Route History

Date of introduction
Gar
Mon-Fri
Sat
Sun
31.12.66
M
22RM
14RM
--

HOUNSLOW GARAGE ( Mon-Sat except evenings ) Whitton - TWICKENHAM STATION (Mon-Sat evgs) -  Richmond - East Sheen - Barnes - Hammersmith -
BROOK GREEN HOTEL
(Mon-Sat evenings ) - KENSINGTON Queens Gate ( Mon-Fri except evenings )
Route 73 western section renumbered.


Taken from 1970 map drawn by Mike Harris
busmap.co.uk


24.01.70
M
22RM
14RM
--

HOUNSLOW Bus Station ( Mon-Sat except evenings )  TWICKENHAM STATION ( Mon-Sat evenings ) - HAMMERSMITH Brook Green (Sat evenings ) - KENSINGTON Queens Gate (Mon-Fri / Sat except evenings)
Sat except evenings extended from Hammersmith to Kensington.


26.09.70
M
21RM
13RM
--

HOUNSLOW GARAGE (Mon-Sat except evgs) - RICHMOND (Mon-Sat evenings) - HAMMERSMITH (Sat evenings) - KENSINGTON Palace Gate ( Mon-Fri/Sat except evenings )
Mon-Sat evenings withdrawn between Richmond and Twickenham

19.04.71
M
20RM
13RM
--

HOUNSLOW GARAGE (Mon-Sat except evenings) - RICHMOND (Mon-Sat evenings) - HAMMERSMITH Brook Green Hotel ( Mon-Sat evenings ) -
KENSINGTON Palace Gate
( Mon-Sat except evenings )
Mon-Fri evenings withdrawn between Hammersmith and Kensington.


RM1666 Ypper Richmond Road West

busmap.co.uk


07.09.77
M
20RM
14RM
--

HOUNSLOW ( Mon-Sat except evenings )  -  RICHMOND ( Mon-Sat evenings )  -  HAMMERSMITH ( Mon-Sat evenings ) - KENSINGTON (Mon-Sat except evenings)
Monday-Friday school journeys diverted BETWEEN EAST SHEEN AND RICHMOND via Clifford Avenue.



28.10.78
M61+
20RM
13RM
--

HOUNSLOW - HAMMERSMITH (Mon-Sat evenings) - KENSINGTON (Mon-Sat except evenings)
Mon-Sat evenings reintroduced between Richmond and Hounslow.


24.11.79
M61+
20RM
13RM
--

HOUNSLOW - HAMMERSMITH (Mon-Sat evenings) - KENSINGTON (Mon-Sat except evenings)
Mortlake Garage journeys via Sheen Lane revised to operate in service

25.04.81
FW211+
5RM
5RM
--
 
M61+
15RM
9RM
--

HOUNSLOW - HAMMERSMITH (Mon-Sat evenings) - KENSINGTON (Mon-Sat except evenings)
Mon-Sat FW allocation introduced.

15.08.81
FW211+
5Mc
5Mc
--
 
M61+
15RM
9RM
--

HOUNSLOW - HAMMERSMITH (Mon-Sat evenings) - KENSINGTON (Mon-Sat except evenings)
Crew M type introduced at FW

04.09.82
FW211+
9Mc
9Mc
6Mc
 
M61+
9RM
5RM
6RM

FUbusmap.co.ukLWELL GARAGE - Teddington - Waldegrave Road - Twickenham - Richmond - Barnes - HAMMERSMITH Brook Green (Sun) - KENSINGTON Palace Gate (Mon-Sat)
R
e-routed at Twickenham via withdrawn Mon-Sat 270 and Sunday 27. Hounslow section covered by augmented 281

M878

M878 with the correct Pay Conductor sign but the wrong ultimate blind

busmap.co.uk


25.06.83
FW201+
18Mc
15Mc
10Mc

FULWELL GARAGE - HAMMERSMITH Brook Green (Sun) - KENSINGTON Palace Gate (Mon-Sat)
M garage closed - operation transferred to FW

02.02.85
FW201+
19M
15M
9M

Converted to One Person Operation.
School journeys via Lower Mortlake Rd and Clifford Avenue withdrawn

27.04.85
FW201+
19M
15M
9M

FULWELL GARAGE - HAMMERSMITH BROADWAY (evenings) - KENSINGTON (except evenings)
Brook Green journeys now terminate in former Riverside Garage.

