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School route 689 was introduced some years ago as a replacement for what little was left of former route 189. The service had come to be operated by Cowie South London, who provided one bus from each of Brixton and Norwood garages for the route from Tulse Hill Station to Burntwood School via Brixton and Clapham Common. An opportunity was realised by extending the Norwood journey in service to the garage, in West Norwood, and diverting it via Herne Hill instead of along Tulse Hill, and thus was born the 690. Norwood garage has since taken over operation of route 689 also, and both routes thus now start from West Norwood.

Photo © Brian Creasey.

Norwood garage normally fields its oldest vehicles, and shorter length ALX400 bodied DAF DLA170 (W431 WGJ) passes through Wandsworth Common on 14 November 2006. Although blinded for the main school it serves, the bus is actually on the afternoon working. There do not appear to be many passengers on board, which calls into question why two journeys are needed – although the steamed up windows suggest it has been well loaded not long before. In the afternoon there is actually a third journey, another 689, running almost an hour later than the first two journeys – perhaps to pick up any pupils subject to detention! The 690 is the second journey, the first being a short working 689 as far as Clapham Common (giving the bus time to return to the school to do the through 689).

Buses set down and pick up outside the school, on the south side of Burntwood Lane, and this means the afternoon journeys have to continue to the end of Burntwood Lane to turn round to go back towards Clapham Common.

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