London Transport - Red RF routes

RF516 leaves Kingston Bus Station
 
During their 27 years of operation in the Central Area, 52 routes were scheduled for operation by RFs at one time or another (listed below in route number order, for a list by date of RF introduction, see here).  The first was the 210 from Muswell Hill, from 11 September 1952, the last to run the 218 and 219 from Kingston on 30 March 1979.
 
This part of the site gives details of their scheduled routes, their dates of operation, garages and routings and some history.  I am indebted to numerous sources that I have plundered in gathering information - these are listed on the Links and Bibliography page, but special mention is due to David Ruddom, Ian Armstrong and Ian Smith.
 
And if you have ever wondered why most (but not all) RF routes are numbered 2xx, read about LT's route numbering system here.
 
RF516 on the 218 leaves Kingston Bus Station, which then was sited at the front of Kingston Garage.
Also visible is a Leyland National - the type that would replace the last RFs.     Photo Ian Armstrong collection
 
The following list contains links to a page for each route, complete with operating details and memories where we have been able to capture them.  If you spot any errors or omissions (and there will be many), please e-mail us.
 

Route         

   

Garages       

 

RF operation   

started        

OMO

conversion    

RF operation   

ended          

Destinations           

 
           
20B L 3 Oct 65 n/a 13 Jun 69 Epping Forest - Loughton
71 (Su) K 2 Jan 71 n/a 25 Sep 76 Richmond - Leatherhead
80 A 22 Mar 69 n/a 26 Jun 76 Morden - Lower Kingswood
80A A 22 Mar 69 n/a 26 Jun 76 Morden - Walton on the Hill
121 E 8 Aug 66 n/a 23 Oct 76 Enfield Town - Chingford
136 HD 7 Aug 66 n/a 23 Jul 71 Harrow Weald - South Harrow Station
151 A 10 Oct 70 n/a 16 Apr 71 Belmont - Sutton
200 AL 1 Dec 52 no 24 Aug 65 Wimbledon Station - Coombe Lane
201 (Su) NB 12 Oct 55 no 19 Nov 58 Kingston - Hampton Court
201 NB/K/FW 13 May 59 18 Nov 64 6 Nov 76 Kingston - Hampton Court
202 P/NX 17 Dec 52 no 25 Oct 68 New Cross - Canal Bridge
202A NX 1 Jul 64 no 10 Mar 67 New Cross - Southwark Park Road
202 AV 18 Sep 71 n/a 16 Apr 77 Hounslow - Richmond
203 (Su) AV/FW 4 Jul 65 n/a 18 Jul 69 Staines - Stanwell
204 UX 16 Jan 71 n/a 29 Jun 73 Hayes Station  - Uxbridge Station
206 NB/K/FW 10 Jun 59 18 Nov 64 21 Aug 76 Claygate - Hampton Court Station
208 D 12 Oct 52 no 17 Apr 70 Bromley-by-Bow - Clapton Pond
208A D 9 Oct 52 no 12 May 59 Maryland Station - Clapton Pond
210 MH/AR/T/HT 11 Sep 52 24 Jan 70 17 Sep 71 Finsbury Park - Golders Green
211 HW 26 Nov 58 no 30 Jun 64 Ealing Broadway - Greenford
211 AV 23 Aug 69 n/a 29 Jan 71 Hounslow - Hampton
212 MH 10 Feb 53 no 5 Jan 60 Finsbury Park - Muswell Hill Broadway
212 AD 18 Sep 71 n/a 21 Mar 76 Palmers Green - Dollis Hill
213 NB/A/K 12 Dec 52 no 7 May 63 Kingston - Belmont
215 K/NB 6 Jan 60 23 Jan 66 7 Nov 76 Kingston - Ripley
215A K/NB 9 May 62 23 Jan 66 29 Dec 67 Kingston - Downside
216 K 1 Jul 59 18 Nov 64 25 Sep 76 Kingston - Sunbury - Staines
218 K 6 Jan 60 7 Sep 68 30 Mar 79 Kingston - Laleham - Staines
219 K 6 Jan 60 7 Sep 68 30 Mar 79 Kingston - Weybridge
222 UX 26 Nov 58 no 23 Mar 61 Hounslow Central - Uxbridge
223 UX 16 Jan 71 n/a 11 Dec 76 Ruislip Station - Heathrow Airport Central
224 UX 10 Jun 59 no 7 May 63 Uxbridge - Laleham
224 UX 16 Jan 71 n/a 11 Dec 76 Uxbridge - Laleham
224A UX 10 Jun 59 no 8 May 62 Uxbridge - West Drayton
224B UX 10 Jun 59 no 8 May 62 Uxbridge - Stockley Estate
224B UX 16 Jan 71 n/a 11 Dec 76 Uxbridge - Stockley Estate
224C UX 15 Mar 61 no 8 May 62 Uxbridge - Heathrow Airport Central
227 TB 5 Nov 52 no 1 Jan 71 Chislehurst - Crystal Palace
228 SP 14 Jan 53 no 25 Nov 58 Chislehurst - Well Hall Station
233 WG 1 Feb 53 no 17 Mar 59 Finsbury Park - Northumberland Park
233 TC 31 May 69 n/a 21 Nov 69 Roundshaw - Croydon
234A TC 12 Jan 53 7 Aug 66 22 Jan 77 Purley - Hackbridge
234B (Su) TC 19 Jul 69 n/a 19 Jan 73 South Croydon - Selsdon
236 T/AR/D 26 Nov 58 no 16 Apr 71 Leyton (High Road) - Stroud Green
237 AV 3 Dec 52 27 Jan 65 16 Apr 77 Hounslow - Chertsey
240A EW 10 Oct 62 no 16 Jan 66 Edgware - Mill Hill East
241 SP 1 Mar 53 no 25 Nov 58 Welling Station - Sidcup Garage
250 NS 1 Jul 59 18 Nov 64 23 Apr 76 Hornchurch - Epping
251 MH/EW 1 Dec 56 27 Jan 65 22 Jan 77 Arnos Grove - Burnt Oak
254 L 7 Oct 53 3 Oct 65 9 Apr 76 Loughton Station - South Woodford
264 NB/K/FW 10 Jun 59 23 Jan 66 18 Jul 76 Kingston - Hersham
284 PB 7 Sep 68 n/a 29 Nov 68 Potters Bar town circular
285 (Su) FW/NB 19 Jul 69 n/a 26 Mar 71 Heathrow - Kingston
290 AB/R 7 Sep 68 n/a 8 May 76 Hammersmith - Richmond
291 BK 3 Oct 65 n/a 9 Mar 73 Ilford Station - Barking

 

RF486 is seen leaving the Clapton Pond Almhouses stand on the Hackney Marshes running day 2006.  Note the deliberate use of the incorrect via points, in memory of 'red' Dalston Garage.

RF486 at Clapton Pond, 16 April 2006

Photo © Martin Ruthe