Route History

Date
Gar
Mon-Fri
Sat
Sun
07.04.48
TC
16ST
14ST
9STL
--

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY How Green Lane - Coulsdon - Purley - South Croydon - Croydon - West Croydon - THORNTON HEATH POND ( Mon-Sat )
NEW ROUTE (The above allocation includes Route 166A Old Coulsdon - Thornton Heath)
replacing withdrawn 59

13.04.49
TC
16RT
23RT
--

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY  -  THORNTON HEATH POND ( Mon-Sat )
RT type replace ST/STL.

21.02.51
TC
20RT
27RT
--

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY Coulsdon - Purley - South Croydon - Croydon - West Croydon - Thornton Heath Pond - London Road - Galpins Road - South Lodge Avenue - Wide Way - Rowan Road - Streatham Vale - STREATHAM COMMON Greyhound ( Mon-Sat )
Extended from Thornton Heath to Streatham Common.

09.01.52
TC
12RT
16RT
--

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY  -  STREATHAM COMMON
Joint allocation with Route 166A withdrawn.

Taken from 1952 map drawn by Mike Harris
busmap.co.uk



22.10.52
TC
12RT
13RT
--

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY - Brigstock Road - THORNTON HEATH High Street
Withdrawn between Thornton Heath and Streatham Common and diverted instead via Brigstock Road to thornton Heath High Street. Withdrawn section replaced by revised 130

02.03.55
TC
9RT
12RT
--

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY Midday Sun - THORNTON HEATH High Street ( Mon-Sat )
Chipstead Valley terminal changed.

 

 

A  good shot of RT4629 spoilt by the badly set blind.

 


30.04.58
TC
9RT+
12RT
--
    1RT/130    


31.10.70
TC
15SMS
7SMS
--

SINGLE DECK ONE PERSON OPERATION INTRODUCED.
CHIPSTEAD VALLEY  -  Croydon - East Croydon Station - Shirley Road - Shirley Way - SHIRLEY Monks Orchard Road ( Sat ) West Wickham - Eden Park Stn - BECKENHAM JUNCTION ( Mon-Fri )
Withdrawn between Croydon and Thornton Heath and diverted instead via withdrawn 194A to Beckenham Junction.

Thornton Heath section replaced by Revised 194B





06.01.73
TC
15DMS
7DMS
--

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY  -  SHIRLEY ( Sats )  -  BECKENHAM JUNCTION ( Mon-Fri )
Converted to double deck operation


07.02.87
TC61+
9LS
6LS
--

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY  -  SHIRLEY ( Sats )  -  BECKENHAM JUNCTION ( Mon-Fri ) 
Converted to single deck operation

LS127 East Croydon Station

busmap.co.uk


14.05.88
TC61+
9DMS
6DMS
--

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY  -  SHIRLEY ( Sats )  -  BECKENHAM JUNCTION ( Mon-Fri )
Converted to double deck operation

DMS132

DMS132 Purley

busmap.co.uk


06.01.90
TC61+
9L
6L
--

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY - EAST CROYDON STN (MS evgs) - SHIRLEY INN (MS except evgs) - Wickham Road,SHIRLEY Monks Orchard Rd (Mon-Fri peaks)
Withdrawn between Shirley (Monks Orchard Way) and Beckenham Junction - further withdrawn outside Mon-Fri peaks between Shirley Inn and Monks Orchard Road. Addionally withdrawn during Mon-Fri evgs and outside Saturday shopping hours between East Croydon and Shirley Inn - maily replaced by New Route 366.
Rerouted in Shirley direct via Wickham Road instead of Hartland Way - West Way Shirley Way - and Bridle Road.

01.09.90
TC61+
7L
5L
2L

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY - EAST CROYDON STN (MS evgs/Suns) - SHIRLEY INN (MS except evgs) - Wickham Road,SHIRLEY Monks Orchard Rd (Mon-Fri peaks)
Sunday service introduced between Chipstead Valley and East Croydon - partly replacing withdrawn 12B.

