Greenwich Ghost Buses
The M1 & M2 Dome Services


V13 GMT. Officially MD 13, but on the bus it is Mm 2013.
Service M2 outside North Greenwich Station 20 January 2001.
Photograph. John King.

These buses DAF SB220s with East Lancs bodywork were used in the year 2000 for a service from Charlton (M1) and Greenwich (M2) stations to the Dome. On the sides of the bus is the wording 'Millennium Dome Service' the globe hemisphere motif on the rear half of theses buses makes them look as little like a 'Parcel Force' van (see picture below). These buses earned the title 'Ghost Buses' because they provides a very frequent but little partronised service. People would be waiting for other buses in Greenwich to see these pass one after the other almost empty. This seemed even worse in January 2001 after the Dome closed.

In truth the M1 provided a link between Charlton Station and North Greenwich Station, but the M2 from Greenwich was little used as the route was paralleled by the 188.

Another M2 at North Greenwich Station along with other buses.
The M2 along with M1 was run by London Central whilst the 161 (North Greenwich Station - Chislehurst)  by Metrobus.
The Dome can be seen in the background on the right of the picture. 20 January 2001.
 Photograph. John King.

This M2 has just caught the passengers disembarking from the tube. At the end of February 2001 this service was withdrawn, and sister service M1 extended to serve Charlton Village, the New Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Woolwich Common, and Welling Corner. With a new route number of 486, it used the vehicles of both these routes. 20 January 2001.
Photograph. John King.

Inside a DAF SB220 with East Lancs bodywork on route M2 as it proceeds along Trafalgar Road, Greenwich.
It certainly looks like a Ghost bus in this picture. The person standing at the front is with the driver.
On the glass panels by the exit can be seen the Central Buses Ship motif.
Photograph. John King.

For pictures of the M1 see here


This page was designed and is maintained by Toby and John King, I would accept any comments or questions  See Index Page


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