London Transport
Lettered Routes A–C


 

Last updated 01-06-08.

Airport Express
A1 AIRPORT EXPRESSThere were only two bus stops on the A1 Airport Express: one at Hounslow West Station and one at Heathrow Airport Central Bus Station. However, only the bus stop at Hounslow West carried conventional “E” plates such as this, because the stop at Heathrow, over the years, always had special plates—sometimes plastic and sometimes signwritten—to match the non-standard size of the signs. Garage journeys on the A1 did continue to and from Hounslow bus station, but “E” plates were not displayed there as there was not a regular service. The route is particularly special in having just one pair of “E” plates at the sole bus stop at Hounslow West Station. The description AIRPORT EXPRESS also makes this unusual, as does the special route number A1. This is an astonishingly rare plate and, as far as I know, there is only one other. It sold on ebay for £575 in February 2008. A1 AIRPORT EXPRESS
This example is painted and signwritten on aluminium and fractionally wider than a standard enamel “E” plate. It has smears of blue paint on the reverse.		 Airbus A1 & A2 faretableThis single-sided faretable for Airbus services A1 (Heathrow–Victoria Station) and A2 (Heathrow–Paddington Station) unusually has fares in five currencies: British pounds, American and Canadian dollars, French francs and German marks. The table is not wrinkled, but rather is printed with a blue sky and cloud effect background. The chart measures 13" × 19¼" (49 cm × 33 cm) and was posted on board the buses. I think that this was the first faretable issued for these services and dates from 1981. It was in use from the routes’ introduction, and the adult single fare between the Heathrow and central London was only £2 (US$6 / CAD$6 / 20F / 10DM)!

The A1 Airport Express was introduced in 1969, providing a direct non-stop link between Hounslow West Underground Station and Heathrow Airport Central, as a forerunner to the Piccadilly Line extension to Heathrow. The route was initially operated by MBSs and later SMSs, and was withdrawn in 1977 when the Piccadilly Line extension opened.

The number A1 was reused in 1981 for London United’s express Airbus service between Heathrow and London (Victoria Station) via Cromwell Road. It was withdrawn in 1999 when Heathrow Express trains began running to Paddington.

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Bromley

Route B1 was introduced in 1972 between Eltham Church and Bromley North Station via New Eltham and Elmstead Woods. During rush hours the service ran via Logs Hill to Bickley Station instead of Bromley. The B1 was one of the first four experimental routes that were introduced using 16-seater midibuses which could serve new areas that larger buses could not reach. The B1 has long since been replaced and absorbed by the current route 314.

 B1 notice
B1 MON-SAT
This “E” plate is particularly unusual in having a full point between the letter and the number, something that only featured on very few “E” plates.		 B1 MON-FRI EXCEPT PEAK HOURS & SATURDAY
This plate is likely to have come from the section to Bromley which was unserved during peak hours.		 B1 MON-FRI EXCEPT EVENINGS & SATURDAY
Borehamwood
BW1

Route BW1 was a local circular route in the Borehamwood area in the late ’70s. It was to have been a joint operation between London Transport and London Country, but agreement could not be reached with the staff of Edgware Garage (who would have operated the London Transport allocation), and so in the event the route was operated only by London Country. The route did not last very long.
Croydon

Routes C1, C2, C3 and C4 were one-man-operated flat-fare routes introduced in 1970 as express runnings of the 130 group of services between Croydon and New Addington. They ran non-stop between East Croydon Station and Gravel Hill (Addington Village Road). Originally operated by XA-class Atlanteans, the “C” routes were converted to DMS buses in 1973. Today the express service to New Addington is provided by TramLink.

In 1973 the fare was 10p, with a 5p local fare charged in New Addington for journeys away from Croydon only. The children’s fare was 3p. In 1975 the adult fares increased by 2p to 12p and 7p respectively.

Route C1 originally ran Monday to Friday and Sunday between New Addington (Homestead Way) and West Croydon (Bus Station) via King Henry’s Drive, Lodge Lane, East Croydon Station and Wellesley Road, but the weekday service was withdrawn in 1978 or 1979, replaced by route C3. At the same time it was rerouted from King Henry’s Drive to Arnhem Drive. The C1 lasted until 1980 when the C3 was introduced on Sundays.

Blue background “E” plates are far less common than the white versions, and a Sundays-only express operation is even rarer! The second plate dates from the last years of the route.

 C1 MON-FRI & SUNDAY EXPRESS C1 SUNDAY EXPRESS
C2 MON-FRI EXPRESS

The C2 ran Monday to Friday between New Addington (Salcot Crescent) and West Croydon (Bus Station) via Gasciogne Road, Fieldway, Lodge Lane, East Croydon Station and Wellesley Road. The route was withdrawn in 1978 or 1979 and replaced by route C4 journeys.

This “E” plate features a blue background which was traditionally used by London Transport for express services, and is far less common than the white ones.

