Way out east on this day out chasing and riding diesel double deckers on routes in the Romford area, which are expected to be replaced by new electric vehicles in the coming months or are in process of conversion to existing hybrids.

***Busical Chairs in play…***
Traditionally a single deck route, the 499 was converted to double deckers in 2025, with its former Enviro200 MMCs moving from Rainham (RM) Garage to Bromley (TB) to reconvert the 246 to single deck. 36604 illustrates the old order on the 499 at Gallows Corner Tesco in 2023.

The 246 had previously given up its diesel single deckers for the 323 at West Ham (WH) Garage, receiving a temporary allocation of spare Enviro400 double deckers in exchange, which in turn enabled the electrics on the 323 to be converted to cycle buses for the new Silvertown Tunnel!

Route 499: Romford - Heath Park - Gallows Corner - Romford

I arrived bright and early at Romford Station via the Elizabeth Line, to begin a series of rides on various diesel double deckers in the area. My first route was the 499, which has always been single deck until converted to double deck in 2025 so that its previous buses could move from Rainham (RM) to Bromley (TB) in order to reconvert the 246, which itself had gained a temporary double decker allocation as a result of its then single deckers being required for the 323 at West Ham (WH) when its electrics were repurposed for the new Silvertown Tunnel cycle service - a great example of “busical chairs” in play!

Enviro400s now appear on the 499 and I hopped on Stagecoach 10173 of RM Garage at Romford Station on its journey to Heath Park Estate. This route is unusual (for London) in that it operates in a “frying pan” with a one-way loop at one end and a long extension at the other. We made our way out of town, first doing the double-run to serve Queen’s Hospital, before entering the circular section along Crow Lane, which is “Hail & Ride” and where we dropped and picked up a few users. Then a left along Whalebone Lane to Becontree Heath, before entering the narrow roads of the Heath Park Estate.

After a couple of minutes “hesitation” built into the schedule half way round, we continued through the estate to Rainham Road and then past Dagenham Central Park along Rush Green Road. Turning left into Dagenham Road, we completed the loop section back into Romford via the hospital once again. A busy exchange in the town centre before continuing along Main Road and Petitts Lane to the Eastern Avenue, which we crossed and made our way up to Chase Cross. Swinging right, we entered the fast country section through the trees and general greenery to Noak Hill, before looping around through Harold Hill to serve the shops. Then along Hilldene Avenue to Straight Road, where we again left the main drag to serve the narrow local estate roads. Back on Straight Road, we reached Gallows Corner, closed to normal traffic due to long term roadworks at this time, but with buses and taxis allowed through. A couple of minutes later, we terminated at Tescos after a trip of 1h15m since I boarded.

After a 10 min layover, I reboarded the same bus to complete the rounder via the reverse of the outward route, alighting back at Romford Station 45 mins later. By now, traffic was beginning to build on the local roads due to the diversions in place caused by the Gallows Corner closure, so I was lucky that I did the route relatively early in the day.

The 499 began as a 1 bus operation with Stagecoach in 1994 as a simple circular from Romford North Street via Crow Lane, Whalebone Lane and Rush Green Road using a DAL or DRL midi. In 2000, it was rerouted to include the Heath Park area and the following year was converted to low floor Darts. When First took the contract in 2002 using a DMS or DMC Dart, it received the extension east to Gallows Corner Tesco. Subsequent years saw minor rerouteings, the service passing through Arriva with Enviro200s from 2009-15, before Stagecoach returned once again with Enviro200 MMCs.

***The conversion of the 499 from single to double deck in 2025 is demonstrated here by Enviro400 fleet no 10173 of Rainham (RM) Garage, also captured at Gallows Corner Tesco.***

*This was taken during my rounder on the route, during the layover between trips.*

Part Route 175: Romford - Dagenham

Next, I switched to Arriva, which had recently converted routes 150 & 175 at Barking (DX) Garage from diesel to hybrid operation, using spare HVs from Palmers Green (AD) and Tottenham (AR) thrown up by the electrification of routes there. The 175 was previously mainly DW operated with a few Ts, but although these have mainly gone, a handful have remained into 2026.

DW258 was the sole example of its class on the 175 on the day I travelled and I was lucky to have just a 20 min wait for it at Romford Station on its next southbound trip to Dagenham, during which I also spotted a couple of Ts on the route. A straight 30 min run via Becontree Heath and Dagenham Heathway to the terminus at New Road.

The 175 was retained by Arriva on retender back in October 2024 with cascaded hybrids intended to replace its existing diesels. This finally occurred during 2025, but a handful of the old timers remained in service at Barking (DX) Garage into 2026, including DB300 Wright DW258, seen at Dagenham New Road terminus during my rides on it.

