Trivia: Craziest/Weirdest bus terminus locations in London

[Roger1973]

Yes, there were a lot of pubs as terminus / short working points - some were shown on blinds, many weren't.

15 - East Ham 'White Horse' to Ladbroke Grove 'Eagle' (Mon - Sat) or East Acton 'Goldsmiths Arms' (Sundays) may have been unusual in having a full set for its regular terminus points.

There was a reduction in use of pubs as bus stop names in general in the early 2000's when there was a trend of pubs either closing, or changing names frequently.

202 Blackheath 'Royal Standard' and 328 Chelsea 'Worlds End' are still current. There must be others, although can't immediately think of any.

The London County Council Tramways had a policy of trying to avoid using pub names as destinations - Elephant and Castle, Islington 'Angel' and Clapham 'Plough' were exceptions.

 

[Busaholic]

Chingford, Royal Forest Hotel, on the edge of Epping Forest, could lay claim to be the most extraordinary terminus of all. with its plethora of routes going to places far and wide, including Victoria Station and Clapham Common, as well as Golders Green, Victoria and Albert Docks and Barking. Then, suddenly, the Victoria Line opened to Walthamstow and, within days, the terminus was no more, with Chingford Station becoming a replacement for the diminished number of routes.

Other pub ones included
Welling, Guy, Earl of Warwick (the only one containing a comma?)
Blackheath, Sun in the Sands
Blackfen, Woodman
Farningham, Bull
Woolwich, Earl of Chatham
South Croydon, Swan and Sugar Loaf
Upton Park, Boleyn
East Ham, White Horse ( a big terminal at one time)
Stroud Green, Stapleton
Cricklewood, Crown { main terminus for the 16 at one time)
West Norwood, Rosendale
Blackheath, Royal Standard
Charlton, Hope and Anchor
Rotherhithe, Red Lion
Keston, Fox
Bromley by Bow, Seven Stars
Plumstead Common, Woodman (terminus of the 126 where my uncle was mine host!)

Those are just off the top of my head, with a S.E. London bias reflecting my early life.

 

[chrisdoward]

A few more South London Pub Terminating Points for Buses:

Brixton George Canning (Jn of Effra Road and Brixton Water Lane)
Camberwell Road Nags Head
West Norwood Thurlow Arms.

 

[MotCO]

More examples:

New Malden, Fountain (e.g. route 285) (Now referred to as Police Station, even though this has also now closed!)
Hook, Ace of Spades (72)
Esher, Marquis of Granby (I thought 72 and 152, but https://www.londonbuses.co.uk/_routes/current/152.html doesn't report this)
Mitcham, Cricketers (152)
Green Street Green, Rose & Crown (229, R1, R3)
Tolworth, Toby Jug (72)

 

[delt1c]

Chingford, Royal Forest Hotel, on the edge of Epping Forest, could lay claim to be the most extraordinary terminus of all. with its plethora of routes going to places far and wide, including Victoria Station and Clapham Common, as well as Golders Green, Victoria and Albert Docks and Barking. Then, suddenly, the Victoria Line opened to Walthamstow and, within days, the terminus was no more, with Chingford Station becoming a replacement for the diminished number of routes.

Other pub ones included
Welling, Guy, Earl of Warwick (the only one containing a comma?)
Blackheath, Sun in the Sands
Blackfen, Woodman
Farningham, Bull
Woolwich, Earl of Chatham
South Croydon, Swan and Sugar Loaf
Upton Park, Boleyn
East Ham, White Horse ( a big terminal at one time)
Stroud Green, Stapleton
Cricklewood, Crown { main terminus for the 16 at one time)
West Norwood, Rosendale
Blackheath, Royal Standard
Charlton, Hope and Anchor
Rotherhithe, Red Lion
Keston, Fox
Bromley by Bow, Seven Stars
Plumstead Common, Woodman (terminus of the 126 where my uncle was mine host!)

Those are just off the top of my head, with a S.E. London bias reflecting my early life.

How about Farnborough the George on the old 47. Very easy for a new driver to miss. When I was new in Dalston as a Conductor, had a new driver who missed it and I didn't realise either.

 

[zuriblue]

South Croydon Swan and Sugar Loaf. The pub closed in 2010 and is now a Tesco.

