London Bus Route 161

Route History

04.05.38

6LT

5LT

CHISLEHURST War Memorial - Mottingham - Eltham Church - ELTHAM Southend Crescent
New route - replacing withdrawn Chislehurst to Eltham section of Route 227

04.01.39

7LT

6LT

5LT

ORPINGTON Maxwell Arms ( Mon-Sat am journey ) - CHISLEHURST War Memorial - ELTHAM Southend Crescent
One Mon-Sat am journey extended from Chislehurst to Orpington ( see below )


Map extracted from 1939 historical map drawn by Mike Harris busmap.co.uk

19.03.41

9LT

5LT

ORPINGTON Maxwell Arms ( Mon-Sat am journey - CHISLEHURST War Memorial - ELTHAM Southend Crescent or non-stop to WOOLWICH Parsons Hill ( Mon-Sat peak hours )
Mon-Sat peaks extended from Eltham to Woolwich running non-stop between Eltham Church and Woolwich

14.01.42

10LT

8LT

5LT

CHISLEHURST War Memorial - Mottingham - Eltham Church - ELTHAM Southend Crescent or non-stop to WOOLWICH Parsons Hill ( Mon-Sat peak hours )
Mon-Sat am journey to Orpington withdrawn

0912.42

12LT

5LT

SIDCUP GARAGE ( Mon-Sat peaks ) - CHISLEHURST War Memorial - ELTHAM Southend Crescent or non-stop to WOOLWICH Parsons Hill ( Mon-Sat peak hours )
Mon-Sat peaks extended from Chislehurst to Sidcup Garage


Map extracted from 1943 historical map drawn by Mike Harris busmap.co.uk

13.02.46

15LT

13LT

5LT

SIDCUP GARAGE ( Mon-Sat peaks ) - CHISLEHURST War Memorial - ELTHAM Southend Crescent or non-stop to WOOLWICH Parsons Hill ( Mon-Sat peak hours )
Times below

13.04.49	SP	15RTL	13RTL	7RTL

SIDCUP GARAGE ( Mon-Sat peaks ) - CHISLEHURST War Memorial - ELTHAM Southend Crescent or non-stop to WOOLWICH Parsons Hill ( Mon-Sat peak hours )
LT type replaced by RTL

06.07.52	AM	15RTL	8RTL	4RTL
	SP	13RTL	8RTL	6RTL

GREENWICH CHURCH (Mon-Fri peaks) - Woolwich Road - WOOLWICH Parsons Hill - CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Sat peaks)
Mon-Fri peaks extended from Woolwich to Greenwich and service between Eltham and Woolwich revised to stopping service to compensate for Tram #44 withdrawal.
New daily Plumstead (AM) allocation introduced.
These changes were part of the last stage of tram replacement.


Taken from August 1952 Red Book

07.09.52	AM	15RTL	8RTL	--
	AW	--	--	4RTL
	SP	13RTL	8RTL	6RTL

GREENWICH CHURCH (Mon-Fri peaks) - Woolwich Road - WOOLWICH Parsons Hill - CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Sat peaks)
Sunday Plumstead allocation transferred to Abbey Wood (AW).

06.05.53	AW	--	--	4RTL
	SP	14RTL	8RTL	6RTL

GREENWICH CHURCH (Mon-Fri peaks) - Woolwich Road - WOOLWICH Parsons Hill - CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Sat peaks)
Plumstead (AW) allocation transferred to new 161A

04.05.55	AW	--	--	5RT
	SP	14RT	8RT	4RT

GREENWICH CHURCH (Mon-Fri peaks) - Woolwich Road - WOOLWICH Parsons Hill - CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Sat peaks)
RTL type replaced by RT

30.04.58	AW	--	--	5RT
	SP	14RT	8RT	4RT

26.11.58	AW	--	--	5RT
	SP	14RT	8RT	4RT

GREENWICH CHURCH (Mon-Fri peaks) - WOOLWICH - CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Fri peaks)
Saturday service from Chislehurst to Sidcup withdrawn except for garage journeys.

12.10.60	AW	--	--	5RT
	SP	14RT	8RT	4RT

WOOLWICH ROAD Victoria Way (Mon-Fri peaks) - WOOLWICH - CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Fri peaks)
Withdrawn between Woolwich Road and Greenwich.

