Route History

Date
Gar
Mon-Fri
Sat
Sun
26.04.61
HT
12RM
25RM
15RM
 
WN101+
11RM
--
6RM


HOLBORN CIRCUS - Grays Inn Road - (returns via Farringdon Road) Kings Cross - Holloway - Finsbury Park - Manor House - Tottenham - LOWER EDMONTON STN (Mon-Fri) - EDMONTON Tramway Avenue (Mon-Fri peaks) Ponders End - WALTHAM CROSS (Sat/Sun)
NEW TROLLLEYBUS REPLACEMENT ROUTE for TB Route 659

Taken from Winter 1961 Red Book
The first journeys starting at Bruce Grove would have been garage journeys from Wood Grren (WN) coming via Route 243

 

 

 

Wood Green (WN) is represented here by RM658 seen at passing Willing House on Gray’s Inn Road

 

 


03.01.62
AR
8RM
7RM
8RM
 
HT
12RM
18RM
13RM

HOLBORN CIRCUS  -  LOWER EDMONTON STN ( Mon-Fri )  -  EDMONTON Tramway Avenue ( Mon-Fri peaks )  -  WALTHAM CROSS ( Sat / Sim )
Daily Tottenham (AR) allocation introduced -Wood Green (WN) withdrawn.

May 1962 first and last times
For Sunday ties purchase May 1962 Red Book

08.05.63
AR
8RM
7RM
6RM
 
E
--
--
6RM
 
HT
12RM
18RM
9RM

HOLBORN CIRCUS  -  LOWER EDMONTON STN ( Mon-Fri )  -  EDMONTON Tramway Avenue ( Mon-Fri peaks )  -  WALTHAM CROSS ( Sat / Sim )
Sunday Enfield (E) allocation added.

09.10.63
AR
8RM
7RM
7RM
 
HT
12RM
18RM
10RM

HOLBORN CIRCUS  -  LOWER EDMONTON STN ( Mon-Fri )  -  EDMONTON Tramway Avenue ( Mon-Fri peaks )  -  WALTHAM CROSS ( Sat / Sim )
Sunday Enfield (E) allocation withdrawn.

23.01.66
AR
8RM
5RM
5RM
 
HT
12RM
14RM
--

HOLBORN CIRCUS - LOWER EDMONTON STATION (Mon-Fri/Sun) - EDMONTON Tramway Avenue (Mon-Fri peaks) - WALTHAM CROSS (Sats)
Sunday withdrawn between Lower Edmonton and Waltham Cross

31.12.66
AR
3RM
6RM
--
 
HT
14RM
12RM
--

HOLBORN CIRCUS - LOWER EDMONTON STN (Mon-Fri) - EDMONTON Tramway Avenue (Mon-Fri peaks) - WALTHAM CROSS (Sats)
Sunday service withdrawn.

Taken from January 1967 Red Book

Please click to enlarge map

 

Extracted from 1970 historical map drawn by Mike Harris
busmap.co.uk


24.01.70
AR
15RM
14RM
--

EDMONTON Tramway Avenue (Mon-Sat early jnys) - LOWER EDMONTON STATION (Mon-Sat) - KINGS CROSS Swinton Street (Sat evgs) - HOLBORN CIRCUS (Mon-Fri/Sat except evgs)
Withdrawn between Lower Edmonton and Waltham Cross except early journeys to Tramway Avenue - and further withdrawn between Kings Cross and Holborn Circus Saturday evenings.
Holloway (HT) allocation withdrawn.

Taken from April 1970 Red Book

04.12.71
AR
10RM
14RM
--
 
EM
5RM
--
--

EDMONTON Tramway Avenue (Mon-Sat early jnys) - LOWER EDMONTON STATION (Mon-Sat) - KINGS CROSS Swinton Street (Sat evgs) - HOLBORN CIRCUS (Mon-Fri/Sat except evgs)
Mon-Fri Edmonton (EM) allocation re-introduced.

RM208 Holborn Circus Feb 1973

busmap.co.uk


10.03.73
AR151+
8DMS
6DMS
--
 
EM61+
8DMS
8DMS
--

EDMONTON Tramyay Avenue ( Mon-Sat see below ) - LOWER EDMONTON STATION ( Mon-Sat ) - KINGS CROSS ( Sat evenings ) - HOLBORN CIRCUS ( Mon-Fri/ Sat except evenings )
One Person operation introduced


DMS554 Kings Cross, May 1978

busmap.co.uk


28.10.78
AR151+
7DMS
7DMS
--
 
EM61+
6DMS
8DMS
--

EDMONTON Tramway Avenue ( Mon-Fri early jnys) - LOWER EDMONTON STATION ( Mon-Sat ) - HOLBORN CIRCUS ( Mon-Sat )
Saturday evening service between Kings Cross and Holborn Circus re-introduced.

