Home»London Bus Routes All Photographs»London Bus Routes: 401 - 500»Route 455: Purley, Old Lodge Lane - Wallington Station [Withdrawn]

London Bus Route 455 - Purley, Old Lodge Lane - Purley - Pampisford Road - Croydon - Beddington - Roundshaw - Wallington Station. (13 Miles)
Last Operated By Go Ahead London: Metrobus

Past Timetables: June 2003, May 2005


Route History:

• Route 455 began on the 28th September 1996 and was operated by Cowie South London at Thornton Heath Garage (TH) and was introduced to replace the 450 between Purley & West Croydon and replacing the 255 between Croydn & Wallington. The new 455 route provided a Monday to Saturday service between Purley Old Lodge Lane and Wallington Shotfield (Via Croydon). The route was operated by Dennis Darts and the current PVR was Monday to Saturday 8DRL.
• On the 19th July 1997 Cowie South London lost the contract to London Links at their Beddington Garage (CR). The company used Midi type buses. The current PVR was Monday to Saturday 8Midi. A few months later on the 6th December a Sunday service was introduced, the Midi buses were also withdrawn and replaced by Dennis Plaxton Darts (DP). The current PVR was Monday to Saturday 8DP and Sunday 4DP.
• On the 30th October 1999 London Links lost all their contracts to Arriva London South along with other routes based at their Beddington Garage which Arriva also took over. Arriva used Dennis Darts (DRL’s) to operate the 455 which were previously allocated to the route back when it began in 1996. The current PVR was Monday to Saturday 8DRL and Sunday 4DRL. By the 26th February 2000 the Sunday service was withdrawn. The current PVR was Monday to Saturday 8DRL.
• A couple of years on the 2nd March 2002 the Sunday service was introduced again, and the PVR was increased to Monday to Saturday 9DRL and Sunday 6DRL. On the 31st August 2002 the 455 a new fleet of Dennis Plaxton Pointers were allocated to the 455. The current PVR was Monday to Friday 9PDL+1DRL/410, Saturday 9PDL and Sunday 6PDL and the Beddington garage was re-coded to CN.
• On the 8th July 2003 the route was allocated brand new Dennis Wright Single Deckers which were allocated for use on the 455. The current PVR was now Monday to Friday 9DWL+1DRL/410, Saturday 9DWL and Sunday 6DWL. In March 2007 Arriva renewed the contract for 455 using existing fleet.
• On the 19th December 2009 their were a couple of minor changes to the routing of the 455, as it was re-routed at valley park Coomber Way and Beddington Lane to ASDA, now therefore double running via the Asda car park in both directions instead of Beddington Farm Road and Marlowe Way. Lastly it the 455 was re-routed southbound to serve Purley Way Sainsbury’s matching the Northbound 455.
• A few years later in 2011 there was a little extension to the 455 extending to Wallington Station Forecourt.
• On the 3rd March 2012 Arriva lost the 455 to Abellio London which operated the 455 from their Beddington Garage (BC) using Darts & Caetano’s. The current was PVR Monday to Friday is 10SD, Saturday 9SD & Sunday 7SD.
• On the 4th March 2017 Go Ahead London (Metrobus) gained the contract for the 455 using existing enviro 200's, the current PVR is Monday to Friday 11SE, Sat 10SE and Sunday 6SE.
• Route Withdrawn Replaced By 166, 312, 439 and S2