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 Red RF routes
Route 285
A Sunday OMO conversion from RM, before full conversion to
Swift, the 285 was the only trolleybus-conversion route to operate
RFs.
Dates of RF operation
20 Jul 69 – 27 Mar 71
(total 1 year 8 months, all OMO).
Destinations
HEATHROW – KINGSTON (Sun)
Norbiton's RF486 is at Heathrow bus station, followed by an
RT on the 140 and an RM on the 81 B. Photo © Peter Esposito
1970
Route history
London's last trolleybuses ran on 8 May 1962, including the
605 from Wimbledon to Teddington. The next day, the
trolleybuses were replaced by the 285, extended via Feltham to
Heathrow Airport. Until converted to one-man operation, the
285 was operated by Routemasters from Fulwell garage, supplemented
on Sundays by RTs from Merton until the route was shortened back to
Kingston on Sundays in 1966. From then, the route was shared
with Norbiton.
As OMO took hold, the route was converted first to OMO RF on
Sundays in 1969, then totally to Swifts in 1971.
Double-decked again from 1975 to 1990, when it was finally cut back
to Kingston, the service has since then been operated by a
succession of Dennis Darts and is now often overcrowded. More
luggage room, but many fewer seats (and less comfortable) than
the RF. That's progress.
RF route in detail, with timing points
HEATHROW AIRPORT Central, Private Tunnel, Heathrow Airport North, Bath Road,
Harlington Corner, Airport Rd
(now Eastern Perimeter Rd), Hatton
Cross, Faggs Road, Harlington Rd W, Hounslow Rd,
Feltham Stn, Hanworth Rd,
Uxbridge Road, Hampton Rd W, Hanworth
Hope & Anchor, Hampton Rd E, Uxbridge Road,
Windmill Road, High St Hampton Hill, Hampton Hill High St, Hampton Rd,
Hampton Rd, Broad St, Teddington
Post Office, High St Teddington, Ferry Rd, Kingston
Rd, Upper Teddington Rd, Hampton Wick
Stn, High St Hampton Wick, Kingston Br, Wood St, KINGSTON
STATION (return Clarence St)
The M-S route continued to New Malden, and on to Raynes Park
(M-F peaks) and Wimbledon (Sats pm to 1970).
Garages
FW Fulwell
NB Norbiton
Vehicle allocation
PVR 1969: Sun 2 (FW), 4 (NB)
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