Country Area Routes 470–479

Route 470 ran from Dorking (Bus Station) to West Croydon via Boxhill, Leatherhead, Ashtead, Epsom, Ewell, Cheam Village, Sutton, Wallington and Beddington, and—from the 1930s until the 1970s—on to Warlingham Park Hospital or Farleigh (The Harrow) via South Croydon, Sanderstead, Hamsey Green, Warlingham Green and Chelsham. It can trace its origins to 1914 as London General Omnibus Company route 107 (which was renumbered 70 in 1924). In early London Transport days it was, very unusually, operated by both the Central and Country bus departments until this situation was “corrected” in 1939 when it became Country Area route 470. It has long since disappeared, but the number is in use today by London Buses for a route between Colliers Wood, Morden (its orginal northern terminus in the 1920s) and Epsom. At its peak, it—together with associated route 408—required 23 RT-type buses from Leatherhead [LH], Guildford [GF] and Chelsham [CM] garages, but is operated today by five single-deck Solos.

Route 471 was an Orpington local service that ran from Orpington station via Green Street Green, then circular through Cudham, Scotts Lodge, Knockholt, Knockholt Pound, Pratts Bottom and Green Street Green. Some journeys were extended beyond Orpington station to Kelvin Parade.

Route 472 was a limited-stop service between Leatherhead and Netherne Hospital, and was possibly the least frequent of any Country Area services. It ran via Ashtead, Epsom, Ewell, Cheam, Sutton, Carshalton, Coulsdon and Hooley. The route only ran one journey in each direction and that was only twice a week, resulting in a headway of approximately 80 hours. Passengers were only permitted to alight at the Netherne on the inward trips, and only board there on the return journey—effectively making the route an express working, but it was to prevent the bus filling up with non-hospital visitors. In reality the service was never very well used. The 472 was a Leatherhead [LH] operation and was once operated with RTs, but eventually Bristol BNs took over. The Hospital (originally the Surrey County Asylum, built in 1909) was high up on the downs beyond Coulsdon and reached by a series of steep winding roads: Netherne Lane one side and Woodplace Lane the other. It was closed in 1994, and presumably the route was withdrawn at the same time. To this day some of the old bus stop posts and shelters can be seen on the road up to the site of the old hospital.

This plate is unusual in having the the word ONLY in red, along with the SUNDAY element (but curiously not the ampersand, which is on the same line!). Other versions exist where the word ONLY is in black.

Route 473 provided just a few—mainly rush hour—journeys between Dormansland (Plough) and Manor Royal via Dormans, East Grinstead, Kingscote, Turners Hill, Rowfant, Three Bridges and Crawley.

Route 474 ran in the Addlestone area to Botleys Park (St. Peter’s Hospital). A later version of the route ran in Crawley between the Industrial Area and Langley Green.

Route 474A ran during Monday to Friday rush hours between the Crawley Industrial Area and Broadfield via Fleming Way, Manor Royal and Gossops Green. It was one of a number of routes taken over from Southdown Motor Services in the 1970s.

Route 475 provided a works service in the late ’50s on Mondays to Fridays from Crayford Ness via Slade Green, Perry Street and Barnehurst, then to Belvedere (Crabtree Manorway) or to Lower Belvedere. The route had disappeared by the mid-sixties.

In the early ’70s, a number of routes in the Crawley area were taken over from Southdown, and their route 75 became London Country’s new route 475. running between Crawley bus station and Handcross via Pease Pottage.

This “E” plate could have come from either route, but most likely from the more recent one.

Route 476 was a Crawley town service running between Tilgate (Canterbury Road) and Ifield (The Parade) via Crawley Bus Station, County Oak and Langley Green. In the late ’70s the service was replaced by routes C3 and C4, and the number was reused for the old 418 service between Kingston (Bus Station) and Langley Vale via Surbiton, Berrylands, Tolworth, Ewell, West Ewell and Epsom, with some journeys extended via Ashtead and Leatherhead to Bookham.

Route 476A was a local works service in Crawley and ran during Monday to Friday peak hours between Ifield Parade and Pound Hill via Langley Green, Manor Royal and Three Bridges. In the late ’70s the service was replaced by Crawley local routes C1 and C2.

Route 477 ran between Henderson Drive, Temple Hill Estate and Chelsfield via Dartford, Wilmington, Hextable, Swanley, Crockenhill, St. Mary Cray and Orpington. By the late ’60s the route had been curtailed at Dartford Garage, the section beyond to Temple Hill Estate being covered by route 499. The 477 was the last crew-operated London Country service.

Route 478 ran between Wrotham (The Square) and Swanley Station via West Kingsdown and Farningham. This route disappeared in the ’60s and the number 478 was reused in the Crawley area in the ’70s for a service running between Pound Hill and Broadfields via Three Bridges, Crawley Town Centre and Southgate.

Route 479 was a circular route running clockwise between Crawley (Bus Station) and Gossops Green via Buckswood Drive and Ifield Avenue. It replaced Southdown Motor Services’ route 79 soon after London Country took over from London Transport.

Route 479A was a circular route running anti-clockwise between Crawley (Bus Station) and Gossops Green via Ifield Avenue and Buckswood Drive. It replaced Southdown route 79A soon after London Country took over from London Transport.