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 Red RF routes
Route 215A
The 215A Kingston to Downside route was the reason
that Kingston retained its TDs until 1962, when it was finally
accepted that the larger RFs could serve the village.
Dates of RF operation
28 Feb 62 to 29 Dec 67
Converted to OMO 23 Jan 66
(total 5 years 8 months, of which 3 years
11 months crew-operated)
RF517 (once RF298, hence
its early registration) in Kingston in June 1965. The bus was
converted for OMO in 1961, but is still crew operated here.
It looks as though the crew may have stopped off for some
cigarettes before reaching the bus station; the bus is empty of
passengers and the driver is flicking through a
magazine.
Destinations
KINGSTON – DOWNSIDE
Route history
The 215A was introduced on 30 Jun 54 to provide a Monday to
Saturday service to the isolated hamlet of Downside, south of
Cobham. TD-operated by Kingston Garage, it shared a timetable
and bus allocation with its parent 215 throughout its
existence.
As the TDs were progressively replaced by RFs at Kingston, the
215A - and therefore the 215 on weekdays because of the
joint operation - retained theirs, becoming the last TD-operated
routes apart from the 240A, due to unsuitable roads
between Cobham and Downside. Indeed, at the introduction to
the route, drivers were instructed not to exceed 5 mph when
crossing the bridge over the River Mole. However, a timetable
on which one in four journeys extended beyond Cobham to each of
Ripley (215) or Downside meant that there were duties that could
take RFs, and approval was given for this in October 1961.
The Traffic Commissioner finally agreed to RF operation in 1962,
and the conversion took place on Wednesday 28 February (or 1 March,
or 9 May, depending on your source).
Just over 4 years later, OMO-conversion of the 215 and
215A occurred on 23 Jan 66 at the same time as a
transfer to Norbiton Garage. Less than two years later, it
wasn't Downside that lost its service when the 215A
finished, but off-the-map Ripley that was cast adrift from the
Central Area. The Downside journeys were renumbered 215 from
30 Dec 67.
RF route in detail, with timing points
KINGSTON Bus Station, Clarence Street (return via Wood
Street), Eden Street, High Street Kingston, Portsmouth Road,
Dittons Winters
Bridge, Portsmouth Road, Esher Marquis of Granby,
Portsmouth Road, High Street Esher, Esher High Street, Portsmouth
Road, Fairmile Lane Portsmouth
Road, Portsmouth Road Cobham, Anyards Road,
Church Cobham Post
Office (return by Between Streets, Street Cobham), High
Street Cobham, Church Street, Bridge Road, Downside Road, Downside
Common Road, DOWNSIDE COMMON (reverse turn into Downside Close)
Noriton garage journeys - see note under 215.
1964 bus map (© London Transport)
Garages
K Kingston (to 22 Jan 66)
NB Norbiton (from 23 Jan 66)
Vehicle allocation
Allocation joint with 215 M-S
Memories
See Stan Attewell's memories
of driving the Downside service after it was worked from
Norbiton.
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