London Buses route 51
Encyclopedia
London Buses route 51 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London
.
and Farnborough
. In 1958 it was extended to Blackfen
during the peaks, although this was withdrawn four years later. A Saturday and Sunday extension to Welling
in 1958 was followed by a further extension to Woolwich
in 1963, and a year later this extension was made into an all-week operation. Another extension in 1964 saw the route run to Hayes
. Some peak hour journeys ran to Victoria Way in Woolwich, but these were replaced by a new route 51A in 1968.
In 1977 the 51 was converted to one-man operation and was extended during Monday to Friday peak hours from Woolwich to Charlton station
. In the same year the route was diverted to run to Green Street Green
instead of Farnborough. In 1982 it was again diverted to serve Orpington station
. The Woolwich - Charlton section was withdrawn in 1982. In 1986 some Monday to Friday peak hour journeys were diverted back in to Green Street Green, but these were withdrawn in 1989.
In August 1985 operation of the route was taken over by Kentish Bus with second-hand Leyland Atlantean
s. The route remained with them for seven years, being won by London Central
from their former Selkent
garage at Bexleyheath (BX) in 1992. Central introduced second-hand Leyland Titans
onto the route; in 1995 they were replaced on retender by new Volvo Olympian
s. These were replaced in turn by low-floor Volvo B7TL
s in 2003.
In 2008 the company lost the route 51 contract to Selkent
. Selkent had bid for the route (under the London Tendering scheme) numerous times before but won this time due to London Central's inaccurate recording of lost mileage.
In 2009 overcrowding on the route led to a knife attack on a Police Community Support Officer
in Orpington. Four teenagers were arrested.
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 Stagecoach London
Stagecoach London
Stagecoach London , is a bus company which principally operates services in the UK capital city of London, under contract to the London Buses arm of Transport for London. It was formed in 1989 as a subsidiary of London Buses. The company privatised in 1994 and acquired by the Stagecoach Group, but...
.
History
This route dates back to April 1949, when it was introduced between SidcupSidcup
Sidcup is a district in South East London in the London Borough of Bexley and small parts of the district in the London Borough of Greenwich.Located south east of Charing Cross, Sidcup is bordered by the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Bromley and Kent County Council, and whilst now part of...
and Farnborough
Farnborough, London
Farnborough is a settlement in the London Borough of Bromley. It is a suburban development located 13.4 miles southeast of Charing Cross.-History:...
. In 1958 it was extended to Blackfen
Blackfen
Blackfen is a largely residential area of Sidcup in the London Borough of Bexley, South East London; and makes part of the electoral ward of Blackfen and Lamorbey Ward along with Lamorbey. It is situated 10.2 miles east south-east of Charing Cross. The word "Blackfen" means a black, marshy area...
during the peaks, although this was withdrawn four years later. A Saturday and Sunday extension to Welling
Welling
Welling is a district in the London Borough of Bexley, South East London. It is a suburban development situated between Shooter's Hill and Bexleyheath north of the A2 road and 10.5 miles east south-east of Charing Cross.-History:...
in 1958 was followed by a further extension to Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
in 1963, and a year later this extension was made into an all-week operation. Another extension in 1964 saw the route run to Hayes
Hayes, Bromley
Hayes is a place in the London Borough of Bromley, south-east London, England. It has two main areas of activity: the ancient village and suburban Hayes.-The ancient village of Nimrods :...
. Some peak hour journeys ran to Victoria Way in Woolwich, but these were replaced by a new route 51A in 1968.
In 1977 the 51 was converted to one-man operation and was extended during Monday to Friday peak hours from Woolwich to Charlton station
Charlton railway station
Charlton railway station is in Charlton in the London Borough of Greenwich. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Southeastern...
. In the same year the route was diverted to run to Green Street Green
Green Street Green
Green Street Green is a locality in the London Borough of Bromley at . It forms part of the Orpington post town. The nearest railway station is Chelsfield railway station, to the north east. The name originates from La Grenestrete c.1290, meaning the green or grassy hamlet...
instead of Farnborough. In 1982 it was again diverted to serve Orpington station
Orpington railway station
Orpington railway station serves the town of Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. Located in Crofton Road, the station is a 500m west of the southern end of Orpington High Street....
. The Woolwich - Charlton section was withdrawn in 1982. In 1986 some Monday to Friday peak hour journeys were diverted back in to Green Street Green, but these were withdrawn in 1989.
