Eclectic Electrics in South London

On this occasion, I catch up with the introduction of new electric buses in the Streatham, Thornton Heath & Croydon areas, together with some rides on outgoing diesels which are soon due for replacement.

Transport UK has introduced a batch of new Wright StreetDeck Electroliners onto the 133. Fleet no 3040 of Battersea (QB) Garage awaits departure time at Holborn Red Lion Square.

Later versions of this type, like 3079 which I travelled on, have the new larger windscreen without the upsweeps at the side to improve the driver’s vision.

Route 133: Holborn to Streatham

I began in the centre of town, alighting from the Piccadilly Line at Holborn Station, from where it was a short walk around the corner to Red Lion Square. This was the start point of my first route, the 133, which is a recent arrival at this location, having been diverted here from its long-time former City terminus at Liverpool Street in 2023, as replacement for the eastern end of withdrawn Red Arrow 521.

Transport UK (renamed from Abellio) took over the contract in Jan 2024 and, after an initial operation with LT and other hybrids, now operates a fleet of Wright StreetDeck Electroliners on the route from Battersea (QB) Garage. Of the vehicles on stand when I arrived, it was interesting to note the comparison between the earlier versions of the type with their lozenge shaped windscreens and the later ones with larger rounded windscreens which have been specified for new deliveries in order to improve the driver’s field of vision.

I had fleet no 3079, one of the newer ones, with just a handful of riders boarding as we departed via the quiet streets of Central London early on a Saturday morning via Chancery Lane and Holborn Circus. At St Paul’s, due to long term roadworks, we were on diversion away from the normal route via Bank, instead running via Cannon Street to Monument, before crossing London Bridge with iconic views of Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast. Good progress on the south bank through Borough to Elephant & Castle, where we paused for a couple of minutes “to regulate the service”. From here, the roads were strangely quiet through Kennington, with its distinctive domed City & South London Railway station, now on the Northern Line, before the straight run to Brixton.

A good crowd boarded at Brixton Station, the first time we were busy on this trip, then up Brixton Hill passing the former Brixton Tram Depot, which now serves as an overflow for nearby Brixton (BN) Garage. Through Streatham Hill to Streatham High Road and the St Leonard’s Church junction, before terminating at Sreatham Station, adjacent to the site of the famous Streatham Ice Rink, once a distinctive feature of the area, but now replaced by an anonymous supermarket! Overall, a decent run, taking 55 mins in total.

The 133 has an interesting history, for many years running between Liverpool Street and South Croydon Garage, although the southern terminus had been pared back to Streatham Garage in the mid 70s when I first rode it. There had been a long extension at the northern end to Hendon Central on Sundays only from 1958 in place of the 43 and 143 on that day, although this was cut back to Archway 10 years later and withdrawn completely in 1969, due to reintroduction of the other services. When Streatham Garage closed in 1984, the southern terminus was altered to Streatham High Rd Green Lane, but the following year saw a rerouteing to Tooting Broadway in place of a withdrawn section of the 95. This lasted until 2003, when offshoot route 333 took over the Tooting leg and the 133 was cut back once more to Streatham, initially St Leonard’s Church, but then to the new stand at Streatham Station when it opened. The final major route change came in 2023 at the “in town” end, with the move to Holborn, as described at the start of this route review.

Crew operation passed from RT through DM to RM in the 70s/80s, until OPO conversion in 1985 with DMS, soon replaced by M, although the experimental H types appeared from 1987. London General became the operator in 1990, using a fleet of Volvo Citybuses (VC type), which were unique to Stockwell (SW) Garage and were only scheduled on the 133 and 196, with odd appearances on other routes. Low floor conversion in the early 00s saw PDL and PVL types, later replaced with WVLs. Arriva took the contract in 2010 with Ts, subsequently replaced with HA class vehicles, until Transport UK took over in 2024 as mentioned above.

At the time of my visit, just the first two Wright GB Kite Electroliners for the 255 at Arriva London’s Thornton Heath (TH) Garage were in service. EKL1 demonstrates the new class at Pollards Hill.

Note the deeper more rounded windscreen, which is now specified for new deliveries, contrasting with the angular version as in the previous picture.

