Other Operators: G–M

“E” plates for other operators were relatively uncommon and would generally have only appeared on a few stops, generally in town centres on the fringe of London Transport’s Country Area. It is rare to find “E” plates for other operators that used LT stops in the Central area, which for many people brings back memories of childhood holidays to the coast.

Fred Varney’s “Golden Miller” business—with two coaches and a Twickenham booking office—was acquired in 1955 by F.G. Wilder & Sons Ltd. of Feltham. In January 1967 Tourist Bus Service was acquired, with one vehicle and a stage licence for a service from Feltham Station to East Bedfont. This service, later numbered 601, had been the first since the War to be given a consent by London Transport when it began operation in 1955. On 1st January 1968 two further stage services were started: route 602 from Feltham to Shepperton Station, and the 603 to Hanworth. In November 1970 the Walton-on-Thames to Walton Station service of Walton-on-Thames Motor Co. Ltd.—which had begun in 1923 and unaccountably was never taken over by the LPTB—was acquired by Golden Miller and extended to Oatlands Village as route 604; however, this route was not a success and was withdrawn. Number 605 was intended for a route in the Claygate area which never materialised, while the 606 was started in 1971, linking Staines town centre to Stanwell Moor and Stanwell Village. It was separate from the rest of the Golden Miller network.

This “E” plate is unusual in that does not give the operator’s name, and the blue colour would normally be associated with an express route; but in this case I think it was simply a colour used by the operator in their livery and on their publicity. The route has long since disappeared.

Grey Green Coaches, based in Stamford Hill, can trace its origins back over a century to the foundation of George Ewer’s horse carriage business in 1885. The business prospered, and summer-only services were soon operating to many South Coast resorts. Before the end of the twenties, East Anglia was well covered too. The first service to operate throughout the year was the London–Ipswich route, started in June 1928. The 1930s started with the introduction of a London–Harwich route, and operations continued to expand rapidly through East Anglia and to the coast, interrupted only by the War. Routes run by the Prince Omnibus Company of Edmonton were added in the ’30s. Orange Luxury Coaches Ltd. was acquired in 1953, and this long-established company remained as a subsidiary of the main company until finally wound up in December 1975. The large-but-ageing United Service Transport fleet was taken over in 1965. Several of the companies taken over retained their separate identities and distinctive liveries in order to maintain goodwill, but in 1966 it was decided to concentrate the group’s operations on two trading names: Grey-Green and Orange. Subsequent acquisitions included the London coaching business of Birch Bros. Ltd. in 1971, Mitcham Belle Coaches in 1974, and Dix Coaches in 1976 The basic livery became green and white (having evolved from the green and grey that gave Grey-Green its name). The coaching fleets are painted in separate liveries.

In 1987 Grey-Green successfully bid for routes 125, 173, 179 and 379 (originally the 179A). In 1988 they began operating the 24, 298 and 313. Route 103 was taken over in 1991, and by 1994 the list had expanded to include the 20, 141, 167, 168, 210, 235, 275, 473 and D9.

Maidstone & District routes 31 and 32 were Tonbridge locals.

M&D route 91 ran from Tonbridge to East Grinstead via Tunbridge Wells and Forest Row. Route 93 was a Tunbridge Wells circular service running via Edenbridge and Penshurst.

The lettering on the second “E” plate is somewhat irregular as it was hand-painted onto a square of aluminum.

Maidstone & District route 98 ran from Tunbridge Wells to Higham Wood via Tonbridge, while M&D 100 and 101 were Tonbridge locals, so this “E” plate is presumably from Tonbridge (but I’m not an expert on Maidstone and District routes!).

Maidstone & District route 101 was a Tonbridge local service.

Route 122 was a four-hour marathon Gravesend–Brighton service which used to run daily every hour. It was run jointly by Maidstone & District and Southdown Motor Services, including having one or two vehicles shedded at the other operator’s premises overnight. A unique feature of this service was that the two companies operated similar vehicles, enabling one company’s crews to operate the other’s vehicles, a frequent practice on the route. The route was first bisected at Tunbridge Wells in the 1970s, then the northern half was butchered out of existence. The area between Tonbridge and Borough Green via Plaxtol was very rural and hardly justified the service offerred. Today the Brighton–Tunbridge Wells portion is alive and well and runs as Brighton & Hove routes 29 and 129; several local routes run thence to Tonbridge, but with no direct service at all north of Tonbridge (’though it is still possible to travel from Gravesend south to Borough Green on an Arriva bus).

This plate is very unusual is that is shows two operators’ names, and likely has come from Gravesend, Wrotham (where the 719 was met), or the Tonbridge–Tunbridge Wells section of route.

I do not know where Maidstone & District route 123 ran. However, the number series suggests it might have have been a minor route in the Tonbridge or Borough Green areas (’though there have been routes running from Gravesend numbered in the 1××-series). It may have been a variation on the 122 running as a Gravesend–Borough Green short by a different route, as there was more than one routeing served through Istead Rise.

Maidstone & District route 300 came well into the London Transport area. It ran on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Thamesmead (Eynsham Drive/Harrow Manorway) to Leysdown (Bus Station) via Abbey Wood, Plumstead, East Wickham, Welling, Bexleyheath, Crayford, Dartford, Stone, Greenhithe, Swanscombe, Northfleet, Gravesend, Higham, Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, Newington, Bobbing, Queenborough, Sheerness and Minster. The service was designed to take people on holiday, and ran in the late 1970s during the summer months. In the 1978 timetable, buses were shown as leaving Thamesmead at 19.30 on Fridays, and at 09.00 on Saturdays and Sundays, arriving in Leysdown two hours and 47 minutes later. Return journeys from Leysdown departed at 12.30 on Saturdays and 17.30 on Sundays. Journeys on other days ran only between Gravesend and Leysdown. The service was intended for people on holiday.

This plate would have been used on a stop where Maidstone & District express services picked up for their excursions and tours. It could have been on stops in the Gravesend or Dartford areas, or possibly other stops towards central London. It is rare to find “E” plates for other operators that used LT stops, and I doubt there would have been many stops carrying these plates.