose was to provide extra buses on the Heathrow to Hounslow section. That part would be especially busy without the Piccadilly Line running. But no idea why they decided to run these extra buses all the way to Kingston instead of being short Heathrow to Hounslow workings.

 

[Statto]

Think TFL operate the 111 extras through to Kingston for simplicity more than anything else, they don't like short journeys unless its curtailments.

 

[Surreytraveller]

Perhaps operated through to Kingston, for simplicity as above, but also to provide a rail connection