Other Operators’ Routes

Alder Valley’s route 48A ran a short distance into the London Transport area at Addlestone.

The Alder Valley LondonLink group of routes ran between Victoria and Reading, I believe, and the different numbers represented different routeings. Some routes may have finished at other towns. It is a particularly unusual plate as it shows three route numbers and an operator’s name.

Alder Valley route 320 was renumbered from service “C” on 23rd May 1976, and ran between London (Victoria) and Farnham via Staines. It was again renumbered X20 on 13th April 1980, lasting just under four years.

Eastern Counties express service.

Eastern National route 46.

Eastern National routes 305, 306 & 309.

Malcolm Payne writes: “Eastern National route 401 was a summer-only service renumbered from X11 on 18 April 1971. One limited stop return journey was provided on Saturdays and Sundays (also Monday to Friday during the summer) from Enfield via Edmonton, Walthamstow, Leyton, Snaresbrook and Newbury Park, then the same as route 400 (via Romford, Gidea Park, Laindon, Basildon, Pitsea, Benfleet and Westcliff) to Southend. (A Gants Hill stop added later). Passengers were not carried for journeys entirely within London. After September 1972 the 401 was withdrawn during winter months. It last ran on 7 September 1974. (It was advertised to run 15 June to 6 September 1975, but believed not to have operated.) East of Gants Hill the 400 (previously X10) and 401 had joint plates, so this was probably from Enfield or Edmonton [and dates from 1973].”

I do not have a full route history, but Eastern National route 402 ran betwen Dartford and Southend via the Dartford Tunnel, Grays, Basildon, Tarpots, Hadleigh, Leigh and Westcliff. I believe that this plate was sited at either Grays or Dartford.

These plates would have been used on stops where Eastlander Coaches picked up for their excursions and tours. They did not run any normal stage carriage services at the times when “E” plates were used. I have not been able to establish where Eastlander Coaches ran or were based, but I doubt there would have been many stops carrying these plates. If anybody can enlighten me I shall be happy to add the information. Please note the scond version of the Eastlander Coaches “E” plate has unusual taller condensed lettering.

Route 606 was operated by Golden Miller and ran in the Staines area, linking Stanwell Moor and Stanwell Village with Staines town centre. It was unusual in that the plate did not give the operator’s name and the blue colour would normally be associated with an express route, but in this case I think it was simply a colour used by the operator in their livery and on their publicity. The route has long since disappeared.

Grey Green Coaches was an operator based in Stamford Hill that did not run any normal stage carriage services at the times when “E” plates were used. This plate would have been used on a stop where Grey Green picked up for their excursions and tours, and the plate would no doubt have come from a stop in North London, of which there would not have been many. It is rare to find “E” plates nowadays for other operators that used LT stops, which for many people brings back memories of childhood holidays to the coast.

Maidstone & District routes 98, 100 and 101. This “E” plate is presumably from Gravesend (but I’m not an expert on Maidstone and District routes!).

This plate would have been used on a stop where Maidstone & District express services picked up for their excursions and tours. It could have been on stops in the Gravesend or Dartford areas, or possibly other stops towards central London. It is rare to find “E” plates for other operators that used LT stops.

Route 853 was introduced in April 1969, running between Orpington and Croydon via Locksbottom, Coney Hall, Addington and Coombe Road. It was run by an independent operator, North Downs, who already ran routes in the Horsham area, and the number was chosen to fit into their existing series. It initially ran every two hours but was increased to hourly and used a Ford Transit minibus. The route was tranferred from North Downs to Orpington & District in 1976. Interestingly, the number 853 has been the basis of the similar route run for London Buses which today uses the number 353.

Unfortunately I have not been able to establish exactly where or when Oxford route 70 ran. It could have been a London to Oxford service, but I doubt it, and I would guess it is more likely to have been a more local service from perhaps High Wycombe to Oxford. It is very unusual to find “E” plates with numbers on a red background, although there are a few that exist. Interestingly, many of those that do are for Oxford services.

“Mr. J.R.G. Dell founded Rover Bus in 1928 following a period of service with the ‘Gleaner’ bus business of Dunham, Chesham. Mr. Dunham had been a driver with the London General Omnibus Company (Gleaner is an anagram of General) and established his own business which eventually passed to Chesham & District, and thus in turn to Amersham & District and thence London Transport Country Area route 316.

“The well-known independent operator in the Hemel Hempstead area ran the service between Hemel Hempstead Bus Station and Chesham Broadway. The direct route from Chesham to Hemel Hempstead via Whelpley Hill had been jointly operated with London Transport until 1964—a very rare instrance of a joint LT working—while the service via Boxmoor, Bovingdon, Flaunden, Latimer and Lye Green has always been a Rover operation. By February 1969, Rover was providing a daily service, generally hourly (two-hourly on Sundays) although not all journeys served Flaunden and Latimer. During 1986 the services became Hertforshire County Council routes 51 and 52.”

This is an astonishingly rare “E” plate as independent operator’s names are very difficult to find nowadays.

Thames Valley Service “A” ran between Victoria Coach Station and Reading via Chiswick, Egham, Sunningdaler, Ascot, Bracknell and Wokingham. There were seven return journeys daily. Operation was taken over by Alder Vally upon its formation on 1st January 1972, and was renumbered 310 in 1976.

Thames Valley Service B ran daily from Victoria Coach Station to Reading via Kensington, Hammersmith, Turnham Green, Osterley, Cranford, London Airport North, Colnbrook, Langley, Slough, Cippenham, Maidenhead and Twyford. It was withdrawn in the ’70s when Alder Valley (who were formed by an amalgamation of Thames Valley and Aldershot & District bus companies) revamped the London express services.

These “E” plates are for four routes running in the Country Area of London Transport which were operated I believe by either Thames Valley or Aldershot & District, where they were the majority operator; hence the plates do not carry the operator name, nor are they in green. They could not have been for London Transport Central bus routes as these routes did not run together. Nevertheless, they are very interesting combinations for split plates, and are not to be seen very often. “E” plates with three route numbers are particularly unusual.

In the 1963 Luton area local timetable, Luton & District route 12 ran between Luton (Vauxhall Works) and Biscot Mill during Monday to Friday rush hours and lunchtimes with one morning journey on Saturdays. However, this L&D route may not have been the one that became United Counties route 12, and I have been advised (many thanks) that by 1965 route 12 ran a local service in Luton between Round Green and Roman Road via Park Square, with some journeys to Vauxhall Works. This route was parallel to London Transport routes 364/364A for a short distance and may have been the one that became United Counties route 12.