Central Area single-deck routes

The West

Page last updated 28 October 2016

 

The single-deck routes operated in the 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.

 

In the main, these were thinly-used routes that (initially at least) did not justify double-deck operation, as demonstrated by OMO operation before and during the war.  Low bridges at West Drayton and Wealdstone also had a significant impact.  In the case of the 211, the reason for single-decking was a reluctance by the local authority to cut trees.

 

Just like the 127 (formerly the 245), 248 and 178 (formerly 208A), the 230 was a single-deck route that could be double-decked with lowbridge buses.  For much more on the RLH routes, see the RLH site.  Here is RLH64 turning into Northwick Avenue at the eastern terminus.

Photo © Mike Beamish

 

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 west London, October 1934 to RF conversion

 

Route

 

Destinations (daily unless shown)

 

Garage(s)  

 

Bus types  

 

Dates of operation (pre-RF) and notes

 

206

 

 South Harrow Station and Rayners Lane Station

HD

 

G (OMO)

6 Jun 34 to 16 Apr 35

Replaced by extension of route 114

 
211

Ealing Haven Green and Greenford Eastmead Avenue (M-Sa)

 

 HW

DA/BN (OMO),

C (OMO, May 36)

 9 Oct 33 to 23 Mar 37 
  Ealing Haven Green and Greenford

Adrienne Avenue (M-Sa)

 

 HW

C (OMO),

T (31 May 39)

 24 Mar 37 to 31 Dec 40
 

Ealing Haven Green and Greenford Eastmead Avenue (M-Sa) 

 

 HW T 1 Jan 41 to 28 Oct 41
 

Ealing Haven Green and Ruislip Lido(Ruislip High Street from 10 Nov 43) (M-Sa)

 

 HW T 29 Oct 41 to 25 May 46
 

Ealing Haven Green and Ruislip High Street, extended Ruislip Lido summer Su 1946-51

 

 HW

T,

TD/T (early 1949)

26 May 46 to 15 Apr 52

Replaced between Ruislip and Greenford by route 97

 
 

Ealing Haven Green and Greenford Red Lion, journeys M-Sa am to Greenford Adrienne Avenue (to 4 Jun 52)  

 

 HW

TD,

14T12 (Jan 53)

 16 Apr 52 to RF conversion
220

Pinner Red Lion and Uxbridge LT Garage

 

 UX  DA

Renumbered from 181B

3 Oct 34 to

3 Nov 36
 

Pinner Red Lion and Ritchings Park Tower Arms Hotel (MS) or Uxbridge LT Garage (Su)

 

 UX DA 4 Nov 36 to 4 Jan 38
 

Ritchings Park section

Uxbridge Eight Bells and Ritchings Park Tower Arms Hotel (M-Sa) 

 

 

UX

 

DA 

 

5 Jan 38 to 22 Sep 39

Section withdrawn
 

Pinner section

Pinner Red Lion and Uxbridge LT Garage (Uxbridge Station from 30 Oct 40)

 

 

UX

 

T

 

5 Jan 38 to 24 Feb 42

Double-decked with ST
221 Pinner Red Lion and North Harrow Station (MS, daily from 19 Apr 46) HD

DA (OMO),

G (OMO, Apr 35),

C (OMO, May 36),

T (1 Jun 42),

TD (early 49)

Renumbered from 353

3 Oct 34 to 30 Nov 54

Replaced by extension of route 98
222

Hounslow Central Station and Uxbridge (New Inn to Jul 36, Market House to 7 Aug 40, then LT Station)

 

UX

AV to 27 May 36

T

T

Renumbered from 501

3 Oct 34 to RF conversion
223

Ickenham Coach & Horses and Richings Park Tower Arms (M-Sa), also Su Ickenham and Uxbridge 21 Apr to 29 Sep 35 and from 12 Apr 36

 

UX

DA (OMO)

Renumbered from 505

3 Oct 34 to 3 Nov 36

Replaced by 220 between Uxbridge and Richings Park
 

Ruislip Manor Torrington Road and Uxbridge Eight Bells, extended 4 May 38 to Yiewsley Fairfield Road

 

 UX

DA (OMO)

 

 		 4 Nov 36 to 3 Jan 39
 

Ruislip Station and West Drayton Station

 

 UX

DA (OMO),

CR/C (OMO, Nov 39)

 4 Jan 39 to 24 Mar 42
 

Ruislip Station and Stanwell War Memorial (M-Sa), Staines Bridge Street and Stanwell (Su)

