Watton’s Wanderings is back on TfL routes, with a trip down to the Bromley area to sample some of the smaller single deck services, topped and tailed with some double deck action.

***Arriva London Enviro400 T283 on the 194 at Lower Sydenham Sainsbury’s after my trip from Croydon.***

This is one of the minority double deck T type at South Croydon (TC) Garage alongside the more numerous DWs, although both classes are due for replacement with new electrics within the next few months.

Route 194: West Croydon to Lower Sydenham

The Thameslink train brought me to East Croydon Station towards the end of the morning peak, from where it was a short walk to West Croydon Bus Station, start point for my first bus route of the day, the 194. This route was retained by Arriva London on re-tender in August 2024, on the basis of conversion to electric with ES types in due course, but for now continuing with existing diesels, a mix of T and DW classes. It is also intended that the route will transfer to Thornton Heath (TH) Garage as part of the change, but in the meantime, it stays at its existing home of South Croydon (TC).

I boarded T283, which was next to depart the Bus Station, thankfully arriving just as a shower of rain began. A slow run at first as we negotiated the various traffic systems in Central Croydon, past East Croydon Station and on over the tram tracks to Sandilands, before reaching Addiscombe Road. Alongside Shirley Park and then into Shirley, where we deviated from the main road to serve the narrow back roads around West Way and Shirley Way. In Bridle Road, we did the double run to serve the outskirts of the Shrublands Estate, before proceeding up to Monks Orchard and then eastwards into West Wickham High Street.

LVF showed that we were only a couple of minutes behind the bus in front, necessitating a short hold in West Wickham to even out the service interval. However, this didn’t work, as we caught up the other bus up in Eden Park and ran virtually in tandem for a while. Past Elmers End Green, not far from the former and now long gone Elmers End (ED) Garage, which used to operate the route. Up to Beckenham War Memorial and then left into Beckenham Road, where we finally overtook the previous bus at Clock House. At Penge “Pawleyne Arms”, we hung a right to negotiate the narrow streets around Penge East, with several sharp left and right turns, before emerging onto Sydenham Road. From here, it was just a few more stops to the terminus at Lower Sydenham Sainsbury’s, arriving after a 1h10m run. Not that busy in terms of passengers on this trip, although that might have been because we were just behind the bus in front for much of the way!

The 194 was a long-standing route between Croydon Airport and Forest Hill, with West Croydon becoming the southern destination in 1996 after it swapped terminals with the 119. A daily rerouteing away from the direct Wickham Road via Shirley Way was introduced in 1998. The cut back from Forest Hill to Bell Green and diversion to Lower Sydenham Sainsbury’s at the northern end of the route happened in 2003.

The route had already been converted from crew RT to one-man operation when I first encountered it, although the initial SMS single decks which came in 1970 were replaced by DMS double decks in 1973, later joined in the mid 80s by L type Olympians. When Elmers End Garage closed in 1986, the route transferred to Croydon (TC) and was converted to LS single deckers. Selkent took the contract in 1992 using Titans to restore a top deck to the service, although later in the 90s, these were replaced with Olympians of the VA and VN classes. Low floor operation arrived in 2000 using Tridents. Current operator Arriva took over in 2003, using DLA and older DWs at first, but these were later replaced with the current Ts and newer DWs.

The 194 spawned a number of suffixed variants, which made the group quite complex at times:

194A (1st incarnation): Croydon to Shirley Monks Orchard via Shirley Way. M-S. Operated from 1952 to 1970 with RT. Terminals at each end changed over this period, ending up as Thornton Heath to Beckenham Junction.

194A (2nd incarnation): Croydon Airport to Forest Hill via Shirley Way & Shrublands. Sun only. Operated from 1985 to 1992. Provided a Sun service to Shrublands as the 194B didn’t run on that day. Saw DMS, T, L and LS operation at different times.

194B: Thornton Heath to Shrublands Estate. M-S only. Operated from 1963 to 1992, when it was replaced by the 198. RT/RM until conversion to DMS one-man in 1973.

194C: Croydon Airport to Forest Hill via Shirley Way. Sun only. Operated from 1963 to 1970 with RT. Renumbered as the plain 194 M-S service then operated direct via Wickham Road, whereas the Sunday version diverted along Shirley Way, a section which transferred to the 119B in 1970.

Wright Streetlite WS8 is typical of the current rolling stock operated by Go Ahead London on the 352 although this view was taken on a previous visit back in 2021 at Bromley North. I rode one of the Enviro200s which share the allocation with this type.

