On my latest journey, I travel around South East London, mainly focusing on outgoing and incoming bus types at Bromley Garage, with a rogue Arriva route thrown in for good measure!

The 261 was crew operated with Routemasters for just a few months from inception in September 1982 until OPO conversion with Leyland Nationals the following year. Preserved RM2208 reprises this short-lived era at Princess Royal University Hospital on the occasion of the Bromley Garage Open Day in September 2024.

*Initially, the route ran between Orpington & Lewisham with a Sat Shopping Hours extension to Brockley Rise, but this was cut back in later years.*

Route 261: Lewisham - Locksbottom

I arrived at Lewisham on the Southeastern service from London Bridge, exiting the station and making my way to the nearby first stop of Route 261. The route has been retained by Stagecoach on re-tender from November 2025, with new electrics promised as part of the deal. However, although one of the intended Enviro400EVs was out on the day of my visit, for the time being, the route continues largely in the hands of existing Enviro400MMCs, with a few “classic” Enviro400s in support. I boarded one of the former, fleet no 11068, of Bromley (TB) Garage.

Being fairly early on a Saturday morning, we had a reasonably traffic free run, although we were surprisingly busy in terms of passengers, with good usage throughout the trip. Leaving Lewisham Town Centre, we ambled along Lee High Road, turning right along Burnt Ash Road past Lee Station to the South Circular. Crossing this, we continued through suburban housing to Grove Park and on via Sundridge Park to Bromley North. This put me in mind of trips over this corridor back in the 70s, when RTs on the 94 used to cover this route on their way to Petts Wood & Orpington - this was in fact the last RT operated route in South East London, which lasted until Summer 1978.

Emerging from my reverie of happy memories, we navigated Bromley Town Centre, past Bromley South Station and down to Bromley Common. A green stretch through the trees to the operational garage, code TB for “Tillings Bromley”, reflecting its pre-London Transport owner and still used today. No driver change, although I noted the continuing work to install additional charging infrastructure for the increased number of electric buses due to enter service in the coming months. Then it was a short sprint up the hill to Locksbottom, shooting over the lights and terminating in the grounds of the Princess Royal University Hospital, after a reasonable run of 50 mins.

The number 261 in South East London still feels a bit odd to me, as I always associated it with the North London version that ran with RTs and RMs then DMSs between Palmers Green Garage and Barnet Chesterfield Road from 1961-80. However, it was re-used in 1982 for a new route between Orpington and Lewisham, replacing parts of the 51 (Orpington - Farnborough), 47 (Farnborough - Bromley Common) and 94 (Bromley Common - Lewisham). For a while, there was an Sats Shopping Hours extension to Brockley Rise, which didn’t last long. Initially crew operated with RMs, OPO came within a few months in 1983 using Leyland Nationals. Double deckers returned in 1985 when Titans took over. The following year, the route was cut back from Orpington to Bromley Garage as part of the changes associated with the introduction of the “Roundabout” network in the area.

The route left TB when Metrobus assumed the contract in 1987, being nominally cut back to Bromley Common “The Crown”, but with garage journeys to/from the depot at Green St Green later added. Former LT DMS types and Olympians were used at first, later replaced by low floor types such as Tridents and Omnidekkas. The extension to the Princess Royal Hospital was added in 2007. However, Stagecoach won the tender award in 2013 and the route returned to its traditional home at TB Garage, with Tridents and Enviro400s being the usual fare until largely replaced by Enviro400MMCs a few years later.

***In almost the same spot as the previous photo, we see Stagecoach Enviro400 MMC 11068 of Bromley (TB) Garage after my ride on it from Lewisham.***

*The 261 is due for electrification under its upcoming contract renewal using Enviro400EV types, with just one of these out on the route on the day of my trip.*

Part Route 61: Locksbottom - Chislehurst

At Locksbottom, I switched allegiance to another TB Garage route, the 61, also retained by Stagecoach from November 2025 using new electrics in due course. Pending delivery, the route is mainly stocked with Enviro400s and so it was possibly a final chance for me to ride them before the changeover. Next to arrive en route to Chislehurst was 10159, a smartly repainted example and refurbished inside with grey PVC covered seating, in my view a retrograde step when compared with the previous Stagecoach moquette. Nevertheless, we continued our luck with the traffic as we trundled through Orpington and on to Chislehurst, taking just 30 mins to the terminus at the “Gordon Arms”.

