Route History

Date
Gar
Mon-Fri
Sat
Sun
08.04.51
BN
52RT
41RT
12RT
 
TH
36RT
24RT
16RT

PURLEY High Street - South Croydon - Brighton Road - West Croydon - Thornton Heath Pond - Norbury - Streatham - Streatham Hill - Brixton - Kennington - Elephant & Castle - Blackfriars Road - Victoria Embankment - Westminster - Kennington Road - Kennington - Brixton - Streatham - Norbury - Thornton Heath Pond - Croydon - PURLEY High Street. Circular route in both directions around Embankment loop.
New Tram Replacement route for Trams #16 & #18

16.10.57
BN
48RT
37RT
--
 
TH
32RT
21RT
12RT

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Westminster (Mon-Sat) or Blackfriars (Daily)
Sunday withdrawn via Westminster. Brixton (BN) allocation withdrawn on this day.

30.04.58
BN
47RT
33RT
5RT
 
TH
31RT
20RT
7RT

Sunday (BN) allocation re-introduced.

26.11.58
BN
45RT
31RT
--
 
TH
31RT
22RT
12RT

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Embankment loop (Mon-Sat) or via Westminster Bridge to Horse Guards Avenue only (Suns)
Sunday - Blackfriars section withdrawn - Brixton (BN) allocation withdrawn again on this day.

29.01.64
BN
39RT
39RT/3RTL
--
 
TH
33RT
9RT
12RT

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Embankment loop (Mon-Sat) or via Westminster Bridge to Horse Guards Avenue only (Suns)
Saturday part RTL type introduced.

01.04.64
BN
39RTW
37RTW
--
 
TH
33RT
14RT
12RT

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Embankment loop (Mon-Sat) or via Westminster Bridge to Horse Guards Avenue only (Suns)
RT type replaced by RTW at Brixton (BN)

The crew in charge of RTW33 are seen relaxing at the Purley terminus - and after driving an RTW you would need a rest !

23.01.66
BN
39RTW
34RTW
--
 
TH
33RT
14RT
2RT

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Embankment loop (Mon-Sat) or via Westminster Bridge to Horse Guards Avenue only (Suns)
Sunday service withdrawn except for a few early morning journeys.

RTW167 Victoria Embankment

23.04.66
BN
39RT
34RT
--
 
TH
33RT
14RT
2RT

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Embankment loop (Mon-Sat) or via Westminster Bridge to Horse Guards Avenue only (Suns)
RTW type withdrawn in favour of RT.


31.10.70
BN
36RT
18RT
--
 
TH
37RT
13RT
2SMS

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Embankment loop (Mon-Sat) or via Westminster Bridge to Horse Guards Avenue only (Suns)
Sunday journeys converted to One Person single deck operation.



SMS blind only used on Sunday mornings


23.03.74
BN
27RT
14RT
--
 
TH
32RT
16RT
2DMS

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Embankment loop (Mon-Sat) or via Westminster Bridge to Horse Guards Avenue only (Suns)
Sunday journeys converted to double deck operation.

DMS2543

DMS2543 West Croydon

© John Parkin


19.07.75
BN
30RT
14DM
--
 
TH
32RT
16RT
2DMS

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Embankment loop (Mon-Sat) or via Westminster Bridge to Horse Guards Avenue only (Suns)
Saturday BN operation converted to Daimler doored operation - buses spare from 133 allocation.

RT4810

RT4810 Thornton Heath Garage

busmap.co.uk


23.05.76
BN
30RM
14DM
--
 
TH
32RT
16RT
2DMS

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Embankment loop (Mon-Sat) or via Westminster Bridge to Horse Guards Avenue only (Suns)
Mon-Fri BN allocation converted from RT to Routemaster.

03.10.76
BN
30RM
14DM
--
 
TH
32RM
16RM
2DMS

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Embankment loop (Mon-Sat) or via Westminster Bridge to Horse Guards Avenue only (Suns)
Mon-Sat TH operation converted to Routemaster operation.

04.03.78
BN1+
30DM
14DM
--
 
TH71+
32RM
16RM
2DMS

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Embankment loop (Mon-Sat) or via Westminster Bridge to Horse Guards Avenue only (Suns)
Mon-Fri BN allocation converted to DM operation.

27.08.78
BN1+
30DM
14DM
--
 
TH71+
32DM
16DM
2DMS

PURLEY High Street - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Embankment loop (Mon-Sat) or via Westminster Bridge to Horse Guards Avenue only (Suns)
Mon-Sat TH allocation converted from RM to DM operation.

28.10.78
BN1+
14DM
7DM
--
 
TH71+
38DM
15DM
10DM

PURLEY (Mon-Sat/ Sun am journeys) - SOUTH CROYDON GARAGE (Suns) - BRIXTON STATION (Suns) - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Westminster or Blackfriars (Mon-Sat/ Sun early am journeys.
Sunday service introduced all day (crew)  between Brixton and South Croydon partly replacing withdrawn 59.

15.08.81
BN1+
14RM
8RM
--
 
TH71+
38DM
15DM
10DM

Brixton converted to RM operation - the Daimlers being sent to Westbourne Park (X) for conversion of service 18.