09.07.88
FW201+
19M
17M
10M

NURSERYLANDS ESTATE (Suns except evenings) Hampton Hill - - FULWELL GARAGE (Mon-Sat/Sun evgs) - HAMMERSMITH (evgs) - KENSINGTON (except evgs)
Sunday extended via 270 to Nurserylands Estate in Hampton.

Click image to expand

01.04.89
FW201+
19M
17M
10M
Operated by London United
in preparation of privatisation.


NURSERYLANDS ESTATE
(Suns except evenings) - FULWELL GARAGE - (Mon-Sat/Sun evgs) - HAMMERSMITH (evgs) - KENSINGTON (except evgs)


07.04.90
FW201+
18M
18M
10M

FULWELL GARAGE  - HAMMERSMITH (evenings) - KENSINGTON (except evenings)
Withdrawn between Fulwell and Nurserylands Estate.

08.06.91
FW201+
14M
12M
8M

FULWELL GARAGE - HAMMERSMITH BROADWAY
Withdrawn between Hammersmith and Kensington.


09.05.92
FW201+
18DR
1M
17DR
8DR

FULWELL GARAGE - HAMMERSMITH BROADWAY
Converted to midibus but with big-bus journeys to Barnes.

DT45 Hammersmith Bus Station

busmap.co.uk


23.10.93
FW201+
20DR
1M
17DR
8DR

FULWELL GARAGE - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station.
Revised to terminate in new Bus Station at Hammersmith.

10.03.97
FW201+
21DR
19DR
8DR

FULWELL GARAGE - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station.
Double deck journeys withdrawn.

DRL167 Hill Street Richmond

11.11.00
FW201+
17DP
14DP
8DP

FULWELL GARAGE - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station
Converted to low floor operation.


30.06.01
FW201+
18DP
16DP
8DP

FULWELL GARAGE - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station
New schedules

2001 leaflet,click for times 2001 map, click to enlarge


 

12.11.05
NC51+
18Dart
16Dart
8Dart
Contract reassigned

FULWELL Travel London Garage - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station
Contract reassigned to National Car Parks operating from a base in Twickenham - Fulwell terminal changed to Travel London garage instead of LU garage

NCP26 seen at Richmond diplaying the new Fulwell terminus

© Lawrence Living


16.02.08
NC51+
18Dart
16Dart
8Dart

FULWELL Travel London Garage - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station
Hammersmith terminal moved from Upper Bus Station to lower level

21.04.09
NC51+
18Dart
16Dart
8Dart
NCP renamed NSL

NCP04 Church Terrace, Richmond

© Lawrence Living


16.11.09
NC51+
18DE
16DE
8DE
NSL purchased by Transdev

FULWELL Travel London Garage - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station

Contract reassigned

30.01.10
NC51+
18DE
17DE
12DE
Night Service
NC81+
3DE
3DE
3DE


FULWELL Travel London Garage - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station

Night Route introduced - replacing part of withdrawn N10

ADL10 Richmond Bus Station

© Eamonn Kentell


13.11.10
NC51+
18DE
17DE
12DE
Night Service
NC81+
3DE
3DE
3DE

FULWELL Travel London Garage - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station
Contract renewal

03.03.11
NC51+
18DE
17DE
12DE
Night Service
NC81+
3DE
3DE
3DE
Transdev replaced by RATP

FULWELL Travel London Garage - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station
New oerator

