403: TONBRIDGE, Sevenoaks, Westerham,
Chelsham, WEST CROYDON, Waddon, Beddington, WALLINGTON
STATION
408: WARLINGHAM, Sanderstead, WEST CROYDON,
Waddon, Beddington, Wallington Green, Carshalton Pond,
Carshalton Windsor Castle, SUTTON, Cheam, Ewell, EPSOM,
Leatherhead, GUILDFORD
470: WARLINGHAM, Sanderstead, WEST CROYDON,
Waddon, Beddington, Wallington Green, Carshalton Pond,
Carshalton Windsor Castle, SUTTON, Cheam, Ewell, EPSOM,
Leatherhead, DORKING
In the early 1970s, the
Country Area has become London Country and the livery
is subtly different - but
the RTs continue to ply the 408 for a little while longer.
20 year old RT3175 passes
Carshalton Pond.
Photo ©
John Parkin
On 15 April 2007, the free service will operate mainly between
Croydon or Waddon and Wallington (403) and Sutton/Epsom
(408/470). See the
timetable.
The service will include operation of Country Bus Rallies'
RT3148 between Chelsham and Epsom or Wallington, plus a feeder
service from and to Tonbridge. The feeder service will be
available by
pre-booking
only, due to demand, and the remaining workings by this bus are
likely to be busy.
Main boarding points
West Croydon (Tamworth Road), Wallington Green, Wallington
Station (403), Carshalton High Street
(408/470), Sutton (408/470)
Route
history
East Surrey route S3 ran from Croydon to Sevenoaks, starting
in 1921. Renumbered 403 under the new system in 1924,
Chelsham (CM) garage took over operation when it opened in
1925. Services passed to the Country Area of LPTB in
1933. The service was extended at both ends - to Tonbridge in
1935 and to Wallington in 1936. In 1938, the 403A
(formerly running from Croydon) and 403B (new
route) started working from Wallington to Warlingham Park Hospital
and Farleigh, respectively.
RT1018 carries a rear or
side blind and a canopy route number blind along an almost
deserted Wellesley Road in Croydon, just prior to turning left into
West Croydon bus station. No trams
then!
The 408 was another old East Surrey route, starting in 1921 as
S6B, renumbered S8 in 1922 and 408 in 1924. It was one of the
main southern trunk routes, linking Croydon, Epsom and
Guildford. Between 1936 and 1938, a series of changes saw the
403 extended to Leatherhead, then the 408 extended to Warlingham;
finally the new 470 replaced the 403 west of Wallington. The
403, 408 and 470 were STL-operated from the late 1930s until RTs
arrived in the early 1950s. These continued to work the
route for 20 years until replaced by
Atlanteans in 1972. In London Transport
days, the route was operated by Leatherhead (LH), Guildford
(GF) and CM.
The 408 continued unchanged, apart from changes at the
Chelsham end, under London Country and subsequent
privatisation, up until about 2000 when it was finally drastically
altered, becoming an Epsom local route operating between Epsom and
Cobham, with a school journey to Chipstead Valley.
Meanwhile, the 403 was the last London Country route to
operate RTs. So severe were vehicle shortages in the 1970s
that, in 1977, four RTs were recertified for the 403 and the final
bus, RT604, soldiered on alone through 1978 until
September. The route also saw Swifts from CM and hired
Atlanteans and RCLs running out of Godstone (GD), and was famous
for its RMCs before one-man operation took over with
ANs.
In 1971, the Tonbridge section switched to the 403A
in exchange for its terminus at Warlingham Park Hospital.
Between 1955 and 1982, an express service also operated between CM
and West Croydon.
1989 route tendering saw the 403 move to ex-Central Area
Croydon garage with an extension to Cheam, which lasted only two
years before the route shrank back to Croydon. The route is
now operated by Arriva between West Croydon and Warlingham
Sainsburys (the site of CM).
