Absolutely brilliant and genuinely moving piece on 7/7 and our wonderful red buses. Remember the day well and I teared up when heard in the distance a bus near Finsbury Park. TfL’s staff and leadership finest moment, that and Covid deaths of service staff.
Do look at London connections- highly recommended. I am a historian and author specialising in the area with a book out in October from Pen & Sword. They are a cut above- I know the difference for what passes for tube and bus history these days-superb!
Apologies for misnaming the union in the original version of this, it was the TGWU. Rather than the TWGA, who are the Tunbridge Wells Group of Anaesthetists and — as far as I can tell — had no reported involvement in the immediate 7/7 transport operation.
Oh my goodness, brings back so many feelings. It was such a strange day - all the shop workers went home. Except the ones selling food and shoes. They stayed so that people could eat, and so workers could buy shoes comfortable enough to walk potentially miles in. I was working near Farringdon and my wife's office was off Oxford Street. I walked to pick her up, and we walked as far as Shepherds Bush, where the first buses were running.
I was a mini coach driver for RBKC community transport that day, I had 15 kids on board and we were visiting Barnes Nature Reserve when I heard the news, told the teachers and departed hurriedly for home. My day was just starting though, I was asked to volunteer to drive staff from the Town Hall to Clapham Junction, which I gladly did, although the traffic was brutal. I ferried others back from the Station to West London too. 2 weeks later, I have an old boy on board to drop home after taking him shopping. We were approaching Barlby Road, he lived in that big estate which just happened to harbour the 2nd terror cell, we got no further and I had to bring him to a welfare centre until the cops had cleared the area. For years afterwards I used to say a prayer for Jean-Charles de Menezes every time I passed Stockwell Station. Cressida Dick got off scotfree over that terrible misjudged affair. In fact, she was made Met Commissioner, talk about failing upwards. Those two weeks were High Anxiety time in London with sirens all over the shop and everyone jumpy. No social media to speak of then, today there'd be ructions over the perpetrators' ethnic background.
Bus drivers are so often maligned and forgotten, but that day they were heroes, getting people home safely. London's incredible resilience is part of what makes it such a great place and how TfL handled that awful day is a true mark of that.
I remember legging it down the road to a branch of Cotswold Outdoor to buy sleeping bags for colleagues we thought would be staying overnight in the office. I walked from Oxford circus to Liverpool Street in ballet flats, an activity I cannot recommend.
The Ken Livingstone Singapore video often gets replayed when the anniversary of 7/7 comes along, but I think the speech he did on his return - London United - still stands, in its emotion and simplicity, as one of the great liberal-progressive speeches of the 21st century. A link to some of it is still available:
I will never forget the bus driver that stopped to pick up passengers even though his bus was overcrowded in the early afternoon. He said it was important to help people get home safely. I will write more about this on my substack as this article has triggered all the memories of that day. I felt so relieved to get to Clapham junction and catch any train out of London to get home. In the horror of that day there was kindness, care and love for fellow humans. Thank you to the bus driver who was so brave and inspiring.
Thank you for writing this. I read it with a real lump in my throat. A day I find hard to put into words, but I'm very glad to be reminded of the way so many people responded. Thank you.
I'll always remember seeing thousands of people walking home through the streets in silence that day. I never knew that the buses got going again - this is such a lovely tribute to the drivers and the other staff
This article made me cry. I was one of those ordinary London commuters on 7/7, kicked off the Tube in Central London the morning, family frantic (no mobile), and there were so many calm, kind transport staff just talking to people. Started walking on the Euston Road, met a woman also trying to get out West, and a Black cab driver pulled up and took us both out as far as Ealing - for nothing.
Absolutely brilliant and genuinely moving piece on 7/7 and our wonderful red buses. Remember the day well and I teared up when heard in the distance a bus near Finsbury Park. TfL’s staff and leadership finest moment, that and Covid deaths of service staff.