DE120 King Street - Twickenham


02.03.13
FW201+
18DE
18DE
10DE
Night Service
FW301+
3DE
3DE
3DE

FULWELL Travel London Garage - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station
Twickenham NC base closed - reallocated to Fulwell (FW) - although oddly they still terminated at Abellio yard - Stanley Road

When the 391 was transferred in 2014 to Fulwell the Optares were occasionally used on the 33 as shown here by OV5 in Richmond. Commencing November 2018 they were the allocated type when Route 391 was transferred to Stamford Brook

© Lawrence Living


14.11.15
FW201+
18DE
18DE
10DE
Night Service
FW301+
3DE
3DE
3DE

FULWELL Abellio Garage - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station
Contract extended for two years

 

Hybrid HDE3 usually to be found on Route 371 strays on this occasion and is seen entering Wakefield Road

© Jack Marian


11.11.17
FW201+
18DE
18DE
10DE
Night Service
FW301+
3DE
3DE
3DE

FULWELL Abellio Garage - HAMMERSMITH Bus Station
Contract renewal

24.11.18
FW201+
18OV
18OV
10OV
Night Service
FW301+
3OV
3OV
3OV

HAMMERSMITH Bus Station  -  FULWELL Abellio Garage
Converted from DE to OV type ( 391 transferred to Stamford Brook )

OV5 Richmond

© Lawrence Living


11.04.19
FW201+
18OV
18OV
10OV
Night Service
FW301+
3OV
3OV
3OV

HAMMMERSMITH BRIDGE South Side  -  FULWELL Abellio Garage 
Hammersmith Bridge closure forces curtailment to Hammersmith Bridge South Side

18.05.19
Night service rerouted via Putney Bridge to Hammersmith and renumbered N33

10.09.22
FW201+
22BE
18BE
8BE

HAMMMERSMITH BRIDGE South Side  -  FULWELL Abellio Garage 
New Duty Schedule

BE37048 Church Terrace Richmond

© Peter Horrex


09.11.24
FW201+
22DLE
18DLE
8DLE

HAMMMERSMITH BRIDGE South Side  -  FULWELL Abellio Garage 
New contract using GB Kite electrics

 

2019 Map

Taken from 2019 map drawn by Mike Harris
busmap.co.uk

 

Current Blind



33

 

 

Operating Garages

M Mortlake
Crew changeover EAST SHEEN Queens Road/Upper Richmond Road West.
Garage journeys leave line of route at BARNES Red Lion and observe Route 9 stops to Mortlake Garage or leave line of route at Sheen Lane and run light via Sheen Lane and Mortlake High Street to Avondale Road.

FW Fulwell
Crew changeover garage forecourt or from 2013 at Old Tram Depot stand in Stanley Road
Some garage journeys used to leave line of route at Twickenham and observe Route 267 stops to Fulwell Garage

NC Twickenham
Changeover King Street  

 

 

 

COMMENT BY ALEC WORSFOLD

When the 33 was lost by LU in 2005 to Nasty Car Parks, the tender had specified FW as the terminus. However, having lost the tender, FW made it clear to TfL that NCP buses would not be welcome on their forecourt, hoping to screw with the process. Consequently, TfL commandeered part of Tellings/ Travel London's garage (TfL were the landlords anyway), demolished the former staff welfare building and created a standing area for the 33 within that forecourt, still used today.

Subsequently, LU purchased NCP, but TfL mandated that the permanent terminus of Route 33 is at TF rather than FW, no matter who operates it at subsequent tenders

Interestingly, it was the award of the 33 and 419 to NCP rather than to TGM that prompted Steve Telling to throw in the towel and to sell the London and Surrey bus operations to NX group as Travel London West. TGM had had the lowest price but TfL awarded to NCP as part of a bid to encourage new operators onto their tendered network despite having been burnt by an NCP subsidiary some years previously, when TGM was drafted in at short notice to cover operations after things failed miserably.

 

 

 

 

© Ian Armstrong 2024
Date of edit   Thursday, 14.11.24