London Transport
Green Line Coach Routes 714 & 715

Last updated 21-12-09.

Route 714 was introduced in 1946 as part of the post-war re-instatement of Green Line coach services. It ran between Baker Street and Dorking via Oxford Circus, Marble Arch, Hyde Park Corner, Kensington, Hammersmith, Richmond, Kingston, Surbiton, Hook, Chessington and Leatherhead. In 1951 it was extended northwards via King’s Cross, Archway, North Finchley, Barnet, South Mimms, London Colney, St. Albans and Harpenden to Luton to replace the withdrawn 727. Operated throughout most of the 1950s and all of the ’60s by the famous RF-class coaches, conversion to one-man-operation came in 1968. The 714 struggled on until 1977 when it was withdrawn north of Victoria, with the southern section not surviving much longer.

Route 716 was also introduced in 1946, replacing the west leg of the C1 and north half of the K1 pre-war services. It ran from Chertsey to Hitchin via Addlestone, Weybridge, Walton, East Molesey, Hampton Court, Kingston, Ham, Richmond, Barnes, Hammersmith, Kensington, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Baker Street, Finchley Road, Golders Green, North Finchley, Barnet, Potters Bar, Brookmans Park, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Knebworth and Stevenage. Also operated by RF coaches, conversion to RMC (Routemaster) coaches came in 1963, although the service reverted to one-man-operated single-deckers in 1972. The 716 struggled on until 1976 when it was amalgamated with the 716A, and the southern terminus switched to Woking. In 1978 it was withdrawn north of Oxford Circus, with the southern section not surviving much longer.

Route 716A began running in October 1955 from Woking to Stevenage via Addlestone, Weybridge, Walton, East Molesey, Hampton Court, Kingston, Ham, Richmond, Barnes, Hammersmith, Kensington, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Baker Street, Finchley Road, Golders Green, North Finchley, Barnet, Potters Bar, Brookmans Park, Hatfield, Welwyn and Knebworth. The 716A disappeared in May 1976, and there is virtually no trace of it left, like so many of the traditional Green Line coach routes.

In its latter days (1968), route 717 ran between Baker Street and Wrothem via Marble Arch, Hyde Park Corner, Victoria, Elephant & Castle, New Cross, Lewisham, Eltham, Sidcup, Swanley, Farningham and West Kingsdown. The 717’s northern section from Welwyn Garden City via Hatfield, Potters Bar, Barnet, North Finchley and Golders Green to central London was withdrawn shortly before the end.

Route 718 was established after the War in April 1946, and ran between Windsor and Epping via Englefield Green, Egham, Staines, Ashford, Sunbury, Hampton Court, Kingston, Kingston Vale, Putney Heath, Putney, Fulham Broadway, Chelsea, Victoria, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch, Baker Street, Camden Town, Holloway, Finsbury Park, Manor House, Tottenham, Walthamstow, Chingford, Buckhurst Hill and Loughton. It replaced the pre-War service “G” in the west and “N” in the northeast. By 1958 it had been extended to Harlow (New Town) via Thornwood and Potter Street. At the transfer of Green Line services from London Transport to London Country, it was using RMC-class short Routemaster coaches out of Harlow [HA] and Windsor [WR] garages. It was withdrawn during the late ’70s as the Green Line network declined.
714
 714 FARE STAGE
This plate was bought from a Cobham Museum open day approximately 30 years ago. It is from when the route ran as Dorking to Luton, but there were other variants over the years.		 714 - 716 - 716A FARE STAGE
The three services ran together along two sections of road: Kingston to Baker Street, and North Finchley to Barnet. This plate could have come from any of the stops on the common parts of the routes. Triple-split “E” plates were always rare, and a Green Line one that is also a FARE STAGE may be unique.
714 - 718
This unusual paring would have been on a Central London stop along the short stretch between Hyde Park Corner and Baker Street Station, or possibly at Kingston where the two routes intersected.
Route 714 timetable
The cover of the 1962 pocket timetable and fare-chart was of similar design to the maps of the day.
Route 714 timetable
The red text at the top reads This service is operated by Pay-As-You-Enter coaches. Please have your fare ready to pay the driver as you board. It dates from 23.11.68, co-incident with the introduction of opo RFs to the 714.
Route 714 timetable
This four-panel leaflet with print code 1276/LC 1278T/15M dates from 29 January 1977 (seven years into the London Country Bus Services era) when the route was withdrawn north of Victoria. Inside are fare- and timetables, with general information on the back.
N O R T H B O U N D
714 BARNET ST. ALBANS LUTON FARE STAGE
If you had wanted to add this mint-condition Green Line FARE STAGE plate to your collection, you would have had to bid more than £500 to win it on ebay!		 714 ST. ALBANS HARPENDEN LUTON
This “E” plate came from a northbound stop between Barnet and St. Albans and dates from about 1960.
S O U T H B O U N D
714 DORKING VIA KINGSTON
This “E” plate is of particular note as it is of the earlier style showing the word VIA, although in the later style with white lettering.		 714 DORKING
 714 DORKING - 717
This “E” plate is an especially interesting one as not only does it show two different routes, but only one of them includes a destination and the other is a rare route to find on “E” plates as it was a very early casulty. It would have been posted at Baker Street Station, Marylebone Road (Edgware Road) or Marble Arch, where space was at a premium on stop flags, and refers to the pre 4.11.64 717 (Welwyn Garden City–Victoria).