02.02.91
TC61+
8T
6T
2T

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY - EAST CROYDON (MS evgs/Suns) - SHIRLEY INN (Mon-Fri except evgs) - SHIRLEY Monks Orchard Road (Mon-Fri peaks/Sat sh)
Saturday shopping hours extended from Shirley Inn to Monks Orchard Road.

 

T534 (TC) Croydon High Street

busmap.co.uk


14.03.92
TB1+
8T
10T
3T
Contract reassigned

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY - Shirley Way - Bridle Road - SHIRLEY Monks Orchard Rd.
Rerouted in Shirley via Hartland Way - West Way Shirley Way - and Bridle Road instead of direct via Wickham Road.
Route revised to run at all times end to end.
Garage journeys to Bromley (TB) ran out of service.

Part of the allocation book library which is for sale
Allocation Books

08.11.97
TC61+
8dd
8dd
5dd
Contract reassigned to
South London (TC)

CHIPSTEAD VALLEY  - SHIRLEY
New operator

29.08.98
TC131+
4M
3M
3M
 
EB
sd
sd
--

WEST CROYDON Hogarth Crescent - CHIPSTEAD VALLEY (Sun) - EPSOM Clock Tower ( Mon-Sat ) - LANGLEY VALE (journeys)
Withdrawn between West Croydon and Shirley - replaced by New 466.
Service 498 (Epsom Buses) renumbered and formed to provide a joint service with Epsom Buses

Part of the allocation book library which is for sale
Allocation Books

26.09.98
TC131+
4LDR
3LDR
3LDR
 
EB
sd
sd
--

WEST CROYDON  -  CHIPSTEAD VALLEY ( Suns )  -  EPSOM ( Mon-Sat )  -  LANGLEY VALE
Arriva (TC) converted to single deck operation.

29.04.00
TC131+
4LDR
3LDR
3LDR
 
EB
sd
sd
--


WEST CROYDON  -  CHIPSTEAD VALLEY ( Suns )  -  EPSOM
( Mon-Sat except evenings )  -  LANGLEY VALE

West Croydon terminal changed and Evening service withdrawn by Epsom Buses.

Leaflet dated 29.04.00

02.09.00
TC131+
4LDR
3LDR
3LDR
 
EB
sd
sd
--

WEST CROYDON Bus Station - CHIPSTEAD VALLEY (Sun) - EPSOM Clock Tower (MS except evgs)
Epsom Buses withdrawn evenings and section Epsom General Hospital to Langley Vale.

28.07.01
TC131+
7DDL
6DDL
3DDL

WEST CROYDON Bus Station - CHIPSTEAD VALLEY (Sun) - EPSOM Clock Tower (MS except evgs)
Epsom Buses involvement withdrawn - all operated by Arriva London South (TC)

 

 

DDL8 West Croydon

 


01.09.01
TC131+
7LDR
6LDR
3LDR

WEST CROYDON Bus Station - CHIPSTEAD VALLEY ( Suns ) - EPSOM GENERAL HOSPITAL ( Mon-Sat except evgs )
One journey in each direction diverted at Banstead via The Beacon School.

 

 

LDR32 Brighton Road, South Croydon

 


15.09.01
TC131+
7DPP
6DPP
3DPP

WEST CROYDON Bus Station - CHIPSTEAD VALLEY ( Suns ) - EPSOM GENERAL HOSPITAL ( Mon-Sat except evgs )
Converted to low floor single deck operation.

 

 

DPP431 South Croydon

 


30.08.03
TC131+
8DPP
8DPP
4DPP

WEST CROYDON Bus Station - BANSTEAD - EPSOM GENERAL HOSPITAL ( Mon-Sat except evgs )
Contract renewed and service extended Mon-Fri evenings and Sundays to Banstead

30.08.08
TC131+
8ENL
7ENL
4ENL

WEST CROYDON Bus Station - BANSTEAD - EPSOM GENERAL HOSPITAL ( Mon-Sat except evgs )
Contract renewed with new E200 single deck buses.