Do look at London connections- highly recommended. I am a historian and author specialising in the area with a book out in October from Pen & Sword. They are a cut above- I know the difference for what passes for tube and bus history these days-superb!
Apologies for misnaming the union in the original version of this, it was the TGWU. Rather than the TWGA, who are the Tunbridge Wells Group of Anaesthetists and — as far as I can tell — had no reported involvement in the immediate 7/7 transport operation.
My fat fingers while editing, not John's mistake.
Oh my goodness, brings back so many feelings. It was such a strange day - all the shop workers went home. Except the ones selling food and shoes. They stayed so that people could eat, and so workers could buy shoes comfortable enough to walk potentially miles in. I was working near Farringdon and my wife's office was off Oxford Street. I walked to pick her up, and we walked as far as Shepherds Bush, where the first buses were running.
I was a mini coach driver for RBKC community transport that day, I had 15 kids on board and we were visiting Barnes Nature Reserve when I heard the news, told the teachers and departed hurriedly for home. My day was just starting though, I was asked to volunteer to drive staff from the Town Hall to Clapham Junction, which I gladly did, although the traffic was brutal. I ferried others back from the Station to West London too. 2 weeks later, I have an old boy on board to drop home after taking him shopping. We were approaching Barlby Road, he lived in that big estate which just happened to harbour the 2nd terror cell, we got no further and I had to bring him to a welfare centre until the cops had cleared the area. For years afterwards I used to say a prayer for Jean-Charles de Menezes every time I passed Stockwell Station. Cressida Dick got off scotfree over that terrible misjudged affair. In fact, she was made Met Commissioner, talk about failing upwards. Those two weeks were High Anxiety time in London with sirens all over the shop and everyone jumpy. No social media to speak of then, today there'd be ructions over the perpetrators' ethnic background.
Bus drivers are so often maligned and forgotten, but that day they were heroes, getting people home safely. London's incredible resilience is part of what makes it such a great place and how TfL handled that awful day is a true mark of that.
Really emotional reading that. What a brave group of people at such a terrible moment for London. Thank you.
I remember legging it down the road to a branch of Cotswold Outdoor to buy sleeping bags for colleagues we thought would be staying overnight in the office. I walked from Oxford circus to Liverpool Street in ballet flats, an activity I cannot recommend.
The Ken Livingstone Singapore video often gets replayed when the anniversary of 7/7 comes along, but I think the speech he did on his return - London United - still stands, in its emotion and simplicity, as one of the great liberal-progressive speeches of the 21st century. A link to some of it is still available:
https://youtu.be/6BSIBPsbL9c?si=UFxWR-4IjsDRzOl2
Tears running down my face reading that. We all know who the key workers are, and they aren’t in COBR meetings.
I didn't move to London till 2011 - long after 2005 - but this piece really got me; very moving.
Who are we all voting for at the next election to get more investment in our highly productive capital city then?
We see you, the Lib Dem policy advisers on the mailing list trying to work out how to break out of south west London.
I miss Ken
I will never forget the bus driver that stopped to pick up passengers even though his bus was overcrowded in the early afternoon. He said it was important to help people get home safely. I will write more about this on my substack as this article has triggered all the memories of that day. I felt so relieved to get to Clapham junction and catch any train out of London to get home. In the horror of that day there was kindness, care and love for fellow humans. Thank you to the bus driver who was so brave and inspiring.
Thank you for writing this. I read it with a real lump in my throat. A day I find hard to put into words, but I'm very glad to be reminded of the way so many people responded. Thank you.
I'll always remember seeing thousands of people walking home through the streets in silence that day. I never knew that the buses got going again - this is such a lovely tribute to the drivers and the other staff
This article made me cry. I was one of those ordinary London commuters on 7/7, kicked off the Tube in Central London the morning, family frantic (no mobile), and there were so many calm, kind transport staff just talking to people. Started walking on the Euston Road, met a woman also trying to get out West, and a Black cab driver pulled up and took us both out as far as Ealing - for nothing.