London Buses route 61
Encyclopedia
London Buses route 61 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, England
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London
.
and Bromley
. The route was operated at Bromley Garage (TB) by RT-type
buses. The route ran from Eltham to Bromley Garage Monday to Saturday and Sunday ran from Eltham to Bromley North
. The current PVR was Monday to Saturday 10RT and Sunday 8RT. In early May 1956 the route was diverted around Chislehurst, (via Belmont Lane). The current PVR was Monday to Friday 11RT, Saturday 13RT and Sunday 8RT.
By 16 October 1957 the route was revised around the Bromley area, Monday to Saturday and Sunday afternoons the route ran from Eltham to Bromley North Station, Sunday mornings ran from Eltham to Bromley Garage. The current PVR was Monday to Friday 13RT, Saturday 14RT and Sunday 7RT.
buses. The Saturday service was also withdrawn between Chislehurst
and Eltham; this was replaced by the 227. The current PVR was 13 on Mondays to Fridays, 6 on Saturdays, and 4 on Sundays.
By 18 May 1974 the Saturday service between Chislehurst and Eltham was now back in full time operation. The PVR was increased to 9DMS on Saturday.
On 29 September 1979 the route was converted to small deck operation which was operated by Leyland National
s (LS). The current PVR was 14.
took over the route from London Transport, they operated the 61 from their Orpington depot (MB) by various types of double deckers, however they also provided single deck operations. There was a few changes to the route of the 61 Monday to Saturday ran from Chislehurst to Bromley North Station and Sunday ran from Eltham to Bromley North Station.
By 2 December 1995, Metrobus lost the contact to Centrewest
. They operated the 61 from their Swanley Garage (SJ). The route was still under double deck operation. The current PVR was 11DD Monday to Saturday and 3DD Sunday.
On 3 March 1996 the Sunday service was converted to single deck operation and the Monday to Saturday operation was run by Volvo Olympian
s. The current PVR was 11 Monday to Friday, 10 on Saturday, and 3 on Sunday.
By 2002 the operation was now called First Centrewest and they converted the route to low-floor double deck operation Monday to Sunday by VT type buses. The PVR in August 2006 was 12 Monday to Friday, 11 on Saturday, and 6 on Sunday.
On 2 December 2006 First lost the contract to Selkent
and they operate the route from their Bromley Garage (TB) which they took over quite a few years ago, they also bought some brand new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 buses for the route. The average journey time is between 30 and 55 minutes. The frequency is every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday, Sunday and evenings every 20 minutes and Sunday evenings run every 30 minutes.
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
contracted bus route in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London
Stagecoach London
Stagecoach London , is a bus company which principally operates services in the UK capital city of London, under contract to the London Buses arm of Transport for London. It was formed in 1989 as a subsidiary of London Buses. The company privatised in 1994 and acquired by the Stagecoach Group, but...
.
History
The route 61 began on 11 October 1950 and provided a service between ElthamEltham, London
-Parks and open spaces:There is a large variety of open green space in Eltham, in the form of parkland, fields and woodland.*Avery Hill Park is large, open parkland, situated to the east of Eltham. It is most notable for its Winter Garden, a hothouse containing tropical trees and plants from around...
and Bromley
Bromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
. The route was operated at Bromley Garage (TB) by RT-type
AEC Regent III RT
The AEC Regent III RT was a variant of the AEC Regent III. It was a double-decker bus produced jointly between AEC and London Transport. It was the standard red London bus during the 1950s.-Prototype:...
buses. The route ran from Eltham to Bromley Garage Monday to Saturday and Sunday ran from Eltham to Bromley North
Bromley North railway station
Bromley North railway station is in the London Borough of Bromley in south-east London, in Travelcard Zone 4. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southeastern. It is the terminus of the short Bromley North Branch Line from Grove Park....
. The current PVR was Monday to Saturday 10RT and Sunday 8RT. In early May 1956 the route was diverted around Chislehurst, (via Belmont Lane). The current PVR was Monday to Friday 11RT, Saturday 13RT and Sunday 8RT.
By 16 October 1957 the route was revised around the Bromley area, Monday to Saturday and Sunday afternoons the route ran from Eltham to Bromley North Station, Sunday mornings ran from Eltham to Bromley Garage. The current PVR was Monday to Friday 13RT, Saturday 14RT and Sunday 7RT.
1960s
On 31 December 1966 the route was full time between Bromley Garage and Bromley North Station. The current PVR was Monday to Friday 13RT, Saturday 7RT and Sunday 5RT. On 15 July 1972 the 61 was converted to OPO (One Person Operation) using Daimler FleetlineDaimler Fleetline
The Daimler Fleetline is a rear-engined double-decker bus chassis built between 1960 and 1973 in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, and from 1973 until 1980 in Farington, Lancashire, England. However, the last complete vehicle did not enter service until 1983...
buses. The Saturday service was also withdrawn between Chislehurst
Chislehurst
Chislehurst is a suburban district in south-east London, England, and an electoral ward of the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
and Eltham; this was replaced by the 227. The current PVR was 13 on Mondays to Fridays, 6 on Saturdays, and 4 on Sundays.