Route 715 (the pre-war M1 service) ran between Guildford and Hertford via Ripley, Cobham, Esher, Hinchley Wood, Hook, Malden, Kingston Vale, Barnes Common, Hammersmith, Notting Hill Gate, Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Camden Town, Finsbury Park, Wood Green, Palmers Green, Enfield Town, Waltham Cross, Cheshunt, Wormley, Hoddesdon and Ware. In 1977 it was diverted between Esher and Kingston Vale to run via Hampton Court and Kingston.

Route 715A is described below.

This six-panel timetable dates from 1 October 1947. ▶
Route 715-715A 1 October 1947
715 FARE STAGE
 715 - 715A SATURDAY
The 715A ran on Saturdays only over much the same routeing as the 715, but diverged to serve Kingston town centre instead of Hinchley Wood and Malden. The only example of an “E” plate of this design came from Ware Crossing, towards Hertford.
route CS1 tickets
Four London Transport Coaches CS1 tickets: Coach Singles for service 1 (Hertford–Guildford). The 2′- (10p) one has fare stage names but no numbers and was introduced about 1949. The others have fare stage names and numbers and were introduced about 1952, but were withdrawn about two years later with the introduction of Setright Speed machines. The 9d (3½p) ticket has faded some, originally being a somewhat darker green.
N O R T H B O U N D
715 ENFIELD HODDESDON HERTFORD
 715 HERTFORD VIA HODDESDON
S O U T H B O U N D
715 ESHER COBHAM GUILDFORD
This plate came from a southbound stop near Malden and dates from the 1950s. Unusually, the reverse is cream rather than the usual background colour of the front.		 715 RIPLEY GUILDFORD
This “E” plate is likely to have come from a southbound stop on the southern portion of the route beyond Kingston.		 715 GUILDFORD

Route 715A was introduced on 11th July 1956 and ran from Hertford to Marble Arch via Hertford Heath, Hoddesdon, Waltham Cross, Edmonton, Tottenham, Finsbury Park and Oxford Circus. On the 29th August 1962 it was converted to double-deck operation with Routemaster coaches, before reverting to single-deck RFs in June 1966. The route operated until 14th February 1969, at which time it was running during Monday to Friday peak hours only.

Unlike the later 715A, “E” plates for this route are very hard to find. VIA set in smaller, condensed type is very unusual.

 715A EDMONTON TOTTENHAM MARBLE ARCH
 715A HERTFORD VIA HERTFORD HEATH

Route 715A returned in 1971 on Saturdays only between Hertford and Guildford via Ware, Hoddesdon, Wormley, Cheshunt, Waltham Cross, Enfield Town, Palmers Green, Wood Green, Finsbury Park, Camden Town, Oxford Circus, Marble Arch, Notting Hill Gate, Hammersmith, Barnes Common, Kingston Vale, Kingston Town Centre, Esher, Cobham and Ripley. It only lasted until 1977, at which time it was renumbered 715 and the service via Tolworth and Malden was withdrawn.
N O R T H B O U N D
715A SATURDAY KINGSTON HERTFORD
 715A SATURDAY MARBLE ARCH HERTFORD
 715A SATURDAY ENFIELD HERTFORD
.
715A SATURDAY HERTFORD
With only one destination listed, it’s possible that this plate came from near the end of the route.
S O U T H B O U N D
715A SATURDAY KINGSTON GUILDFORD
 715A SATURDAY RIPLEY GUILDFORD
This “E” plate came from a stop in the Esher area.
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