Routes 80 and 80^A

Last day of RF operation at Walton on the Hill

As one-man operation took hold, a number of London Transport's RT routes were converted to RF operation. Two early examples were the 80 and 80A in 1969, reintroducing RFs to Sutton garage after a gap of six years. Sutton's RF era came to an end in 1976. Here, RF448 is seen at the Chequers, Walton on the Hill, on the last day of operation, 26 June 1976.
Photo © John Parkin 1976

RFs returned to Sutton in 1969, six years after the double-decking of the 213, for the OMO conversion of RT routes 80 and 80^A.

Dates of RF operation

22 Mar 69 - 26 Jun 76

(total 7 years 3 months, all OMO)

Destinations

MORDEN STATION to LOWER KINGSWOOD (80)

MORDEN STATION to WALTON-ON-THE-HILL (80^A)

Route history

In 1935, the 80 and 80^A ran from Morden to their respective southern destinations, but the northern terminus was soon switched to Tooting.

By 1947, both routes ran from Tooting Broadway via Mitcham and Sutton to Kingswood, where the 80 continued south to Lower Kingswood, terminating at the Mint Arms in Buckland Lane, and the 80^A turned off to Walton-on-the-Hill Chequers. The routes shared a common allocation, requiring 17 buses Monday to Friday but up to 30 on Saturday when frequencies were highest.

A 1960s shot at the Tooting Broadway stand. RT4026 on the 80 meets a Brixton RM on the 95^A.

Photo Ian Armstrong collection

The routes were operated by Sutton’s utility Daimlers after the war, until 1953 (when Sutton was already operating RFs on the 213). They were replaced initially by an allocation of RTLs, but Sutton became an AEC garage during 1954 and the RTLs gave way to RTs.

The RTs plied the routes undisturbed for 15 years until a major upheaval in 1969, when one-man RF operation arrived. On 22 March, the Mitcham to Sutton section was replaced by new RT route 280 - which continued as far as Belmont, plus school journeys all the way to Walton-on-the-Hill - and the 80 and 80^A were diverted to run from Morden via Sutton Common Road, a section of route previously covered by the 213^A, whose workings between Sutton and Wimbledon were withdrawn.

Rural Belmont, a short-working destination, on the last day of RF operation. RF425 on stand, while another passes.

Photo © John Parkin

With the loss of a conductor to assist in the turns, the 80 was shortened slightly in Buckland Lane, Lower Kingswood, to use a new turning circle at Rookery Way and the 80^A was extended in Walton-on-the-Hill to use a turning circle at Howard Close. Other small changes made at the same time included dropping the small detour to pass Belmont Station and (on the 80^A) introducing a diversion to serve Tadworth Station.

By 1969, there were quite a number of spare RFs in store, some having not been used for three years. It was from this stock that Sutton's allocation was drawn, including the two buses that had been allocated to Potters Bar for the 284.

On the last day of RF operation on route 80^A, 26 June 1976 (a hot dry summer), RF427 lays over at Howard Close, Walton-on-the-Hill.

The routes were converted to Bristol BLs in June 1976. A few months later, the weekday operations on the 80 were shortened to Belmont and replaced further south by the 280, whilst weekday operations on the 80^A were replaced entirely by the new 280^A, running over the old RT route 80^A from Tooting Broadway.

The Sunday-only 80^A staggered on for a few more years, including rerouting to cover part of the withdrawn 164^A and conversion to DMS in 1979, but both it and the 280^A were withdrawn in 1982.

The 80 reverted to double-deck (DMS) operation in 1979 (Sunday) and 1982 (weekdays), going through a number of changes, including a spell covering the 93 to Putney Bridge, before reverting to single-deck in 1996 when it was extended from Morden to Hackbridge Reynolds Close, a section of route with a chequered history since its original wartime introduction as the 151.

The 80 continues today to run from Belmont to Morden and on to Hackbridge. Lower Kingswood and Walton-on-the-Hill are however only served by Surrey routes, with Metrobus's 420 running from Reigate to Sutton and their 460, the replacement for country route 406, running to Epsom via both Lower Kingswood and Walton.

80^A: MORDEN STATION, London Road, Epsom Road, Sutton Common Road Woodstock, Oldfields Road (A217), Collingwood Road, Bushey Road, Sutton Garage, High Street Sutton, Sutton Cock, Brighton Road, Belmont Station, Brighton Road, Banstead Crossroads, Brighton Road, Burgh Heath Reigate Road, Brighton Road, Shelvers Way, Ashurst Road, Cross Road, Tadworth Station, Station Approach Road, Tadworth Street, Mere Road, Walton Street, Chequers Lane, WALTON ON THE HILL Howard Close

Red RF routes

Routes 80 and 80A

Routes 80 and 80^A