06.11.71	AW	--	--	5RT
	SP	9RT	9RT	3RT

CHARLTON STN (Mon-Fri peaks) - WOOLWICH - CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Fri peaks)
Withdrawn between Charlton Station and Victoria Way.


Taken from1973 Red Book

01.03.75	AW	--	--	5RM
	SP	9RT	9RT	3RM

CHARLTON STN (Mon-Fri peaks) - WOOLWICH - CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Fri peaks)
Routemasters introduced on Sundays.

RT4051 seen at Chislehurst shortly before the RT type was withdrawn

21.05.77	AW	--	--	6RM
	SP	7RM	7RM	3RM

CHARLTON STN (Mon-Fri peaks) - WOOLWICH - CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Fri peaks)
Mon-Sat Routemasters introduced.

RM51 Beresford Square, Christmas Eve 1980

27.09.80	AW1+	13RM	10RM	4RM
	SP121+	7RM	8RM	4RM

CHARLTON STN (Mon-Fri peaks) → WOOLWICH → CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Fri peaks) or PETTS WOOD STATION (Mon-Sat)
Mon-Sat Abbey Wood (AW) introduced due to 161A number being discontinued.

31.10.81	PD101+	13MD	9MD	4MD
	SP121+	7RM	8RM	5RM

CHARLTON STN (Mon-Fri peaks) → WOOLWICH → CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Fri peaks) or PETTS WOOD STATION (Mon-Sat)
Abbey Wood (AW) garage closes and allocation transferred to new Plumstead (PD). MD type introduced.

04.09.82	PD101+	10MD	9MD	3MD
	SP121+	6RM	5RM	3RM

CHARLTON STN (Mon-Fri peaks) - WOOLWICH - CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Fri peaks) or PETTS WOOD STN (MS except evgs/Sat except early am)
Journeys to Petts Wood restricted as above.

22.11.82	PD101+	10Tc	9Tc	3Tc
	SP121+	6RM	5RM	3RM

CHARLTON STN (Mon-Fri peaks) - WOOLWICH - CHISLEHURST - SIDCUP GARAGE (Mon-Fri peaks) or PETTS WOOD STN (MS except evgs/Sat except early am)
MD type replaced by Leyland Titan.

MD127 seen inside Plumstead Garage (PD) complete with Conductor Only board beneath the windscreen

June 1983

04.02.84	PD101+	10Tc	9Tc	3Tc
	SP121+	6RM	5RM	2RM

CHARLTON STN (Mon-Fri peaks) - WOOLWICH - SIDCUP GARAGE or PETTS WOOD STATION (MS except evgs/Sat except early am)
Extended from Chislehurst to Sidcup Garage at all times.

02.02.85	PD101+	10T	--	--
	SP121+	11T	16T	5T

Converted to One Person Operation
Saturday and Sunday Plumstead (PD) allocation withdrawn.

02.11.85	PD101+	6T	--	--
	SP121+	12T	15T	5T

CHARLTON STATION (Mon-Fri peaks) - WOOLWICH - SIDCUP GARAGE (MS except evgs/Suns) or PETTS WOOD STATION (MS except evgs/Sat except early am)
Mon-Sat evenings withdrawn between Chislehurst and Sidcup Garage except for garage journeys.

16.08.86	SP121+	18L	13L	5L

Plumstead (PD) allocation withdrawn.

16.01.88	PD41+	17L	12L	3L

CHARLTON STATION (Mon-Fri peaks) - WOOLWICH - CHISLEHURST (Suns) - SIDCUP STATION (Mon-Fri peaks) or PETTS WOOD STATION (MS except evgs/Sat except early am)
Extension from Chislehurst to Sidcup restricted to Mon-Fri peaks and diverted to Sidcup Station
Sidcup (SP) allocation transferred to Plumstead (PD)

L70 waits at Eltham Station for a peak hour journey to Charlton

16.11.89	PD41+	15L	12L	3L

WOOLWICH - CHISLEHURST War Memorial (Suns) - SIDCUP STATION (SDO jnys) or PETTS WOOD STATION (MS except evgs/Sat except early am)
Extension from Chislehurst to Sidcup Station restricted to Mon-Fri schoolday journeys and withdrawn between Woolwich and Charlton