In August 1985 operation of the route was taken over by Kentish Bus with second-hand Leyland Atlantean
Leyland Atlantean
The Leyland Atlantean is a model of double-decker bus built by Leyland in the United Kingdom from 1958 to 1986....
s. The route remained with them for seven years, being won by London Central
London Central
London Central is one of many operators of London Buses. It was established in late 1988 as one of 12 operating subsidiaries of London Buses Limited , and was privatised to the Go-Ahead Group in September 1994...
from their former Selkent
Selkent
Selkent, or the South East London & Kent Bus Company Ltd, is one of many operators of bus services contracted to Transport for London. It is currently owned by Stagecoach Group, as part of Stagecoach London....
garage at Bexleyheath (BX) in 1992. Central introduced second-hand Leyland Titans
Leyland Titan (B15)
The Leyland Titan was a model of double-decker bus produced by the Leyland Truck & Bus division of British Leyland from 1977 until 1984, almost exclusively for London Transport.-Development:...
onto the route; in 1995 they were replaced on retender by new Volvo Olympian
Volvo Olympian
The Volvo Olympian was a rear-engine double decker bus built by Volvo at Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It was first built in 1992 and entered production in March 1993, replacing the Leyland Olympian....
s. These were replaced in turn by low-floor Volvo B7TL
Volvo B7TL
Volvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
s in 2003.
In 2008 the company lost the route 51 contract to Selkent
Selkent
Selkent, or the South East London & Kent Bus Company Ltd, is one of many operators of bus services contracted to Transport for London. It is currently owned by Stagecoach Group, as part of Stagecoach London....
. Selkent had bid for the route (under the London Tendering scheme) numerous times before but won this time due to London Central's inaccurate recording of lost mileage.
In 2009 overcrowding on the route led to a knife attack on a Police Community Support Officer
Police community support officer
A police community support officer , or community support officer is a uniformed non-warranted officer employed by a territorial police force or the British Transport Police in England and Wales. Police community support officers were introduced in September 2002 by the Police Reform Act 2002...
in Orpington. Four teenagers were arrested.
Current route
- WoolwichWoolwichWoolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
Hare Street - Powis Street
- John Wilson Street
- Castile Road
- Monk Street
- Calderwood Street
- Thomas Street
- Green's End
- General Gordon Place
- Woolwich Arsenal StationWoolwich Arsenal railway stationWoolwich Arsenal station is a National Rail and Docklands Light Railway interchange station located in Woolwich in the London Borough of Greenwich. It acts as a local station on the North Kent Line between London and Gillingham, served by Southeastern, and is the southern terminus of the Woolwich...
- Vincent Road
- Burrage Road
- Crescent Road
- Bloomfield Road
- Plumstead Common Road
- Plumstead CommonPlumstead CommonPlumstead Common is a common in Plumstead, in the London Borough of Greenwich, south-east London. It is bound to the north by Old Mill Road and to the south by Plumstead Common Road. To the east lies Winn or Winn's Common...
- The Slade
- Kings's Highway
- Flaxton Road
- Swingate Lane
- Highmead
- Edison Grove
- Edison Road
- Wickham Street
- Central Avenue
- Welling StationWelling railway stationWelling railway station is situated in Welling, part of the London Borough of Bexley, and is served by the Bexleyheath Line, 11.4 miles from Central London....
- Bellegrove Road
- Welling Corner
- Hook Lane
- Westwood Lane
- BlackfenBlackfenBlackfen is a largely residential area of Sidcup in the London Borough of Bexley, South East London; and makes part of the electoral ward of Blackfen and Lamorbey Ward along with Lamorbey. It is situated 10.2 miles east south-east of Charing Cross. The word "Blackfen" means a black, marshy area...
- Wellington Avenue
- The Oval
- illersley Avenue
- Halfway Street
- Station Road
- Sidcup StationSidcup railway stationSidcup railway station is a railway station located in Sidcup in the London Borough of Bexley in south-east London. It is in Travelcard Zone 5.-Services:These are operated by Southeastern, who also manage the station.* 2tph to * 2tph to...
- Station Road
- SidcupSidcupSidcup is a district in South East London in the London Borough of Bexley and small parts of the district in the London Borough of Greenwich.Located south east of Charing Cross, Sidcup is bordered by the London Boroughs of Greenwich and Bromley and Kent County Council, and whilst now part of...
High Street - Sidcup Hill
- Foots CrayFoots CrayFoots Cray is a place in the London Borough of Bexley, near the town of Sidcup, in southeast London, England, United Kingdom.It took its name from Godwin Fot, a local Saxon landowner recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, and from the River Cray that passes through the village. It lay on the old...
- Cray Road
- Sevenoaks Way
- St. Mary Cray
- Cray Avenue
- OrpingtonOrpingtonOrpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
High Street - Station Road
- Station Approach
- Orpington StationOrpington railway stationOrpington railway station serves the town of Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley, and is in Travelcard Zone 6. Located in Crofton Road, the station is a 500m west of the southern end of Orpington High Street....