Up to 1964, longstanding route 111 ran from Hounslow (or
Cranford or Heathrow, depending on period) to Hanworth, then onward
to Twickenham, Richmond or destinations beyond (see 290). In mid-1964, it was diverted at
Hanworth to run to Hampton (weekdays except evenings) and
Kingston (Saturday shopping hours). After 20 years of RT
operation, 23 Aug 69 saw it converted to 36-foot long Merlin
standee single-deckers and cut short at Hanworth.
MBS555 waits at Hounslow Bus Station
for departure on the shortened 111 to Hanworth.
Photo © Paul Redmond
The MBSs used a special fare collection system (see foot of
page) and it may be because of some aspect of this, or because
the buses were too long for some of the tight turns, that the route
beyond Hanworth was split as new route 211, starting from
Hounslow. The weekday 211 service was provided by OMO
RFs, but Saturdays retained RTs.
The MBSs on the 111 lasted until 29 Jan 71, when they
were replaced by SMSs and the weekday 211 journeys were
reabsorbed into the 111, bringing RF operation to an end.
For a further 10 weeks, the Saturday RTs to Kingston
continued, then the 211 was withdrawn entirely on 10 Apr
71.
Confusingly
for Kingston passengers, the number 211 reappeared within six
months as an SMS route to Walton-on-Thames, but that is another
story. Meanwhile, the 111 still runs from Heathrow via
Cranford, Hounslow, Hanworth and Hampton to Kingston, a meandering
Z-shape of a route.
