Green Line 80th Anniversary

17 July 2010

Photo report

As recorded here, the 80th anniversary of Green Line coaches was celebrated with the recreation of the first ever service, later numbered 715, and a Road Run of historic vehicles and displays in Guildford and Cobham. There follows a brief photo report on the day, with thanks to the photographers who have provided pictures for the page.

As they say, every picture tells a story.

The new generation of double-deckers was represented by this Wright-bodied Volvo VNX37276, route-branded for its usual home of the 701/702. The 65-seater was replaced for the middle of the day on that route by the single-decker 20367. Here the coach is seen alongside the Thames in The Terrace, Barnes, on the diversion to avoid Hammersmith Bridge.

Photo © Russell Young

Green Line coaches as far as the eye can see along Victoria Street. The road run set off from Embankment; T219 is followed by T504, T792, RT3254 and RMC1507.

Photo © Laurie Akehurst

Plaxton-bodied Volvo 20367 in heritage livery worked an early journey from Cobham to London, before swapping duties with one of the Twindecks. It is seen here before departure, ahead of RTL139 which subbed for RMC1461 whose engine is under repair.

Photo © Peter Osborn

RT3491 worked one of the daytime journeys to Embankment and paused at Parliament Square on the return.

Photo © Peter Osborn

It was standard practice in LT days for Green Line crews and coaches to work local bus services before (and occasionally after) their Green Line duties. The 408^A to Merrow was the most usual route in Guildford, although 436 shorts to Burpham were also operated. These routes saw all types of Green Line vehicles - today they included an RT and P3.

Photo © Peter Larkham

The third member of the T class present, post-war Country bus T792, also provided a Green Line relief service. It is seen here just after negotiating Guildford's contribution to the traffic delays.

Photo © Peter Osborn

Green Line is 80 years old, this RT is only 60. RT3491 crosses Hammersmith Bridge on its way back to Guildford. Thanks to Hammersmith & Fulham Council, historic coaches were able to follow the original route across Hammersmith Bridge in spite of the weight limit.

Photo © Giffard Hazle

Joining in with the celebration was Cobham's utility Guy G351, parked on the 159 stand at Marble Arch and about to be passed by RMC1507.

The fine sight of Cobham Bus Museum's T504, restored to roadworthy condition especially for this year's celebrations, also at Hammersmith Bridge. The 10T10 class were the pre-war pinnacle of the Green Line fleet.

Four generations of Green Line coaches (OK, you can't see the fourth, the photo is taken from the cab of a Green Line RT). Arriva's 47-foot long tri-axle Van Hool 4379 leads Plaxton-bodied Reliance P3 and Park Royal-bodied Reliance RP90, representing the reinvigoration that London Country brought to Green Line in the 1970s. There were time-keeping problems with the service due to traffic congestion - very 1970s.

The Leas Road site of Arriva's Guildford Garage is on the site of the first and only Green Line garage in the town, GF, which dated from 1932. Prior to that, the coaches were parked at a motor dealer. Some of Arriva's maintenance team watch P3.

The line-up at Guildford Garage was T219 represents the first generation of AEC Regal coaches, and was specially prepared (and repaired) for the day by the London Transport Museum. T504 and pairs of the post-war stalwarts, RTs and RFs, are behind with a London Country Bristol, BN50, subbing for an RF (shouldn't that be the other way round?).

It was very rare for low-height RLHs to work Green Line reliefs. One well known exception was for the Queen's Coronation in 1953, when at least one RLH worked the 715. RLH48 was meticulously well dressed for the recreation.