RM1313 at Purley

© John Parkin


04.09.82
BN1+
11RM
10RM
--
 
TH71+
36RM
16RM
8RM

PURLEY (Mon-Sat/ Sun am journeys) - SOUTH CROYDON GARAGE (Suns) - BRIXTON STATION (Suns) - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Westminster (Mon-Sat/ Sun early am journeys) or Blackfriars (Mon-Fri) or ELEPHANT & CASTLE (Sats)
TH allocation reverted to RM operation.

RML892

RML892 Thornton Heath Garage

© John Parkin


02.02.85
BN1+
12RM
2RM
--
 
TH71+
25RM
9RM
8RM

SOUTH CROYDON GARAGE (Mon-Sat) - -  VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Westminster or Blackfriars (Mon-Fri) or ELEPHANT & CASTLE (Sats)
Sunday withdrawn altogether - replaced by new 59.
Daily withdrawn between South Croydon and Purley.

Click image to expand

01.02.86
BN1+
11RM
2RM
--
 
TH71+
23RM
8RM
--

CROYDON Park Street (Mon-Sat) - -  VICTORIA EMBANKMENT via Westminster or Blackfriars (Mon-Fri) or TRAFALGAR SQUARE via Whitehall (Sats)
Withdrawn between Croydon and Croydon Garage


07.02.87
BN1+
--
14M
--
 
TH71+
23D
--
--

CROYDON Park Street  - TRAFALGAR SQUARE (Mon-Sat)
CONVERTED TO ONE PERSON OPERATION.
Victoria Embankment loop routeing withdrawn - all journeys via Westminster and Whitehall to Trafalgar Square.


21.07.90
AK191+
10DM
--
--
 
BN1+
13D
14D
--

CROYDON Park Street  - TRAFALGAR SQUARE (Mon-Sat)
New Streatham (AK) allocation introduced - Mon-Fri BN allocation added - Thornton Heath (TH) withdrawn.

02.02.91
AK191+
25M
25M
--

CROYDON Park Street  - TRAFALGAR SQUARE (Mon-Sat)
Brixton (BN) allocation withdrawn.

 

M1442 one of the high numbered Metrobuses seen here in Croydon

 


14.03.92
BN121+
--
7T
6T
 
TC211+
17L
13L
6L
 
TH1+
20T
10T
9T

PURLEY - TRAFALGAR SQUARE
Sunday service re-introduced replacing withdrawn 59.
Daily extended from Croydon to Purley.
Allocation changes as above.


29.01.94
TC211+
16L
13L
6L
 
TH1+
21L
16L
16L

PURLEY - TRAFALGAR SQUARE
Brixton (BN) allocation withdrawn.

12.03.94

TH1+

37L

29L

22L

Allocation change

PURLEY - TRAFALGAR SQUARE
Croydon (TC) allocation withdrawn.

15.06.96
BN101+
8M
--
--
 
TH1+
29L
29L
22L

PURLEY - TRAFALGAR SQUARE
Mon-Fri Brixton (BN) allocation introduced.

29.08.98
BN101+
8M
--
--
 
TH1+
28L
26L
20L

CROYDON Park Street - TRAFALGAR SQUARE
Withdrawn between Croydon and Purley . partly replaced by Route 60 which was extended from South Croydon to Old Coulsdon via Purley

L229

 

L229 seen in Whitehall heading for the cut back destination

 


18.09.99
TH1+
24L
22L
12L

CROYDON Park Street - BRIXTON STATION
Withdrawn between Brixton and Trafalgar Square - replaced by re-routed 159.

03.02.01
TH1+
24DLA
22DLA
12DLA

CROYDON Park Street - BRIXTON STATION
Converted to low floor d/d operation.

01.02.03
TH1+
23DLA
22DLA
12DLA

CROYDON Park Street - BRIXTON STATION
Contract renewal

 

DLA340 leaving the Bus Station at W Croydon

 


12.01.08
TH1+
25DLA
23DLA
13DLA

CROYDON Park Street - BRIXTON STATION
Two year extension on existing contract

 

DW290 Croydon Town Centre

 


30.01.10
TH1+
25T
24T
13T

CROYDON Park Street - BRIXTON STATION
Contract renewal and new buses introduced

T143 Wellesley Road

31.03.12
BN1+
25DLA
24DLA
13DLA

CROYDON Park Street - BRIXTON STATION
Allocation moved to Brixton (BN) - to compensate for loss of Route 19 and make room at Thornton Heath for routes transferred in from Beddington Farm which closed

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

31.01.15
BC51+
25MMC
26MMC
13MMC
Contract reassigned to Abellio

2492 Streatham Common

Photographer unknown


23.06.18
BC51+
26MMC
26MMC
13MMC


01.02.20
BC51+
26MMC
26MMC
15MMC

CROYDON Park Street - BRIXTON STATION
Contract renewal

29.02.20
BC51+
26MMC
26MMC
15MMC

CROYDON Park Street - BRIXTON STATION
Changeover point changes to West Croydon Bus Station

======================================================================================================================================================

Current Blind



109

Operating Garages

BN Brixton
Changeover point at garage.

AK Streatham
Changeover point at garage.

TH Thornton Heath
Changeover point at garage.

TC Croydon
Changeover point at garage

BC Beddington Cross
Changeover point at Croydon stand
From 29.02.20 West Croydon Bus Station and Colllers Water Lane

Live visual

 

 

© Ian Armstrong 2024
Date of edit   Wednesday, 20.03.24