Route History

Date of introduction
Gar
Mon-Fri
Sat
Sun
07.10.51
Q
32RTL
22RTL
20RTL
 
WL
--
6RTL
6RTL

VICTORIA - Vauxhall - Oval - Camberwell - Dulwich - Forest Hill - Catford - Lewisham. Greenwich - BLACKWALL TUNNEL South Side
Tram replacement route - replacing Tram #58

Extracted from 1952 historical map drawn by Mike Harris
busmap.co.uk

06.01.52
WL
32RTL
28RTL
26RTL

VICTORIA  -  BLACKWALL TUNNEL South Side
Camberwell (Q) allocation withdrawn.

30.04.58
WL
31RTL
27RTL
24RTL

VICTORIA  -  BLACKWALL TUNNEL South Side
Frequency reductions


Scanned from April 1958 Red Book - the complete book is available from the Sales List


26.11.58
WL
31RTL
27RTL
22RTW

VICTORIA  -  BLACKWALL TUNNEL South Side
Sunday converted to RTW operation.

13.05.59
WL

24RTL
7RTW

17RTL
10RTW
22RTW

VICTORIA  -  BLACKWALL TUNNEL South Side
Mon-Sat RTW introduction

 

RTW425 Vauxhall Bridge Road
The 176 used these in the week but were spare on a Sunday

 


11.11.59
WL
31RTL
27RTL
22RTW

VICTORIA  -  BLACKWALL TUNNEL South Side
Mon-Sat RTW type withdrawn

11.05.60
WL
31RTL
27RTL
22RTL

VICTORIA  -  BLACKWALL TUNNEL South Side
Sunday RTW replaced byRTL

11.05.60
WL
31RTL
27RTL
22RTL

VICTORIA  -  BLACKWALL TUNNEL South Side
Sunday RTW replaced byRTL

01.12.65
WL
29RTL
20RTL
16RM
3RTL

VICTORIA  -  BLACKWALL TUNNEL South Side
Sunday Routemaster operation introduced.

 

RTL50 shown here with an incorrect via blind ( 184 )

 


10.07.66
WL
25RT
18RT
14RM

VICTORIA  -  BLACKWALL TUNNEL South Side
RTL withdrawn in favour of RT operation.

31.12.66
WL
26RT
18RT
14RT

VICTORIA  -  BLACKWALL TUNNEL South Side
Sunday operation reverted to RT.

 

RT725 seen at Lewisham Hospital


14.10.67
WL
28RT
19RT
13RT

VICTORIA - GREENWICH CHURCH (Sat/Sun) - GREENWICH Ship & Billet (Mon-Fri) - BLACKWALL TUNNEL Delta Works (MS peaks/Sun early jnys)
Withdrawn between Blackwall Tunnel and Ship & Billet except Mon-Sat peaks and some early Sunday works journeys - and further withdrawn Saturday and Sunday between Greenwich Church and Blackwall Tunnel.
The journeys that did run to Blackwall Tunnel were extended to Delta Metal Works 

16.01.71
WL
23RT
24RT
12RT

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM (Mon-Fri) - GREENWICH CHURCH (Sat/Sun) - BLACKWALL TUNNEL Delta Works(MS peaks/Sun early jnys)
Mon-Fri withdrawn during normal hours between Lewisham & GREENWICH Ship & Billet.

08.01.72
TL
15RT
12RT
7RT
 
WL
9RT
13RT
6RT

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM (Mon-Fri) - GREENWICH CHURCH (Sat/Sun) - BLACKWALL TUNNEL Delta Works(MS peaks/Sun early jnys)
Daily Catford (TL) allocation introduced.

12.05.73
TL
15DMS
11DMS
7DMS
 
WL
9DMS
12DMS
6DMS

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM (Mon-Fri) - GREENWICH CHURCH (Sat/Sun) - BLACKWALL TUNNEL Delta Works(MS peaks/Sun early jnys)
CONVERTED TO DOUBLE DECK ONE PERSON OPERATION.