*On the day I visited, this was the only DW out, but there were also a couple of T class Enviro400s on the route amid the majority HVs.*

Route 175: Dagenham - North Romford Hillrise Estate

I reboarded the same bus at New Road after a long break, the bus in front seemingly being cut, presumably due to a driver or vehicle problem. A busy run back through Dagenham, with its rows of small houses that characterise the area which was developed from the 1920s onwards with the arrival of the huge Ford Motor Company’s plant. This once required large numbers of buses to serve it at peak and shift change times, the 175 once having an extension to Fords Main Works, but the site has now largely been swept away and replaced with new retail and housing developments.

Nevertheless, the area is still busy and we had a full bus as we progressed via Heathway up to Becontree Heath and back to Romford. A further swap of passengers in the town centre before continuing up North Street past Romford (NS) Garage and over the Eastern Avenue through inter-war suburbia to Collier Row. Then a short hop up the hill to the terminus at Hillrise Estate, which replaced the former destination of Chase Cross some years ago. A decent 55 min trip.

The 175 was once a very long route from Poplar to Ongar “in extremis” but normally operated in sections. By the time I discovered it in the 1970s, it had been split into three parts: Poplar - Becontree Heath as 173, Romford - Ongar as 175A, with the plain 175 reduced to a rump between Dagenham & Chase Cross with RT operation. There was a brief period using former British Airways RMA Routemasters in 1975/6, but the RTs then returned for a while until RM conversion in 1977, with the northern terminus becoming Hillrise Estate in 1979.

Titans came to the route in 1982, initially crew operated, but OPO after a few months. These lasted a very long time, although VN class Olympians appeared in support from the late 90s. Low floor conversion with Trident ALX400s occurred in the early noughties. Arriva took the contract from long term operator Stagecoach in 2017 using DWs.

The main Dagenham terminus for many years was New Road, with only certain journeys to Fords, but in 1991 the latter became the normal all day terminus, although there were periods when buses operated to either Dagenham Dock or Fords Foundry instead. Withdrawal between Fords and New Road only came in 2017.

A brief mention of the 175A, which as stated above replaced the Romford - Ongar section of the 175 in 1973. This operated with 1 RT, although this was later replaced with an RM. The variant was withdrawn in 1977 when OPO route 247B took over, although this didn’t last long either and there is now no regular service between Romford & Ongar, the 375 providing a limited service as far as Passingford Bridge. When the London Bus Museum organised a Running Day over the 175 in 2023, I was able to reprise the Ongar section of the route by RT for the first time, filling a gap in my London bus route history!

The 252 was retained by Stagecoach London on contract renewal in September 2025, with new electrics promised in due course. For now, existing diesels like Enviro400 10112 of Rainham (RM) Garage hold the fort.

*The vehicle is seen on stand between trips at Collier Row Clockhouse Lane before I travelled aboard to Hornchurch.*

Route 252: Collier Row - Hornchurch - Elm Park

From Hillrise Estate, rather than wait 15 mins for the bus to leave, I walked through the estate roads back down to Collier Row to pick up my next route, the 252. This was one of a number of routes in the area to be retained by Stagecoach on retender in September 2025, with the promise of new electric double deckers in due course. In the meantime, it was an opportunity for me to sample the existing diesels for perhaps a final time.

Enviro400s from Rainham (RM) Garage provide the allocation and I awaited fleet no 10112 on the next departure to Hornchurch. Just a few of us boarded at Collier Row for the journey to Romford, which proceeds via White Hart Lane and Mawney Road rather than the slightly more direct route served by the 175 via Collier Row Lane and North Street. A reasonably busy run as we picked up those proceeding into town, with a bit of a traffic queue to contend with on approach to St Edward’s Way from Mawney Road.

The expected exchange of clientele at the main stops in Romford Town Centre, before continuing down to Rush Green and then south towards Elm Park, with the typical suburban housing relieved by the short green stretch past Harrow Lodge Park and Eastbrookend Country Park. After calling at Elm Park Station on the District Line, we made our way through South Hornchurch and then through the relatively new Airfield Estate, built on the site of Hornchurch Aerodrome, a famous Battle of Britain fighter station in WW2, part of which is now another Country Park. Onwards past the former St George’s Hospital, now redeveloped, calling at Hornchurch Station before arriving at the Hornchurch Town Centre terminus. A 50 min journey.

After the driver’s break, I rejoined the same bus to retrace my steps a short way along the route to Elm Park Station, where I alighted less than 15 mins later.

The 252 was originally a short local feeder service between Romford Birch Road (off Mawney Road) and the Station. It was single deck with T and then TD types in the 1950s, until in 1958 it was double decked with RTs and extended to Collier Row. Later the same year, it was extended at the other end to South Hornchurch, replacing withdrawn route 123. In 1970, certain journeys were extended to Turpin Avenue in Collier Row at school and peak times on M-F, which lasted several years.

