Route History

03.01.40
AP
--
--
4LT

STRATFORD BROADWAY  -  Forest Gate  -  Manor Park  -  Ilford  -  Seven Kings   -  Barly  Lane  -  LITTLE HEATH Haw Bush ( Suns pm )
This route was reintroduced after being withdrawn 15.10.39
Previous

Taken from 1940 map drawn by Mike Harris
busmap.co.uk
Click map to expand

29.10.41
AP
--
--
4LT

STRATFORD BROADWAY  -  LITTLE HEATH Haw Bush ( Suns afts )
Sunday evening service withdrawn, restricted to afternoons only


20.10.48
AP
--
--
4RT

STRATFORD BROADWAY  -  LITTLE HEATH Haw Bush ( Suns afts )
Type change

13.04.49
AP
--
--
4ST

STRATFORD BROADWAY  -  LITTLE HEATH Haw Bush ( Suns afts )
Type change

26.10.49
AP
--
--
4RTL

STRATFORD BROADWAY  -  LITTLE HEATH Haw Bush ( Suns afts )
Type change

03.05.50
CL
8RTL
10RTL
--
 
G
81RT
57RT
57RT

VICTORIA - Hyde Park Corner - Piccadilly - Bond Street - Oxford Circus - Holborn - Bank - Aldgate - Mile End Road - Bow - Stratford - Forest Gate - Manor Park - Ilford - Green Lane - Goodmayes - Becontree - BECONTREE HEATH - Rush Green - HORNCHURCH STATION (Mon-Sat peaks)
The route previously Stratford to Little Heath was renumbered 25A.

This routeing was previously numbered 25B

20.10.57
CL
6RTL
8RTL
4RTL
 
G
69RT
49RT
39RT

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH - HORNCHURCH STATION (Mon-Sat peaks)
Sunday (CL) Clay Hall allocation introduced.


26.11.58
CL
5RTL
--
4RTL
 
G
63RT
45RT
39RT

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH
Additional Route: DAGENHAM EAST STN
- Ballards Road - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri peaks)
Withdrawn between Becontree Heath and Hornchurch.
New Mon-Fri peak Route introduced between Dagenham East and Fords replacing experimental Route 193.

Saturday CL allocation withdrawn


19.08.59
BW
17RTL
10RTL
15RTL
 
CL
5RTL
--
4RTL
 
G
60RT
31RT
37RT

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH
Additional Route: DAGENHAM EAST STN
- Ballards Road - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri peaks)

Daily Bow allocation introduced to partly replace withdrawn trolleybus routes 661 and 663

11.11.59
BW
22RTL
10RTL
19RTL
 
G
60RT
31RT
37RT

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH
Additional Route: DAGENHAM EAST STN
- Ballards Road - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri peaks)
Clay Hall (CL) garage closed - buses and duties transferred to Bow (BW).

27.04.60
BW
19RTL
10RTL
15RTL
 
WH
63RT
31RT
41RT

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH
Additional Route: DAGENHAM EAST STN
- Ballards Road - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri peaks)

Forest Gate (G) allocation withdrawn with garage closure - new West Ham (WH) allocation introduced.

RTL387 Becontree Heath

© Jeff Lloyd collection


03.01.62
BW
21RTL
11RTL
15RTL
 
WH
55RTL
28RTL
32RTL

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH
Additional Route: DAGENHAM EAST STN
- Ballards Road - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri peaks)

West Ham (WH) allocation of RT's replaced by RT's.

RTL502 Stratford Broadway

© Jeff Lloyd collection


01.02.66
BW
37RTL
37RTL
15RTL
 
WH
44RTL
13RTL
20RM

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH
Additional Route: DAGENHAM EAST STN
- Ballards Road - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri peaks)
West Ham (WH) allocation Sunday buses changed to RM.

 

RTL437 waits on the the stand at Victoria
for a short working to Ilford

 


07.09.68
BW
34RT
25RT
7RM
 
WH
33RT
21RT
17RM

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH
Additional Route: DAGENHAM EAST STN
- Ballards Road - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri peaks)

RTL type replaced by RT.