Route 255: Streatham to Balham then Balham to Pollards Hill

At Streatham Station, it was a straight switch to my second route of the day, the 255. This has been retained on re-tender recently by Arriva London, with new Wright GB Kite Electroliner single deckers just beginning entry into service. Only the first two, EKL1 and EKL2, had ventured out at the time of this trip, with the balance of the allocation being formed of the outgoing ENL class Enviro200s.

LVF showed that the first of the new duo was on the approach, bound for Balham, so I jumped on when it arrived. First impressions of the new type were mainly positive, with the expected modern interior features and smooth ride, although the seating seemed a bit cramped. Dual doors take up a lot of space on relatively short vehicles such as this. We were reasonably full as we made our way back up the main road to Streatham Hill, before turning off via the 255’s freehold section around the back doubles to Balham, a 20 min run.

As we were a little late on the schedule at this point, the driver took just a couple of minutes stand time, before continuing around the loop at Balham on the return run to Pollards Hill. By contrast with the outward trip, we were almost empty this time, just 2 of us plus the driver, with no pick ups in the back streets all the way to Streatham Hill, very unusual. Even back on the main road section through Streatham, we were not full and we soon made up time, pausing briefly at Streatham Common due to early running. Back on time at Norbury Station, before turning off the A23 along Stanford Road, uniquely served by the 255. Then the final stretch along Rowan Road and Wide Way to Pollards Hill Library, terminating at the next stop, South Lodge Avenue. 35 mins end to end on this short service.

The 255 is a more recent route, beginning in 1998 between Pollards Hill and Clapham Common, replacing part of the 60 and providing new links. After being extended to Stockwell in 2003, it was cut back to Streatham Hill 5 years later when the 50 took over the Stockwell section. Finally, it gained the useful new extension to Balham in 2014. Always with Arriva. the route has moved through DRL, LDR and DDL Dart types to DWL Cadets and then ENL Enviros.

Part Route 60: Pollards Hill to West Croydon

The weather was very damp by now, so I was grateful to make the straight transfer onto Arriva DW313 of Croydon (TC) Garage on the 60 at Pollards Hill, which pulled up as I reached the stop. A straight 15 min positioning run from here via Thornton Heath Pond to West Croydon Station, where I alighted.

Go Ahead London Enviro400 E216 of Croydon (C) Garage stands at Warlingham Sainsbury’s on the 403 already blinded for its return trip to West Croydon.

The supermarket behind the bus is built on the site of the former London Country Chelsham (CM) Garage.

Route 403: West Croydon to Warlingham (and back)

At West Croydon Bus Station, recently refurbished but strangely offering little in the way of protection from the weather, next on the list was a spin on the 403 to Warlingham and back. This is a route which I first rode in London Country days, famously the last to host Green RTs, operated by the late lamented Chelsham (CM) Garage. I can well remember trips between Wallington, West Croydon, Chelsham Garage and Warlingham Park Hospital by RT in the mid 70s, when the 403 was much longer than it is today. The route featured the handful of RTs to be repainted in National Light Green, including RT604, which I rode back in 1977 and have renewed acquaintance with in more recent years on Country Bus Running Days.

Coming back to the present day, the offering on the 403 is more prosaic, featuring a mix of E, WVL and WVN types, operated by Go Ahead London out of Croydon (C) Garage. However, change is afoot again, as the contract has been retained from later in 2025 with existing hybrids due to replace the diesels.

I had Enviro400 E216 for my outward run, following the traditional 403 route from West Croydon via Fairfield Halls to South Croydon “Swan & Sugar Loaf”. Then the unusual diversion off Selsdon Road around the Sussex Road dogleg to avoid the low railway bridge, which these days can be a problem with parked cars both sides if another bus comes the other way at the same time - which happened to us! Turning into Carlton Road, temporary lights and single lane working caused a short delay on approach to Sanderstead Station. Then up Sanderstead Hill, on which the old RTs sometimes struggled a bit, with sticky traffic at Sanderstead Shops. Free flowing through Hamsey Green, before another queue on approach to Warlingham Green. From here, only a couple of stops to Warlingham Sainsbury’s, the end of the route these days and the site of the old Chelsham Garage. As I entered the supermarket to use the facilities and purchase supplies, it seemed odd to recall that buses once lined the space now occupied by the shelves and checkouts! A 40 min run here from West Croydon.

