Sutton's transport history - a journey in pictures - the 1980s
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1980 - 21st July
Country Bus route 403 started from Wallington, Belmont Road for very many years and even went as far south as Tonbridge. However on 21st July 1980 AN190 will take passengers only as far as Chelsham Garage, where the buses were based. In 2008 you can still take a 403 from West Croydon (a red bus), but the bus garage has been replaced by a Sainsbury's supermarket. Note the interesting poster on the side. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1980 - 19th August
AN126 runs through Carshalton on 19th August 1980 on route 408 bound for Guildford, a destination served by this route for decades. Country Buses were part of London Transport from 1933 until 1970 and were then transferred to the newly formed London Country Bus Services, part of the National Bus Company. Does the lady pushing her bicycle detract from the photograph or does it add to it, illustrating the dress of the period? Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1980 - 19th September
AN229 is on the bus stand in Cheam for route 403, which had been extended beyond its traditional Wallington terminus. In 2008 the 403 works between West Croydon and Warlingham Sainsbury's. The NBC symbol is clearly visible on the front and side of this bus. When Country Buses were transferred from London Transport in 1970. the newly formed London Country Bus Services was part of the National Bus Company. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1981 - 10th April
The "Queen's Head" pub at Beddington Corner (between Hackbridge and Mitcham Junction) will eventually receive a new pub sign, but in the meantime RM94 will take passengers through to Merton Garage if they so wish. This picture clearly shows the usefulness of the open platform for a quick "hop on" or "hop off" the bus. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1981 - 16th April
BL19 waits at Belmont Road in Wallington on 16th April 1981 and is shown as a "Flat Fare Bus". The BL class was certainly not as long-lived as the RF class which they replaced. Many people using the Hackbridge - Wallington - Purley section of the 234A, which had to be single deck because of the low bridge near Reedham Station, probably never ventured to the other end of the route at Purley, Old Lodge Lane. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1981 - 22nd April
The "Fox & Hounds" in Carshalton High Street has been a watering hole for many years and is passed in April 1981 by RM830 on the 77 for Wallington. Now (2019), sadly, closed, and awaiting re-development, it is very much hoped that the historic building will be preserved and continue to be active as a public house at some stage in the future. Visible above the roof of the pub is the roof of the Charles Cryer theatre. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1981 - 24th April
Wallington's fire station is on the corner of Bridge Road and Belmont Road and forms part of the terminal working for buses on a number of routes, including the 77. It was not until 1966 that the road under the station bridge was lowered to permit double deck buses to pass underneath and to carry passengers into the centre of Wallington. In April 1981 RM1172 will stand in Belmont Road before taking passengers to Tooting Broadway. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1981 - 24th April
This is the last Routemaster in Wallington - RM130 on route 77 on 24th April 1981- and will return to its home garage via Tooting Broadway. Note the cafe opposite - there has been a cafe at this important bus terminal for many years. Here again the bus crew were very cooperative in enabling me to take flash pictures. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1981 - 27th April
The 254 was introduced to provide what turned out to be a short-lived bus service the length of Beddington Lane (though in more recent years other bus services have been introduced). The photographer knew the driver who was to work the first bus and arranged to meet up with him on 27th April 1981. As we approached Beddington Lane a motorist said the bus wouldn't get through due to a fire in the signal box. The driver did get through - just before the barrier came down!! The railway line subsequently closed, to be replaced by the very successful Croydon Tramlink. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1981 - 27th April
This is a journey later in the same day (27th April 1981) on route 254, with the same bus - DMS307 - and we see it passing the Post Office in Beddington Lane. Like so many sub post offices, this one was to close. The driver was cooperative in enabling me to jump off for a photo and then re-board to continue my journey. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1981 - 12th December
This is a true Christmas Card scene in Sutton Lane, Banstead on 12th December 1981. The driver of D1814 will take his bus right through to Lower Kingswood on route 280 - no doubt few car drivers would have ventured out. The driver would almost certainly have been trained on the skid patch at Chiswick and is putting this into practise. At this time "Fares Fair" meant cheaper bus fares, at the time when Ken Livingstone was in charge of the Greater London Council. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1982 - April
Before the curtailment of red buses into much of the countryside south of Sutton and Banstead it was possible to have a drink in the "Chequers" Young's pub at Walton-On-The-Hill and take a 280A right through to Tooting Broadway until quite late in the evening. DMS308 shows the destination blind to indicate its operation via Tattenham Corner (rather than the 280 to Lower Kingswood via Burgh Heath) to ensure that the "via" blinds were always correct, as seen here in April 1982. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1983 - 17th July
London Transport celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1983 and painted appropriately numbered DS1933 in the colour of the buses of some fifty years earlier and this makes a most pleasing shot at Carshalton Ponds, with Anne Boleyn's well in the foreground and the Grove Park beyond Carshalton Ponds. The blue door used to hold a small fire tender. On 17th July 1983 this 157 would still run through to Raynes Park. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1983 - 12th August
On 12th August 1983 London Transport continued to celebrate its fifty years, whilst at the same time commemorating the Croydon Charter anniversary, with a bus painted in the livery of the former Croydon Corporation Tramways - the bus sometimes referred to as Mars Bar or chocolate box!! It is photographed passing Ross Parade in Wallington (note the old Boot's chemist shop opposite) on route 157, which was extended to Crystal Palace in 1959 when trolleybus route 654 was withdrawn. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1984
B388 VBK is a Fiat 79-13 with unusual Robin Hood Krypton coachwork and was supplied new to Michaels (Travel), Carshalton in 1984. Robin Hood Vehicle Builders were based in Portsmouth, and their Krypton bodywork was at the luxury end of their output - note the television aerial on the roof! We do not know the location. |
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1985 - 6th January
On a wintry 5th January 1985 DMS2507 leaves the grounds of Banstead mental hospital on route 280, but traditionally it was the 88 which served the hospital on Sundays, with buses running across London to Acton Green. In 2008 you can still find these gates in situ, but you will find that they lead to High Down Prison. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1985 - 26th April
When the 234 was withdrawn on 26th April 1985 Croydon Garage was able to operate a special journey using M1200, which did not normally operate the service, It is seen here at the Marchmont Road stop in Wallington's Woodcote Road with some very attractive spring blossom. A DMS bus brings up the rear. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1986 - March
In this wintry scene, DMS2629 (which was later to be painted in a special livery to commemorate 100 years of Croydon's Tramways) passes Carshalton's All Saints Church and the Wine Bar on its journey to Purley. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1986 - 1st March
The date is St. David's Day, 1st March 1986 and it is nine years since the 154 was diverted to serve the full length of Stanley Park Road and DMS2296 is captured here in Stanley Park Road, passing the school of the same name. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1986 - 1st March
Warlingham Park Hospital was still open when this 403 bus was pictured on 1st March 1986, leaving Wallington Station on a winter's day. The bus has a "wrap round" advert for an estate agent. Wallington Station itself was redeveloped some years earlier. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
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1988 - 19th November
The Downs Cafe once did good business, both for passengers and bus crews and on 19th November 1988 it looks set for demolition. This was an old established bus terminus and in 2008 buses stop in the opposite direction. At this time D2397 will take passengers on the 280 to Tooting Broadway, whilst D2270 will run right through to Putney Bridge, a destination served by the route for a fairly short time. Picture Copyright © The John Parkin Collection |
