London Buses route 116
Encyclopedia
London Buses route 116 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to London United.
The Old Windsor journeys were operated on summer Sundays from 25 May 1946 to 9 October 1960. Sunday was the busiest day of the week for route 116, with buses every 6 minutes to Staines and every 12 minutes on to Old Windsor. Buses were not allowed along the un-lit Windsor Road in Runnymede during the hours of darkness, and so the last bus beyond Staines was progressively earlier as the autumn nights drew in.
Route 116 was extended eastwards on weekday daytimes from 9 May 1962, from Hounslow, via Kingsley Road, Great West Road and Chiswick High Road to Turnham Green, and on to Hammersmith (Brook Green) on Monday to Friday peaks and Saturdays. From 31 December 1966 the Saturday service was only as far as Turnham Green. From 15 June 1968 Monday to Friday off-peak service
was withdrawn east of Hounslow and the peak service terminated at Hammersmith Met Station. From 18 June 1969 the Saturday service terminated in Hounslow.
Between 1 January 1967 and 17 August 1969 the Sunday service was operated as route 116A, which ran from Staines to Hounslow and then via Lampton and Heston to Cranford.
On 18 September 1971, the route was converted to driver-only operation, the AEC Regent III RT
s being replaced by single deck SMS buses, and the Mon-Friday peak service was withdrawn beyond Boston Manor Road and diverted to serve Brentford (County Court); the turn into Boston Manor Road was difficult and the route was almost immediately diverted via Windmill Road before the Brenford terminal was changed on 20 November 1971 to the Great West Road junction with South Ealing Road. In 1976, the SMS vehicles were replaced with new Leyland National
buses.
On 24 April 1982, the Mon-Friday peak extension east of Hounslow was withdrawn. From 29 January 1983, a joint weekday allocation with route 203 was introduced. By now the service beyond Bedfont to Staines was only hourly and buses changed between 116 and 203 at Staines. From 14 April 1984 there was a summer Sunday extension from Staines to Thorpe Park
. This last operated on 16 September 1990.
9 August 1986 brought an operator change, to Westlink using Leyland National
s.
10 August 1991 saw another operator change, to Tellings-Golden Miller
, who interworked it with route 117
, again using Leyland Nationals. The service was extended from Hounslow to Brentford, via London Road, but withdrawn between Bedfont and Staines.
After 66 years there was no longer a direct route between Hounslow and Staines.
London & Country won the contract for the route on 23 February 1992, and ran it using East Lancs Greenway
s. The route was reinstated between Bedfont and Staines on 27 November 1993. On 31 August 1996 the route was transferred back to London United
and withdrawn between Ashford Hospital and Staines. From 1998 MCW Metrobus
es were used.
In 1999, after route 140
was transferred to Metroline
, the route was operated with Leyland Olympian
s. 2001 saw low-floor buses operating the route, with five Dennis Dart
/Plaxton Pointer
s used. In September 2006, the allocation was moved to Hounslow Heath Garage, to make room for route 203 at Hounslow.
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
contracted bus route in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The service is currently contracted to London United.
History
The present route 116 can be traced to 1 December 1924, when route 117A, running between Hounslow Garage and Staines via Bedfont, was renumbered as 116A. At the time, each different destination had its own suffixed number and the number 116 was reserved for the summer Sunday variant that ran between Hounslow and Ascot via Staines, Egham and Virginia Water. There were also summer weekday afternoon extensions to Virginia Water as 116B, and, from September 1927, an all-year Saturday afternoon extension to Egham as 116E. The Ascot extension last ran in 1933, the Virginia Water one in 1935 and the Egham one in 1936. From 8 April 1936 the 116 ran daily between Hounslow and Staines, with an extension on summer Saturday afternoons and summer Sundays to Windsor Castle via Runnymede and Old Windsor. In 1939 the summer extension was only to Old Windsor (Bells of Ouseley), and there were no summer extensions in 1940 to 1945.The Old Windsor journeys were operated on summer Sundays from 25 May 1946 to 9 October 1960. Sunday was the busiest day of the week for route 116, with buses every 6 minutes to Staines and every 12 minutes on to Old Windsor. Buses were not allowed along the un-lit Windsor Road in Runnymede during the hours of darkness, and so the last bus beyond Staines was progressively earlier as the autumn nights drew in.
Route 116 was extended eastwards on weekday daytimes from 9 May 1962, from Hounslow, via Kingsley Road, Great West Road and Chiswick High Road to Turnham Green, and on to Hammersmith (Brook Green) on Monday to Friday peaks and Saturdays. From 31 December 1966 the Saturday service was only as far as Turnham Green. From 15 June 1968 Monday to Friday off-peak service
was withdrawn east of Hounslow and the peak service terminated at Hammersmith Met Station. From 18 June 1969 the Saturday service terminated in Hounslow.
Between 1 January 1967 and 17 August 1969 the Sunday service was operated as route 116A, which ran from Staines to Hounslow and then via Lampton and Heston to Cranford.
