LDN- double decks for schools instead of single deck

In recent years, scheduled double deck journies were introduced on normally single deck operated routes. this reverses a previous policy.

The W13 was won by a co-operative trading as CT Plus based in Hackney. the route requires 5 single deck buses and one double deck bus for school work.
an order was placed for 5 E200 buses, and a trident with East Lancs Olympus body [the first to be built].
In the meanwhile, HTL8, from the existing fleet [route 388] works the route, and here is the bus working an [empty] school journey.

Route 289 is now worked by Arriva, and there are 2 d/d buses amongst the 11 scheduled for the route.
Recently, the route's operation was moved to a new garage, which means that the double deck bus is now 'DLA' [alx400 bodied DAF] instead of
'DW' [Wright bodied DAF].
Here is DLA56 at West Croydon bus station, illustrating the use of central staircase on the earliest batches of low floor double decks.
This design fell out of favour, and nowadays the staricase is located behind the driver's seat.

West Croydon bus station is being refurbished- see behind!

regards

Yoram