L142 Chislehurst shortly before the route was transferred to Bromley

@ John Parkin

19.01.91	PD41+	13L/T	12L/T	4MRL

WOOLWICH - CHISLEHURST War Memorial (Suns) - SIDCUP STATION (SDO jnys) or PETTS WOOD STATION (MS except evgs/Sat except early am)
Sunday converted to midibus

SR71 Monk Street Woolwich

27.04.91	TB51+	12T	6T	4MRL

BROMLEY NORTH STATION - Bickley - Bickley - Chislehurst - Mottingham - Eltham - WOOLWICH
Diverted at Chislehurst via 227 to Bromley North. Petts Wood section renumbered 161A
PD allocation transferred to Bromley (TB).

T978 is at Chislehurst War Memorial - soon to turn right towards Bromley

12.03.94	LM	8ON	8ON	6midi

WOOLWICH - CHISLEHURST War Memorial
Withdrawn between Chislehurst and Bromley ( partly replaced by new 162) and contract transferred to Kentish Bus (Deptford base)

A smart Leyland Olympian Northern Counties Paladin ii ( 559 ) waits in Monk Street

02.12.95	MB21+	9dd	9dd	4sd

	Contract reassigned

WOOLWICH - CHISLEHURST War Memorial
Transferred from Kentish Bus to Metrobus

Seen on a Sunday duty at Eltham Dart 215

07.08.99	MB21+	13Trident	13Trident	7dart

NORTH GREENWICH STN - CHISLEHURST War Memorial
Extended from Woolwich to North Greenwich Station via Woolwich Road - Horn Lane - Bugsby's Way - Dreadnought Street and converted to low floor Dennis Trident operation.

Trident 411 at Eltham Station

24.02.01	MB21+	13dd	13dd	6 dd

NORTH GREENWICH STN - CHISLEHURST War Memorial
Diverted to run via new Queen Elizabeth Hospital

10.05.03	MB171+	14Trident	14Trident	6Trident

NORTH GREENWICH STN - CHISLEHURST War Memorial
Rerouted at North Greenwich via West Parkside Busway.

18.03.06	MB171+	14sc	14sc	9sc

NORTH GREENWICH STN - CHISLEHURST War Memorial
Contract renewal with new Scania dd.

465 is in Well Hall Road - with Eltham Station immediately ahead.

01.09.07	MB171+	14sc	14sc	10sc

NORTH GREENWICH STN - CHISLEHURST War Memorial
Sunday frequencies increased

Strange visitor to the 161 in the form of Metrobus 522
East Lancs Esteem seen at Eltham Church

19.03.11	MB171+	14sc	14sc	10sc

NORTH GREENWICH STN - CHISLEHURST War Memorial
Contract extended for two years

Scania Omnicity 467 at North Greenwich

16.03.13	MB171+	14SC	14SC	10SC

NORTH GREENWICH - CHISLEHURST
Contract renewed for 5 years

E208 seen in Woolwich Town Centre

01.05.14	MB171+	14SC	14SC	10SC


Taken from 2014 map drawn by Mike Harris busmap.co.uk

	WVL212 at North Greenwich

17.03.18	PD51+	16EH	15EH	14EH

	Contract reassigned

NORTH GREENWICH - CHISLEHURST
Contract reassigned to Stagecoach (PD)

Enviro MMC 12144 is seen with the familiar backdrop of the O2 at North Greenwich

30.01.21	PD51+	17EH	16EH	12EH

NORTH GREENWICH - CHISLEHURST
Rerouted northbound in Woolwich via Vincent Road, Burrage Road and Plumstead Road instead of direct via Woolwich New Road

12434 Woolwich Barracks

Current Blind

Operating Garages

AM Plumstead
Changeover point Woolwich

AW Abbey Wood
Changeover point Woolwich or Well Hall Station.

PD Plumstead
Changeover point Woolwich Arsenal Stn

SP Sidcup
Changeover point at garage or Well Hall Station.

TB Bromley
Changeover point at ?

LM Deptford ( Kentish Bus )
Changeover point at ?

MB Green Street Green
Changeover point - a number of finishing afternoon journeys changeover at Chislehurst War Memorial - all others are at Eltham Station where the route controller is based.

Live visual