Central Area single-deck routes

The North-west

 

Cricklewood Garage's rather battered 5Q5 Q127 stands at the entrance to Golders Green bus station in the late 40s, waiting to return by the scenic route, rather than the main road taken by the trolleybuses.  Note the offside route stencil.

Photo © RA Mills, Peter Osborn collection

 

The single-deck routes operated in the north-west of London at any time between October 1934 and the introduction of RF operation on the relevant routes are summarised in the table below the map.  Minor re-routings are not shown.

 

Mostly these were development routes in the outer area, which built up sufficiently to be converted to double-deck operation.  The 210 was an exception, one of the routes where the residents resisted double-deckers in their streets (until 2008), and the Mill Hill rail bridge was a barrier to double-deckers until the mid 60s.

 

An approximation of the routes operated is shown on the following map (click on the map for a larger version) - note that not all routes operated at the same time.  Routes operated with single-deckers before 1945 only are shown in orange, both during and after the war in red and purple are post-war introductions.  See the table for more detail.

 

Based on 1947 bus map © London Transport

 

Single-deck routes in north-west London, October 1934 to RF conversion

 

Route  Destinations (daily unless shown) Garage(s)  Bus types  

Dates of operation (pre-RF) and notes
210

Finsbury Park Wells Terrace and Golders Green Station

 

MH

 

 

J to 3 Jan 40

LTL,

LTL/TD (late 47),

TD/Q (early 52)

LTL

Renumbered from 110

3 Oct 34 to RF conversion  
226

Golders Green Station and Cricklewood Broadway Richborough Road

 

 W

T (Q Dec 36 to Feb 37),

Q (late 40)

New route in 1931

17 Jan 34 to 13 Dec 49

Route double-decked
231

Hampstead Heath South End Green and Harlesden Willesden Junction Hotel. Extended Su to Park Royal Coronation Road

 

CF

DE/T,

Q (early 36)

Existing independent route (Birch Bros), new in 1928

10 Dec 30 to 11 Oct 38
 

Hampstead Heath South End Green and Kew Green Coach & Horses

 

CF

AC (W from 7 Jun 39)

Q

Q

From 5 Apr 39, one STL worked M-F peaks Harlesden Willesden Junction Hotel and Acton Station

12 Oct 38 to 31 Oct 39

Double-decked and renumbered 70

 

 
240

Single-deck route

Edgware Station and Golders Green Station

 

EW (M-Sa to 21 Nov 39)

W (to 6 Jun 39, 22 Nov 39 to 19 Nov 40)

J (Su to 21 Nov 39)

 

 

LTL

 

LTL, T (to Apr 36), LS (to Jun 35)

 

 

LTL

Renumbered from 104

3 Oct 34 to 19 Nov 40
 

Double-deck section

Mill Hill East The Mill and Golders Green Station

  

EW (M-Sa to 5 Oct 37)

W (M-F, daily from 6 Oct 37, to 6 Jun 39, daily 22 Nov 39 to 19 Nov 40)

CF (SaSu to 5 Oct 37)

J (Sa, 5 Jan 38 to 21 Nov 39)

AE (7 Jun 39 to 21 Nov 39)

 

  

ST

 

NS,

STL (mid 37)

 

 

 

 

STL

 

STL

 

 

STD

 

3 Oct 34 to 19 Nov 40
 

Single-deck section

Edgware Station and Mill Hill Broadway Watford Way, extended to Mill Hill East Station from 18 May 41

 

  

EW

 

LTL,

TD (late 49)

 

  

20 Nov 40 to 24 Jul 51

Single-deck section withdrawn, replaced by 240A
 

Double-deck section

Mill Hill Station Road and Golders Green Station

 

 

W

 

STL (also ST Dec 43 to Oct 44),

RT (mid 48)

  

20 Nov 40 to 24 Jul 51 

Section continued as double-deck only route
240A

Edgware Station and Page Street Bunns Lane (M-Sa)

 

EW

 

 LTL,

TD (Oct 49)

240 shorts extended and renumbered

12 Nov 47 to 24 Jul 51
 

Edgware Station and Mill Hill East Station (daily)

 

 EW TD 25 Jul 51 to RF conversion
241

Edgware Station and Borehamwood Crown

 

EW

W (Su, 27 May to 7 Oct 36 and from 28 May 37)

LTL

T

Renumbered from 141

3 Oct 34 to 31 Aug 37

Route double-decked as 141
251

Burnt Oak Edgware Road and Arnos Grove Station

 

AD (to 6 Jun 39)

EW (Sa 27 May 36 to 23 Mar 37, daily 7 Jun 39 to 28 Oct 41, Su 29 Oct 41 to 27 Oct 42)

MH (from 11 Jun 41)

LTL

 

T (1936/7)

LTL

 

 

 

 

 

LTL (to Oct 49)

TD (from Apr 49)

Renumbered from 551

3 Oct 34 to RF conversion
 

Double-deck journeys

Whetstone Griffin Inn and Arnos Grove Station (M-Sa)

 

 

AD 

 

LT

 

 

3 Oct 34 to 16 Apr 35

 

Note on routings: see the map for an outline; in several cases, detailed changes took place but are not shown.

 

Note on bus types: in many cases, allocations were mixed or changed too frequently over time to list above; in both cases, all classes are shown but did not all work throughout the relevant period.  LTL is used for LT single-deckers ('Scooters').

 

Garage codes: see list of RF garages, others that do not appear are:

   AC   Willesden

   AD   Palmers Green

   CF   Chalk Farm

   J      Holloway

   W    Cricklewood