London Transport: SMS632 (EGN632J) from Norbiton Garage in Hurst Road, East Molesey on Route 211
Built 1971 AEC Swift 4MP2R MCW B33D
In late 1972 LT decided that Hurst Road, Molesey needed a bus service. Unlike Walton Road which runs through the middle and is lined with shops and commercial premises, Hurst Road runs parallel along the northern edge and was for many years bordered by the Hurst Park racecourse. The only previous bus service on it was an unnumbered shuttle service on race days between the grandstand and Hampton Court Station, provided by London Transport.
In 1963 the racecourse was sold to developers and a substantial housing estate was constructed on part of it, with the remainder untouched in anticipation of its eventual conversion to a public park which somehow never seemed to happen.
By 1972 the need for a bus service became pressing, and LT's answer was to divert the 211 along Hurst Road from Hampton Court, rejoining the original route in West Molesey. The snag with this was that no adjustment was made to the remaining 131 service so the busiest area of Molesey had its service halved at a stroke to a nominal 20 minute headway; which might have been acceptable had any reasonable level of reliability been achieved and it wasn't.
Here we have SMS632 again, now looking a little battle-scarred, working the new routing on its first day.
London Transport: SMS632 (EGN632J) from Norbiton Garage in Hurst Road, East Molesey on Route 211
Built 1971 AEC Swift 4MP2R MCW B33D
In late 1972 LT decided that Hurst Road, Molesey needed a bus service. Unlike Walton Road which runs through the middle and is lined with shops and commercial premises, Hurst Road runs parallel along the northern edge and was for many years bordered by the Hurst Park racecourse. The only previous bus service on it was an unnumbered shuttle service on race days between the grandstand and Hampton Court Station, provided by London Transport.
In 1963 the racecourse was sold to developers and a substantial housing estate was constructed on part of it, with the remainder untouched in anticipation of its eventual conversion to a public park which somehow never seemed to happen.
By 1972 the need for a bus service became pressing, and LT's answer was to divert the 211 along Hurst Road from Hampton Court, rejoining the original route in West Molesey. The snag with this was that no adjustment was made to the remaining 131 service so the busiest area of Molesey had its service halved at a stroke to a nominal 20 minute headway; which might have been acceptable had any reasonable level of reliability been achieved and it wasn't.
Here we have SMS632 again, now looking a little battle-scarred, working the new routing on its first day.