Route 61: Bromley North - Chislehurst

Visitors 6482

Modified 28-Mar-24

Created 15-Mar-11

179 photos

London Bus Route 61 - Bromley North - Bromley Common - Locksbottom - Orpington - Chislehurst. (12 Miles)
Operated By Stagecoach London
Garage: Bromley TB

Past Timetables: Sep 1982, Feb 2002, Sep 2005

To View The Current Timetable Click Here

History:

The route 61 prior October 1950 and provided a service between Eltham and Bromley. The route was operated at Bromley Garage (TB) by RT type buses. The route ran from Eltham to Bromley Garage Monday to Saturday and Sunday ran from Eltham to Bromley North. The current PVR was Mon to Sat 10RT and Sun 8RT.
In early May 1956 the route was diverted around Chislehurst, (Via Belmont Lane). The current PVR was Mon to Fri 11RT, Sat 13RT and Sun 8RT.
By the 16th October 1957 the route was revised around the Bromley area, Monday to Saturday and Sunday afternoons the route ran from Eltham to Bromley North Station, Sunday mornings ran from Eltham to Bromley Garage. The current PVR was Mon to Fri 13RT, Sat 14RT and Sun 7RT.
At the very end of 1966 on the 31st December 1966 the route was full time between Bromley Garage and Bromley North Station. The current PVR was Mon to Fri 13RT, Sat 7RT and Sun 5RT.
On the 15th July 1972 the 61 was converted to One Man Operation using DMS type buses. The Saturday service was also withdrawn between Chislehurst and Eltham; this was replaced by the 227. The current PVR was Mon to Fri 13DMS, Sat 6DMS and Sun 4DMS.
By the 18th May 1974 the Saturday service between Chislehurst and Eltham was now back in full time operation. The PVR was increased to 9DMS on Saturday. On the 29th September 1979 the route was converted to small deck operation which was operated by Leyland Nationals (LS). The current PVR was Mon-Fri 14LS, Sat 9LS and Sun 6LS.
On the 16th August 1986 a company called Metrobus took over the route from London Transport, they operated the 61 from their Orpington depot (MB) by various types of double deckers, but you did still get a few single deck operations. There was a few changes to the route of the 61 Monday to Saturday ran from Chislehurst to Bromley North Station and Sunday ran from Eltham to Bromley North Station.
By the 19th January 1991 the route was withdrawn between Chislehurst and Eltham fully.
By the 2nd December 1995 Metrobus lost the contact to Centrewest. They operated the 61 from there Swanley Garage (SJ). The route was still under double deck operation. The current PVR was 11DD Monday to Saturday and 3DD Sunday.
On the 3rd March 1996 the Sunday service was converted to Single deck operation and the Monday to Saturday operation was ran by Volvo Olympians. The current PVR was Monday to Fri 11V, Sat 10V and Sun 3DP.
By 2002 the operation was now called First Centrewest and they converted the route to Low floor Double Deck Operation Monday to Sunday by VT type buses.
On the 2nd December 2006 First lost the contract to Selkent and they operate the route from their Bromley Garage (TB) which they took over quite a few years ago, they also bought some brand new Enviro 400 type buses for the route. The current PVR is Mon to Fri 9E, Sat 8E and Sun 5E. By spring 2009 the PVR was increased to 12TE Monday to Friday, 10TE Saturday and 8TE Sunday.
In late 2010, Selkent was brought out by Stagecoach, which now operates the 61.
On the 3rd December 2011, the contract was renewed with Stagecoach with existing fleet of buses. The current PVR Mon-Fri 11E, Sat 10E & Sun 7E.
On the 1st December 2018, Stagecoach retained the contract with an existing newer fleet of Enviro 400's. The current PVR Mon-Fri 11E, Sat 9E & Sun 7E

Route 61, Challenger, M369, GYE369W, Chislehurst

Route 61, Challenger, M941, A941SUL, Orpington

Route 61, First London, DML41380, W361VLN, Orpington

Route 61, First London, DML41413, LK51JYN, Bromley

Route 61, First London, DML41413, LK51JYN, Bromley North

Route 61, First London, DML41414, LK51JYO, Orpington

Route 61, First London, DMS41458, LT02ZDM, Bromley

Route 61, First London, VN32100, LT02ZCJ, Bromley

Route 61, First London, VN32101, LT02ZCK, Bromley

Route 61, First London, VN32101, LT02ZCK, Orpington

Route 61, First London, VN32104, LT02ZCO, Bromley

Route 61, First London, VN32104, LT02ZCO, Orpington

Route 61, First London, VN32105, LT02ZCU, Bromley

Categories & Keywords

Category:Transportation

Subcategory:Buses

Subcategory Detail:

Keywords:Abellio, Arriva, Blue Triangle, Buses, CT Plus, Capital Citybus, Docklands Buses, First London, London Buses, London Central, London General, London United, MCW, Metrobus, Metroline, Olympians, Photographs, Photos, Stagecoach, Transdev