London Buses route 159
Encyclopedia
London Buses route 159 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London
.
(Monday to Friday) to Thornton Heath
. In 1956, the Sunday service was withdrawn along with the Croydon allocation, and the Old Coulsdon section was replaced by a Sunday route 190. In 1964 route was extended from Thornton Heath to Croydon Garage (Saturday am) and Brixton Garage (BN) gained the Saturday service, which was reduced with the introduction of the 159A.
On 17 June 1972 the service was diverted at St John's Wood
to serve Rossmore Road, instead of Lords. In 1978, the Saturday service was withdrawn between Thornton Heath and South Croydon and the Sunday service was reintroduced over the entire route, running via Westminster Bridge
instead of the standard route via Lambeth Bridge
.
Brixton Garage (BN) gained the Sunday service in 1982, the Saturday service in 1985 and Monday to Friday in 1986, but the whole allocation was withdrawn again in 1987. In 1990 Brixton's Sunday allocation was reintroduced and the route was withdrawn between Streatham
and Thornton Heath, being replaced by Sunday route 290. In 1988, the route was withdrawn between Streatham Green Lane and Thornton Heath Monday to Saturday, off peak.
On 14 March 1992, the route was withdrawn between Baker Street and West Hampstead and replaced by a new route 139
. The Sunday service was also withdrawn. On 29 January 1994, the route was withdrawn between Streatham Station
and Streatham Green Lane
On 22 May 1999, the route was diverted away from Baker Street, to run the full length of Oxford Street to terminate at Marble Arch, instead of running via Gloucester Place to Baker Street Station. On 18 September 1999, the route was diverted once more at Westminster via Westminster Bridge instead of Lambeth Bridge to replace the withdrawn section of route 109
, the Sunday service was also reintroduced and Thornton Heath Garage (TH) gained the Sunday only allocation, using Metrobuses
and DLAs from 2001.
On 28 August 2010, route 159 was extended from Marble Arch to Paddington Basin to replace the withdrawn section of route 15
, as part of TfL's plans to reduce congestion and pollution in Oxford Street
by reducing the number of buses there by 10% in each of 2009 and 2010. Route N159 was withdrawn and replaced by converting the 159 into a 24 hour service, a new night route N109 replaced the section between Streatham and Croydon and new night route N64 replaced the section between Addington Village and Thornton Heath.
and RTLs replaced the STLs. In June 1970, the RTs were replaced by Routemaster
s. During the 1990s, London Buses' South London subsidiary operated the route with Routemasters in a unique red and cream livery which was retained after South London was privatised and acquired by the Cowie Group.
On Friday 9 December 2005, route 159 was the last route to be converted from Routemasters to low-floor buses, with new Volvo B7TL
/Alexander ALX400
s taking over the route. Brixton Garage gained the whole service. The route was converted gradually from the start of service on Friday, with the last scheduled Routemaster journey (opertaed by RM2217) reaching Streatham around 2pm. Another vehicle, RM54, remained in service for a few minutes longer. Transport for London
Head of Buses Peter Hendy
drove the final Routemaster into Brixton Garage. For a week prior to the change, many of the Routemasters operating the route carried posters and advertising commemorating the history of the Routemaster and promoting the two heritage routes which continued to use Routemasters.
VDL DB300 10.4m / Wright Gemini 2
(from 38) were to have been introduced on route 159 from April 2011, however they were introduced in June 2011.
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 Arriva London
Arriva London
Arriva London is a division of Arriva which operates bus services in London, UK. It is made up of many previous bus operators including previously independent Grey Green...
.
History
The 159 was introduced on 11 November 1947, running from West HampsteadWest Hampstead
West Hampstead is an area in northwest London, England, situated between Childs Hill to the north, Frognal and Hampstead to the north-east, Swiss Cottage to the east, and South Hampstead to the south. Until the late 19th century, the locale was a small village called West End...
(Monday to Friday) to Thornton Heath
Thornton Heath
Thornton Heath is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south-southeast of Charing Cross.-Geography:...
. In 1956, the Sunday service was withdrawn along with the Croydon allocation, and the Old Coulsdon section was replaced by a Sunday route 190. In 1964 route was extended from Thornton Heath to Croydon Garage (Saturday am) and Brixton Garage (BN) gained the Saturday service, which was reduced with the introduction of the 159A.