***Smartly presented Stagecoach Enviro400 10159, also of TB Garage, on the 61 at Chislehurst Gordon Arms, before I travelled aboard back to Bromley North.***

This route is also due to receive new Enviro400EVs to fulfill its contract renewal requirements. As with the 261, a single example was in service on the day I visited, forming the working ahead of this one.

Route 61: Chislehurst - Bromley North

Ahead of us on the stand, and just leaving as we arrived, was one of the new Enviro400EVs destined for the route, but the only one out on the 61 that day. However, I stuck with 10159 and re-boarded for the return run over the whole route back to Bromley North.

Unfortunately, after a couple of good runs up to this point, this trip became a little turgid after a short while. The first problem to contend with was roadworks at Chislehurst War Memorial, where we had to negotiate temporary lights on the approach, then the normal lights at the cross-roads, then a man with “Stop/Go” boards due to a parked roadworks lorry beyond the lights. We had sailed through in the previous direction, but this time we were stuck in a queue which cost several minutes. Once past, a reasonable run through the attractive forestry of Petts Wood and on to Orpington, although traffic was slow-moving (as is not unusual) along the High St up to the War Memorial.

Past the station and back over the suburban section to Locksbottom again, before turning right and descending the hill back to TB Garage. Once again, we were fortunate not to be stopped by a driver change, but we became very busy with passengers from here on all the way into Bromley Town Centre, presumably due to a gap in the 261 and other services. Also, whilst the traffic was moving, it was slow and we eventually limped in to Bromley South, where most alighted. Now with just a handful aboard, most left us at the remaining stops before the terminus at Bromley North, where I disembarked after a 65 min run, some 10 mins down on schedule.

The 61 was once a longer route, operating from Eltham to Bromley, but was cut back to Chislehurst in 1986, with a separate 61B taking over the withdrawn section. RTs operated until OPO conversion to DMS in 1972, although LS single deckers took over in 1979. Metrobus took control in 1986 with DMSs and Olympians featuring, but in 1995, Centrewest were a surprise winner of the route in this part of London so far from their heartland, using V class Olympians, although a few Ms helped out for a while. As with the 261, the 61 was another child of TB Garage to return home, this time in 2006, with Enviro400s and Tridents being the main types to perform.

I managed a trip in 2019 on one of TB’s last two Tridents, 18495, which finished on the 61 just a few weeks after I rode it. Then, in 2024, on the occasion of a Running Day organised by the London Bus Museum in connection with the Centenary of Bromley Garage, I was able to reprise RT days on the 61, with a rounder which included RT1798 and RT4779, a fitting tribute and a chance to sample a type on the route I had missed back in the day.

***Route 61 Retro… Back in May 2019, I rode Trident 18495 on the 61 from Chislehurst to Bromley North, where the vehicle is seen after my trip aboard.***

*This was one of the last pair of Tridents at TB Garage, which came off service a few weeks later in July 2019.*

Route SL3: Bromley North - Thamesmead

Having sampled the outgoing diesel double deck types at TB Garage, it was time to come bang up to date, with a spin on one of the new electrics on “Superloop” Route SL3. This route began only in February 2024, initially using New Routemasters, which I had ridden back then on the first day of the service.

At Bromley North Station, I had only a short wait before one of the new Enviro400EVs, 80403, glided up to the stop. I was the only passenger to board, noting that this and other buses of the type on the route appeared to be in a lighter shade than traditional “London” red, almost a “tomato” colour, although with the usual white upper section with signwriting for “Superloop Express Bus Service” and a line diagram of points served between decks. Inside, high-backed seating with “TfL” style moquette and the usual modern interior features. As expected, a smooth and quiet ride.

The SL3 follows the 269 at first, with no-one picked up at Widmore Road, Bickley Station or Chislehurst Station. At Chislehurst War Memorial, we broke our duck, with a single passenger travelling to Sidcup. After Queen Mary’s Hospital, we encountered more roadworks with 4 way temporary lights at Sidcup Police Station. As the Carlton Road stop was closed, our driver let the other passenger off at the previous one instead, not normally served by the SL3. After a short delay awaiting our turn at the lights, I was again sole passenger as we zoomed down to Sidcup Station, where we picked up 4 more who were travelling to Bexleyheath. More traffic to contend with on the local roads on the lengthy non-stop section through to that point, although the short stretch of the A2 traversed in this direction allowed a brief burst of speed.