 

UX

AV

C (OMO)

C (OMO, SaSu)

25 Mar to 27 Oct 42

Replaced, and replaced by, 224
 

Ruislip Station and West Drayton Station (West Drayton Mill Road from 28 Jan 48)

 

 UX

LTL/T,

14T12 (early 46)

 		 28 Oct 42 to 24 Jul 51
 

Single-deck section

Uxbridge Station and West Drayton Mill Road 

 

 

UX

 

T

 

25 Jul 51 to 15 Feb 55

Replaced to Mill Road by 224A
 

Double-deck section

Ruislip Station and West Drayton Station

 

 

UX

 

STL/RT

 

From 25 Jul 51.  Entire route double-decked 16 Feb 55
224

 

Uxbridge (New Inn to Jul 36, Market House to 7 Aug 40, then LT Station) and Stanwell War Memorial (M-Sa),

Staines Bridge Street and Stanwell (Su)

 

UX

 

 

AV

DA (OMO, M-Sa),

CR/C (OMO, M-Sa, late 39)

DA (OMO, SaSu),

C (OMO, SaSu) from late 39

Renumbered from 506

3 Oct 34 to 24 Mar 42
 

Uxbridge LT Station and Harmondsworth Peggy Bedford (M-Sa)

 

 UX

T

 

 25 Mar to 27 Oct 42

Replaced by, and replaced, 223
 

Uxbridge LT Station and Stanwell War Memorial (M-Sa), until 3 Oct 45 divided at Harmondsworth between peaks,

Staines Bridge Street and Stanwell (Su)

 

UX

 

 

AV to 17 Nov 42, from 3 Oct 45

C (OMO)/T (Uxbridge to Harmondsworth),

T (from 3 Oct 45)

C (OMO, SaSu),

T (SaSu)

 28 Oct 42 to 21 May 46
  Uxbridge LT Station and Stanwell War Memorial (M-Sa, daily from 4 May 47),

Uxbridge LT Station and Harmondsworth (UX) and Staines Bridge Street and Stanwell (AV) (Su to 27 Apr 47)

 

UX

AV to 12 Nov 47

T

T (SaSu to 27 Apr 47, then Su)

22 May 46 to 23 Mar 48

Staines and Stanwell replaced by route 162 
 

Uxbridge LT Station and Laleham Broadway

 

 UX

T,

TD and RF (late 58)

24 Mar 48 to RF conversion 

 

224A

 

Uxbridge LT Station and West Drayton Mill Road (MS from 26 Nov 58)

 

 UX

T,

TD (late 56)

 16 Feb 55 to RF conversion
224B

Uxbridge LT Station and Stockley Estate Mulberry Parade (MS)

 

 UX

T,

TD (late 58)

 23 Jan 57 to RF conversion
225 Northwood Hills and Eastcote Woodlands Avenue UX

C (OMO),

T (24 May 44)

 

New route

26 Jan 44 to 16 Apr 46

Route double-decked.  See Memories below.

230

 

North Harrow Station and Northwick Park Station

 

HD

 

DA (OMO),

S (16 May 34),

Q (Aug 36)

New route

4 Jan 33 to 2 Aug 38

 
  Rayners Lane Station and Northwick Park Station HD

Q

Q/lowbridge STL (28 Oct 42)

3 Aug 38 to 21 Apr 43 

Full operation double-decked

 

 

Memories

Alan Bond (see 240A Memories) recalls route 225:

 

As it happens, the [surroundings of the] 225 route from end to end have changed little since it first operated in 1942 [although the route itself last operated in 1963].  I believe the route had the longest 'when working' journeys on LT.  Buses from the garage taking up service on the 225 used to join the line of route at Field End Road, Joel Street which involved a journey time of 31 mins from the garage in Harefield Road.

 

Uxbridge crews who worked on the 225 used to have their meal breaks in the canteen at Uxbridge station as there was only a mess room at the garage, which was ONLY served by scheduled country bus routes. They used to travel between Uxbridge and Eastcote on the Underground, a journey which was six minutes off peak and eight minutes at other times (see notes on Travelling time).  Surprisingly, there was an LT canteen at Eastcote station, but bus staff never used it as it was never a regular terminal point other than for late running. 

 

Notes

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.  CR/C includes the changeover during the war when the CRs were placed into store in early 1942.  LTL is used for LT single-deckers ('Scooters'), 14T12 is used where the allocation was specifically for the 35-seat postwar Ts.

 

Garage codes: see list of RF garages.