Oh god they're going to put the Superloop on the tube map aren't they?
It's been so massively branded that they won't be able to resist.
Just what the tube map doesn't need, more coloured blobs.
That's not real, I've mocked it up, it won't look like that.
But something like that, a coloured roundel to show you could catch an express bus.
Not that you will.
This is three busesworth, the SL8, SL9 and SL10.
The last two link to Harrow while the SL8 (on this extract) only ticks off Uxbridge.
It's not exactly the most helpful way of showing a bus route.
But TfL have extensive form in adding extra stuff to the tube map.
Why not bung in another and muddy the whole thing more?
TfL are now consulting on the last three Superloop routes - SL2, SL3 and SL5.
That means we now know where the loop of express buses should go.
It also means I can identify all the tube map stations with a Superloop connection.
You get a good idea there of how good the orbital links will be across North London.
You get very little idea about South London because the tube map omits most railway lines.
Also the squish around Abbey Wood and Bromley really isn't helpful.
Including Russell Square, Holborn and Waterloo would be completist but ridiculous.
So, on balance, I think it'd be much more of a mess than genuinely useful.
But that won't stop them putting Superloop on the tube map, probably next spring.
Because they totally will.
n.b. If they don't then I'll claim today's post opened everyone's eyes to how awful it would be.
And if they do then I will sit here looking smug but miserable.
Stations which'll be linked by Superloop SL1: → New Southgate → Arnos Grove → Silver Street → Walthamstow Central SL2: Walthamstow Central → Gants Hill → Ilford → Barking → Gallions Reach → King George V → SL3: → Abbey Wood → Bexleyheath → Sidcup → Chislehurst → Bickley → Bromley North SL4: Canary Wharf → East India → Blackheath → Lee → Grove Park SL5: Bromley North → Bromley South → Eden Park → East Croydon SL6: Russell Square → Holborn → Waterloo → West Norwood → West Croydon SL7: West Croydon → East Croydon → Sutton → Worcester Park → Kingston → Hatton Cross → Heathrow Central SL8: Shepherd's Bush → Shepherd's Bush Market → Acton Central → Ealing Common → Ealing Broadway → Uxbridge SL9: Heathrow Central → Hayes & Harlington → Northolt → Northolt Park → South Harrow → Harrow-on-the-Hill SL10: Harrow-on-the-Hill → Kenton → Kingsbury → Hendon → Hendon Central → Finchley Central →
n.b. some stations are debatable depending on walking distance and what is an interchange anyway?
The three newly announced routes are the SL2, SL3 and SL5.
SL2: From Walthamstow to Ilford this is a speedy version of the existing 123. From Ilford to Barking it's a (possibly not very speedy) shadow of the 169. From Barking to Gallions Reach it's a non-stop zip down the North Circular - quite the new connection. From Gallions Reach to the river it's another 474, and a chance to ponder on why this express route is terminating beside a foot tunnel and an unreliable ferry.
SL3: Thamesmead is not reachable direct from North Woolwich but we already knew it wasn't going to be a loop. Thamesmead fast to Abbey Wood will be welcomed by many. From Abbey Wood to Bexleyheath it's an express version of the single decker B11. From Bexleyheath to Bromley North it's a mirror of the 269. All the chatter is that this route should be a winner.
SL5: Bromley North to Bromley South is four of the 11 stops. Then it's a roundabout route via the Chinese Garage and Bethlem Royal Hospital mimicking the 358 and then the 356, so not currently doable on one bus. The more obvious direct route would be straight to West Wickham station but the bridge there isn't bus-friendly, hence the network round here is truly sub-optimal. From West Wickham/Shirley it's a non-stop dash to East Croydon, paralleling the 119, which should be popular. But there's a lot of unresolved potential here, and the SL5 may be the runt of the orbital litter.
The consultations run until 4th September in case you'd like to point out that any of this could be done better.
The intention is that all orbital Superloop routes "will be fully in service by spring 2024".
Coincidentally this is when the next Mayoral election is taking place.
Other rebrandings are taking place as follows:
607 → SL8 last weekend
X68 → SL6 31st July
X26 → SL7 19th August
X140 → SL9 26th August
We'll never see them on a bus map.
Alas we'll likely see them littering the tube map instead.