 

[Magdalia]

Mitcham, Cricketers (152)

I'm annoyed with myself that I didn't remember that one. When I first worked in London the 88 had Mitcham Cricketers as destination as it wended its way through the obscure back streets of Westminster just before it crossed Vauxhall Bridge.

 

[MotCO]

How about Farnborough the George on the old 47. Very easy for a new driver to miss. When I was new in Dalston as a Conductor, had a new driver who missed it and I didn't realise either.

I thught about that one, but https://www.londonbuses.co.uk/_routes/current/047.html does not show a qualifying point for Farnborough.

 

[delt1c]

I can assure you that it turned at the George; I worked on them.

 

[Mike99]

Can assure it tut ed at the George , I worked on them

Your quite right it turned at the George and Dragon, Farnborough, I was loaned to Bromley in the mid 70s a few times as a conductor and worked , RT's on the 47 and 94. As an enthusiast as well, the blinds only ever said Farnborough

I'm annoyed with myself that I didn't remember that one. When I first worked in London the 88 had Mitcham Cricketers as destination as it wended its way through the obscure back streets of Westminster just before it crossed Vauxhall Bridge.

The 88 also turned at Tooting 'Mitre', along with the 77, and Tooting Broadway.

How about on the 12's we worked through from Elmers End Garage and Norwood Junction to Harlesden and before the terminus became the side ramp to Willesden Junction Station we turned via a couple of side streets to stand alongside the Willesden Junction Hotel. A very very salubrious pub, especially at night our last two duties working back to Elmers End Garage. We showed Harlesden 'Willesden Junction' on the blinds. As an aside our blinds still showed the option of Shepherds Bush 'Princess Victoria' a terminus not used for many years before hand.

 

[MotCO]

Can assure it tut ed at the George , I worked on them

No, I agree the 47 terminated there - but did the blind show The George?

 

[Busaholic]

No, I agree the 47 terminated there - but did the blind show The George?

Not in my lifetime, which was why I didn't include it. I worked for Bromley mobile library 1968-9 and it (a trailer) parked right in the middle for one day a week in-between the 47 and 51 stands. The 47s seemed to either stand a long time or couldn't wait to get away(the Dalston ones!) Actually, I don't remember the Rose and Crown at Green St. Green ever being mentioned either, which was why I didn't include that.

I've got a few more ready to share, but first, where was the Askew Arms? I could swear I saw it on blinds!

 

[MotCO]

Actually, I don't remember the Rose and Crown at Green St. Green ever being mentioned either, which was why I didn't include that.

Now you mention it, I can't find any photographic evidence of it either! I somehow remember an RT display showing Rose and Crown as a validator (route 229?), but again can't find any evidence.

 

[Busaholic]

Now you mention it, I can't find any photographic evidence of it either! I somehow remember an RT display showing Rose and Crown as a validator (route 229?), but again can't find any evidence.

I'm pretty sure it never appeared on an RT display, my memory of Sidcup RTs stretching back to all except the first two years of their operation, which of course included RTLs which I must have seen but cannot recollect! Bexleyheath RTs, from 1959, certainly wouldn't have included it. Actually, confession time, I don't believe I ever saw Woodman added to the Blackfen destination but I think I've seen a photo of such.

Anyway, a few more I remember:-
Chelsea, Stanley Arms (same terminus now known as World's End.)
Fulham, Salisbury (I briefly had a girlfriend who worked as a barmaid there and furtively noted all the short-working 11s passing!)
Putney Heath, Green Man
Roehampton, Earl Spencer
Tolworth, Red Lion
Hook, Ace of Spades
North Cheam, Queen Victoria
Yeading, White Hart
Abridge, Blue Boar
Ongar, Two Brewers

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Yes, there were a lot of pubs as terminus / short working points - some were shown on blinds, many weren't.

15 - East Ham 'White Horse' to Ladbroke Grove 'Eagle' (Mon - Sat) or East Acton 'Goldsmiths Arms' (Sundays) may have been unusual in having a full set for its regular terminus points.

There was a reduction in use of pubs as bus stop names in general in the early 2000's when there was a trend of pubs either closing, or changing names frequently.

202 Blackheath 'Royal Standard' and 328 Chelsea 'Worlds End' are still current. There must be others, although can't immediately think of any.