On 18 September 1971, the route was converted to driver-only operation, the AEC Regent III RT
AEC Regent III RT
The AEC Regent III RT was a variant of the AEC Regent III. It was a double-decker bus produced jointly between AEC and London Transport. It was the standard red London bus during the 1950s.-Prototype:...
s being replaced by single deck SMS buses, and the Mon-Friday peak service was withdrawn beyond Boston Manor Road and diverted to serve Brentford (County Court); the turn into Boston Manor Road was difficult and the route was almost immediately diverted via Windmill Road before the Brenford terminal was changed on 20 November 1971 to the Great West Road junction with South Ealing Road. In 1976, the SMS vehicles were replaced with new Leyland National
Leyland National
The Leyland National is a British single-deck bus built in large quantities between 1972 and 1985. It was developed as a joint project between two UK nationalised industries - the National Bus Company and British Leyland. Buses were constructed at a specially built factory at the Lillyhall...
buses.
On 24 April 1982, the Mon-Friday peak extension east of Hounslow was withdrawn. From 29 January 1983, a joint weekday allocation with route 203 was introduced. By now the service beyond Bedfont to Staines was only hourly and buses changed between 116 and 203 at Staines. From 14 April 1984 there was a summer Sunday extension from Staines to Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park is a theme park located in Chertsey, Surrey, England, UK. It was built in 1979 on the site of a gravel pit which was partially flooded, the intention of creating a water based theme for the park. The park's first large roller coaster, Colossus, was added in 2002...
. This last operated on 16 September 1990.
9 August 1986 brought an operator change, to Westlink using Leyland National
Leyland National
The Leyland National is a British single-deck bus built in large quantities between 1972 and 1985. It was developed as a joint project between two UK nationalised industries - the National Bus Company and British Leyland. Buses were constructed at a specially built factory at the Lillyhall...
s.
10 August 1991 saw another operator change, to Tellings-Golden Miller
Tellings-Golden Miller
Tellings-Golden Miller , a subsidiary of Arriva, is a bus service and coach operator in the United Kingdom.-Golden Miller:Reputedly, Fred Varney began the Golden Miller company with the winnings from a bet made on the horse Golden Miller, which won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National in...
, who interworked it with route 117
London Buses route 117
London Buses route 117 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Abellio London.-History:...
, again using Leyland Nationals. The service was extended from Hounslow to Brentford, via London Road, but withdrawn between Bedfont and Staines.
After 66 years there was no longer a direct route between Hounslow and Staines.
London & Country won the contract for the route on 23 February 1992, and ran it using East Lancs Greenway
East Lancs Greenway
The East Lancs Greenway, or National Greenway, is a type of bus which is rebuilt by East Lancashire Coachbuilders from a Leyland National single-deck bus.-History:...
s. The route was reinstated between Bedfont and Staines on 27 November 1993. On 31 August 1996 the route was transferred back to London United
Transdev London
London United is one of many operators of London Buses and is owned by the RATP Group, an international public transport operator owned by the government of France...
and withdrawn between Ashford Hospital and Staines. From 1998 MCW Metrobus
MCW Metrobus
The MCW Metrobus is a double decker bus model manufactured by MCW from 1977 until 1989, with over 4,000 examples built. The original MkI model was superseded by the MkII model in 1981/1982, although production of the original MkI continued for London Transport until 1985...
es were used.
In 1999, after route 140
London Buses route 140
London Buses route 140 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:Route 140, at its inception, followed a very different route to the one it does today...
was transferred to Metroline
Metroline
Metroline, owned by ComfortDelGro Corporation of Singapore, is one of many companies operating bus services in London under the management of London Buses.-Company history:...
, the route was operated with Leyland Olympian
Leyland Olympian
The Leyland Olympian was a double-decker bus built by British Leyland/Leyland Bus in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1993. It was the last Leyland bus model in production before the demise of Leyland Bus.-Construction:...
s. 2001 saw low-floor buses operating the route, with five Dennis Dart
Dennis Dart
The Dennis Dart is a rear-engined midibus built by Dennis in the United Kingdom. More than 11,000 were built during 18 years of production....
/Plaxton Pointer
Plaxton Pointer
The Plaxton Pointer is a successful single-decker bus body manufactured during the 1990s by Plaxton and latterly built by Alexander Dennis.With the launch of the Dennis Dart in 1989, Plaxton's subsidiary Reeve Burgess made the Pointer body on the short 8.5 m...
s used. In September 2006, the allocation was moved to Hounslow Heath Garage, to make room for route 203 at Hounslow.
Current route
- HounslowHounslowHounslow is the principal town in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is a suburban development situated 10.6 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It forms a post town in the TW postcode area.-Etymology:...
High Street - Hounslow HeathHounslow HeathHounslow Heath is a public open space and local nature reserve to the west of Hounslow, a London borough. It now covers about , the residue of the historic Hounslow Heath that covered over .-History:...
- North Feltham
- Bedfont Green
- Ashford Hospital Grounds