 

DMS256 Delta Works

busmap.co.uk


22.04.78
TL161+
13DMS
10DMS
6DMS
 
WL61+
8DMS
11DMS
6DMS

VICTORI - LEWISHAM - BLACKWALL TUNNEL (Mon-Fri peaks/Sat & Sun early jnys)
Sat & Sun withdrawn between Lewisham and Greenwich Church excpet for early journeys to Blackwall Tunnel.

04.09.82
TL161+
11DMS
8DMS
5DMS
 
WL61+
5T
9T
5T

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM - GREENWICH CHURCH (Mon-Fri peaks)
Withdrawn between Lewisham and Blackwall Tunnel except for Mon-Fri peak journeys to Greenwich Church.
Walworth (WL) introduce Titan operation.

 

 

T811 poses along side another Titan on Route 89

 


03.08.85
TL161+
11T
5T
8T
 
WL61+
5T
5T
--

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM - GREENWICH CHURCH (Mon-Fri peaks)
Sunday Walworth (WL) allocation withdrawn. Catford (TL) introduce Titans.

02.11.85
Q61+
11T
5T
8T
 
TL161+
5T
5T
--

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM - GREENWICH CHURCH (Mon-Fri peaks)
Walworth (WL) allocation withdrawn with garage closure.
Saturday Camberwell (Q) introduced.

06.06.87
Q61+
--
5T
--
 
TL161+
15T
5T
8T

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
Withdrawn between Lewisham and Greenwich Church.

Mon-Fri and Sunday Q allocation withdrawn

13.08.88
Q61+
--
10T
--
 
TL161+
15T
--
8T

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
Saturday Catford (TL) allocation withdrawn.

27.04.91
TL161+
15T
17T
8T

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
Camberwell (Q) allocation withdrawn.

L72 Lewisham Bus Stn

 



20.01.01
DR
17VP
16VP
11VP

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
Contract reassigned to London Easylink based at the Transco Gas site on the Old Kent Road.

 

VP185 at Lewisham

 


21.08.02
BT
dd
dd
dd

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
London Easylink go into liquidation and at short notice Blue Triangle are given the task of organising emergency cover - quite a large number of operaters were used - a small selection of photos below portay the scene.


05.04.03
BV1+
16VP
13VP
13VP
Route formally transferred to East Thames Buses operating from their base at Belvedere.

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
New operator

25.03.06
BV1+
13VP
11VP
10VP
 
MA
6VWL
6VWL
5VWL

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
Part of allocation transferred to Mandela Way (MA)

VWL35 East Dulwich

© Ian Armstrong


03.10.09
BV1+
13VP
11VP
10VP
 
MA
6VWL
6VWL
5VWL
Contract reassigned to GO Ahead ( London General )

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
New operator

01.05.10
Q121+
20VWL
19VWL
15VWL
New operator
London Central

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
Allocation moved from Belvedere (BV) to Camberwell (Q) (London Central)

 

 

E109 strays onto the route

 


04.10.14
Q121+
24VWL
24VWL
15VWL

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
Contract extended for two years

WVL90 drops passengers at the last stop in Wilton Road before going to the stand on Vauxhall Bridge Road

© Ian Armstrong


01.10.16
Q121+
25EH
25EH
16EH

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
Contract renewal with new buses

MHV67 crosses Vauxhall Bridge

© Simon


28.08.21
Q121+
25EH
24EH
16EH

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
Revised to start at Terminus Place instead of Vauxhall Bridge Road

EH119 Lewisham Station

© Bexleybus


02.10.21
Q121+
25EH
24EH
16EH

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
Contract extended for two years

MHV77 Terminis Place

MHV77 Termiinus Place

© Anthony Moore


30.09.23
Q121+
23EH
234EH
17EH

VICTORIA - LEWISHAM Bus Station
Contract renewal eventually with Ee type
108D also linked with this contract


Current Blind



185

 

Garages

Q Camberwell
Crew Changeover point at Denmark Hill - Camberwell Green

WL Walworth
Crew Changeover point at garage

BV Belvedere
Crew Changeover point at LEWISHAM stand

MA Mandella Way
Crew Changeover point at ?

Live visual

 

GA-L Route guide