Route History

 

Date of introduction	Gar	Mon-Fri	Sat	Sun
21.05.77	NF	SMA	SMA	SMA
	WR	SMA	SMA	SMA

GRAVESEND   - Swanscombe  -  Dartford  -  Crayford  -  Bexleyheath  --  Bexley  -  Sidcup  -  Chislehurst  -  Bromley  -  Beckenham  -  Addiscombe  -- West Croydon  -  Wallington  -  Sutton  -  Cheam  -  North Cheam  -  Malden  - Kingston  -  Hampton Court  -  Sunbury  -  Ashford  -  Ashford Hospital  -  A30  -  Beacon Road  -  Cargo Tunnel  -  Heathrow Central  -  M4 non-stop  -  Windsor Castle  -  WINDSOR Bus Station
Alternate journeys on Route 725 at Ashford to run via Heathrow Airport and M4 to Windsor. These journeys renumbered 726

01.10.77	NF	RB	RB	RB
	WR	SMA	SMA	SMA

GRAVESEND  - WINDSOR
Northfleet (NF) gradua conversion to RB type completed on 29th October

28.10.78	DT	SMA	--	--
	NF	RB	RB	RB
	WR	SMA	SMA	SMA

GRAVESEND   - Swanscombe  -  Dartford  -  Crayford  -  Bexleyheath  --  Bexley  -  Sidcup  -  Chislehurst  -  Bromley  -  Beckenham  -  Addiscombe  --Cherry Orchard Road  -  Wellesley Road  -  West Croydon  -  Wallington  -  Sutton  -  Cheam  -  North Cheam  -  Malden  - Kingston  -  Hampton Court  -  Sunbury  -  Ashford  -  Ashford Hospital  -  A30  -  Beacon Road  -  Cargo Tunnel  -  Heathrow Central  -  M4 non-stop  -  Windsor Castle  -  WINDSOR Bus Station
Rerouted between Addiscombe and West Croydon via East Croydon Station
Dartford (DT) allocation added

13.06.81	DT	sd	--	--
	NF	--	--	sd
	WR	sd	sd	sd

WINDSOR  -  DARTFORD ( Daily )  -  GRAVESEND ( Sun )
Mon-Sat withdrawn between Dartford and Gravesend

Route 726 was indeed introduced with SMAs, as you have shown, but not for long (in theory, anyway!)  The WR allocation was converted to RB class on 1st October 1977, the NF allocation was partially converted on that date, completed on 29th October 1977.  The way it is written up in the LOTS London Bus Review of 1977 seems to suggest that the NF allocation was done in two distinct stages, four weeks apart, rather than a gradual conversion.  It should have been coaches from then on but, as we both know, bus types (SMA and Leyland National) were common “strange visitors”.  The last SMAs left the fleet in 1981, though.

16.05.82	DT	--	--	--
	NF	SD	SD	SD
	WR	SD	SD	SD

WINDSOR  -  DARTFORD ( Daily )  -  GRAVESEND ( Daily journeys )
Certtain journeys extended from Dartford to Gravesend

29.10.84	DT	--	--	--
	NF	SD	SD	SD
	WR	SD	SD	SD

WINDSOR CASTLE  -  Slough  -  Langley  -  Colnbrook Village  - Heathrow  -  Cargo Tunnel  -  Ashford  -  Sunbury  -  Hampton Court  -  Kingston  -  Croydon  -  Bromley  -  Bexleyheath  -  Crayford  -  Dartford  -  Swanscombe  -  Northfleet  -  GRAVESEND Clock Tower
Rerouted between Heathrow and Windsor via Colnbrook and Slough instead of M4
Rerouted via Bexleyheath Town Centre instead of Bourne Road
Extended from Dartford to Gravesend at all times

27.07.85	DT	?	?	?
	NF	?	?	?
	WR	sd	sd	sd

WINDSOR CASTLE  -  DARTFORD ( Daily )  -  NORTHFLEET GARAGE ( Mon-Fri peak journeys )
Withdrawn between Dartford and Gravesend except for MF peak journeys to NF

12.04.86	DT	sd	sd	sd
	WR	sd	sd	sd

WINDSOR CASTLE  -  Slough  -  Langley  -  Colnbrook Village  - Heathrow  -  Hatton Cross  -  Hanworth  -  Hampton Hill  -  Hampton Court  -  Kingston  -  Croydon  -  Bromley  -  Bexleyheath  -  Crayford  -  DARTFORD
Diverted between Heathrow and Hampton Court via Route 285 instead of Ashford and Sunbury
Withdrawn between Dartford and Northfleet ( NF allocation withdrawn )

25.04.87	DT	sd	sd	sd
	WR	sd	sd	sd

 

WINDSOR St Leonards Road  -  Slough  -  Langley  -  Colnbrook Village  - Heathrow  -  Terminal 4  -  Hatton Cross  -  Hanworth  -  Hampton Hill  -  Hampton Court  -  Kingston  -  Croydon  -  Bromley  -  Bexleyheath  -  Crayford  -  DARTFORD
Windsor terminus changed

01.10.89	DT	sd	sd	sd
	WR	sd	sd	sd

WINDSOR St Leonards Road  -  Slough  -  Langley  -  Colnbrook Village  - Heathrow  -  Hatton Cross  -  Hanworth  -  Hampton Hill  -  Hampton Court  -  Kingston  -  Croydon  -  Bromley  -  Bexleyheath  -  Crayford  -  DARTFORD
Rerouted within Heathrow via Perimiter Road instead of Cargo Tunnel

21.10.89	DT	sd	sd	sd
	WR	sd	sd	sd

WINDSOR St Leonards Road  -  Datchet  -  Langley  -  A4  - Heathrow  -  Hatton Cross  -  Hanworth  -  Hampton Hill  -  Hampton Court  -  Kingston  -  Croydon  -  Bromley  -  Bexleyheath  -  Crayford  -  DARTFORD
Rerouted between Harmondsworth and Windsor via A4 and Datchet

29.06.91	DT	sd	sd	sd
	SL	sd	sd	sd

HEATHROW AIRPORT CENTRAL  - DARTFORD
Withdrawn between Heathrow and Windsor
Joined LRT network and temporary 6 month contract awarded to Luton & District (SL) and Kentish Bus (DT)

29.02.92	WD	DK	DK	DK
	SM	DK	DK	DK

Garages

NF Northfleet
Changeover point  with coaches running out of service from Northfleet Garage to take up service from Gravesend, Clock Tower.
Some early journeys would start at NF and continue direct to Windsor.

DT Dartford
Changeover point ?

WR Windsor
Changeover point at garage

SM Swanscombe
Changeover point at garage

SB Belvedere
Changeover point at ?

CB Crayford
Changeover point at ?

CX Croydon
Changeover point at ?

TP Peckham
Changeover point at ?

WD Wandsworth
Changeover point at ?

TF Fulwell
Changeover point at Apex Corner

CS West Drayton
Changeover point at garage ?

SL Slough
Changeover point at ?