Introduced by the General as daily route 154 on 3 Feb 26, the route ran initially between Finsbury Park and Muswell Hill Victoria Hotel and was operated by Holloway Garage (J) using K-class single-deckers.  In June 1929, the route was transferred to The London Public Omnibus Co at West Green (WG) using Dennises, but Public were absorbed into the General six months later.  The Ds were replaced by Ts in 1933, and in the 1934 renumbering, the route became the 233.  At that time, two tram services ran to Alexandra Palace, one from the Victoria Hotel and one from Wood Green; there was no road from end to end.  Five LT Scooters joined the Ts at WG in February 1938 to operate new route 241 between Wood Green LT Station and Alexandra Palace East Gate to replace the tram service.

Although the 233 was officially allocated Qs in 1952, the Central area received 40 former Green Line 10T10s that had been replaced by RFs, and two were allocated to West Green for the 233.  One of the pair, T511, is seen on 25 June 1952, newly-emerged from Chiswick in red livery but still with the Green Line route board brackets.  It sits at Wells Terrace, Finsbury Park, waiting to depart on a short working for 'Alexandra Park' - also known as Muswell Hill Victoria Hotel.  It was these short workings that were converted to RTL operation in 1955.

Photo © Alan Cross, Peter Gomm collection

Agreement was reached between the Palace authorities and London Transport, under which LT contributed to the cost of a road along the south side of the palace and the removal of the tramlines.  On 1 Jun 38, the 233 was extended through the grounds from the Victoria Hotel to Wood Green, replacing the western trams and the 241; at the same time it was converted to 5Q5 operation, still from West Green.  The peak bus allocation doubled from 6 to 12.  The evening service through the park was suspended during the winters from 1942/3 to 1944/5, the route then working in two sections.

The 5Q5s typified the route for many years, but were not always alone.  T14 of the original type joined them in 1944/45, along with periodic visits by 1/7T7/1s and 11T11s, both during and after the war and 9T9s after the war.  Occasional 4Q4s were allocated, with green Q31 during 1947 and Qs 8, 44 and 53 (red), 67 and 68 (green) in August 1948.  These were not liked by the drivers who said they could not see the kerb, and in November that year they were sent to Dalston for the 208.  Finally, the 5Q5s were supplemented by up to three 10T10s between March 1951 and February 1953.

The route was further extended in October 1949 along White Hart Lane to Northumberland Park.  For many years, both before and during RF operation, additional services were provided on summer Sundays over the winter schedules.   

On 1 Feb 53, no fewer than 20 brand new RFs were delivered overnight from Chiswick and licensed; 16 5Q5s were withdrawn the same night and five more moved elsewhere for further service.  The final two Qs were withdrawn on 2 February and the final RF was licensed on 4 February.

The need for single-deckers was a low bridge over Station Road to the west of Wood Green underground station.  This carried the old Great Eastern Railway branch from Seven Sisters that ran to Palace Gates Station located east of the main line station, closed in 1964.  However, the busy section between Finsbury Park and Muswell Hill Victoria Hotel (also known as Alexandra Park Victoria Hotel) was double-decked on Monday to Saturday from 7 Sep 55, extended to Alexandra Palace The Dive on Saturday afternoons, and Sundays from 16 Oct 55. 

RTLs from West Green were used for the short workings, replacing RFs one-for-one (with an increase of one on Saturdays) to provide extra capacity.  A significant saving in the total number of buses was however made when the route was double-decked throughout.  Before the closure of the Palace Gates line, the road under the bridge was lowered to permit double-deck operation and the whole route was converted from 18 Mar 59.  The RFs displaced were distributed round the fleet, to permit the commencement of the conversion of the first batch of red RFs for OMO working.  The RTLs were replaced in turn by RTs, just before the closure of West Green on 2 Jan 62, the route being taken over by former trolleybus depot Wood Green (WN).

Another occasional treat was taking the little red RF on route 233 from outside the dance hall to 'The Dive' at Alexandra Palace.  The bus fare was one penny adult, halfpenny child, and the RF would take off up Station Road, past the corset factory, under the branch line to Palace Gates, past the United Dairies depot ringing with the sound of wire crates full of empty bottles - and the smell of horses, and hay  - up past the common with Barratts sweet factory pouring out some awful smells (what were sweets made of?), over the New River which disappeared into a spooky black tunnel, alongside Wood Green main line station maybe catching a glimpse of clanking steam in the cutting, then over the railway, back up the other side of it, and through the gates into the Palace grounds and the long climb, which the RF had to take in first gear. We boys would run alongside faster, but as the vista opened up the higher we climbed, the RF was better. I don't recall doors on these RFs and subsequently learned many red ones had none.

Getting off at The Dive was the start of playtime - a trip on the miniature railway, or in the paddle boats, and some time at the semi-permanent fair. Then a walk around the veranda of 'Ally Pally', roll down the slopes in fresh cut grass, or just sit and spy the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, and the white plumes of steam engines trailing along past the reservoirs and filter beds from Hornsey through Wood Green. ‘The Dive' was a cafe at the top of the hill, just inside the entrance to the palace forecourt. It was built of corrugated iron - or at least ways clad in it, and painted dark green. Shaded under some big old trees it was quite a secluded retreat. In the evenings it was the haunt of Teddy boys and rockers who would roar up the hill on their Gold Stars and Nortons, Vauxhall Crestas and Ford Zodiacs. I loved the sound of those Gold Stars.

Ken Stevens also fondly remembers the RFs, 'the 233 being my commuting route from Priory Road to Finsbury Park Station or, in earlier life, over the Palace to Wood Green either for the pictures at the Gaumont or to catch the Eastern National 251 service from Wood Green bus station for a day out at Southend; occasionally we would take the 233 to Finsbury Park to connect to the 210 for a trip to Hampstead Heath.  Doors were certainly non-existent on that route and sitting in front seats was an experience to be avoided if possible on a winter’s day.  I used the W3 Merlin replacement service for a year or two before moving away from London, but wasn’t impressed – it was a characterless cattle truck!'