Taken from 1978 Red Book

24.03.82
AR151+
7DMS
7DMS
--
 
EM61+
6M
8M
--

EDMONTON Tramway Avenue ( Mon-Sat early jnys) - LOWER EDMONTON STATION ( Mon-Sat ) - HOLBORN CIRCUS ( Mon-Sat )
Edmonton (EM) allocation converted to Metrobus.


17.06.82
AR151+
7M
7M
--
 
EM61+
6M
8M
--

EDMONTON Tramway Avenue ( Mon-Sat early jnys) - LOWER EDMONTON STATION ( Mon-Sat ) - HOLBORN CIRCUS ( Mon-Sat )
Tottenham (AR) allocation converted to Metrobus.

04.09.82
AR221+
11M
10M
--

EDMONTON Tramway Avenue ( Mon-Sat early jnys) - LOWER EDMONTON STATION ( Mon-Sat ) - HOLBORN CIRCUS ( Mon-Sat )
Edmonton (EM) allocation withdrawn.

29.10.83
AR221+
11M
11M
--

LOWER EDMONTON STATION - HOLBORN CIRCUS (Mon-Sat)
Withdrawn between Lower Edmonton and Tramway Avenue.


03.08.85
AR221+
10M
5M
2M
 
EM
6M
8M
--

HOLBORN CIRCUS (Mon-Fri except evenings) - HOLLOWAY (Mon-Fri evenings) - MANOR HOUSE (Sat/Sun) Tottenham - Edmonton - Ponders End - Waltham Cross - Cheshunt - Flamstead End - HAMMOND STREET.
Withdrawn during evenings between Holloway and Holborn Circus.
Further withdrawn Sats between Manor House and Holborn Circus.
Extended via withdrawn 279 from Lower Edmonton to Hammond Street.
Daily Edmonton (EM) allocation re-introduced and Sunday (AR) allocation introduced

August 1985 changes

01.02.86
AR221+
9M
5M
2M
 
E241+
12M
10M
6M

HOLBORN CIRCUS (Mon-Fri except evenings) - HOLLOWAY (Mon-Fri evenings) - MANOR HOUSE (Sat/Sun) -  HAMMOND STREET.
Edmonton (EM) allocation transferred to Enfield (E) with garage's closure

 

M756 Hammond Street stand

busmap.co.uk

 


25.10.86
AR221+
--
--
6M
 
E241+
9M
--
--

HOLBORN CIRCUS (Mon-Fri except evgs) - HOLLOWAY (Mon-Fri evgs) - FINSBURY PARK (Suns) - LOWER EDMONTON STN (Mon-Fri except evgs) - PONDERS END GARAGE (Mon-Fri evgs) - WALTHAM CROSS (Suns)
MON-FRI withdrawn between Lower Edmonton and Hammond Street except for evening service to Enfield Garage.
Withdrawn section covered by new Route 359
SAT withdrawn.
SUN withdrawn between Waltham Cross and Hammond Street but extended from Manor House to Finsbury Park.
Mon-Sat AR allocation withdrawn
Sat and Sun Enfield (E ) allocation withdrawn.

26.09.87
E241+
9M
--
--

HOLBORN CIRCUS (Mon-Fri except evgs) - HOLLOWAY (Mon-Fri evgs) - LOWER EDMONTON STN (Mon-Fri except evgs) - PONDERS END GARAGE (Mon-Fri evgs)
SUN withdrawn.
Tottenham (AR) allocation withdrawn.

29.09.90
E241+
9M
--
--

HOLBORN CIRCUS - LOWER EDMONTON STN (Mon-Fri except late evgs)
Withdrawn during late evenings but extended early evenings from Holloway to Holborn Circus.

01.02.92
E241+
14M
11M
9M

HOLBORN CIRCUS (Mon-Fri/Sat am/Sun early am) - KINGS CROSS (Sat /Suns) - LOWER EDMONTON STN (Sat /Sun evgs) - PONDERS END GARAGE (Sat/Sun except evgs)
Sat and Sun introduced.
Re-routed northbound between Holborn Circus and Kings Cross via St Andrew's Street - Shoe Lane - Stonecutter Street - Farringdon Street - Farringdon Road and Acton Street - instead of Holborn and Grays Inn Road ie:same as southbound routeing.
Increased service Mon-Fri and reintroduced Saturday and Sunday in part replacement of parallel Route 359 and also replacing Route 221 south of Manor House ( except Mon-Fri early journeys)

17.10.92
E241+
14M
11M
--

HOLBORN CIRCUS (Mon-Fri/Sat am/) - KINGS CROSS (Sat pm/) - LOWER EDMONTON STN (Mon-Fri/Sat evgs) - PONDERS END (Sat shop hrs)
Sunday service withdrawn.