On 17 June 1972 the service was diverted at St John's Wood
St John's Wood
St John's Wood is a district of north-west London, England, in the City of Westminster, and at the north-west end of Regent's Park. It is approximately 2.5 miles north-west of Charing Cross. Once part of the Great Middlesex Forest, it was later owned by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem...
to serve Rossmore Road, instead of Lords. In 1978, the Saturday service was withdrawn between Thornton Heath and South Croydon and the Sunday service was reintroduced over the entire route, running via Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster on the north side and Lambeth on the south side, in London, England....
instead of the standard route via Lambeth Bridge
Lambeth Bridge
Lambeth Bridge is a road traffic and footbridge crossing the River Thames in an east-west direction in central London, England; the river flows north at the crossing point...
.
Brixton Garage (BN) gained the Sunday service in 1982, the Saturday service in 1985 and Monday to Friday in 1986, but the whole allocation was withdrawn again in 1987. In 1990 Brixton's Sunday allocation was reintroduced and the route was withdrawn between Streatham
Streatham
Streatham is a district in Surrey, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
and Thornton Heath, being replaced by Sunday route 290. In 1988, the route was withdrawn between Streatham Green Lane and Thornton Heath Monday to Saturday, off peak.
On 14 March 1992, the route was withdrawn between Baker Street and West Hampstead and replaced by a new route 139
London Buses route 139
London Buses route 139 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline for London Buses.-History:...
. The Sunday service was also withdrawn. On 29 January 1994, the route was withdrawn between Streatham Station
Streatham railway station
Streatham railway station is a station in central Streatham in south London. It is off Streatham High Road, and is in Travelcard Zone 3.Services are provided by First Capital Connect and Southern. First Capital Connect services go north to Luton and Bedford via Blackfriars, the City and St Pancras,...
and Streatham Green Lane
On 22 May 1999, the route was diverted away from Baker Street, to run the full length of Oxford Street to terminate at Marble Arch, instead of running via Gloucester Place to Baker Street Station. On 18 September 1999, the route was diverted once more at Westminster via Westminster Bridge instead of Lambeth Bridge to replace the withdrawn section of route 109
London Buses route 109
London Buses route 109 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London.-1950s:...
, the Sunday service was also reintroduced and Thornton Heath Garage (TH) gained the Sunday only allocation, using Metrobuses
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...
and DLAs from 2001.
On 28 August 2010, route 159 was extended from Marble Arch to Paddington Basin to replace the withdrawn section of route 15
London Buses route 15
London Buses route 15 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The regular service on route 15 is currently contracted to Stagecoach London and operated with modern double-decker buses...
, as part of TfL's plans to reduce congestion and pollution in Oxford Street
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
by reducing the number of buses there by 10% in each of 2009 and 2010. Route N159 was withdrawn and replaced by converting the 159 into a 24 hour service, a new night route N109 replaced the section between Streatham and Croydon and new night route N64 replaced the section between Addington Village and Thornton Heath.
Vehicles
When first introduced, the route was operated using STL-class double-deckers. In 1951, RTsAEC 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:...
and RTLs replaced the STLs. In June 1970, the RTs were replaced by Routemaster
Routemaster
The AEC Routemaster is a model of double-decker bus that was built by Associated Equipment Company in 1954 and produced until 1968. Primarily front-engined, rear open-platform buses, a small number of variants were produced with doors and/or front entrances...
s. During the 1990s, London Buses' South London subsidiary operated the route with Routemasters in a unique red and cream livery which was retained after South London was privatised and acquired by the Cowie Group.
On Friday 9 December 2005, route 159 was the last route to be converted from Routemasters to low-floor buses, with new 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...
/Alexander ALX400
Alexander ALX400
The Alexander ALX400 is a 2-axle double-decker bus body built by Walter Alexander Coachbuilders...
s taking over the route. Brixton Garage gained the whole service. The route was converted gradually from the start of service on Friday, with the last scheduled Routemaster journey (opertaed by RM2217) reaching Streatham around 2pm. Another vehicle, RM54, remained in service for a few minutes longer. Transport for London
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...