The London County Council Tramways had a policy of trying to avoid using pub names as destinations - Elephant and Castle, Islington 'Angel' and Clapham 'Plough' were exceptions.

Greenford Red Lion is / was another pub based terminus.

 

[Mike99]

Not in my lifetime, which was why I didn't include it. I worked for Bromley mobile library 1968-9 and it (a trailer) parked right in the middle for one day a week in-between the 47 and 51 stands. The 47s seemed to either stand a long time or couldn't wait to get away(the Dalston ones!) Actually, I don't remember the Rose and Crown at Green St. Green ever being mentioned either, which was why I didn't include that.

I've got a few more ready to share, but first, where was the Askew Arms? I could swear I saw it on blinds!

The Askew Arms, the only one I can think is on the corner of Uxbridge Road and Askew Road, Shepherds Bush

 

[Busaholic]

The Askew Arms, the only one I can think is on the corner of Uxbridge Road and Askew Road, Shepherds Bush

I had an idea that was the area, so am I imagining I saw a Shepherds Bush, Askew Arms destination on a 266 once?

I also believe I once saw a Hayes, Grapes destination blind, this being the Middlesex one rather than the Kentish one!

Holloway, Nags Head is one that dates back to tram, then trolleybus days. I think I read that the Nags Head junction had the most complicated overhead structure on London trolleybuses.

 

[Mike99]

I had an idea that was the area, so am I imagining I saw a Shepherds Bush, Askew Arms destination on a 266 once?

I also believe I once saw a Hayes, Grapes destination blind, this being the Middlesex one rather than the Kentish one!

Holloway, Nags Head is one that dates back to tram, then trolleybus days. I think I read that the Nags Head junction had the most complicated overhead structure on London trolleybuses.

Yes I think the 266 may have been correct, Hayes 'Grapes' I think was on the 140 route.

 

[delt1c]

No, I agree the 47 terminated there - but did the blind show The George?

Did on our buses from Dalston
garage

 

[WAB]

I always found 'North Finchley, Tally Ho!' to be a particularly fun destination.

 

[PeterC]

I always found 'North Finchley, Tally Ho!' to be a particularly fun destination.

IIRC it was simply marked as "Tally Ho" on the bus map. Slightly off topic the Country Area map also had "Farmer's Boy" with no obvious indication that it was in Markyate. I can't remember if it was a terminus or just a timing point.

Both locations fascinated me in my bus spotting days nearly 60 years ago.

 

[telstarbox]

When did the 402 to Bromley get cut back to modern Kent only?

 

[MotCO]

When did the 402 to Bromley get cut back to modern Kent only?

Probably about 5 years ago. Go-Coach tried to run a 431 as a replacement, running from Sevenoaks to Orpington, but it did not survive the Covid cut-backs.

 

[Busaholic]

IIRC it was simply marked as "Tally Ho" on the bus map. Slightly off topic the Country Area map also had "Farmer's Boy" with no obvious indication that it was in Markyate. I can't remember if it was a terminus or just a timing point.

Both locations fascinated me in my bus spotting days nearly 60 years ago.

Markyate, Plume of Feathers was the terminus of the 364 from Luton - I can say this with certainty only because I've purchased a book in the last few days exclusively of photos of London Transport buses in the 1960s, and an RF with this destination features! Surprisingly, other than the Chingford and Fulham examples already posted, no other pub descriptors feature.

More examples I remember:-
Woodford, Napier Arms
Palmers Green, Cock
Mildmay Park, Mildmay Tavern
Deptford, Noah's Ark
Poplar, Iron Bridge Tavern
Battersea, Parkgate Hotel (I believe this was the same destination as the later Parkgate Road)
Battersea, Prince's Head
Highgate, Archway Tavern
Mitcham, Cricketers
Banstead, Queen Victoria
South Croydon, Red Deer

I don't have great knowledge of country routes, but the most frequent of them all over many years was the 480 and I was always fascinated by the destination Gravesend, Milton Ale Shades, imagining some seedy place inhabited by South London gangsters!

 

[MedwayValiant]

I am surprised that we have gone so far into bus terminuses named for pubs without any mention of ... Leyton, Baker's Arms.

It's a while since I've been to that part of London, but I think that is still used as a stop name - much as the actual pub disappeared twenty or so years ago.

