Central Area Routes 120–129

In 1950 route 120 was running on Mondays to Saturdays between Hounslow Heath and Hayes Station via Hounslow Central, Lampton Corner, Heston, Norwood Green, Southall and Coldharbour Lane. A Sunday service was introduced between Hounslow Heath and Southall (Cambridge Road) in 1955 and in 1958 the Saturday service was withdrawn between Southall and Hayes. In 1960 the Hayes extension was withdrawn, leaving just a peak hour service beyond Southall (Cambridge Road) to Southall (Delamere Road) but this too was withdrawn in 1963. In 1965 the route was extended beyond Southall to Greenford Station via Lady Margaret Road and Allenby Road. In 1976 the route was further extended to Greenford (Bridge Park) during the daytime on Mondays to Fridays and during Saturday shopping hours, but this extension was withdrawn in 1982. In 1987 it was extended from Hounslow Heath via Beavers Farm Estate to Hounslow (Bus Station). The route was withdrawn between Southall (Town Hall) and Greenford in 1988, and the routeing via Beavers Farm Estate ceased in 1990. In 1993 it was extended from Southall to Northolt Station via Yeading.

Route 121 ran daily between Ponders End Garage and Chingford Station via Southbury Road, Nags Head Road, Lea Valley Road and Kings Head Hill. In August 1948 the Sunday service was withdrawn but reinstated two months later. In 1962 it was extended during Saturday shopping hours from Ponders End to Enfield Chase Station. In 1963 it was extended in Chingford to Royal Forest Hotel, but withdrawn between Enfield Town and Enfield Chase. The Sunday service was again withdrawn in 1966, and later that year it was converted to one-man-operation on Mondays to Fridays only using RF vehicles, but retaining RT-type buses on Saturdays. It was also withdrawn between Chingford Station and Royal Forest Hotel at the same time. In 1980 the route was extended from Enfield Town to Turnpike Lane Station via Oakwood, Chase Road, Southgate, Palmers Green and Wood Green, and also introduced on Sundays between Enfield Town and Turnpike Lane. In 1982 it was rerouted at Ponders End to run to Enfield Lock via Enfield Highway and Ordnance Road, and also revised to run throughout the route every day. In 2000 it was rerouted at Enfield Lock to run to Enfield Island Village.

Route 122 ran daily between Bexleyheath Depot and Woolwich (Earl of Chatham) via Bexleyheath Broadway, Crook Log, Pickford Lane, Okehampton Crescent, Wickham Lane and Plumstead. In 1964 it was extended on Mondays to Saturdays from Bexleyheath to Slade Green Station via Colyers Lane, Bridge Road and Hazel Road. It was also extended daily from Woolwich to Crystal Palace via Academy Road, Well Hall Road, Westhorne Avenue, Eltham Green, Lee Green, Lewisham, Adelaide Avenue, Brockley Rise, Forest Hill, Kirkdale and Westwood Hill. In 1970 it was withdrawn between Bexleyheath Garage and Slade Green on Mondays to Fridays. In 1978 it was withdrawn completely between Bexleyheath Garage and Slade Green. In 1988 it was withdrawn between Plumstead Station and Bexleyheath, and replaced by new route 422.

Route 122A was introduced in February 1951 running daily between Woolwich and Erith via Plumstead, Wickham Lane, Okehampton Crescent, King Harold’s Way, Bedonwell Road, Parsonage Manor Way and Bexley Road. The Sunday service was withdrawn in 1956 and replaced by an extension of the 53 to Erith. The Sunday service was reintroduced in 1963 when the 53 was cut back again. In 1964 the Sunday service was extended from Woolwich to Crystal Palace over route 122 via Well Hall Road, Westhorne Avenue, Eltham Green, Lee Green, Lewisham, Brockley Rise and Forest Hill, making the Sunday extension longer than the main route! The Crystal Palace extension was withdrawn in 1969 when the service was converted to one-man-operation. In 1978 the route was extended from Woolwich to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and the Sunday service was withdrawn again in 1982. In 1985 it was extended from Erith to Slade Green Station via Manor Road. The route was withdrawn completely in 1988 and replaced by the new 422 and B12.

This “E” plate will have come from the Sunday extension to Crystal Palace between 1964 and 1969.

In 1950 route 123 was operated by Hornchurch Garage [RD] using Guys, and ran from Ongar (Moreton Road) to South Hornchurch (Coronation Drive) via Stanford Rivers, Passingford Bridge, Stapleford Abbots, Havering Green, Collier Row, Romford and Elm Park. In 1952 STLs replaced the Guys, and a year later the route was switched to North Street Romford [NS]. In 1954 the STL type was withdrawn in favour of RTs, and in 1958 the route was withdrawn, replaced mainly by a revised route 175.

