London Buses route 273

Infobox London Bus
number=273


operator=Selkent
garage=Catford
vehicle= Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart
pvr= 7
start=Lewisham
via=Hither Green
Lee
Grove Park
Chislehurst
end=Petts Wood
length= 9 miles (15 km)
level=Daily
frequency=About every 20 minutes
time= 37-64 minutes
night=No night service
day=6:00am until 1:00am

London Buses route 273 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Selkent.

History

Route 273 was introduced in July 1989 by the Selkent subsidiary of London Buses. Operating from Catford Garage (TL) using new Mercedes-Benz/Optare StarRider (SR) midibuses, route 273 ran daily from Lewisham Bus Station to Horn Park Estate via Manor Park, Hither Green Station and Lee Station, serving Horncastle Road, Woodyates Road and Westhorne Avenue on Horn Park in a loop before returning to Lewisham.

In August 1990, route 273 was extended from Horn Park to Grove Park Station via Woodyates Road, Winn Road, Jevington Way, Senlac Road, Exford Road, Burnt Ash Hill, Marvels Lane (for Grove Park Hospital), Luffman Road and Le May Avenue. Wright-bodied Mercedes-Benz midibuses (MW) with electronic blinds also made an appearance on the route about this time. By November the same year, the Sunday and evening service was withdrawn due to lack of use. In 1993 the service was withdrawn completely.

After many calls for the service to be reinstated by local residents in Horn Park and Manor Park, the now privatised Stagecoach Selkent listened and indeed reintroduced route 273 in 1995, again using Wright-bodied Mercedes-Benz midibuses. It initially ran a Monday to Saturday Service and the route in Horn Park had changed slightly to serve more of Burnt Ash Hill towards Lewisham.

The service was eventually extended from Grove Park to Petts Wood via Dunkery Road and Chislehurst. It changed operator to Orpington Buses (eventually becoming First London), running from Orpington Garage (Y) and had daily operation reinstated. This largely mirrors Route 94 which ran from Lewisham to Petts Wood Station(being extended to Brockley and Orpington at peak times)in the 1960s and 1970s.

In January 2007, route 273 returned to Selkent operation using brand new Alexander Dennis Enviro200 vehicles from Catford garage(TL). No changes to the route or timetable were made.

Current route

Route departing Lewisham

* Lewisham "Tesco"
* Conington Road
* Lewisham Road
* Lewisham station
* Lewisham "High Street"
* Lee Bridge
* Lee High Road
* Manor Park
* Staplehurst Road
* Hither Green Station
* Fernbrook Road
* Southbrook Road
* Burnt Ash Road
* Lee Station
* Burnt Ash Hill
* Horncastle Road
* Woodyates Road
* Guibal Road
* Winn Road
* Horn Park
* Jevington Way
* Senlac Road
* Exford Road
* Somertrees Avenue
* Coopers Lane
* Baring Road
* Grove Park Station
* Chinbrook Road
* Marvels Lane
* Dunkery Road
* Mottingham Road
* White Horse Hill
* Red Hill
* Chislehurst "High Street"
* Centre Common Road
* Royal Parade
* St Paul's Cray Road
* Orpington Road
* Chislehurst Road
* Petts Wood Road
* Fairway
* Petts Wood Station "Station Square"

Route departing Petts Wood

* Petts Wood Station "Station Square"
* Fairway
* Petts Wood Road
* Chislehurst Road
* Orpington Road
* St Paul's Cray Road
* Royal Parade
* Centre Common Road
* Chislehurst "High Street"
* Red Hill
* White Horse Hill
* Mottingham Road
* Dunkery Road
* Marvels Lane
* Luffman Road
* Le May Avenue "(junction with Baring Road for Grove Park Station)"
* Baring Road
* Coopers Lane
* Somertrees Avenue
* Exford Road
* Senlac Road
* Jevington Way
* Horn Park
* Winn Road
* Burnt Ash Hill
* Lee Station
* Burnt Ash Road
* Southbrook Road
* Fernbrook Road
* Hither Green Station
* Staplehurst Road
* Manor Park
* Lee High Road
* Lee Bridge
* Lewisham "High Street"
* Lewisham station
* Lewisham Road
* Conington Road
* Lewisham "Tesco"

ee also

* List of bus routes in London
* Selkent

External links

* [http://www.tfl.gov.uk Transport for London]
* [http://www.busesatwork.co.uk London Bus Routes]
* [http://www.londonbusroutes.net/times/273.pdf Full Timetable (PDF)]