The C3 was effectively the Saturday version of the C1. It ran between New Addington (Salcot Crescent) and West Croydon (Bus Station) via King Henry’s Drive, Lodge Lane, East Croydon Station, Croydon High Street and North End. Monday to Friday journeys were added in 1978 or 1979, replacing the C1, and it was rerouted from King Henry’s Drive to Arnhem Drive. The C3 lasted until 1982.

These “E” plates date from the introduction of the route in 1970. The first plate is unusual in that it does not have the word EXPRESS, nor the days of operation.

 C3 C3 SATURDAY EXPRESS
C4 SATURDAY EXPRESS

Route C4 ran Saturdays between New Addington (Salcot Crescent) and West Croydon (Bus Station) via Gasciogne Road, Fieldway, Lodge Lane, East Croydon Station, Croydon High Street and North End. In 1978 or 1979 it was introduced on Monday to Friday, replacing the C2 service.The route has long since been withdrawn, and as with all express “E” plates, it is on a dark blue background.
Camden

Route C11 was one of four experimental minibus routes introduced in 1972 (the others being B1, P4 and W9). The cross-Camden C11 was operated by FS-class Ford Transit minibuses and had a flat-fare of only 10p! It ran on Mondays to Saturdays between Archway Station and Cricklewood via Parliament Hill Fields, Gospel Oak, Hampstead Heath, Swiss Cottage, Finchley Road and West Hampstead. It has become very successfull over the years and in more recent times has been extended to Willeseden Green and Brent Cross Shopping Centre and now runs daily. It did, for a period, reach King’s Cross Station, although that section has been replaced by route 390. The remainder of the route survives today.
C11 notice
Route C11 service notice.		 C11 MON-SAT
This “E” plate has some edge chips, particularly on the left, which are due to the plate being unusually thick and were obviously caused through being slotted into the runners on a bus stop flag. It is the heaviest “E” plate I have found, and is also notable because the C is of a narrower, condensed style, which is rather uncommon.		 C11
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Click on any of the tiles below to go to images of the “E” plates and the route descriptions for that number series.
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Central Area Routes 1-3 Central Area Routes 4-6 Central Area Routes 7-9
Central Area Routes 10-12 Central Area Routes 13-16 Central Area Routes 17-19
Central Area Routes 20-24 Central Area Routes 25-29
Central Area Routes 30-35 Central Area Routes 36-39 Central Area Routes 40-44
Central Area Routes 45-49 Central Area Routes 50-55 Central Area Routes 56-59
Central Area Routes 60-69 Central Area Routes 70-73 Central Area Routes 74-76
Central Area Routes 77-79 Central Area Routes 80-89 Central Area Routes 90-99
Central Area Routes 100-106 Central Area Routes 107-109 Central Area Routes 110-115
Central Area Routes 116-119 Central Area Routes 120-129
Central Area Routes 130-133 Central Area Routes 134-139 Central Area Routes 140-149
Central Area Routes 150-159 Central Area Routes 160-164 Central Area Routes 165-169
Central Area Routes 170-174 Central Area Routes 175-179 Central Area Routes 180-184
Central Area Routes 185-189 Central Area Routes 190-194 Central Area Routes 195-199
Central Area Routes 200-209 Central Area Routes 210-219 Central Area Routes 220-223
Central Area Routes 224-229 Central Area Routes 230-239 Central Area Routes 240-245
Central Area Routes 246-249 Central Area Routes 250-259 Central Area Routes 260-269
Central Area Routes 270-279 Central Area Routes 280-289 Central Area Routes 290-299
Country Area Routes 300-303 Country Area Routes 304-309 Country Area Routes 310-316
Country Area Routes 317-319 Country Area Routes 320-324 Country Area Routes 325-329
Country Area Routes 330-334 Country Area Routes 335-339 Country Area Routes 340-344
Country Area Routes 345-349 Country Area Routes 350-359
Country Area Routes 360-369 Country Area Routes 370-379
Country Area Routes 380-389 Country Area Routes 390-394 Country Area Routes 395-399
Country Area Routes 400-405 Country Area Routes 406-409 Country Area Routes 410-419
Country Area Routes 420-423 Country Area Routes 424-429 Country Area Routes 430-439
Country Area Routes 440-449 Country Area Routes 450-456 Country Area Routes 457-459
Country Area Routes 460-469 Country Area Routes 470-479
Country Area Routes 480-484 Country Area Routes 485-489 Country Area Routes 490-499
Red Arrow & Express Routes 500-616 Trolleybus Routes 513-699
Green Line Routes 701-703 Green Line Routes 704-705 Green Line Routes 706-708
Green Line Routes 709-710 Green Line Routes 711-713 Green Line Routes 714-715
Green Line Routes 716-718 Green Line Routes 719-720 Green Line Routes 721-724
Green Line Routes 725-799 Country Area Routes 800-804 Country Area Routes 805-854A
Mobility Routes 900-980 Lettered Routes A-C Lettered Routes D-M
Night Routes N1-N83 Night Routes N84-N88
Night Routes N89-N93 Night Routes N94-N299 Lettered Routes P-W
Other Operators’ Routes Other Operators’ Routes
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