17.04.93
E241+
14M
11M
--

HOLBORN CIRCUS (Mon-Fri/Sat am) - KINGS CROSS (Sat pm) - EDMONTON GREEN STATION (Sat evgs) - PONDERS END GARAGE (Mon-Fri/Sat shop hrs)
Mon-Fri extended from Edmonton Green Station (renamed from Lower Edmonton) to Enfield Garage.

11.09.94
E241+
14M
11M
7M

HOLBORN CIRCUS (Mon-Fri/Sat am/Sun early am) - KINGS CROSS (Sat pm/Suns) - EDMONTON GREEN STN (Sat evgs/Suns) - PONDERS END GARAGE (Mon-Fri/Sat shop hrs)
Sun service re-introduced between Edmonton Green and Kings Cross with early projections to Holborn Circus replacing withdrawn 359.

Part of the allocation book library which is for sale
Allocation Books


28.11.94
E241+
14M
11M
7M

HOLBORN CIRCUS (Mon-Fri/Sat am/Sun early am) - KINGS CROSS (Sat pm/Suns) - EDMONTON GREEN STN (Sat evgs/Suns) - PONDERS END GARAGE (Mon-Fri/Sat shop hrs) - ENFIELD HIGHWAY Red Lion (Mon-Fri am peak jnys)
Mon-Fri am peak journeys extended from Enfield Garage to Enfield Highway.

28.03.98
NP101+
11AE
11AE
7AE
logo Contract reassigned

KINGS CROSS - EDMONTON GREEN
Withdrawn between Kings Cross and Holborn Circus and between Edmonton Green and Enfield Highway

M882 is used for the route until the Arrows were ready First Capital 442 seen at Edmonton Green

29.03.03
NP
12VTL
11VTL
10VTL

KINGS CROSS - EDMONTON GREEN
Start of phased conversion to low floor double deck operation

16.10.04
NP
19VNL
18VNL
12VNL

KINGS CROSS - EDMONTON GREEN
Frequency increase

 

 

 

 

VTL1295 seen at  " The Swan " Tottenham

 

 

 


27.03.10
NP
20VN
19VN
13VN

KINGS CROSS - EDMONTON GREEN
Contract renewal

 

 

VNL32306 Caledonian Road

 


31.03.12
NP101+
20WVN
19WVN
13WVN
Contract novated to Go-ahead London General

KINGS CROSS - EDMONTON GREEN
New operator

 

 

WVN36 on a short working seen in Parkhurst Road

 


28.03.15
NP101+
21VN
19VN
13VN

KINGS CROSS - EDMONTON GREEN
Contract extended for two years

25.03.17
AR101+
22HV
21HV
16HV
Contract reassigned

KINGS CROSS - EDMONTON GREEN
New contract

LK66 GFV (HV264) Arriva London Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5LH is seen approaching Caledonian Road on London route 259 to King’s Cross.
This is seen onfirst day Saturday 25 March 2017.

© Martin Conway


06.04.19
EC101+
22HV
21HV
16HV

KINGS CROSS - EDMONTON GREEN
Allocation moved to Edmonton (EC)

22.01.22
EC101+
16LT
16LT
13LT

KINGS CROSS - EDMONTON GREEN
Headway reductions, spare buses transferred to WN for Route 221
LT type introduced, gradual conversion from 09.01.22

26.03.22
EC101+
16LT
16LT
13LT

KINGS CROSS - EDMONTON GREEN
Contract extended for two years

LT569 Seven Sisters

LT569 Seven Sisters

Aarons Transport Photography

 


23.03.24
EC101+
16LT
16LT
13LT

KINGS CROSS - EDMONTON GREEN
Contract renewal for five years

Current Blind



259

 

Operating Garages

EC Edmonton
Changeover point TOTTENHAM Swan.

E Enfield
Changeover point Ponders End High Street.

EM Edmonton
Changeover point EDMONTON Tramway Avenue.

AR Tottenham
Changeover point TOTTENHAM Swan.

HT Holloway
Changeover point HOLLOWAY Nags Head.

NP Northumberland Park
Changeover point Edmonton Green Station

WN Wood Green
Changeover point ? maybe Manor House or Tottenham Garage

Garage journeys left line of route either at Manor House and then via 29 or Bruce Grove and then via 243
I have evidence from a 1961 fare chart that the garage journeys ran in service but oddly there does not seem to have been a special display for these journeys

 

Live visual

 

 

 

© Ian Armstrong 2024
Date of edit   Friday, 15.03.24