Central Area single-deck routes

The South-east

 

Perhaps a year or so before the 109 was renumbered as the 227, Elmers End's LT1188 sits on the muddy forecourt of the Queens Head, Chislehurst, on Chislehurst to Penge short working 109D.

Photo © Beckenham History

 

The single-deck routes operated in the south-east of London at any time between October 1934 and the introduction of RF operation on the relevant routes are summarised in the table below the map.  Minor re-routings are not shown; in some cases, vehicle allocations varied during the period.

 

An approximation of the routes operated is shown on the following map (click on the map for a larger version) - note that not all routes operated at the same time.  Routes operated only before or during the war are shown in orange, both during and after the war in red and purple are post-war introductions.  See the table for more detail.

 

Map based on 1949 bus map © London Transport

 

Single-deck routes in south-east London, October 1934 to RF conversion

 

Route

 

Destinations (daily unless shown)

 

Garage(s)  

 

Bus types  

 

Dates of operation (pre-RF) and notes

 
202

New Cross Clifton Rise and Rotherhithe New Road Canal Bridge

 

 P

LN/DE,

Q (May 36)

 Dec 29 to RF conversion

209

 

Forest Hill Waldram Road and Eltham Southend Crescent

 

 SP LTL

3 Sep 30 to 3 May 38

Double-decked as 124
227

Penge Crooked Billet and Welling Guy Earl of Warwick

 

TB

 

ED

SP (from 8 Apr 36)

T,

LTL (Apr 36)

LTL

LTL

Renumbered from 109

3 Oct 34 to 3 May 38

Replaced Chislehurst to Welling by 160 and 161
  Penge Crooked Billet and Chislehurst Gordon Arms

ED (to 1 May 51)

TB (from 2 May 51)

LTL

 

LTL

 4 May 38 to 26 Jun 51
 

Crystal Palace Parade and Chislehurst Gordon Arms

 

 TB LTL 27 Jun 51 to RF conversion
228 

Chislehurst Queens Head (Gordon Arms from 4 May 38) and Eltham Well Hall Station

 

 SP

LTL,

LTL/Q (Jun 41),

T (Apr 49)

Renumbered from 195

3 Oct 34 to RF conversion
 

Double-deck section

Chislehurst Gordon Arms and Sidcup Station (M-F peaks)

 

 

SP

 

LT,

RTL (Apr 49),

RT (May 55)

 

17 Apr 46 to 26 Nov 58
229 

Penge Crooked Billet and Bromley North Station

 ED LTL

Renumbered from 609

3 Oct 34 to 30 Nov 35

Renumbered 254 (to avoid confusion with 227)
 

Double-deck section

Beckenham War Memorial and Beckenham Wickham Way (M-Sa peaks)

 

 

ED

 

ST

 

3 Oct 34 to 30 Nov 35

 
232

Beckenham Junction and Hayes Coney Hall

 

TL

T

New route 

4 Aug 37 to 2 Aug 38
 

Bromley North Station and Hayes Coney Hall

 

 TB T

3 Aug 38 to 26 Nov 40

Route double-decked as 138
241

Welling Station and Foots Cray Sidcup Garage

 

 SP

DA (OMO),

T (4 Jan 39)

New route

12 Oct 38 to 2 May 39

 
 

Welling Station and Foots Cray Sidcup Garage (daily) or Green Street Green Rose & Crown (M-Sa)

 

 SP

T,

Q (Mar 40)

3 May 39 to 28 Oct 41

Green Street Green section covered by route 51
 

Double-deck section 

Sidcup Station and Foots Cray Sidcup Garage (M-F pm peaks)

 

 

SP

 

ST,

LT (Jun 41)

 

1 Jan 41 to 19 Jan 43
 

Welling Station and Foots Cray Sidcup Garage

 

 SP

Q,

Q/T (1943-1948),

Q

 29 Oct 41 to RF conversion

243

 

Peckham and Nunhead circular (both ways)

 

AH (to 8 Sep 36)

P (from 9 Sep 36)

LTL

 

LTL/Q

Renumbered from 621A and 621B

3 Oct 34 to 11 Sep 45

Re-routed at Nunhead Station and double-decked

254

 

Penge Crooked Billet and Bromley North Station

ED

LTL

Renumbered from 229

30 Oct 35 to 4 Aug 36
 

Crystal Palace Parade and Bromley North Station

 

ED

 LTL 5 Aug 36 to 5 Dec 39 
  Double-deck section

Beckenham War Memorial and Beckenham Wickham Way (M-Sa peaks)

 

 

ED

 

ST,

STL (Jun 36),

LT (Dec 36)

 

30 Oct 35 to 5 Dec 39
 

Beckenham Junction and Bromley North Station

 

ED

 

LTL

 

6 Dec 39 to 31 Aug 40

Route double-decked and renumbered 126
256

Woolwich General Gordon Place and Shooters Hill Bull (M-Sa)

 

AM

 

TD

 

New route

30 Jun 54 to 3 Aug 54

Route double-decked

 

Note on routings: see the map for an outline; in several cases, detailed changes took place but are not shown.

 

Note on bus types: in many cases, allocations were mixed or changed too frequently over time to list above; in both cases, all classes are shown but did not all work throughout the relevant period.  CR/C includes the changeover during the war when the CRs were placed into store.  LTL is used for LT single-deckers ('Scooters'), 14T12 is used where the allocation was specifically for the 35-seat postwar Ts.

 

Garage codes: see list of RF garages, others that do not appear are:

   AH   Nunhead

   AM   Plumstead

   ED    Elmers End

   TL    Catford

 

Comments welcome.