Green Line Coach Routes 720–799

Route 720 ran between Aldgate and Bishop’s Stortford via Whitechapel, Bow Road, Stratford, Leytonstone, Wanstead, Woodford, Buckhurst Hill, Loughton, Epping Forest, Epping, Thornwood, Potter Street, Old Harlow and Sawbridgeworth. The 720 was one of the very first routes to be introduced after the War, the other being the 715. (Before the war Green Line service “V” ran to Bishop’s Stortford from Liverpool Street.) It was worked by 10T10 class vehicles from Epping Garage and ran every 30 minutes daily. In the mid ’60s it was diverted between Harlow (Potter Street) and Old Harlow to serve the New Town and replace route 720A. In 1974 the 720 was extended from Bishop’s Stortford to Stanstead Airport.

Route 721 ran between Aldgate (Bus & Coach Station) and Brentwood via Whitechapel, Mile End, Bow Road, Stratford, Forest Gate, Manor Park, Ilford, Seven Kings, Goodmayes, Chadwell Heath, Romford, Gallows Corner and Harold Park. While the 721 was once one of the busiest Green Line coach routes, running every 10 minutes on Mondays to Saturdays in the mid-60s, it was an withdrawn in about the mid-70s. The routes running from Aldgate were much shorter than the rest of the cross-London network, so “E” plates for the 721 are amongst the rarest to find.

Route 722 ran from Aldgate via Mile End, Bow, Stratford, Forest Gate, Manor Park, Ilford, Becontree Heath, Romford, Hornchurch and Upminster to Corbets Tey. The 722A route was planned to run from Aldgate via the 722 to Romford, from where it would have continued to North Romford (Chase Cross). However, the plans for the 722A were cancelled at the last minute owing to objections from the Central Buses. Nevertheless, the 722A did find its way on to “E” plates, and also onto one timetable dated 14th October 1959. A unique “E” plate, as routes rarely had plates made if they were not actually introduced.

Route 723 ran between Aldgate and Tilbury (Ferry) via Stepney East, Poplar, East Ham, Barking, Dagenham, Rainham, Wennington, Avely, Stonehouse Corner, Purfleet, Grays and Chadwell St. Mary. The 723 was worked initially by TF class vehicles from Grays garage and ran every 15 minutes daily between London and Grays, and hourly on to Tilbury.

Route 723B ran between Aldgate and Tilbury (Ferry) via Limehouse, Poplar, Canning Town, East Ham, Barking, Dagenham, Rainham, Avely, Stonehouse Corner and Grays. By the end of 1964 the 723B had been cut back to Grays in the east and East Ham in the west, except for a rush hour extension to Aldgate, and it was withdrawn completely by 1969. As with so many of the traditional Green Line coach routes, there is no sign of the route left today. This plate is I think particularly interesting as it combined the very rare use of a ’B’ suffix for a Green Line route with the use of ’Weekday’ rather than the usual selection of place names.

Green Line coach 724 ran from Romford to Staines via Abridge, Epping, Harlow, Hertford, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, St. Albans, Watford, Rickmansworth, Uxbridge and Heathrow Airport. It had previously ran to High Wycombe instead of Staines, but was rerouted in the early ’70s with the growth of travel to Heathrow Airport. The 724 survives as the last remnant of the “’round-London” routes introduced in the 1950’s (725, later 725/726: Gravesend–Windsor; now X26 Croydon–Heathrow) and 1960 (724 and 727: Luton–Heathrow–Crawley).It was operated by RF coaches, and subsequently RPs and latterly Leyland Nationals. It was once a major link and remains alive and well, operating daily with coaches hourly (2-hourly on Sundays) between Harlow and Heathrow. (Thanks to Matthew Keyte for the additional information.)

Route 725 ran between Gravesend and Windsor, but unlike most Green Line coach routes which ran though central London, instead took a circular routing via Northfleet, Dartford, Bexley, Sidcup, Chislehurst, Bromley, Beckenham, Croydon, Wallington, Sutton, Cheam, Worcester Park, Kingston, Hampton Court, Sunbury, Ashford, Staines, Egham and Englefield Green. The “E” plate came from an eastbound stop somewhere in the west half of the route.

Route 726 was originally a summer-only route which ran between Romford and Whipsnade Zoo via Chadwell Heath, Ilford, Stratford, Aldgate, Baker Street, Finchley, Golders Green, Barnet and St, Albans. In the early ’60s it was extended in the east to Harold Hill Estate for a few summers. By 1964 it had become a limited stop service runing via the M1 and Edgware instead of St. Albans and Barnet, but nonetheless could not compete with the private motorcar and disappeared before the end of the decade.

The 726 was re-introduced in the late ’70s as part of the 725 rerouted via Heathrow Airport. It ran from Gravesend to Windsor with route 725 via Northfleet, Dartford, Bexley, Sidcup, Chislehurst, Bromley, Beckenham, Croydon, Wallington, Sutton, Cheam, Worcester Park, Kingston and Hampton Court, then diverted via Feltham, Heathrow Airport and Slough. I believe “E” plates for the newer 726 (with white instead of cream numbers) are rather uncommon, as the route was re-introduced at a time when “E” plates were being phased out.

During the revamp of the network in the ’70s and ’80s route 726 was proposed for withdrawal. However, the majority of the route—now withdrawn between Dartford and Gravesend and between Heathrow Airport and Windsor—ran within Greater London, and London Transport decided to put the route out to tender and retain its operation within the London area, still retaining the established “Green Line” marketing name. It became operated by Luton & District and ran daily between Dartford and Heathrow Airport via Bexley, Sidcup, Chislehurst, Bromley, Croydon, Sutton, Kingston, Hampton Court, Feltham and Hatton Cross. The route has since been progressively cut back to Bromley and more recently was curtailed at Croydon, and now remains as route X26 between Croydon and Heathrow Airport, rerouted away from Hampton Court. The 726 was the only Green Line route put out to tender by London Transport, and was the only route to have special vinyl “E” plate stickers made for it.

Route 739 was a short-lived special service introduced in April 1978 upon the demise of Green Line route 719, running between Victoria and Brands Hatch only for motor race meetings. The plate appears to have been recycled since it has green vinyl numerals affixed to the white reverse of a route 292 “E” plate dating from the period June 1962 to July 1973.

Routes 760 and 761 were introduced in the late ’70s after the network started to be revamped. These routes ran between Croydon and Crawley as express links for commuting and shopping, I believe. The usual style of Green Line “E” plates of green backgrounds had ceased at this time and hence the very unusual use of green lettering on a white background, a style which lasted only a short time on “E” plates, as they ceased to be made around 1980. Only a handful of routes saw “E” plates in this style.