By 18 May 1974 the Saturday service between Chislehurst and Eltham was now back in full time operation. The PVR was increased to 9DMS on Saturday.
On 29 September 1979 the route was converted to small deck operation which was operated by Leyland National
Leyland National
The Leyland National is a British single-deck bus built in large quantities between 1972 and 1985. It was developed as a joint project between two UK nationalised industries - the National Bus Company and British Leyland. Buses were constructed at a specially built factory at the Lillyhall...
s (LS). The current PVR was 14.
1980s
On 16 August 1986 a company called MetrobusMetrobus (Go-Ahead Group)
Metrobus is a bus operator with routes in south and south-east London, and parts of Surrey, Kent, West and East Sussex. The company operates many routes on tender from Transport for London. Formed through a management buyout of Tillingbourne Ltd...
took over the route from London Transport, they operated the 61 from their Orpington depot (MB) by various types of double deckers, however they also provided single deck operations. There was a few changes to the route of the 61 Monday to Saturday ran from Chislehurst to Bromley North Station and Sunday ran from Eltham to Bromley North Station.
1990s
By 19 January 1991 the route was withdrawn between Chislehurst and Eltham fully.By 2 December 1995, Metrobus lost the contact to Centrewest
First London
.First London is one of many operators of London Buses and owned by First Group. They did also run the Tramlink network, in a partnership with Tramtrack Croydon before June 2008. Their registered office is at Paddington station in London...
. They operated the 61 from their Swanley Garage (SJ). The route was still under double deck operation. The current PVR was 11DD Monday to Saturday and 3DD Sunday.
On 3 March 1996 the Sunday service was converted to single deck operation and the Monday to Saturday operation was run by Volvo Olympian
Volvo Olympian
The Volvo Olympian was a rear-engine double decker bus built by Volvo at Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It was first built in 1992 and entered production in March 1993, replacing the Leyland Olympian....
s. The current PVR was 11 Monday to Friday, 10 on Saturday, and 3 on Sunday.
By 2002 the operation was now called First Centrewest and they converted the route to low-floor double deck operation Monday to Sunday by VT type buses. The PVR in August 2006 was 12 Monday to Friday, 11 on Saturday, and 6 on Sunday.
On 2 December 2006 First lost the contract to Selkent
Selkent
Selkent, or the South East London & Kent Bus Company Ltd, is one of many operators of bus services contracted to Transport for London. It is currently owned by Stagecoach Group, as part of Stagecoach London....
and they operate the route from their Bromley Garage (TB) which they took over quite a few years ago, they also bought some brand new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 buses for the route. The average journey time is between 30 and 55 minutes. The frequency is every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday, Sunday and evenings every 20 minutes and Sunday evenings run every 30 minutes.
Current route
- Bromley North StationBromley North railway stationBromley North railway station is in the London Borough of Bromley in south-east London, in Travelcard Zone 4. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southeastern. It is the terminus of the short Bromley North Branch Line from Grove Park....
- Tweedy Road
- Kentish Way
- Elmfield Road
- Bromley High Street
- Bromley South StationBromley South railway stationBromley South railway station is a major interchange and station in Bromley town centre within the London Borough of Bromley in southeast London. It is in Travelcard Zone 5, and the station and all trains are operated by Southeastern...
- Masons Hill
- Bromley CommonBromley CommonBromley Common is the area centered around the road of the same name, stretching between Masons Hill at the south end of Bromley and Hastings Road, Locksbottom. Part of the A21...
- Hastings Road
- Farnborough Common
- LocksbottomLocksbottomLocksbottom is a place in the London Borough of Bromley in London, England.It consists of a parade of shops on Crofton Road running from the Fantail to Tugmutton Common. At one end is the Black Horse pub and the Whyte Lion pub at the other...
- Crofton Road
- Orpington StationOrpington railway stationOrpington railway station serves the town of Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. Located in Crofton Road, the station is a 500m west of the southern end of Orpington High Street....
- Station Road
- OrpingtonOrpingtonOrpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
High Street - Chislehurst Road
- Goodmead Road
- Perry Hall Road
- Chislehurst Road
- Poverest Road
- Sevenoaks Way
- Leesons Hill
- St Pauls Cray Road
- Centre Common Road
- Chislehurst High Street
- Albany Road
- Green Lane
- ChislehurstChislehurstChislehurst is a suburban district in south-east London, England, and an electoral ward of the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
Gordon Arms