 

[Roger1973]

With the 47 it was in the timetables as Farnborough, 'George' but I can't say as I've seen photographs with it shown as the qualifying point on blinds, in the same way that Lewisham, Odeon, or Lewisham, Rennell Street was the terminus, but just 'Lewisham' was shown on blinds (this changed after the 1978 bus station opened, and buses either showed Lewisham Bus Station (mostly from the south) or Lewisham Riverdale Centre (from the north.)

Although my not having seen it doesn't prove that it never happened, of course, and I think there have been a few instances where different garages have had subtly different blinds for the same route.

I've seen photos (early 50s?) of 36's showing West Kilburn, Falcon - although the qualifier didn't last long. Brockley Rise, 'Chandos' was in the timetable for route 36A and for Saturday 94's, but I can't recall seeing the qualifier on blinds.

Peckham, Lord Hill was a pub terminus that disappeared (37's and the Peckham / Nunhead circular - may have still been 243 then - terminated there, it was up Peckham Hill Street, and was replaced by the bus station in front of Peckham Garage when that opened.)

Old Kent Road Garage's buses terminated at Old Kent Road, Lord Wellington on garage journeys (This had also been a destination shown on horse trams in company days, as the depot - or site at least - was a horse tram depot before New Cross opened.)

 

[Busaholic]

With the 47 it was in the timetables as Farnborough, 'George' but I can't say as I've seen photographs with it shown as the qualifying point on blinds, in the same way that Lewisham, Odeon, or Lewisham, Rennell Street was the terminus, but just 'Lewisham' was shown on blinds (this changed after the 1978 bus station opened, and buses either showed Lewisham Bus Station (mostly from the south) or Lewisham Riverdale Centre (from the north.)

Although my not having seen it doesn't prove that it never happened, of course, and I think there have been a few instances where different garages have had subtly different blinds for the same route.

I've seen photos (early 50s?) of 36's showing West Kilburn, Falcon - although the qualifier didn't last long. Brockley Rise, 'Chandos' was in the timetable for route 36A and for Saturday 94's, but I can't recall seeing the qualifier on blinds.

Peckham, Lord Hill was a pub terminus that disappeared (37's and the Peckham / Nunhead circular - may have still been 243 then - terminated there, it was up Peckham Hill Street, and was replaced by the bus station in front of Peckham Garage when that opened.)

Old Kent Road Garage's buses terminated at Old Kent Road, Lord Wellington on garage journeys (This had also been a destination shown on horse trams in company days, as the depot - or site at least - was a horse tram depot before New Cross opened.)

That reminds me that late-running 36s terminated at Harrow Road, Prince of Wales, but after nearby Westbourne Park garage opened the Routemasters seemed to find themselves irresistibly drawn to its interior to stand, though the route has never been allocated there.

The Old Kent Road one I do vaguely remember as my local 21 was part worked by that garage (code P) prior to New Cross becoming a bus garage rather than a tram depot.

 

[PeterC]

I am surprised that we have gone so far into bus terminuses named for pubs without any mention of ... Leyton, Baker's Arms.

It's a while since I've been to that part of London, but I think that is still used as a stop name - much as the actual pub disappeared twenty or so years ago.

It's still the junction name. There was a trolleybus turning circle there but I think that the whole area has been resurfaced and it is no longer obvious.

I don't think that the Huntsman and Hounds in Corbets Tey has had a mention. It was used by local services under various numbers from Upminster until 1991 and also previously by Green Line 722.

I recall the turning circle as a gravelled yard next to the pub. It now forms the pub car park with a proper surface and CCTV to catch any no customers using it.

 

[341o2]

Since Kent and Green line have already been mentioned, how about Country division 431D to Fort Halstead

 

[Class45]

IIRC it was simply marked as "Tally Ho" on the bus map. Slightly off topic the Country Area map also had "Farmer's Boy" with no obvious indication that it was in Markyate. I can't remember if it was a terminus or just a timing point.

Both locations fascinated me in my bus spotting days nearly 60 years ago.

The Farmers Boy is in Kensworth on the road between Markyate and Whipsnade. It was a terminus on some journeys on the 364a from Luton and is still a timing point on Centrebus services 40 and 40a from Dunstable to Whipsnade.