In 1960 the number 123 was reused for the replacement of trolleybus route 623 and the withdrawn section of service 41. It ran from Manor House to Ilford Station via Tottenham Hale, Forest Road, Walthamstow, South Woodford, Southend Road and Gants Hill. In 1968 it was rerouted at Tottenham Hale from Manor House to Enfield via Winchmore Hill, Palmers Green, Turnpike Lane and Bruce Grove replacing the withdrawn section of route 275. The Manor House section was replaced by new route 241. In 1977 the route was converted to one-person-operation and withdrawn between Winchmore Hill and Enfield Town. In 1985 it was rerouted towards Ilford via Turnpike Lane Station. In 1988 it was withdrawn between Wood Green and Winchmore Hill, now terminating at Wood Green Garage. In 1991 the 123’s operation was transferred to Capital Citybus’ Dagenham Depot [DM], and the Wood Green terminus changed to Redvers Road.

Route 124 ran daily between Forest Hill Station and Eltham (Southend Crescent) via Perry Vale, Catford, Sandhurst Road, Verdant Lane, Downham, Grove Park, Dunkery Road, Mottingham and Eltham Church. In 1955 it was extended during Monday to Friday peak hours from Eltham to Blackfen (Woodman). In 1959 it was extended on Sunday afternoons from Eltham to Bexley Hospital via Blackfen, Blendon and Bexley. In 1960 the peak hour service was diverted to run to Falconwood Parade instead of Blackfen, and the Sunday service was renumbered 124A. In 1963 the 124 was extended at all times from Eltham to Woolwich via Falconwood, Welling, Wickham Lane and Plumstead. In 1965 the Monday to Friday service was withdrawn between Welling and Woolwich except during peak hours. In 1968 the Saturday service was withdrawn between Welling and Woolwich. In 1972 the peak hour service to Woolwich was reduced to the evening peak hour only, and during the morning peak it only ran to Plumstead Station. In 1977 it was withdrawn completely between Welling and Plumstead/Woolwich. The route was reintroduced on Sundays in 1978, but withdrawn on this day again in 1982. In 1985 it was withdrawn between Eltham (Southend Crescent) and Welling, apart from school journeys to Avery Hill School and one journey in each peak to Welling. Also that year a Sunday service was again reintroduced between Forest Hill and Eltham, with some afternoon journeys running on to Bexley Hospital. In 1987 it was withdrawn between Catford (St. Dunstans College) and Forest Hill. In 1990 the school journeys to Avery Hill and peak journeys to Welling were renumbered 124S.

In 1948 route 125 ran from Woodside Park (Clissbury Ring) to Southgate Station via Nether Street and North Finchley except during Monday to Friday peak hours when it only operated between Finchley and Southgate. In 1950 it was extended from North Finchley to Woodside Park at all times. The following year it was extended from Woodside Park to Golders Green Station via Lullington Garth and Hendon. In 1954 the route was extended from Southgate to Highlands Hospital via Winchmore Hill Road during Monday to Saturday peak hours and Saturday and Sunday afternoons. In 1958 Sunday service was withdrawn between Woodside Park and Golders Green, but extended from Southgate to Winchmore Hill (via Highlands Hospital). Two years later Sunday service was further withdrawn between North Finchley and Woodside Park. In January 1966 weekday evening and and Saturday journeys were withdrawn between North Finchley and Golders Green, and on Neaw Year’s Eve of the same year the Saturday service was diverted at Southgate to Oakwood and renumbered route 125A. In January 1971 Saturday service was reinstated and extended from Southgate to Winchmore Hill (Station Road) at all times, and the route was converted to single deck Swift one-person-operation. In April Monday to Friday service between North Finchley and Golders Green was withdrawn outside of peak hours. In 1975 Sunday service was converted to Daimler double-deck operation, followed by Monday to Saturday service in 1977. In 1978 the 125 was withdrawn between North Finchley and Golders Green. In 1979 Monday to Friday peak journeys were extended from North Finchley to Hendon (The Bell), but this extension lasted only until 1982. In 1986 Sunday service was extended from Winchmore Hill to Enfield Town. In 1990 Sunday journeys were rerouted to double run via Winchmore Hill Station Road. In 1991 the route was extended from North Finchley to Finchley Central Station via Ballards Lane over route 13. In February 1992 Sunday service was withdrawn between Winchmore Hill and Enfield Town, and in April the Finchley Central terminal was moved to Finchley (Hendon Lane).

