In his London book, Rick describes bus route #15, a "Heritage Route." Supposedly, it goes from Paddington Station to the Tower of London via Oxford Circus, Regent Street, Trafalgar Square, Fleet Street and St. Paul's. I'm going to London with two people who've never been before, and naturally we'll be going to the Tower. We'll be staying near Paddington (Sussex Gardens), and I thought the #15 would be a more interesting way to get to the Tower than going by Tube. However, when I use the Journey Planner on the Transport for London site, I can't seem to get the #15 to turn up as an option from Paddington. In fact, I don't see it around Paddington Station at all. Does anyone know if the #15 still runs that particular route, and I'm just doing something wrong on the TfL site? I wanted to check the times that it leaves from Paddington and approximately how long the journey to the Tower will take.
Posted by
London, UK
356 posts
There are still two of the 15 Heritages buses, but they seem to be missing out Paddington. http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_SEL_STT_REQUEST
Posted by
Spring, Texas
635 posts
I think it's gone but I'll look for it when I'm there. Bus 15 is still in the schedule but it doesn't make it all the way to Paddington. It starts a little north of the Piccadilly tube station. It does goes past the Tower. No tellling if its a "Heritage Route." Bus 11 is still on the schedule and it's a good way to get to/from St Paul's and Westminster. I plan on taking that bus even if it's no longer an open top double decker.
Posted by
OP
Seattle
922 posts
Thanks, Ken and Laura. Suppose we'll be Tubing it to the Tower after all!
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33823 posts
Both 11 and 15 are operated by both "modern" driver only and "heritage" Routemasters. The Routemasters only operate over a short portion of each route. I'm about to go to bed because I have to be at work early in the morning so I won't search the detail at the moment, but that has been the way for some time. I am pretty good with my bus routes though - the 15 starts in the East End, goes past the Tower, past St Pauls, down Ludgate Hill, along Fleet Street, past the Royal Courts of Justice, along the Strand, around Trafalgar Square, and a little bit up Regent Street where it finishes.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33823 posts
Ken, Routemasters were never open top. That's for the HoHo guys, which these routes have never been.
Posted by
OP
Seattle
922 posts
Thanks, Nigel. I wasn't too concerned about it being a Routemaster (though that would have been fun); it was the far-more-scenic-than-the-underground aspect that was appealing. I wonder if there's just too much construction between Paddington and Oxford Circus and that's why the route has been truncated. It seemed like there were roadworks everywhere when I was in London last year. I'm perfectly happy to take the Tube to the Tower. We'll be taking a roundabout walk from the Tower to St. Paul's, so maybe I'll look into the #11 for after we're done there.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33823 posts
Teresa You're right about all the construction. There is a new cross London underground train line being built called CrossRail which has really made a bit of a mess of the surface. Two of worst areas at the moment are in Oxford Street - at the west end approaching Marble Arch, and around Tottenham Court Road. To go from Sussex Gardens to the Tower would take 3 buses as far as I can see. 7 to Oxford Street, 23 down Regent Street and towards Bank, 11 or 15 from there. Or walk from Oxford Circus to the beginning of 15. The easier way, as you have found, would be tube.
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
London bus geek here: The 15 was recently cut back from Paddington to Oxford Circus to reduce the number of bus routes along Oxford Street. Even when it ran to Paddington, the Routemasters ran, and still run now, as short workings from the Tower of London to Trafalgar Square. The full length route is by modern buses. The other Routemaster route is short workings of the 9 from Trafalgar Square to High Street Kensington. Again there is a longer version of the route run by modern buses. Also the 11 does not run to the Tower of London. To get by bus from Paddington to the Tower you need to get a 23 or 159 to Trafalgar Square where you can get a Routemaster 15.