| 65 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Operator | RATP Dev Transit London [1] |
| Garage | Fulwell [1] |
| Night-time | N65 |
| Route | |
| Start | Ealing Broadway station |
| Via | Brentford Kew Richmond Petersham Ham |
| End | Kingston upon Thames |
London Buses route 65 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Ealing Broadway station and Kingston upon Thames, it is operated by RATP Dev Transit London.
Route 65 originally ran from Ealing Argyle Road (now Scotch Common) to Leatherhead via Ealing Broadway, South Ealing, Brentford, Richmond, Petersham, Ham, Kingston, Tolworth, Hook and Chessington. In the summer months, the route was extended from Kingston to Chessington Zoo. It was initially operated from Kingston (K) and Turnham Green (V) garages, using STL-class AEC Regents and, after World War II, AEC Regent III RTs, Leyland Titans, and Routemasters. In 1946, "pay-as-you-enter" experiments were carried out on route 65, running between Ealing Broadway and Leatherhead. [2] [3]
In the 1960s, the southernmost section between Chessington Zoo and Leatherhead was withdrawn and replaced by route 71. In 1975, the elderly AEC Regent III RT were replaced by AEC Routemasters, and the route extended from Chessington Zoo to Chessington Fox & Hounds during Monday to Friday peak hours. [4]
In February 1979, the route was temporarily split in two in Petersham, due to a large sinkhole nicknamed the 'Petersham Hole'. Regular through service did not resume until September 1980. [5]
In 1984, the northern section to Argyle Road was cut back to Ealing Broadway. In 1985, the 65 was converted to one-person operation using MCW Metrobuses, all based at Norbiton. [4] In 1987, the route was reduced further, with the southern portion of the route to Chessington cut back to Kingston. By this time, route tendering had been established in London, and 65 passed to Kingston Bus, a low-cost unit established by London Buses. [4]
Upon being re-tendered, the route was awarded to Armchair Passenger Transport. However a delay in the delivery of new buses resulted in London & Country operating it for a few months from 29 September 1990, mainly using Leyland Atlanteans from distant Croydon and Leatherhead garages. [4]
Armchair finally took over in January 1991, using a batch of seventeen Leyland Olympians plus three second-hand Atlanteans. [6] It retained the route upon it being re-tendered in 1996, and subsequently replaced the ageing Atlanteans with new Northern Counties Palatine II bodied Volvo Olympians. A variety of other buses worked the route during Armchair's tenure, including Alexander bodied Leyland Olympians after Armchair lost route 260, two MCW Metrobuses new to East Kent Road Car Company. [7]
Upon being re-tendered, the route passed to London United on 29 June 2002 with new Alexander ALX400 bodied Dennis Trident 2s from Fulwell garage. [8]
Upon being re-tendered, it was retained by London United with a new contract commencing on 4 July 2009, that saw the section between Kingston and Chessington reinstated for night-time services only. [9] London United retained the route when next tendered with the new contract to commence on 2 July 2016. [10]
In 2022, the bus fleet was electrified, with the introduction of Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV battery electric buses. [11]
Route 65 operates via these primary locations: [12]
The AEC Routemaster is a front-engined double-decker bus that was designed by London Transport and built by the Associated Equipment Company (AEC) and Park Royal Vehicles. The first prototype was completed in September 1954 and the last one was delivered in 1968. The layout of the vehicle was conventional for the time, with a half-cab, front-mounted engine and open rear platform, although the coach version was fitted with rear platform doors. Forward entrance vehicles with platform doors were also produced as was a unique front-entrance prototype with the engine mounted transversely at the rear.
London Buses route 11 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Fulham Town Hall and Waterloo station, it is operated by Go-Ahead London.
The MCW Metrobus is a two and three-axle double-decker bus manufactured by Metro Cammell Weymann (MCW) between 1977 and 1989, with over 4,000 built. The original MkI was superseded by the MkII which had a symmetrical windscreen with an arched top in 1981, although production of the original MkI continued for the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive and London Regional Transport until 1983 and 1985 respectively. The Metrobus was conceived as an integral product manufactured completely by MCW, but Alexander and Northern Counties also bodied some examples.
Arriva London is a major bus company operating services in Greater London. It is a subsidiary of Arriva UK Bus and operates services under contract to Transport for London. It was formed in 1998 from a fusion of previously separate Arriva subsidiaries Grey-Green, Leaside Buses, Kentish Bus, London & Country and South London Transport. Operations are split between two registered companies, Arriva London North Limited and Arriva London South Limited.
Sullivan Bus & Coach Limited, trading as Sullivan Buses, is a bus company based in South Mimms, Hertfordshire, England. Founded in 1998, it operates local bus services in and around Hertfordshire and north London including school services, rail replacement bus services in and near London, bus links in Surrey to and from Thorpe Park and vehicle hire for television programmes.
RATP Dev Transit London Limited, trading as RATP Dev Transit London, is a bus company in North London. The London Sovereign brand is a subsidiary of RATP Dev Transit London and operates buses under contract to Transport for London.
First London was a bus company operating services in east, west and south-east London, England. It was a subsidiary of FirstGroup and operated buses under contract to Transport for London. It was formed in the late 1990s through the acquisition of three London bus operators. First London's garages were sold off between December 2007 and June 2013 with the last closing in September 2013.
London Buses route 2 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Norwood bus garage and Marylebone station, it is operated by Arriva London.
South East London & Kent Bus Company Limited trading as Stagecoach London, is a bus company operating in central and south London and some parts of north-west Kent. The Selkent brand is a subsidiary of Stagecoach London and operates services under contract to Transport for London. The Selkent brand is not publicly used since 2010 as all buses are branded as Stagecoach, but it exists as a legal entity.
RATP Dev Transit London Limited, trading as RATP Dev Transit London, is a bus company operating mostly in west and south-west Greater London. The London United brand is a subsidiary of RATP Dev Transit London and operates services under contract to Transport for London.
The East Kent Road Car Company Ltd is a bus company formed in 1916 and based in Canterbury, Kent. The company operated bus and coach services in Kent. In 1993 it was one of the first companies to be acquired by the Stagecoach Group, which eventually rebranded the operation as Stagecoach in East Kent, and made it part of the Stagecoach South East bus division.
London Buses route 207 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Hayes bypass and White City bus station, it is operated by Transport UK London Bus.
London Buses route 98 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Willesden bus garage and Red Lion Square, it is operated by Metroline.
London Buses route 271 was a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. It ran between Highgate Village and Finsbury Square, and was last operated by Metroline.
London Buses route 406 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London and Surrey, England. Running between Kingston upon Thames and Epsom, it is operated by RATP Dev Transit London.
Halifax Joint Committee was an independent bus company operating in and around Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. Its buses were painted in the livery of the former County Borough of Halifax whose buses and services were taken over by the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive in April 1974.
London Buses route 68 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between West Norwood and Euston bus station, it is operated by Transport UK London Bus.
London Buses route 465 is a joint Transport for London and Surrey County Council contracted bus route in London and Surrey, England. Running between Kingston upon Thames and Dorking, it is operated by RATP Dev Transit London.
London Buses route 293 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London and Surrey, England. Running between Morden station and Epsom Hospital, it is operated by RATP Dev Transit London.
London Buses route 281 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Hounslow bus station and Tolworth, it is operated by RATP Dev Transit London.
Media related to London Buses route 65 at Wikimedia Commons
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