Route 240 ran from Golders Green Station to Edgware Station via Hendon, Holders Hill Road, Bittacy Hill, The Ridgeway, Hammers Lane, Daws Lane, Mill Hill Broadway and Hale Lane. It was operated in two sections: the trunk from Golders Green to Mill Hill with RT double deckers from Cricklewood Garage [W], and the Mill Hill to Edgware section with single deck TDs from Edgware [EW]. In 1951 it was withdrawn beyond Mill Hill Broadway, the Edgware to Mill Hill section being transferred to route 240A. In 1966 the route was extended from Mill Hill to Edgware, replacing the withdrawn 240A. Other than the inevitable replacement of RTs by Routemasters and various other equipment variations, the route has remained unchanged for the past years.

Route 126 ran from Beckenham Junction Station to Eltham (Southend Crescent) via Wickham Road, Hayes Lane, Westmoreland Road, Bromley South, Burnt Ash Lane, Grove Park, Mottingham Road, Court Road and Eltham High Street. In 1951 it was extended from Eltham to Plumstead Common (Woodman) via Rochester Way, Hook Lane, Welling and Edison Road. In 1963 it was replaced by revised route 124 between Welling and Plumstead Common, and withdrawn Monday to Saturday between Eltham (Well Hall Station) and Plumstead Common. In 1968 the Sunday service was extended from Eltham to Bexleyheath Garage via Welling, but it was withdrawn in 1978, replaced by daily service on route 124. In 1985 the Monday to Saturday service was extended from Eltham to Woolwich (Thomas Street) via Well Hall Road and Shooters Hill Police, over route 161. In 1988 the evening service was withdrawn between Eltham and Woolwich. In 1989 the 126 was rerouted between Mottingham and Grove Park via Dunkery Road instead of Grove Park Road. It was also withdrawn between Eltham Church and Woolwich, but diverted instead via Eltham High Street to Southend Crescent except Monday to Saturday evenings and all day Sunday when it continued to terminate at Eltham Station. However, in 1990 all service was terminated at Eltham (Southend Crescent). In 1994 operation was transferred to Kentish Bus, and the section between Bromley South Station and Beckenham Junction was replaced by new route 162. In 2000 the Eltham terminus was moved to the High Street.

The original route 127 was introduced in 1961 between Victoria and Waltham Cross via Trafalgar Square, Tottenham Court Road, Camden Town, Holloway, Finsbury Park, Manor House, Tottenham, Edmonton and Ponders End. It was a replacement for trolleybus route 627. The section between Lower Edmonton and Waltham Cross ran on Mondays to Saturdays only until 1966. The 127 was withdrawn between Tottenham Court Road and Victoria in 1968, and the route was withdrawn completely in 1970.

A new route 127 was introduced in the ’eighties between Tooting Broadway and Wallington via Mitcham and Carshalton.

Route 128 ran daily from Chase Farm Hospital to Lower Edmonton Station via Gordon Hill, Baker Street, Enfield Town and Church Street. Originally operated by STL-type buses from Enfield Garage [E], they were replaced by RTs in 1952. The route was unchanged until its replacement in June 1969 by new route W8.

