London Buses route 208

Infobox London Bus
number=208


operator=Selkent
length= 11 miles (18 km)
time= 47-81 minutes
garage=Bromley
start=Orpington
end=Lewisham
via=Petts Wood
Bromley
Catford
level=Daily
frequency=About every 6-12 minutes
vehicle= Dennis Trident 2/Alexander ALX400/Enviro400
night=Night Bus N47
pvr=22
day=4:30am until 1:00am

London Buses route 208 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Selkent.

History

The 208 is one of London’s busiest suburban routes, providing the main link between Bromley, Catford and Lewisham. It is, increasingly, unusual in operating in two overlapping sections, Orpington to Catford and Bromley Common to Lewisham. Running the extra frequency by way of short workings between Bromley and Catford was tried but was discontinued after about a year. Even between Orpington and Bromley buses can get very busy, especially at school start and finish times, late evening pub-turn-out and Monday to Saturday daytime shopping hours, despite being one of the most frequent routes (every 12 minutes) to reach Orpington, through mainly residential areas.

The route started in the 4 September 1982 scheme, replacing route 94 south of Bromley (the remainder becoming the 261) and complementing the 47 between Bromley and Lewisham. There was initially a Saturday extension to Surrey Quays, but that did not last.

Initially Routemasters from Catford garage were used, but they were replaced by new Leyland Titans within a few years. Bromley garage also gained an allocation, the route has been transferring back and forth between the two ever since. Usually both garages have been present, but Stagecoach’s extensive tender losses in the Bromley area in recent years have allowed Bromley garage to take full control.

There have been periods of single deck operation. Leyland Nationals were used for a few years, and more recently LV class Dennis Lances were used between late 1994 and November 1997. In both cases single deckers were completely unsuitable, and mainly used on the quieter Orpington end. In terms of the service structure, there have been relatively few changes, though there was a big frequency increase in April 1991 after the 1 was withdrawn south of Surrey Quays.

Current Route

This route operates in two overlapping sections.

Route departing Orpington/Bromley Common

* Orpington "Perry Hall Road"
* Orpington "High Street"
* War Memorial
* Station Road
* Orpington Station
* Crofton Road
* Crofton Lane
* Towncourt Lane
* Queensway
* Petts Wood Station
* Queensway
* Frankswood Avenue
* Southborough Lane
* Crown Lane
* Crown Lane Spur
* Bromley Common
* Masons Hill
* Bromley South Station
* Bromley "High Street"
* Elmfield Road
* Kentish Way
* Widmore Road
* Market Square
* Bromley "High Street"
* London Road
* Bromley Hill
* Bromley Road
* Catford
* Bromley Common
* Masons Hill
* Bromley South Station
* Bromley "High Street"
* Elmfield Road
* Kentish Way
* Widmore Road
* Market Square
* Bromley "High Street"
* London Road
* Bromley Hill
* Bromley Road
* Catford
* Rushey Green
* Lewisham "High Street"
* Lewis Grove
* Lee Bridge
* Lewisham "High Street"
* Station Road
* Lewisham station

Route departing LewishamCatford

* Lewisham station "Loampit Vale'
* Lewisham "High Street"
* Lee Bridge
* Lewis Grove
* Lewisham "High Street"
* Rushey Green
* Catford
* Bromley Road
* Bromley Hill
* London Road
* Bromley "High Street"
* Bromley "Market Square"
* Widmore Road
* Kentish Way
* Elmfield Road
* Bromley "High Street"
* Bromley South Station
* Masons Hill
* Bromley Common
* Catford
* Bromley Road
* Bromley Hill
* London Road
* Bromley "High Street"
* Bromley "Market Square"
* Widmore Road
* Kentish Way
* Elmfield Road
* Bromley "High Street"
* Bromley South Station
* Masons Hill
* Bromley Common
* Crown Lane Spur
* Crown Lane
* Southborough Lane
* Frankswood Avenue
* Queensway
* Petts Wood Station
* Queensway
* Towncourt Lane
* Crofton Lane
* Crofton Road
* Orpington Station
* Station Road
* Orpington "High Street"
* Chislehurst Road
* Goodmead Road
* Orpington "Perry Hall Road"

ee also

* List of bus routes in London
* Selkent

External links

* [http://www.tfl.gov.uk Transport for London]
* [http://www.londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net London Bus Routes Fotopic]
* [http://www.busesatwork.co.uk London Bus Routes]
* [http://www.busmap.org/tt4/208.pdf Full Timetable (PDF)]