Head of Buses Peter Hendy
Peter Hendy
Peter Hendy, CBE is the current Commissioner of Transport for London.-Early career:He started his career in the public transport industry in 1975 as a London Transport graduate trainee...
drove the final Routemaster into Brixton Garage. For a week prior to the change, many of the Routemasters operating the route carried posters and advertising commemorating the history of the Routemaster and promoting the two heritage routes which continued to use Routemasters.
VDL DB300 10.4m / Wright Gemini 2
Wright Gemini 2
The Wright Gemini 2 is a double-decker bus built by Wrightbus since 2008. It was announced in December 2007 but was not named until 2008.It was constructed as an integral with VDL chassis modules. It is available in two versions, the diesel-powered version and the diesel-electric hybrid version...
(from 38) were to have been introduced on route 159 from April 2011, however they were introduced in June 2011.
Current route
- Paddington BasinPaddington BasinPaddington Basin is an area of Paddington, London named after the nearby canal basin.The junction of the Regent's Canal and the Grand Junction Canal is close to this point but the basin itself is the terminus of the Paddington Arm of the Grand Junction Canal. It was opened in 1801...
North Wharf Road - Paddington StationPaddington stationPaddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
- Edgware Road StationEdgware Road tube stationEdgware Road station is a London Underground station on the corner of Chapel Street and Cabbell Street Road in Travelcard Zone 1 serving the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines. The separate Edgware Road tube station is about 150 metres away on the opposite side of the Marylebone Road...
- Marble Arch StationMarble Arch tube stationMarble Arch is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster. The station is between Lancaster Gate and Bond Street stations on the Central line, and is in Travelcard Zone 1.-History:...
- Bond Street StationBond Street tube stationBond Street tube station is a London Underground station on Oxford Street, near the junction with New Bond Street. Note that the street-level entrances are approximately 200 metres west of New Bond Street itself...
- Oxford Circus StationOxford Circus tube station-External links:* ** ** * Plans of the station after the Victoria Line works , , *...
- Piccadilly Circus StationPiccadilly Circus tube stationPiccadilly Circus tube station is the London Underground station located directly beneath Piccadilly Circus itself, with entrances at every corner...
- Trafalgar SquareTrafalgar SquareTrafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
for Charing Cross StationCharing Cross stationCharing Cross station may refer to:In London, England:*Charing Cross railway station*Charing Cross tube station **Embankment tube station was previously named Charing CrossIn Glasgow, Scotland:...
- Westminster StationWestminster tube stationWestminster is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster. It is served by the Circle, District and Jubilee lines. On the Circle and District lines, the station is between St. James's Park and Embankment and, on the Jubilee line it is between Green Park and Waterloo. It is in...
- Lambeth North StationLambeth North tube stationLambeth North tube station is a London Underground station in the neighbourhood of Lambeth, at the junction of Westminster Bridge Road and Baylis Road. It is on the Bakerloo line, between Elephant & Castle and Waterloo, and is in Travelcard Zone 1...
- KenningtonKenningtonKennington is a district of South London, England, mainly within the London Borough of Lambeth, although part of the area is within the London Borough of Southwark....
Oval StationOval tube stationOval tube station in Kennington is a station on the Northern line of the London Underground between Stockwell and Kennington stations. It is the only station on the Morden branch of the Northern line whose name begins with a vowel and is one of only two stations on the London Underground with only...
- Brixton StationBrixton tube stationBrixton tube station, a station on the London Underground opened on July 23, 1971, is the southern terminus of the Victoria line.It is located in Brixton Road, and is about 100m from Brixton railway station . From the ticket hall, three escalators take passengers to and from the platforms...
- Streatham Hill StationStreatham Hill railway stationStreatham Hill railway station is one of three stations serving the suburb of Streatham, in the London Borough of Lambeth. The wooden station building at street level faces the busy Streatham High Road at the junction with Leigham Court Road...
- Streatham StationStreatham railway stationStreatham railway station is a station in central Streatham in south London. It is off Streatham High Road, and is in Travelcard Zone 3.Services are provided by First Capital Connect and Southern. First Capital Connect services go north to Luton and Bedford via Blackfriars, the City and St Pancras,...