On 3 September 1977 the number 128 was assigned to a new service for the London Borough of Hillingdon in the Uxbridge-Ruislip-Rickmansworth area. It was operated by dedicated Bristol BLs with "Hillingdon Local Service" fleetnames and equipped with green on yellow blinds. The route ran from Ruislip Station to Harefield Hospital via High Street, Bury Street, Ladygate Lane, Breakspear Road, Bury Street, Ducks Hill Road, Rickmansworth Road, Mount Vernon Hospital private roads, White Hill, Northwood Road, Breakspear Road, Rickmansworth Road and Hill End Road. Four trips per day ran to Harefield West via Park Lane. Another four Monday to Saturday journeys and two Sunday journeys diverted at Harefield to Rickmansworth Station via Rickmansworth Road, Harefield Road, Church Street, High Street, Rickmansworth and Station Road, returning via Rectory Road and Riverside Drive. One Monday to Friday return journey diverted in Ruislip via Sharps Lane, Hill Lane, Orchard Close, Westcote Rise, Southcote Rise, Hill Lane, and Sharps Lane. Garage journeys operated to Uxbridge Garage [UX] via Harefield High Street ,Church Hill, Harvil Road, Swakeleys Road, Park Road, Belmont Road and Bakers Road. In 1978 the route was revised in Rickmansworth: from Station Road, right into Homestead Road, to stand at the rear of the bay in Station Road, then returniing via Homestead Road, Rickmansworth By-pass, circling the station roundabout and back via Park Road, High Street, Church Street and to the line of route. In 1982 the "double running" journeys via Sharps Lane in Ruislip were rerouted to follow the normal route in Bury Street. In 1983 the daily service was extended from Ruislip to Uxbridge via Ickenham, Western Avenue, Park Road, and Sunday pm service ran from Harefield Hospital to Uxbridge or Ruislip. In 1986 the service between Ruislip Station and Uxbridge Station via Long Lane, Western Avenue, Park Road and Harefield Road and withdrawn. Sunday journeys were extended from Ruislip Station to Uxbridge Station via Swakeleys Road and Ickenham over route 223, and school journeys were extended from Rickmansworth Station to Uxbridge Station via Mill End, Maple Cross and Denham. In 1987 Sunday service was withdrawn, replaced by new route 128A. Trips serving Maple Cross were rerouted via Chalfont Road, Hornhill Road and Woodlands Road instead of Denham Way, and the garage journeys between Uxbridge Station and Harefield via Harvil Road were withdrawn, replaced by additional Monday to Friday garage journeys via Maple Cross. The Monday to Friday service via Harefield West was reduced to afternoons only. The following year the BLs were replaced by Leyland Nationals (LS class), which were in turn supplemented by class LX Leyland Lynxs a year later. The 128 was also rerouted at Mount Vernon Hospital via Rickmansworth Road, Batchworth Heath Road and White Hill instead of the hospital grounds in 1989. The route was withdrawn on 17 August 1991.

Route 129 ran from Claybury Broadway to Ilford Station via Clayhall Avenue, Barkingside and Gants Hill. During the 1950s its operation switched back and forth among RT, RTW and RTL type buses. In 1958 Sunday afternoon service was extended from Ilford to Little Heath via Seven Kings and Barley Lane, replacing withdrawn route 25A. In 1963 two Sunday afternoon journeys were further extended from Little Heath via York Road to Chadwell Heath Hospital. In January 1965 the Monday to Saturday service was extended from Ilford to Barking via Green Lane, South Park Drive and Longbridge Road, and the Sunday service was re-numbered 129A. Nine months later the route was withdrawn between Ilford and Barking, being replaced by new one-person-operated route 291. In 1967 the 129 was reinstated daily between Claybury Broadway and Ilford Station, replacing the withdrawn 129A. In 1968 the Sunday service was again withdrawn, and the Clayhall Avenue section was replaced by new route 169C. In 1976 Sunday service was again re-introduced at the same time as the route was converted to one-person-operated DMS buses. In 1977 Monday to Saturday service was extended to Becontree Heath via Green Lane and Goodmayes. Next year Sunday service was once more withdrawn. Two years later Leyland Titans replaced the DMSs. In 1985 westbound journeys to Claybury Broadway were rerouted direct via Clayhall Avenue. In 1987 Monday to Friday peak hours journeys were introduced to Dagenham (Fords Works) via Dagenham East and Ballards Lane. In 1989 route 129 was extended during weeekday days and Saturday shopping hours to RomFords (St. Edwards Way) via Rush Green Road. In May 1992 single-deck RNs replaced the Titans, but the Titans returned just five months later when the Fords Works journeys were withdrawn and the 129 was extended in RomFords from Market to Parkside Hotel. In 1993 Sunday service was re-introduced and one Monday to Friday a.m. journey was routed to the Fords Works. In 1997 operation was transferred to Harris Bus, but in 2000 the route passed to East Thames Buses following their demise. In April 2001 the Fords Works journey was cut back to Dagenham (New Road), however just seven weeks later the up journey was withdrawn, and in December the Dagenham extension was withdrawn completely. In 2004 route 129 was replaced by a revised route 128.

Route 129A was a Sunday-only service introduced 1 February 1965 between Claybury Broadway and Ilford Station via Barkingside and Gants Hill. Afternoon journeys were extended via Seven Kings and Little Heath to Chadwell Heath Hospital when the Monday to Saturday 129 was extended from Ilford via South Park to Barking. (Route 129 had been extended on Sunday afternoons to Little Heath from 30 November 1958 as part replacement for route 25A, and further extended to Chadwell Heath Hospital on 12 May 1963. The service east of Ilford was very limited and most of the Little Heath runs worked to and from Ilford Broadway only). Although the 129 extension was short-lived, the Sunday service retained the 129A number until it was withdrawn east of Ilford without replacement and the 129 reinstated daily between Claybury Broadway and Ilford Station from 1 January 1967.