For the return trip, I caught the next working, formed by E215. A slightly busier run in this direction in terms of passengers, although the traffic was a little better, apart from a queue on approach to the Swan & Sugar Loaf junction. Another 40 min trip.

I already mentioned the 403 as a London Country route back in the day, but it was in 1986 that it became a TfL service, although still operated by London Country South West as it had become by that time, using ANs. The route was then Cheam Village / Wallington Stn to Chelsham Garage / Warlingham Park Hospital. The contract was reassigned to Arriva South London in 1989 using L type Olympians, with the route cut back at the western end to West Croydon in 1991 in lieu of replacing services 407 & 408 to Wallington & Cheam respectively. London & Country (later rebranded Londonlinks) came in at the next contract change in 1994 with Volvo double decks, although this later became subsumed into Arriva South London.

Millennium Year 2000 saw the final cut back from Warlingham Park (or Chelsham Common as it became known when a housing development replaced the hospital) to Warlingham Sainsbury’s, which had been built on the site of the now closed Chelsham Garage. Low floor double decks came in 2004 with DW types, which continued until 2018, when current operator Go Ahead took control.

Tramlink Bombardier Flexity Swift CR4000 number 2546 at the end of the line at New Addington after my ride on it from West Croydon.

This is one of the original Tramlink sets which began operation when the line was opened in 2000 and were numbered following on from the last of the previous trams which had been withdrawn from London in 1952.

Tramlink: West Croydon to New Addington

Back at West Croydon, I stepped away from the buses for a short while, with a rare chance in London to ride a tram. “Tramlink” as it is now known under TfL, opened in 2000 and was the first operational tram system in the capital since 1952. Initially, the routes were numbered 1 (Elmers End - Wimbledon), 2 (Croydon - Beckenham Junction) and 3 (Croydon - New Addington), but in 2006 the network was restructured, into route 1 (Elmers End - Croydon), 2 (Beckenham Junction - Croydon), 3 (New Addington - Wimbledon) and 4 (Elmers End - Therapia Lane, later extended to Wimbledon). A further change in 2018 saw a reversion to 3 services, this time without numbers: New Addington - West Croydon; Wimbledon - Beckenham Junction; Wimbledon - Elmers End. TfL owns the network but it is operated on its behalf by First Group.

Low floor operated from inception, the current fleet consists of 23 original Bombardier CR4000 sets, plus 12 Stadler Variobahn sets added in the 2010s. After starting off with a red and white livery when new, largely matching the buses, this was changed to blue, white and green in 2008 to match the routes on TfL maps, a retrograde step in my opinion. At least someone with a sense of history had the good sense to restart the numbering of the cars at 2530 to follow on from the highest number operated on the old London tram system which closed in 1952!

I boarded a very full Bombardier set, 2546, at West Croydon, bound for New Addington. After street running to East Croydon and beyond to Sandilands, we took the sharp curve onto the old Woodside & South Croydon Railway route through the tunnel to the site of the old Coombe Road Station, before curving away across Lloyd Park. This route is then on all new alignment through a largely wooded setting to Gravel Hill, before crossing the road to reach Addington Village Interchange. Running parallel to the main road into New Addington from here, we reached the terminus at Salcot Crescent, near Central Parade shops. Journey time - 25 mins.

“In with the new”….

Arriva is busy converting Thornton Heath (TH) Garage to electric operation, with the 64 being the first route based there to be treated. Wright StreetDeck Electroliner ES36 is seen at the Vulcan Way terminus in New Addington before I rode it to Thornton Heath.

Note the unusual addition of a zero before the “36” on the fleet number and the lozenge shaped front windscreen which is being replaced on later deliveries with the deeper “Vision Zero” version.

