Route 208

04.09.82

11RM

15RM

3RM

SURREY DOCKS STN (Sat shop hrs) Deptford, LEWISHAM Bus Station, Catford, Downham, Bromley, Bromley Common, Southborough, PETTS WOOD STN (Suns) Crofton Lane, ORPINGTON Perry Hall Road (MS)
NEW ROUTE: Replaced former Route 94 between Bromley and Orpington.

11.06.84

12Tc

15Tc

3Tc

Converted to Titan Crew Operation.

02.02.86

13T

18T

Converted to One Person Operation.

16.08.86	TB	13T	18T	4T
	TL	--	8T	--

Daily Bromley (TB) allocation introduced.
Sunday-Friday Catford (TL) allocation withdrawn.

06.06.87	TB	9T	--	4T
	TL	4T	14T	--

LEWISHAM Bus Station - PETTS WOOD STATION (Suns) - ORPINGTON (MS)
Saturday withdrawn between Surrey Docks Station and Lewisham.
MF Catford (TL) allocation re-introduced, and Saturday Bromley (TB) allocation withdrawn.

21.11.87	TB	13T	8T	4T
	TL	--	6T	--

Saturday Bromley (TB) allocation re-introduced.

11.08.90

15T

13T

LEWISHAM - ORPINGTON
Sunday extended from Petts Wood to Orpington
Catford (TL) allocation withdrawn.

24.07.93

21T

10T

Bromley (TB) allocation transferred to Catford (TL)

12.03.94

12LV/9T

11LV

New Dennis Lance single deck type introduced.

08.11.97	TB	7T	7T	6T
	TL	14T	15T	6T

Bromley Garage (TB) allocation introduced and converted fully to double deck. See notes below.

02.09.00

22VA

12VA

Catford (TL) allocation withdrawn.

28.04.01

22TA

23TA

12TA

Converted to low floor double deck operation.

TB Bromley
Changeover point see below

TL Catford
Changeover point outside garage.

Bromley meal reliefs were taken at: Bromley Common Crown or Bromley Garage on Monday to Saturday. On Sundays meal relief's were taken at TL, with drivers using a ferry bus from TB to TL. A TB bus would be parked up at TL for most of the day until the last relief's would bring it back.

When there was the last joint TB and TL allocation, drivers used to drive either garages buses, so an early TB 208 would come off at TL taken over by a TL driver. The TB driver would then sometimes take a TL bus for the second spell. This meant the L type Olympians could not be used as TB drivers were not type trained. This was a daily operation. Bromley canteen did not open on Sundays.

The TB allocation was mainly T with a few VA, the type were originally brought in for route 320 as Titans found it difficult to get up Stock Hill in Biggin Hill Valley. When the 320 went to Metrobus, the VA were used on the 194 firstly. I believe TB have 2 VAs left for Surrey schools work, Assault Screens removed. They work between Whyteleafe or the old Chelsham garage to Redhill. The school kids that use them are seriously the best school kids.

Further to the earlier email re the 208, it's conception was partly down to me. During my early days with LT the 47 ran in overlapping sections Farnborough to Lewisham and Bromley Garage to Shoreditch. Relief points not a problem.

The 94 however ran from Sidcup Station (peaks), Orpington to Lewisham Brockley Rise (Sats) passing neither garage TB or TL on the way.

Hence the suggestion came from me, LT suggestion scheme paid me £3, to run the 47 Farnborough to Lewisham section via Grove Park with a TB allocation and the 94 to be diverted at Bromley to run via Catford to Lewisham. As the suggestion was in the early 70s, it took some time for it to happen. By then, other routes became involved, running it down to Green Street Green as the 261, and the birth of the 208.

I may have told you, the 94 had a weird Saturday journey that departed Brockley Rise showing BROMLEY Market Square, when it got to Grove Park Station the blinds were changed to show CATFORD GARAGE, running back from Bromley via the 1/47 route to TL. The same theory applied on TL garage journeys to TL from Orpington via Lewisham. Prior to the Catford Garage via Lewisham blind, buses left Orpington showing LEWISHAM but once past Bromley the blind could be changed to show CATFORD GARAGE, which sometimes upset the punters who wanted to go to the stand in Lewisham, as you turned off before you were near it.

Page modified Saturday, November 17, 2007