An early candidate for OPO, this came in 1971 with conversion to SMS single deckers, although as with many such services, double deckers returned upon the introduction of DMS types which in this case came in 1975. However, this period didn’t last long as the 252 was one of the first to receive new Titans in 1978, although there was a short interlude with LS Leyland Nationals from 1981-2 before the Ts returned. It was in 1984 that the route was extended from South Hornchurch to Hornchurch Town Centre via the new Airfield Estate, but two years later came a further extension to Gidea Park Station.

Tendering in 1988 saw the route pass to Frontrunner South East, but the contract was reassigned within a year to Ensignbus, who later became Capital Citybus and eventually First Capital. The blue and silver Metrobuses and other types operated by Ensigns were soon replaced by the red and yellow livery of First. In 1991, the route was cut back from Gidea Park to Hornchurch Town Centre, becoming essentially the route we know today.

The low floor era came to the 252 in the early noughties with TN/TNL type Tridents, although these were later replaced with DN class Enviro400s. Stagecoach took the contract from First in 2013, with Enviro400s being the principal type, although Scania OmniCities also appeared until these were withdrawn.

Back in April 2022, Scania OmniCity types were still in passenger service with Stagecoach London, as 15007 (RM) proves. This was taken on the 252 at the same spot in Collier Row as the latest photo pictured above.

*Whilst most Scanias were disposed of, this particular one remained in London as a driver trainer at the time of writing.*

Part Route 165: Elm Park - Rainham Abbey Wood Lane

At Elm Park Station, I crossed the road for my final route of the day, the 165. This is another service operated by Stagecoach out of RM Garage, again using Enviro400s until new electrics arrive in accordance with the terms of the contract renewal in September 2025. I boarded fleet no 10166 for the 25 min run down to the southern end of the route at Rainham Abbey Wood Lane.

Stagecoach London converted the 165 from single to double deck in 2024 using spare Enviro400s. 19720 of RM Garage leads the pack at the semi-rural Abbey Wood Lane terminus in Rainham before my ride on it back to Romford.

*The route was retained on contract renewal in September 2025 with new electric double deckers expected.*

Route 165: Rainham Abbey Wood Lane - Romford The Brewery

At Abbey Wood Lane, I was able to step up a working, as Enviro400 19720 was ahead on the stand and left first after a 5 min wait with me aboard. Only me and the driver at first, but we soon began to pick up as we made our way around the estate roads to Rainham Town Centre and Tescos. We then continued along New Road and into Cherry Tree Lane, winding our way through the suburban sprawl back to Elm Park Station. Then on via Elm Park Avenue and Abbs Cross Lane to Hornchurch, where a diversion was in place due to roadworks. Instead of circling the Town Centre stops and continuing along North Street, we turned left along normally unserved Billet Lane, rejoining line of route at the roundabout just south of Emerson Park Station.

From here, a straight run up to the Drill Roundabout at Gidea Park, before taking a very sharp left turn via Brentwood Road into Romford. Dropping off most of our load at the Station and the Market, only a couple of us continued on to the terminus at The Brewery Shopping Centre. A reasonable 55 min trip with which to end the day.

The 165 dates back to 1940 when former single deck route 253 was double decked and renumbered, running then between Coller Row & Rainham. It was extended to Havering Park at the northern end within a couple of years. The initial ST & STL types gave way to the G class “utility” buses in the mid 40s, which continued until RT conversion in 1954. The route received RMs in 1966 but in 1968 was surprisingly upgraded to the longer RML type, very unusual for a suburban route this far out.

OPO came to the 165 in 1973 using DMS types, resulting in a short extension at Havering Park from Hunters Grove to Firbank Road, to enable the longer vehicles to turn safely without a conductor. In 1975, part of the service was diverted at the other end to serve Mardyke Estate in a loop, another unusual arrangement as it was operated under the same number without a suffix to distinguish these workings. The route was another of the initial services to receive Titans in 1978 and provided my first ever ride on the type in London a few months later. 1987 saw the Rainham service extended from the War Memorial to Abbey Wood Lane.

Tendering in 1988 resulted in the route passing to Ensignbus like the 252 mentioned earlier, using Metrobuses and other double deck types. Some garage journeys worked in service beyond Rainham to Wennington. The service passed through Capital Citybus and First Capital eras, with the next major change occurring in 1991 when the Havering Park - Mardyke Estate section was hived off to new route 365, the 165 then becoming Romford - Rainham. Route changes in 2001 saw the route diverted via Emerson Park between Romford & Hornchurch, whilst the short extension from Romford Market to The Brewery came in 2006. By now single deck operated, DMC Darts and then DML Enviro200s provided the allocation.

Stagecoach assumed the contract in 2013 when First left London using new Enviro200s, although double deck visitors were not uncommon. In 2024, the 165 became fully double deck with available Enviro400s, enabling its single deckers to be redeployed elsewhere.

From my arrival at The Brewery, it was only a short walk through the town to Romford Station, where I rejoined the Elizabeth Line for the journey home.

Watton

Romping through Romford

Transiting through Croydon in transition

All Change in Greenwich & Bexley