319: Twenty-two Years & Counting

On this day, 22 years ago, route 319 was formed, the rest? The rest is history.

The 319 was introduced exactly 22 years ago to the day, it replaced both the 219 and 349 between Sloane Square and Streatham (Hill Telford Avenue), running Monday to Saturday with a PVR of 17. It was allocated Leyland Titans out of Brixton (BN) garage, it then underwent its first allocation change of many, with MCW Metrobuses chosen to run the route after two years of Titans. 

HV143 LT63UJD approaching Bullen Street (LD)

Two years after its 'introduction', the 319 was given a Sunday service at the sacrifice of its Telford Avenue terminus; it was withdrawn between Telford Avenue and St. Leonard's Church. A year or so later, the 319's allocation changed, again, this time step-entrance Dennis Dart single-deckers were chosen to run the route as it was re-instated to serve the entirety of Streatham High Road and to terminate at Telford Avenue once again.

After returning to Telford Avenue, in service, the 319's allocation was changed, again! For the fourth time in its 7-year life span; new low-floor Plaxton Pointer 2's were introduced before they were replaced, two years later, by new Wrigth Cadets (that's five different allocations changes in 8 years, surely that's a record!). 

  

Passing over Battersea Bridge
on HV152

Starting from Sloane Square, the 319 dribbles King's Road until it reaches Beaufort Street, where it takes a tight left turn to get onto the aforementioned street. It then cruises up and over Battersea Bridge and down onto Battersea Bridge Road before having a smooth, but fast trip up Prince of Wales Drive and down Albert Bridge Road. 

The route then takes a right onto the annoyingly busy Battersea Park Road, passing The Latchmere pub and the newly, named area 'Battersea Cross'. After it's done with the sometimes sluggish traffic, a concentrated left turn is needed onto Falcon Road to reach 'The Heart of Battersea' and 'Britain's Busiest Railway Station', Clapham Junction. 

The 319 and others, then pass right through the bus only, shopping strip known as St John's Road before cautiously migrating down the market of Northcote Road; a narrow right turn is required onto the steep Broomwood Road before another left turn is needed onto Bolingbroke Grove where it shadows Wandsworth Common onto Bellevue Road passing the quiet station and small array of shops. 

A left swivel down the usually congested Trinity Road brings the route onto one of its final stretches where it stops at Tooting Bec Station before continuing its journey down Tooting Bec Road and Tooting Bec Gardens. The route's now in Streatham using Streatham High Road to get to its home and terminus of Telford Avenue, stopping by at Streatham Hill Station on the way.An overcrowded five years of Cadets ended in 2006 when the 319 was given a sixth allocation change, to the joy of daily users, it was converted back to double-decker operation with Alexander ALX400 bodied DAF DB250LF's off of route 68. These buses were replaced by newer DAFs before they were eventually given the boot. The DAFs were replaced by 21 new Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B5LH hybrids for the 319's new contract.

During its 22 years at Brixton (BN) garage, the 319's received every possible working due to Brixton's loose allocations. Most commonly on the 319, you'd find DLAs, DWs (Mark 1 and Mark 2) and VLAs running alongside the HVs, below you'll find a few pictures of these workings, a video and a fleetlist.

HV - Hyrbid Volvo fleetlist

HV132 - LT63UHR 

HV133 - LT63UJO

HV134 - LT63UJP

HV135 - LT63UJR

HV136 - LT63UJS

HV137 - LT63UJU

HV138 - LT63UJV

HV139 - LT63UJW

HV140 - LT63UJX

HV141 - LT63UJY

HV142 - LT63UJZ

HV143 - LT63UJD

HV144 - LT63UJE

HV145 - LT63UJF

HV146 - LT63UJG

HV147 - LT63UJH

HV148 - LT63UJH

HV149 - LT63UJK

HV150 - LT63UJL

HV151 - LT63UJM

HV152 - LT63UJN

DLA342 on Battersea Park Road

DW293 in Clapham Junction

DW128 on King's Road

Here's to another 22 years with Arriva for the 319!

Special mention to Unorm for the post banner, please show his photo's some love!

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