On Sunday, 8 June 2025, the London Bus Museum operated heritage buses dating from the 1950s to the 1970s on route 418 between Kingston, Epsom and Bookham [1]. The route follows the modern-day Transport for London (TfL) bus route 418 between Kingston and Epsom [2], with an extension to Bookham station via Ashtead and Leatherhead, which the London Country version of the 418, first started by the East Surrey Traction Co Ltd, previously ran to. The museum also operated route 481 on the day, with buses shuttling between Epsom and Epsom Wells Estate every half an hour [3].
In addition to buses from the London Bus Museum, buses from various other owners also participated in the event. Most of the buses were AEC Regent III RTs, which in the 1950s formed the largest standardised bus fleet in the world, as well as their successor, the famous AEC Routemaster. There was also an AEC Regal IV coach and a few modern buses, including an Enviro400 and a Mercedes-Benz Citaro. A 1965 Daimler Fleetline, fleet number XF3, registration number CUV 53C, also appeared at Epsom as a static display.
Among the other buses at the event were RML 2456, with registration number JJD 456D; RMC 1486, with registration number 486 CLT; RF 226, with registration number MLL 763; RM 1363, with registration number 363 CLT; 204, with registration number MR06 CSP; MCL 1, with registration number BD11 LWN; RM 1397, with registration number 397 CLT; and RT 4779, with registration number OLD 566.
Buses were free to ride and could pick up passengers from every stop. Conductors on the buses also gave out paper tickets as souvenirs. Most of the buses predate the low-floor, easy-access buses and have steps at the entrance and inside, which meant that passengers had to take care when boarding and alighting.
Despite several buses being unable to attend the event at short notice, resulting in a shortage of buses and extremely long queues, with over an hour wait at Kingston in the afternoon, I very much enjoyed the event.
Towards the end of the event, the crew of RT 4779, registration number OLD 566, an AEC Regent III RT double-decker bus, were very kind and offered a through journey from Kingston to Redhill via Epsom. We initially followed the TfL 418 route until Epsom, but after Epsom, we retraced the old 406 bus route to Redhill, which had been in place before London Buses took over the Kingston to Epsom part of the route. The Epsom to Redhill section then split off to become the 460.
I created YouTube videos of the event. I first rode a return journey on route 481 to Epsom Wells Estate on RF 226 [4], I then made a return journey from Epsom to Bookham and back on an AEC Routemaster, RM 1397 [5][6], I then made a journey from Epsom to Bookham, then from Bookham to Kingston via Epsom on an AEC Regent III RT, RF 4779 [7][8]. Finally, it was back on the same RT for the final journey, retracing the old route 406 from Epsom to Redhill [9].
1 comment
On Sunday, 8 June 2025, the London Bus Museum operated heritage buses dating from the 1950s to the 1970s on route 418 between Kingston, Epsom and Bookham [1]. The route follows the modern-day Transport for London (TfL) bus route 418 between Kingston and Epsom [2], with an extension to Bookham station via Ashtead and Leatherhead, which the London Country version of the 418, first started by the East Surrey Traction Co Ltd, previously ran to. The museum also operated route 481 on the day, with buses shuttling between Epsom and Epsom Wells Estate every half an hour [3].
In addition to buses from the London Bus Museum, buses from various other owners also participated in the event. Most of the buses were AEC Regent III RTs, which in the 1950s formed the largest standardised bus fleet in the world, as well as their successor, the famous AEC Routemaster. There was also an AEC Regal IV coach and a few modern buses, including an Enviro400 and a Mercedes-Benz Citaro. A 1965 Daimler Fleetline, fleet number XF3, registration number CUV 53C, also appeared at Epsom as a static display.
Among the other buses at the event were RML 2456, with registration number JJD 456D; RMC 1486, with registration number 486 CLT; RF 226, with registration number MLL 763; RM 1363, with registration number 363 CLT; 204, with registration number MR06 CSP; MCL 1, with registration number BD11 LWN; RM 1397, with registration number 397 CLT; and RT 4779, with registration number OLD 566.
Buses were free to ride and could pick up passengers from every stop. Conductors on the buses also gave out paper tickets as souvenirs. Most of the buses predate the low-floor, easy-access buses and have steps at the entrance and inside, which meant that passengers had to take care when boarding and alighting.
Despite several buses being unable to attend the event at short notice, resulting in a shortage of buses and extremely long queues, with over an hour wait at Kingston in the afternoon, I very much enjoyed the event.
Towards the end of the event, the crew of RT 4779, registration number OLD 566, an AEC Regent III RT double-decker bus, were very kind and offered a through journey from Kingston to Redhill via Epsom. We initially followed the TfL 418 route until Epsom, but after Epsom, we retraced the old 406 bus route to Redhill, which had been in place before London Buses took over the Kingston to Epsom part of the route. The Epsom to Redhill section then split off to become the 460.
I created YouTube videos of the event. I first rode a return journey on route 481 to Epsom Wells Estate on RF 226 [4], I then made a return journey from Epsom to Bookham and back on an AEC Routemaster, RM 1397 [5][6], I then made a journey from Epsom to Bookham, then from Bookham to Kingston via Epsom on an AEC Regent III RT, RF 4779 [7][8]. Finally, it was back on the same RT for the final journey, retracing the old route 406 from Epsom to Redhill [9].
[1] https://www.londonbusmuseum.com/route-418-heritage-day/
[2] https://bus-routes-in-london.fandom.com/wiki/London_Buses_route_418
[3] https://www.londonbusmuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/481-and-feeder-TT-v1.pdf
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO9L2S_AJak
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMW8Zocra2U
[6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNVQn3NWVLk
[7] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F_EIvMA-zA
[8] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALKIg0X4c04
[9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3ZdepoQNJI
Comments are closed.