*The route is operated out of Orpington (MB) Garage, but is due to move to a new depot which is being opened in Lower Sydenham in September.*

Route 352: Lower Sydenham to Bromley North

After a visit to Sainsbury’s to stock up on supplies, I returned to the bus rides and the first of my “small bus locals” in the Bromley area, the 352, operated by Go Ahead London. The timetable seemed to be in some disarray, as the next bus on the 20 min frequency failed to show up (LVF showed it turned short at Beckenham War Memorial) with the next arrival not due for another 40 mins after that. It appeared that roadworks with 4 way traffic lights at the “Chinese Garage” were causing disruption to the schedules.

Luckily, SE243 then arrived out of service to take up the next departure, so I only had a further 20 min wait. The route is currently operated out of Orpington (MB) Garage using a mix of short Enviro200s and Streetlites, all single doored, but the plan is to move this and a number of other non-electric services to a new base in Sydenham not far from the existing Stagecoach premises in Kangley Bridge Road, possibly in September. Some of the older Enviro200s and low numbered Streetlites are due for withdrawal when new electrics enter service at MB Garage in the coming months.

A good few takers boarded with me following the extended service gap and we negotiated the Bell Green roundabout, before progressing through the back streets near Lower Sydenham Station to New Beckenham, along the unusually named Copers Cope Road, dropping off and picking up at various points. We then emerged onto the main drag at Beckenham War Memorial, followed by a short hop down the High Street before turning off again along Village Way in tandem with the 367, which confusingly also goes to Bromley, but in the opposite direction!

Approaching the Chinese Garage junction, we were stuck in a queue at the temporary lights, causing a delay of 6 or 7 mins. We were then on diversion due to the roadworks via Hayes Lane (as per the 162 route), then along normally unserved Brabourne Rise, to rejoin line of route on Wickham Way. At West Wickham Station, almost a 180 degree turn along The Avenue and across Pickhurst Lane to join the 246 through the estate roads up to Bromley South, where most of the other passengers alighted. Just me and the driver continued through the town centre to the Bromley North terminus, where we finally arrived after a 50 min run, about 8 mins late.

The 352 has always been with Metrobus until now, beginning in 1994 between Bromley North & Crystal Palace, although the northern terminus soon switched to Forest Hill, before being extended in a loop working, which was later replaced by the 356 when the current Lower Sydenham Sainsbury’s destination was adopted in 2000. The initial Darts were replaced in due course by Enviro200s with Streetlites also entering the mix later.

The 138 contract passed from Go Ahead to Stagecoach in March 2025. Whilst Enviro200 MMCs are specified, older “classic” Enviro200 36585 was out on the route when I travelled and is seen on stand at Bromley North.

*The route is operated out of Catford (TL) Garage rather than Bromley (TB) which is nearer, presumably for reasons of available space.*

Route 138: Bromley North to Coney Hall (& back)

At Bromley North, I switched to the next of the small bus locals in the area, the 138. This little route hit the headlines in March, when it transferred from Go Ahead Metrobus to Stagecoach London on contract change, incidentally returning to Catford (TL) Garage which it last operated from over 30 years ago in 1994! Despite being intended for Enviro200 MMCs, on the day I travelled, an older “classic” single door Enviro200 was one of the allocation, 36585, and formed the next departure.

Only me boarding at Bromley North, although we soon picked up more as we proceeded through the town centre to Bromley South. From here, we turned along Westmoreland Road and then along Pickhurst Lane through typical suburbia down to Hayes. A passenger exchange at the station before continuing on the final stretch to Coney Hall Village. Passing the former terminus at the shops, we continued on the one way loop over the “Hail & Ride” section around the narrow estate roads behind, having to stop several times to allow cars coming the other way to pass.

Completing the loop back at the shopping parade, we began our return run back to Bromley without stand time, although a short “hesitation” is built into the schedule. Back through Hayes and on to Bromley without mishap, again depositing a reasonable load in the town centre on this useful little route. 1 hour exactly for the rounder.

The 138 is one of those rare routes, like the 97 and 150, which disappeared and then came back! It began back in 1940 when the previous single deck 232 between Bromley North & Coney Hall was double decked under its now familiar number. After starting with ST and STL operation in the early years, it briefly received RTWs in 1950 before they transferred to more suitable Central London routes and were replaced with standard RTs. There was a weekend extension to Grove Park from 1954, with garage journeys to and from Catford Garage, although it retracted back to Bromley North as part of the cuts following the 1958 Bus Strike. One man operation with MB types came in 1969, with periods of DMS, LS and T operation following in the 70s and 80s.