After carrying mostly fresh air thus far on the trip, we finally gained a good load in Bexleyheath, with passengers joining at the Library, Lion Road and the Station. Then non-stop downhill to Abbey Wood, where we called at Florence Road and then outside the Station. Yet another delay due to roadworks and more temporary lights at the mini-roundabout beyond the shopping centre, before we sped up again as we came into Thamesmead, calling only at Carlyle Road (the point known locally as the Boiler House) and then the Town Centre. 1h10m for the entire trip, a little more than scheduled, but not too bad given all the traffic hazards.

Whilst the concept of Superloop is a good one, in my view, more bus priority measures are required and maybe some rerouteings to avoid certain “pinch points”, if such services are to be made more attractive to customers and increase usage. However, I accept that roadworks are a scourge that TfL has little control over, but where action is required to ensure that these are completed in the shortest possible time to minimise disruption.

***New Enviro400EV 80403 of TB Garage has just arrived at Thamesmead Town Centre on “Superloop” Route SL3 from Bromley North.***

*These vehicles have replaced the LT types which started the route off in February 2024. For some reason, the batch appear to be in a lighter shade of red than usual.*

Route 229: Thamesmead - Sidcup QM Hospital

At Thamesmead Town Centre, I simply crossed the road to await my next bus on the 229, switching allegiance from Stagecoach to Arriva in the process. This route has been retained by the latter company on contract renewal in January 2026, once again with new electric vehicles expected eventually. However, for now, the usual diet of T class Enviro400s continues, supported by the odd DW. I only had a couple of minutes to wait before T314 of Dartford (DT) Garage swept round to the pick up stop.

A good run to start with, not that busy, as we looped around Crossway, serving the housing area, before returning to the main road and continuing south to Abbey Wood. The Bus Lane helped on approach to the temporary lights just before the station, so we weren’t delayed much. After this, we joined the traditional part of the 229 through Belvedere around to Erith, after passing the ruins of Lesnes Abbey and its adjacent woods, now a nature reserve. Passengers on and off at Erith Town Centre, then continuing through Northumberland Heath and Barnehurst, before encountering a bit of a traffic queue up to the lights just past Bexleyheath Garage. At Bexleyheath Clock Tower, a major swap of riders, then making our way around the town and down to Bexley Village, where we navigated the narrow streets.

Fairly quiet over the suburban roads from Bexley to Sidcup, stopping infrequently and showing a turn of speed. Arriving into Sidcup, we passed the station and then joined a bus queue up to the temporary lights at the Police Station mentioned earlier when I had come the other way on the SL3. Annoying to be delayed on the final section after such a good run up to that point, but once through, it was a simple run through to the terminus at Queen Mary’s Hospital. 1h15m in all for this journey.

The 229 was once an RT route from Orpington to Bexleyheath, but was extended through to Woolwich via Erith & Abbey Wood in 1959 to replace withdrawn Trolleybus 698. I recall long trips by RT on the route in the 70s from Woolwich to Orpington or the reverse, which probably wouldn’t be practical with today’s traffic levels. In 1977, the route was restructured with a southern extension to Farnborough to replace part of the 51, but cut back at the other end to Bexleyheath (or Erith in M-F peaks), with the 269 taking on the Woolwich leg. Conversion to RM occurred at this time.

OPO conversion to DMS came in 1982, with a further cut back, this time at the southern end to Green St Green, with the 261 taking over the Farnborough section. In due course, the 229 was converted to T and then L operation, but in 1986 as part of the changes associated with the new “Roundabout” network, the southern terminus became Sidcup Garage / Foots Cray. With the introduction of “Bexleybus” in 1988, the route was standardised as Foots Cray - Erith daily, using a mix of secondhand DMS and new Olympians.

The diversion from Foots Cray to QM Hospital in Sidcup came in 1991, by which time London Central (later part of Go Ahead) were in charge with Titans. This was followed in 1994 by the northern extension to Thamesmead, bringing the route to its current form. Low floor conversion in the noughties came with PVLs, later replaced with WVLs, with Arriva taking the contract over from Go Ahead in 2016 using the current buses.

***The odd one out in this article! An Arriva Enviro400, T314, from Dartford (DT) Garage, on the 229 at Sidcup QM Hospital after my trip on it from Thamesmead.***

*This route has been retained by Arriva on re-tender from January 2026 with new electrics intended in due course.*

Part Route SL3: Sidcup QM Hospital - Chislehurst Station

At QM Hospital, I rejoined the SL3, this time westbound aboard another new electric, 80407, just two stops to Chislehurst Station and taking less than 10 mins.

There, I transferred to Southeastern Trains once again, to return to London Bridge and the journey home.

Watton

TB or Not TB… That is the question!

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