London Transport NIGHT
Night Routes N1–N83

Last updated 03-03-08.

London Transport used black “E” plates with white lettering for night routes to distinguish them from the daytime services. These plates are far less common than the white versions as there were, until the 1990s, relatively few all-night routes. They are rarely seen nowadays, especially as it was such a small network of routes with many “E” plate variations. Unfortunately, the black enamel plates never seem to survive particularly well.

White-on-black “E” plates also exist for regular routes, as originally LT indicated Sunday-only routes in this manner. This method did not last for too long, and red numbers and lettering on white became the traditional way in which these workings were shown.

 September 1964 night buses map NIGHT
59 SUNDAY NIGHTEarly black & white SUNDAY “E” plate for route 59.
Timetable and diagram of routes for all-night buses dating from September 1964.
Route N18 map NIGHT

Route N18 runs between Trafalgar Square and Harrow Weald via Paddington Green, Harlesden, Wembley, Sudbury and Harrow.

This plate is one of the plastic ones which superseded enamel “E” plates and vinyl stickers. This type of plate has a fitting on the back which fits into a kind of keyhole mounting on the bus stop flag.

Route N18 in 2005. Adapted from The Greater London Bus Map.

 N18 NIGHT
N29 NIGHT

Route N29 was introduced in the early 1980s, running from Trafalgar Square to Enfield via Piccadily Circus, Shaftsbury Avenue, Camden Town, Holloway, Finsbury Park, Manor House, Harringay, Wood Green, Palmers Green and Winchmore Hill. It has since been extended to Ponders End.

This plate is actually a self-adhesive vinyl label with N29 NIGHT on it, on the back of a route 7 “E” plate.

7 NIGHT

Route N56 began operating in the mid-’80s, running non-stop in one direction only from Heathrow Airport to Paddington Station, thence to Kings Cross via Baker Street Station, Warren Street Station and Euston. One outbound journey also operated from Paddington Station to Heathrow via Marylebone, Baker Street Station, Warren Street Station, Euston, Kings Cross, Waterloo, Horseferry Road, Victoria and Hyde Park Corner, running non-stop between Kings Cross & Waterloo, and between Hyde Park Corner & Heathrow. It had ceased running by the late 1990s.

This vinyl sticker dates from the 1980s, when the “Night Owl” symbol was introduced for identifying night services.

 N56 NIGHT
N68 NIGHT N68 NIGHT - N88 NIGHT

Route N68 was introduced in the ’70s, renumbered from the night service on the 168, and ran between Wandsworth (Armoury Way) and Farringdon Street via Clapham Junction, Lavender Hill, Vauxhall, Millbank, Parliament Square, Trafalgar Square and Aldwych. It replaced the night service on route 168, and was the last night route to be introduced using “E” plates, and also before the major enhancement of the night bus network during the ’80s, when a great many more routes were introduced. The N68 had the meal relief journeys to Liverpool Street “livened up” in 1975, and was diverted to run via Strand and Aldwych instead of Victoria Embankment during the ’70s.It is mainly covered now by route N77, and today’s N68 covers the 68 day bus.

Route N88 was renumbered from route 288 in 1960. The route ran between Wandsworth (Armoury Way) and Farringdon Street via Battersea, Albert Embankment, Parliament Square, Trafalgar Square and Aldwych. Meal relief journeys to Liverpool Street were “livened up” in 1975, and the route was also diverted to run via Strand and Aldwych in the 1970s.

Route N81 was introduced in 1971 to replace a single late night journey on route 181 which was converted to one-man-operation, the night N81 retaining crew operation. It was worked by an RT or Routemaster and ran from Stockwell to Streatham Common via Clapham, Balham, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway and Southcroft Road, returning to Stockwell and on to Kennington where the bus either ran back to the garage, or in latter days out of service to Victoria where the crew took their meal break before going back into service on the 168 or N68. It was London Transport’s least frequent bus route, providing just one return journey each week on early Sunday morning.

 N81 NIGHT
N81 NIGHT
 N81 NIGHT
This “E” plate is unusual in having the plural NIGHTS—especially so given that the service only operated on the one day of the week!		 N81 NIGHT
For some reason the text A.M (note the omission of the final full-stop) is larger than normal, at the expense of the route number.
N82 NIGHT N82 NIGHT - N92 NIGHT

Route N82 was introduced in 1969 to replace the night journeys on route 182. The N82 ran between Woolich (General Gordon Place) and New Cross Gate (the 182 ran to New Cross) via Eltham, Lee and Lewisham.