25.10.69
BW
31RT
25RT
7RM
 
WH
20RT
8RM
14RM

VICTORIA (Mon-Fri) - OXFORD CIRCUS (Sat/Sun) - BECONTREE HEATH
Additional Route: DAGENHAM EAST STN
- Ballards Road - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri peaks)
Withdrawn between Oxford Circus and Victoria at weekends


18.04.70
BW
31RT
25RT
7RM
 
WH
19RT
8RT
15RM

VICTORIA (Mon-Fri) - OXFORD CIRCUS (Sat/Sun) - BECONTREE HEATH
Additional Route: DAGENHAM EAST STN
- Ballards Road - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri peaks)
West Ham reverted to RT operation on Saturdays

08.01.72
BW
32RM
26RM
7RM
 
WH
19RM
7RM
12RM

VICTORIA (Mon-Fri) - OXFORD CIRCUS (Sat/Sun) - BECONTREE HEATH
Additional Route: DAGENHAM EAST STN
- Ballards Road - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri peaks)
Routemasters introduced on a daily basis.

 

RM139 Fords Works working the peak hour shuttle

busmap.co.uk

 


19.10.75
BW
32RM
26RM
12RML
 
WH
19RM
8RM
8RM

VICTORIA (Mon-Fri) - OXFORD CIRCUS (Sat/Sun) - BECONTREE HEATH
Additional Route: DAGENHAM EAST STN
- Ballards Road - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri peaks)
RML type introduced at Bow(BW) on Sundays spare from Route 8.

19.03.77
BW1+
32RM
23RM
12RML
 
WH211+
22RM
7RM
6RML
2RM

VICTORIA (Mon-Fri) - OXFORD CIRCUS (Sat/Sun) - BECONTREE HEATH - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri early am journeys)
Fords works journeys restricted to a few projections from & to Becontree Heath. 
RML type introduced at West Ham (WH) on Sundays.

22.04.78
BW1+
31RM
23RM
11RML
 
WH211+
22RM
8RM
7RML
4RM

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri early am journeys)
Sat and Sun Route re-introduced between Oxford Circus and Victoria.

31.05.80
BW1+
31RM
23RM
11RML
 
WH211+
22RM
8RM
7RML
4RM

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri early am journeys)
Northbound buses divered daily after 2030 between Hyde Park Corner and Bond Street Station via Park Lane and Marble Arch instead of Berkely Square becuase of bad parking

31.01.81
BW1+
31RM
23RM
11RML
 
WH211+
22RM
8RM
11RML

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH - DAGENHAM Fords (Mon-Fri early am journeys)
VICTORIA terminus changed from Terminus Place to Bus Station
WH Sunday allocation converted to all RML

04.09.82
BW1+
14RM
15RM
7RML
 
WH211+
27RM
15RM
10RM

VICTORIA - ILFORD BROADWAY
Withdrawn between Ilford Broadway and Becontree Heath - this section replaced by new route 225.

02.02.85
AP
4Tc
--
--
 
BW1+
15RM
8RM
--
 
WH211+
20RM
13RM
11T

VICTORIA - ILFORD BROADWAY - SEVEN KINGS GARAGE (Mon-Fri garage journeys)
Mon-Fri Seven Kings (AP) allocation introduced with Titan Crew buses but only operated between Aldgate and Seven Kings Garage
Sunday Bpw (BW) allocation withdrawn .
Sunday Route converted to OPO

Crew T203 (AP) leaves Aldgate Bus Station for the home garage.
Seven Kings crews never ventured past Aldgate hence the unique blind

busmap.co.uk


03.08.85
BW1+
15RM
8RM
--
 
WH211+
20RM
13RM
11T

VICTORIA - ILFORD BROADWAY
Mon-Fri Seven Kings (AP) allocation withdrawn.


