London Transport - Red RF routes
Page last updated 14 November
2016
During their 27 years of operation in the Central Area, 52
routes were scheduled for operation by RFs at one time or another
(listed below in route number order, for a list by date of RF
introduction, see here). The first
was the 210 from Muswell Hill, from 11
September 1952, the last to run the 218 and 219 from
Kingston on 30 March 1979.
This part of the site gives details of their scheduled routes,
their dates of operation, garages and routings and some
history. I am indebted to numerous sources that I have
plundered in gathering information - these are listed on the Links
and Bibliography page, but special mention is due to the late and
sadly missed David Ruddom of the
London Historical Research Group, together
with Ian Armstrong and
Ian
Smith.
And if you have ever wondered why most (but not all) RF routes
are numbered 2xx, read about LT's route numbering system
here.
RF516 on the 218 leaves
Kingston Bus Station, which then was sited at the front of Kingston
Garage.
Also visible is a Leyland
National - the type that would replace the last RFs.
Photo Ian Armstrong collection
The following list contains links to a page for each route,
complete with operating details and memories where we have been
able to capture them. Notes on the contents of the route
pages are here. If you spot any
errors or omissions (and there will be many), please e-mail us.
|
Route
|
Garages
|
RF operation
started
|
OMO
conversion
|
RF operation
ended
|
Destinations
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| 20B |
L |
3 Oct 65 |
n/a |
13 Jun 69 |
Epping - Loughton |
| 71 (Sun) |
K |
3 Jan 71 |
n/a |
19 Sep 76 |
Richmond - Leatherhead |
| 80 |
A |
22 Mar 69 |
n/a |
26 Jun 76 |
Morden - Lower Kingswood |
| 80A |
A |
22 Mar 69 |
n/a |
26 Jun 76 |
Morden - Walton on the Hill |
| 108 (part) |
D |
10 Jun 53 |
n/a |
4 Jul 53 |
Bromley by Bow local service |
| 108 (part) |
D |
? Apr 67 |
n/a |
? 67 |
Bromley by Bow local service |
| 121 |
E |
8 Aug 66 |
n/a |
23 Oct 76 |
Enfield Town - Chingford |
| 136 |
HD |
7 Aug 66 |
n/a |
23 Jul 71 |
Harrow Weald - South Harrow |
| 151 |
A |
10 Oct 70 |
n/a |
16 Apr 71 |
Belmont - Sutton |
| 200 |
AL |
1 Dec 52 |
no |
24 Aug 65 |
Wimbledon - Coombe Lane |
| 201 (Sun) |
NB |
12 Oct 55 |
no |
19 Nov 58 |
Kingston - Hampton Court |
| 201 |
NB/K/FW |
13 May 59 |
18 Nov 64 |
6 Nov 76 |
Kingston - Hampton Court |
| 202 |
P/NX |
17 Dec 52 |
no |
25 Oct 68 |
New Cross - Canal Bridge |
| 202A |
NX |
1 Jul 64 |
no |
10 Mar 67 |
New Cross - Southwark Park Road |
| 202 |
AV |
18 Sep 71 |
n/a |
16 Apr 77 |
Hounslow - Richmond |
| 203 (Sun) |
AV/FW |
4 Jul 65 |
n/a |
13 Jul 69 |
Staines - Stanwell |
| 204 |
UX |
16 Jan 71 |
n/a |
29 Jun 73 |
Hayes - Uxbridge |
| 206 |
NB/K/FW |
10 Jun 59 |
18 Nov 64 |
21 Aug 76 |
Claygate - Hampton Court |
| 208 |
D |
12 Oct 52 |
no |
17 Apr 70 |
Bromley-by-Bow - Clapton Pond |