Route N92 was renumbered from 292 in 1960. It ran from Archway Station to Trafalgar Square via Holloway, Highbury, Islington, Bllomsbury and Aldwych. The route was subsequently absorbed into route N43 and now forms part of route N41.

I am not sure where the split “E” plate would have come from, as, according to the information I have, the N82 ran north of the Thames, and the N92 operated in southeast London, without even an intersection point. If anyone can clear up this mystery, please .

Route N83 was introduced in 1960 replacing the night trolleybus services on routes 543 / 643. It ran between Tottenham Garage and Trafalgar Square via Stamford Hill, Stoke Newington, Dalston Junction, Shoreditch, Old Street, Clerkenwell, Farringdon Street and Strand. During the 1970s the journeys to and from Liverpool Street were “livened up” to run in service, and during the 1980s the route was extended to Wood Green via route 243. The route now forms part of route N243.

Route N85 was renumbered from 285 in 1960. It ran from Victoria Embankment to Grove Park Station via Blackfriars, Elephant & Castle, Old Kent Road, Bricklayers Arms, New Cross, Lewisham, Catford and Downham Way. It was subsequently rerouted to serve Trafalgar Square via Fleet Street and the Strand. The route now forms part of today’s route N36.

Route N91 was introduced in 1960, replacing night route 291 and ran between Liverpool Street and Willesden Garage via Bank, St. Paul’s, Fleet Street, Strand, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Marble Arch, Kensal Green and Harlesden. It was later diverted to serve Paddington Station, and has since been withdrawn and mainly replaced by route N6 (simply as route 6 these days).

Route N94—numbered 294 until 1960—ran between Liverpool Street and Cricklewood Garage via Bank, St. Paul’s, Ludgate Circus, Fleet Street, Strand, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Marble Arch, Edgware Road, Maida Vale and Kilburn. It was unusual at the time as there was a single journey provided on Sunday mornings, when most of the night routes did not run. The route now forms part of today’s route N16.

Route N97 was similarly renumbered from 297 in 1960. It ran between Liverpool Street and Turnham Green Garage via Bank, St. Paul’s, Ludgate Circus, Fleet Street, Strand, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Green Park, Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge, South Kensington, Fulham Broadway, Dawes Road, Hammersmith and Stamford Brook. It was subsequently rerouted to serve Earl’s Court. In 1977, when the Piccadilly Line was extended to Heathrow, the N97 underwent a major change when it was extended to Heathrow Airport via Chiswick, Gunnersbury, Brentford, Isleworth, Hounslow, Hounslow West, Cranford and Harlington Corner, and at the same time was introduced on Saturday night/Sunday morning and substantially increased in frequency. This was the start of a steady increase in the night bus network which has resulted in the extensive network that we have today. The route still runs today but only between Trafalgar Square and Hammersmith, having been replaced to Heathrow by route N9.
N83 NIGHT
 N83 FARE STAGE NIGHT
Fare Stage plates have always been much less common, and this is a superb example in excellent condition.		 N83 STONECUTTER STREET NIGHT
This plate will have come either from a stop in St. Bride Street (or possibly in latter days in Charterhouse Street), the roads used by the short-working journeys to Farringdon Street (Stonecutter Street). As with all “destinated” plates, they are exceedingly rare, and especially so for a night route.
N83 NIGHT - N85 NIGHT
The only place routes N83 and N85 ran together was for “up” journeys in Fleet Street between Farringdon and Aldwych. This remarkably rare plate would only have been displayed on a handful of stops at most.		 N83 NIGHT - N91 NIGHT
Needless to say, split “E” plates are always rare as they tended to be made for specific bus stops where there was insufficient space to display all route numbers on separate plates. This one is notable as there is the word AND instead of a dividing line, making it rather unusual. It would have come from a bus stop between Ludgate Circus and Trafalgar Square.		 N83 NIGHT - N84 NIGHT - N97 NIGHT
Triple-split “E” plates were extremely rare, and were only used where space was at a premium. I believe this one came from Trafalgar Square, where most of the night routes terminated. It is also unusual in that the back is white, rather than the background colour of its face.
← NIGHT → NIGHT
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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
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