02.11.85
BW1+
35RM
21RM
--
 
WH211+
--
--
11T

VICTORIA - ILFORD BROADWAY
Mon-Sat West Ham (WH) allocation transferred to Bow (BW).
This was a series of re-allocations connected with the closure of Poplar (PR) garage.

28.02.87
BW1+
35RM
22RM
--
 
WH211+
--
--
19T

VICTORIA - ILFORD BROADWAY - BECONTREE HEATH (Suns)
Sunday extended from Ilford to Becontree Heath

16.01.88
BW1+
53T
38T
20T

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH
Sat and Sun Route diverted between Aldgate and Bank via Tower of London.
Daily conversion to One Person Operation.
Sunday only West Ham (WH) allocation withdrawn and this was replaced by a Sunday only allocation Route 8


24.02.90
BW1+
32T
28T
21T
 
WH301+
14T
11T
--

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH
Mon-Sat West Ham (WH) allocation re-introduced.

23.09.91
AP141+
10T
--
--
 
BW1+
29T
28T
21T
 
WH301+
--
11T
--

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH
Mon-Fri West Ham allocation transferred to Seven Kings (AP)

23.11.91
AP141+
10T
--
--
 
WH301+
29T
39T
21T

VICTORIA - BECONTREE HEATH
Sunday-Friday Bow allocation transferred to West Ham (WH)

18.07.92
AP141+
10T
--
--
 
WH301+
26T
36T
17T

OXFORD CIRCUS - BECONTREE HEATH
Withdrawn between Oxford Circus and Victoria - replaced by diverting Route 8

 

DA26 seen at Stratford on a short working

busmap.co.uk

 


10.10.92
AP141+
10T
8T
--
 
BW1+
25T
28T
17T

OXFORD CIRCUS - BECONTREE HEATH - Fords Works (Mon-Fri early am journeys)
Mon-Fri early journeys extended to Fords - replacing withdrawn 129 journeys .
Sat Seven Kings allocation introduced.
West Ham garage closed.

RN1 Seen at Becontree Heath shortly before the route was cut back to Ilford

busmap.co.uk


20.03.93
BW1+
29T
25T
16T

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD
Converted to OPO operation
Withdrawn between Ilford and Becontree Heath / Dagenham
Sat and Sun Route diverted via New Change and Cannon Street.
AP allocation withdrawn.

18.09.93
BW1+
29T
25T
16T

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
Sat and Sun Route diverted via Lower Thames Street
.

04.08.96
BW1+
27VA
25Va
17VA

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
Volvo dd introduced.

VA48 Hainault Street stand - Ilford

26.06.99
DM
30TN
29TN
20TN
Contract reassigned

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
Contract transferred to First Capital and converted to low floor operation - but with MCW Metrobuses helping out until all TN 20th August


 

TNL1035 Tower Hill

 


27.04.00
DM
30TN/TAL
29TN/TAL
20TN/TAL

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
TAL type introduced ( Dennis Trident - Alexander ALX400 10.5m)

 

 

TAL945 at Centre Point with a crew operated 55 following

 

 


02.06.00
DM
30TAL
29TAL
20TAL

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
TN type withdrawn.

23.03.02
R
30TAL
29TAL
20TAL

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
Transferred to a new depot at Rainham -Ferry Lane

26.06.04
WA1+
37MA
34MA
20MA
Contract reassignes

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
New Contract commenced with Stagecoach and converted to single deck Artic operation - allocation moved to Waterden Road - Hackney Wick

 

23060 Bank Junction

 


24.08.06
WA1+
37MA
34MA
21MA
el logo Contract transferred

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
Stagecoach sold its London bus operations to Macquarie Bank.