Route 64: New Addington to Thornton Heath

Crossing the road from the Tram Stop, I returned to the buses and awaited the next 64 into the estate at Salcot Crescent. This route is operated by Arriva out of Thornton Heath (TH) Garage and has been the first there to be converted to electrics using new Wright StreetDeck Electroliners, it being intended that the other double deck routes at the depot will follow in due course. Next to turn up was ES36 (or ES036 as it had been oddly numbered). I clambered aboard for the short run through the New Addington estate to the outer terminus at Vulcan Way, which took less than 10 mins.

After a short 5 min break, I returned on the same vehicle when it departed, this time to ride the whole route back to base at TH Garage. The 64 follows a long meandering course through New Addington, serving the Homestead Way, Salcot Crescent and Goldcrest Way areas, in a sort of backwards “S” shape, before finally exiting the estate at Addington Village Interchange. From here, we travelled west towards Selsdon, turning right at the traffic lights along Farley Road and Croham Valley Road, past lots of big houses, before entering the outskirts of South Croydon. Rather than taking the main road, the 64 loops around Park Hill Road to the east of Central Croydon, finally emerging onto Addiscombe Road not far from East Croydon Station. After disgorging much of our load there, we deposited most of the rest at the Whitgift Centre and West Croydon Bus Station, before picking up more short-riders for the main road hop to Thornton Heath Garage. A 65 min trip.

Route 64 operated between Tooting Broadway and Addington Gravel Hill in the 70s when I first discovered it, already having been converted from crew RM to OPO DMS in 1971. The service was split in 1987, with the northern section hived off to new route 264, whilst the 64 was diverted to Thornton Heath Garage, although there was a short-lived extension to Thornton Heath High St during Sat Shopping Hours for a few years. At the southern end, the route was pushed further into New Addington, terminating at Salcot Crescent. In 2015, this was extended to the present Vulcan Way terminus.

The route has been operated by Arriva and its forerunners over this period, except between 1997 and 2016 when Metrobus had the contract. Arriva operated DMS and L types during its initial stint, whilst Metrobus favoured mostly Optares and Scanias. When Arriva finally returned, T class Enviro400s were the mainstay until the new ES vehicles entered service in 2024.

“Out with the Old”….

The Enviro400s on the 250 were on borrowed time when this view of T139 of TH Garage was taken at West Croydon Bus Station.

As with the other double deck routes at the garage, new electrics are expected to enter service during 2025.

Route 250: Thornton Heath to West Croydon then West Croydon to Brixton

It was now approaching “Going Home Time”, so for my final route of the day, I selected the 250, another Arriva operation out of TH Garage, but still with diesels (for now!), so possibly my final chance to sample them on this service. I began by retracing my steps slightly, taking Enviro400 T139 from opposite the garage back to West Croydon Bus Station, a 12 min hop.

I was then able to step up a couple of workings and take sister Enviro T149 for the full run to Brixton. As expected, a busy old run, as we picked up a crowd at West Croydon Station and continued back up to Thornton Heath Pond and a speedy driver change outside the garage. Then we swung a right away from the A23 on the dog-leg via Brigstock Road to Thornton Heath Station, before turning left along the 250’s unique section along Green Lane to Norbury, where we rejoined the main road once more. Plenty on and off as we made our way along the Streatham High Road to Streatham Hill, where we caught up with a 159 so were able to share the load and miss a few stops. Past Brixton Garage again and down Brixton Hill to Brixton Station, where we terminated after a run of exactly 1 hour.

The 250 was introduced in 1988, effectively as a localisation of the southern end of the 159 beyond Streatham with an overlap, but also providing new direct “round the corner” links from Green Lane to Thornton Heath Pond and West Croydon. Initially M-S only, the 159 continued over its longer traditional route on Suns, but this ceased when the 250 became a Daily operation in 1990. The only route change to affect the 250 has been the short cut back from Croydon Town Centre to West Croydon in 2019.

The route has always been operated by Arriva and its predecessors, with the main types passing through DMS, M, L, DLA and T. New ES types are now imminent to convert the service to electric operation.

From the final stop in Brixton Road, I merely had to cross the road to the Victoria Line Station for the journey home.

Watton

To end this report, a final look at the outgoing Enviro200s on the 255. Arriva ENL52 of TH Garage seen at a sunny Pollards Hill terminus back in April 2022.

The replacement EKL types have 3 seats less than these veterans!