| 208A |
D |
9 Oct 52 |
no |
12 May 59 |
Maryland - Clapton Pond |
| 210 |
MH/AR/T/HT |
11 Sep 52 |
24 Jan 70 |
17 Sep 71 |
Finsbury Park - Golders Green |
| 211 |
HW |
26 Nov 58 |
no |
30 Jun 64 |
Ealing Broadway - Greenford |
| 211 |
AV |
23 Aug 69 |
n/a |
29 Jan 71 |
Hounslow - Hampton |
| 212 |
MH |
4 Feb 53 |
no |
5 Jan 60 |
Finsbury Park - Muswell Hill |
| 212 |
AD |
18 Sep 71 |
n/a |
21 Mar 76 |
Palmers Green - Dollis Hill |
| 213 |
NB/A/K |
12 Dec 52 |
no |
7 May 63 |
Kingston - Belmont |
| 215 |
K/NB |
6 Jan 60 |
23 Jan 66 |
7 Nov 76 |
Kingston - Ripley |
| 215A |
K/NB |
1 Mar 62 |
23 Jan 66 |
29 Dec 67 |
Kingston - Downside |
| 216 |
K/NB |
1 Jul 59 |
18 Nov 64 |
25 Sep 76 |
Kingston - Sunbury - Staines |
| 218 |
K |
6 Jan 60 |
7 Sep 68 |
30 Mar 79 |
Kingston - Laleham - Staines |
| 219 |
K |
6 Jan 60 |
7 Sep 68 |
30 Mar 79 |
Kingston - Weybridge |
| 222 |
UX |
26 Nov 58 |
no |
14 Mar 61 |
Hounslow - Uxbridge |
| 223 |
UX |
16 Jan 71 |
n/a |
11 Dec 76 |
Ruislip - Heathrow Airport |
| 224 |
UX |
10 Jun 59 |
no |
7 May 63 |
Uxbridge - Laleham |
| 224 |
UX |
16 Jan 71 |
n/a |
11 Dec 76 |
Uxbridge - Laleham |
| 224A |
UX |
10 Jun 59 |
no |
8 May 62 |
Uxbridge - West Drayton |
| 224B |
UX |
10 Jun 59 |
no |
8 May 62 |
Uxbridge - Stockley Estate |
| 224B |
UX |
16 Jan 71 |
n/a |
11 Dec 76 |
Uxbridge - Stockley Estate |
| 224C |
UX |
15 Mar 61 |
no |
8 May 62 |
Uxbridge - Heathrow Airport |
| 227 |
TB |
5 Nov 52 |
no |
1 Jan 71 |
Chislehurst - Crystal Palace |
| 228 |
SP |
14 Jan 53 |
no |
25 Nov 58 |
Chislehurst - Well Hall |
| 233 |
WG |
1 Feb 53 |
no |
17 Mar 59 |
Finsbury Park - Northumberland Park |
| 233 |
TC |
31 May 69 |
n/a |
21 Nov 69 |
Roundshaw - Croydon |
| 234A |
TC |
12 Jan 53 |
7 Aug 66 |
22 Jan 77 |
Purley - Hackbridge |
| 234B (Sun) |
TC |
19 Jul 69 |
n/a |
19 Jan 73 |
South Croydon - Selsdon |
| 236 |
T/AR/D |
26 Nov 58 |
no |
16 Apr 71 |
Leyton - Stroud Green |
| 237 |
AV |
3 Dec 52 |
27 Jan 65 |
16 Apr 77 |
Hounslow - Chertsey |
| 240A |
EW |
10 Oct 62 |
no |
16 Jan 66 |
Edgware - Mill Hill East |
| 241 |
SP |
1 Mar 53 |
no |
25 Nov 58 |
Welling - Sidcup Garage |
| 250 |
NS |
1 Jul 59 |
18 Nov 64 |
23 Apr 76 |
Hornchurch - Epping |
| 251 |
MH/EW |
6 May 53 |
27 Jan 65 |
22 Jan 77 |
Arnos Grove - Edgware |
| 254 |
L |
7 Oct 53 |
3 Oct 65 |
9 Apr 76 |
Loughton - South Woodford |
| 264 |
NB/K/FW |
10 Jun 59 |
23 Jan 66 |
18 Jul 76 |
Kingston - Hersham |
| 284 |
PB |
7 Sep 68 |
n/a |
29 Nov 68 |
Potters Bar town circular |
| 285 (Sun) |
FW/NB |
19 Jul 69 |
n/a |
26 Mar 71 |
Heathrow Airport - Kingston |
| 290 |
AB/R |
7 Sep 68 |
n/a |
8 May 76 |
Hammersmith - Richmond |
| 291 |
BK |
3 Oct 65 |
n/a |
9 Mar 73 |
Ilford - Barking |
|
Kenwood Express
(limited service)
|
MH/EW |
11 Jun 60 |
n/a |
20 Jul 63 |
Golders Green - Kenwood - Archway |
RF486 is seen leaving the Clapton Pond
Almhouses stand on the Hackney Marshes running day 2006.
Photo © Martin Ruthe
| 