The route was withdrawn in 1989 to be replaced by an extended B1, although the 138 returned the following year, but this time with SR midibuses operating from Catford Bridge to Coney Hall. It was then that the extension around the estate roads of the latter was introduced. Kentish Bus took over in 1994 with Metroriders and after brief periods with Londonlinks and Kentish Bus (again), Metrobus became the operator in 1995, firstly with Darts and later with Enviro200s. In 2004, the route reverted to being a Bromley North - Coney Hall local again when the 336 was revised to take over the Catford Bridge section. This lasted until Stagecoach took over in March 2025.

This Go Ahead Enviro200 on the 354 at Penge “Crooked Billet” is one of those new to Metrobus at Orpington (MB) Garage as identified by the fleet no 160 without class code which was the style of Metrobus numbering.

*The 354 is another which is due to move to the new depot at Sydenham in September.*

Route 354: Bromley North to Penge

To depart Bromley, I selected another little local route with single door single deckers, the 354. Generally operated by Enviro200s by Go Ahead Metrobus out of Orpington Garage, like the 352, this service is due to transfer to the new Sydenham depot in a few month’s time.

My bus was one of the older indigenous Enviro200s, as revealed by its fleet number, 160, without class code, which was the system used by Metrobus at the time. Boarding at Bromley North Station, we proceeded around the town centre, picking up a few passengers, before following the 227 route onto Beckenham Lane. We soon turned off onto the freehold section of the 354 through Ravensbourne, an area of large detached houses, with a dogleg over the railway line near the station. Then along Foxgrove Road to rejoin the main road just north of Beckenham Junction, following the 54 along the High Street.

From here, over the War Memorial roundabout again and into Beckenham Road to Clock House where I had been on the 194 at the start of the day. However, the 354 then does a half circle off the direct route to Penge via Elmers End Road and the back streets of Anerley, before emerging beside Crystal Palace Park at Penge West Station. Arrival at the Penge “Crooked Billet” terminus was after a 45 min journey, reasonably well used but never that busy. Incidentally, it struck me that this terminal is now one of a very few in London to use a stand at a pub, which used to be much more common and a practice originating in horse bus days when such locations provided an opportunity to water the horses - let alone the crews!

The 354 began over its current route in 2002 as a TfL service, being a renumbering of the former 351 which operated under a London Local Service Agreement (LLSA). Metrobus operated the route with Darts until 2008, when Stagecoach took over using Enviro200s. However, Metrobus returned in 2020 with their own Enviro200s.

Transport UK operate the 363 with a mix of new electrics and older hybrids, Enviro400H MMC fleet no 2519 of Walworth (WL) Garage being one of the latter awaiting departure time at Crystal Palace Bus Station.

*This bus failed a couple of stops down the route and was promptly taken out of service.*

Part Route 227: Penge to Crystal Palace

From Penge, I hopped on the next available 227, long Streetlite WS118, also of Go Ahead Metrobus MB Garage, for a short 10 min positioning run to Crystal Palace. Almost full and standing, as is often the case on this busy route, which could really do with double deckers but is restricted due to the low bridge at Shortlands.

Route 363 Crystal Palace to Elephant & Castle

My last route of the day, the 363, began with a false start after boarding Transport UK Enviro400H MMC 2519 at Crystal Palace, which promptly came out of service after just a couple of stops with an unknown mechanical problem. Rather than stay with the very annoyed crowd when we were turfed off without so much as an apology, I walked back to Crystal Palace to try again with a subsequent departure, another Enviro400H MMC, 2569 of Walworth (WL) Garage.

After a few stops, more delays, as our driver had a problem with the electronic blind display and had to re-boot his unit. Eventually we continued over the hilly section to Honor Oak where we met up with the 63 for the remainder of the trip. The 363 seemed to be very erratic in operation that day, with buses running in pairs in the opposite direction. Another delay due to temporary lights at Peckham Rye and then a driver change in Peckham.

Very busy from here on, presumably due to a gap in the 63s, but we made better progress through to Old Kent Road and then via Bricklayers Arms to Elephant & Castle. Our total running time of 65 mins didn’t break any records but was only 5 mins over the schedule for late afternoon.

The 363 replaced the southern end of the 63 in 2003 with the late lamented PVLs from Peckham (PM) Garage, with WVLs later appearing on occasion. It was converted to EH hybrids in 2016, but was lost to Abellio (now Transport UK) on retender in 2016. The route is currently a mix of Wright Streetdeck Electroliners and Enviro 400H MMCs.

After arriving at Elephant, I made my way to the nearby Tube station for the journey home.

Watton

Small Buses in Bromley

From Far East to Here East

Heritage Bus Running Day: Dorking