 

 

ENL24 has been treated to new black and white blinds - seen here at Purley

 


31.08.13
TC131+
8ENL
7ENL
4ENL

WEST CROYDON Bus Station - BANSTEAD - EPSOM GENERAL HOSPITAL ( Mon-Sat except evenings )
Contract renewal for 5 years

31.08.13
TC131+
8ENL
8ENL
4ENL

WEST CROYDON Bus Station - BANSTEAD - EPSOM GENERAL HOSPITAL ( Mon-Sat except evenings )
Contract renewal for 5 years

Taken from 2014 map drawn by Mike Harris
busmap.co.uk

01.09.18
TC131+
8ENL
8ENL
4ENL

WEST CROYDON Bus Station - BANSTEAD - EPSOM GENERAL HOSPITAL ( Mon-Sat except evenings )
Contract renewal for 5 years

02.03.24
TC131+
8ENL
8ENL
4ENL

West Croydon Bus Station and Tramlink (for West Croydon Station) - Station Road - Wellesley Road - Wellesley Road Tramlink - Wellesley Road - Park Street - St George's Walk - Katharine Street - High Street - South End - South Croydon - Warham Road - Haling Park Road - Pampisford Road - Russell Hill Road - Purley Cross (for Purley Station) - Brighton Road - Reedham Station - Brighton Road - Coulsdon Town Station - Brighton Road - Chipstead Valley Road (junction with Woodstock Road for Woodmansterne Station) - Outwood Lane - Chipstead Way - Woodmansterne - Woodmansterne Street - Carshalton Road - Croydon Lane - Sutton Lane - High Street - Banstead - Bolters Lane - Fir Tree Road (junction with Banstead Road for Banstead Station) - Reigate Road - Rose Bushes - Yew Tree Bottom Road - Burgh Heath Road - Longdown Lane South (for Epsom Downs Station - College Road - Alexandra Road - Upper High Street - Epsom High Street - Ashley Road - Ashley Avenue - South Street - Dorking Road - Epsom General Hospital

Epsom General Hospital - Dorking Road - Woodcote Side - Woodcote Green Road - Woodcote Road - South Street - Epsom - High Street - Upper High Street - Alexandra Road - College Road - Longdown Lane South (for Epsom Downs Station) - Burgh Heath Road - Yew Tree Bottom Road - Rose Bushes - Reigate Road - Drift Bridge Roundabout - Reigate Road - Fir Tree Road (junction with Banstead Road for Banstead Station) - Bolters Lane - Banstead - High Street - Sutton Lane - Croydon Lane - Carshalton Road - Woodmansterne Street - Woodmansterne - Chipstead Way - Outwood Lane - Chipstead Valley Road (junction with Woodstock Road for Woodmansterne Station) - Brighton Road - Coulsdon Town Station - Brighton Road - Reedham Station - Brighton Road - Purley Cross (for Purley Station) - Banstead Road - Foxley Lane - Pampisford Road - Haling Park Road - Warham Road - South Croydon - South End - High Street - Fell Road - St George's Walk - Park Street - Park Lane - Wellesley Road - Wellesley Road Tramlink - Wellesley Road - St Michael's Road - West Croydon St Michael's Road (for Bus StationWest Croydon Tramlink and West Croydon Station)

Route 166 will be re-routed between South Croydon, Swan and Sugar Loaf and Purley Cross Tesco and will no longer serve stops on Brighton Road.  Route 166 will run via Pampisford Road and Haling Park Road instead replacing withdrawn route 455

For stops along Brighton Road between South Croydon, Swan and Sugar Loaf and Purley Cross Tesco use bus routes 60, 312, 407 or 466 instead.

A new timetable will be in place with revised departure times on most journeys. However, there is no change to the frequency of the route with buses running every 20 minutes between West Croydon and Banstead and hourly onto Epsom Hospital on Monday to Saturday daytimes and every 30 minutes between West Croydon and Banstead during the evening and all day on Sundays.

166 at March 2024 Croydon Town Centre March 2024
Taken from 2024 map drawn by Mike Harris
busmap.co.uk

 

Current Blind



166

 

Operating Garages

TC Croydon
Changeover point at Swan & Sugar Loaf

TB Bromley
Changeover point at garage

 

 

© Ian Armstrong 2024
Date of edit   Wednesday, 13.03.24