Route 418 Heritage Day – London Bus Museum

No need to book, just put your hand out at any route 418 bus stop and a heritage bus will stop to pick you up! Hold tight!

Travel is free and you may even get an old-type ticket issued by the conductor! Remember those?

Buses used will be mostly the iconic RT-type, which in the 1950s formed the largest standardised bus fleet in the world, plus their successor the famous Routemaster. There will also be a selection of more modern buses of types used on route 418 over the years.

Please note that these buses pre-date the low-floor easy access buses that we take for granted today and there are steps at the entrance and inside. Most modern buggies cannot be carried as they are too large. Nor can wheelchairs be accommodated. Sorry!

Photo Gallery

Click on photo for gallery. Hover on photo for caption

RF625 passes Ashtead Pond in Barnett Wood Lane during 1974 bound for Bookham Station [Graham Burnell]

RT4117 seen in Ruxley Lane during1974 opposite The Kingfisher pub bound for Bookham Station via Preston Cross. [Graham Burnell]

RT4117 has just arrived at Brettgrave prior to taking up the 481 afternoon school working to The Wells and the driver has set the ultimate blind for this journey; 1973 [Graham Burnell]

RT3137 at Bookham Station stand in 1974 on the 1704 departure for Tolworth Red Lion where it would turn at the old 603 trolleybus terminus. This smart looking vehicle would run via Ashtead Pond and not directly via the Epsom Road as shown [Graham Burnell]

Early AEC Merlin/Strachans MBS4 during 1977 in Barnett Wood Lane approximately at the point where the M25 now crosses between Junctions 9 and 8 [Graham Burnell]

SM122 seen in Surbiton Hill Park during 1978 passing The Berrylands pub which once featured in George & Mildred TV programme [Graham Burnell]

Merlin MBS412 seen at Ashtead Common heading for Bookham; 1976 [Graham Burnell]

Red Merlin MB126 Seen in Hook Road West, Ewell in 1974 prior to the route being diverted via Longmead. Passing Horton Lane these vehicles on loan from LT just in time for Derby Day on Epsom Downs [Graham Burnell]

Ex-Barton AEC Reliance / Plaxton RN5; 1 April 1978 [Rod Lucas]

Ex-Barton AEC Reliance / Plaxton RN4; 1978 [Graham Burnell]

Bristol LH/ECW BN38 pauses at Surbiton Lagoon in Berrylands during 1975 [Graham Burnell]

194, one of the Bournemouth Corporation Daimler Fleetlines rotated on loan to Leatherhead garage at a time of dire vehicle shortages in 1976 [Graham Burnell]

197, one of the Bournemouth Corporation Daimler Fleetlines rotated on loan to Leatherhead garage at a time of dire vehicle shortages in 1976; Chessington Road [Graham Burnell]

Unidentified brand new Leyland National pauses in Ruxley Lane at the Cox Lane stop in 1978 just prior to the route being renumbered as part of the 476/478/479 group thus saving drivers much blind winding when working a combination diagram [Graham Burnell]

Transdev London United DPS656; Epsom [Rod Lucas]

RATP Group diesel ADL Enviro400 pauses in Ewell Road, Surbiton; 29 July 2021 [David Harman]

RATP Group (but soon to pass to First Bus) hybrid Volvo B5LH / Wright Gemini 3 VH45125; Kingston University; Penrhyn Road, Kingston; 29 July 2021 [David Harman]

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Ride free on old buses in service on London bus route 418 (Epsom and Kingston)!

Photo Gallery

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