29.12.07
RM1+
42MA
38MA
25MA
Night
RM101+
13MA
15MA
15MA

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
Allocation moved to Rainham - Waterden Road closed for Olympic Stadium - construction

31.05.08
WH601+
43MA
34MA
28MA
Night
WH701+
13MA
15MA
15MA

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
Allocation moved to West Ham (WH)

14.10.10
WH601+
43MA
34MA
28MA
Night
WH701+
13MA
15MA
15MA
Stagecoach buy back from Macquarie Bank.

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
Contract moved to Stagecoach t/a East London

23061 Holborn

25.06.11
LI
59VN
52VN
42VN
Night
LI
19VN
29VN
29VN
Contract reassigned

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
New contract awarded to First London (LI) and converted to double deck operation

 

 

VN36158 seen on a fine day at Stratford Broadway

 

 


22.06.13
LI
59VN
52VN
42VN
Night
LI
19VN
29VN
29VN
Contract novated to Tower Transit

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
Operation passed to Tower Transit - operationally no change

VN37957 at Ilford

© Mark Mcwalter


28.09.13
LI11+
59VN
53VN
42VN
Night
LI901+
19VN
29VN
29VN

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
Short working buses to City Thameslink Station curtailed at Bank running to Mansion House Station to turn

13.02.16
LI11+
59VN
53VN
42VN
Night
LI901+
19VN
29VN
29VN

OXFORD CIRCUS - ILFORD BROADWAY
Short workings further cut back to Mile End

15.09.18
LI11+
40VN
36VN
34VN
Night
LI901+
ex25
ex25
ex25

OXFORD CIRCUS  -  ILFORD
Route revised to run just end to end at reduced frequencies thus Ilford to Mile End shorts withdrawn, mainly compensated by change to Revised 425

VN36156 Ilford

© Lawrence Living


01.12.18
LI11+
32VN
29VN
22VN

HOLBORN CIRCUS  -  ILFORD BROADWAY
Daytime service withrawn between Holborn Circus and Oxford Circus, night service remained the same but renumbered N25

WH31124 Stratford

© Lawrence Living


Taken from 2018 map drawn by Mike Harris
busmap.co.uk

23.05.20
BW1+
31ADE
29ADE
22ADE
Contract reassigned

HOLBORN CIRCUS  -  ILFORD BROADWAY
Contract reassigned to Stagecoach using new buses

11394 Aldgate

© Samuel Letsi

======================================================================================================================================================

Current Blind



25

 

 

Operating Garages

HO Lea Interchange
Changeover point at Bow Church
DLR Station

AP Seven Kings
Changeover point at garage or Ilford.

WH West Ham
Changeover point at Stratford

A bit of a correction for your site regarding the 25s. When I joined in 1974, we WH crews used to have our meal relief point and crew changeover as Forest Gate, Monday to Saturday but on undays, a number of the duties took their meal reliefs at Ilford. That is we actually came off the bus and another crew took it over and then in about '76, that all went to the wall and all the crew changes and meal reliefs were at Stratford, which was much better

Back in 74 - 76 we used to have a lot of staff cuts which meant a lot of buses were left on the stand at Forest Gate for long periods. Actually there was more than one stand there - Finden Road behind the Nick was used by buses s heduled for Forest Gate to Vic or Oxford Circus so our staff cuts were always put on one of 3 stands in side roads off of the other side of Green Street. I only used to work lates so we'd have a wonderful time sometimes, at about 9 o'clock at night going from stand to stand searching for our bus. Sometimes it hadn't been in service since it was parked on the stand at 10 o'clock that morning so in the Winter, Boy were they cold !! They took forever to start and when they did, they filled the streets up with exhaust fumes. The residents must have loved us

David Laine

G Forest Gate
Changeover point at Forest Gate

BW Bow
Changeover point at Bow Church

DM Dagenham
Changeover point at Ilford

R Rainham
Changeover point at Ilford

WA Waterden Road - Hackney Wick
Changeover point at Bow Church DLR Station

CL Clay Hall
Changeover point Bow Road / Fairfield Road
Garage journeys left line of route at Mile End Station then via Routes 677 and 8

Live visual

 

 

 

 

 

© Ian Armstrong 2024
Date of edit   Wednesday, 20.03.24