65
London United SP102 on Route 65, Ealing Broadway.jpg
London United Scania OmniCity at Ealing Broadway station in June 2014
Overview
OperatorLondon United[1]
GarageFulwell (FW)[1]
Night-timeNight bus N65
Route
StartEaling Broadway station
ViaSouth Ealing
Brentford
Kew
Richmond
Petersham
Ham
EndKingston

London Buses route 65 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Ealing Broadway station and Kingston, it is operated by London United.

History

Transdev London Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis Trident 2 in Kew in May 2010
Transdev London Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis Trident 2 in Kew in May 2010

Route 65 originally ran from Ealing Argyle Road (now Scotch Common) to Leatherhead via Ealing Broadway, South Ealing, Brentford, Richmond, Petersham, Ham, Kingston, Tolworth, Hook and Chessington. In the summer months, the route was extended from Kingston to Chessington Zoo. It was initially operated from Kingston (K) and Turnham Green (V) garages, using STL-class AEC Regents and, after World War II, AEC Regent III RTs, Leyland Titans, and Routemasters. In 1946, "pay-as-you-enter" experiments were carried out on route 65, running between Ealing Broadway and Leatherhead.[2][3]

Armchair finally took over in January 1991, using a batch of seventeen Leyland Olympians plus three second-hand Atlanteans.[4] It retained the route upon it being re-tendered in 1996, and subsequently replaced the ageing Atlanteans with new Northern Counties Palatine II bodied Volvo Olympians. A variety of other buses worked the route during Armchair's tenure, including Alexander bodied Leyland Olympians after Armchair lost route 260, two MCW Metrobuses new to East Kent Road Car Company.[5]

Upon being re-tendered, the route passed to London United on 29 June 2002 with new Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis Trident 2s from Fulwell garage.[6]

Upon being re-tendered it was retained by London United with a new contract commencing on 4 July 2009, that saw the section between Kingston and Chessington reinstated for night-time services only.[7] London United retained the route when next tendered with the new contract to commence on 2 July 2016.[8]

In 2022, the bus fleet was converted to zero-emissions at tailpipe vehicles. The bus model now in use is the BYD ADL Enviro400EV[9]

Current route

Route 65 operates via these primary locations:[10]

References

  1. ^ a b "Our services". RATP Dev London. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  2. ^ Graeme Bruce, J; Curtis, Colin (1977). The London Motor Bus: Its Origins and Development. London Transport. p. 74. ISBN 0853290830.
  3. ^ Day, John (1973). The Story of the London Bus: London and its buses from the horse bus to the present day. London Transport. pp. 96. ISBN 9780853290377.
  4. ^ McLachlan, Tom (1995). London Buses 1985-1995: Managing The Change. Venture Publications. pp. 98–99. ISBN 1-898432-74-0.
  5. ^ Wharmby, Matthew, The London Metrobus (Ian Allan Publishing, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7110-3377-1
  6. ^ Aldridge, John (January 2002). "It's the end for Armchair on the 65". Buses. Ian Allan Publishing (562): 12.
  7. ^ Change to night bus services for south west London Transport for London
  8. ^ Tender News Bus Talk (Go-Ahead London) issue 37 December 2015 page 11
  9. ^ "Transport for London plan for new electric buses in South West London". 11 November 2021.
  10. ^ Route 65 Map Transport for London

External links

London bus routes
Categories