London Buses route 119

infobox London Bus
number=119


operator=Metrobus
garage=Orpington
Croydon
vehicle=Scania OmniDekka 10.6m
pvr=Monday to Saturday: 16
Sunday: 9
start=Croydon Airport
via=Croydon
West Wickham
Hayes
end=Bromley North
level=24-hour service
length=11 miles (17 km)
frequency=About every 10 minutes
time=38-68 minutes
night=24-hour service
day=24-hour service

London Buses route 119 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metrobus.

History

Route 119 commenced operation on 9 August 1939 as a daily route between Bromley North Station and Croydon (Barclay Road). The route was operated by Bromley Garage (TB) with AEC ST buses. This was the last new route introduced in London before the outbreak of World War II. It was also the third time that the route number 119 had been used on a London motor-bus route.

In December 1939 the vehicle allocation was converted to STL type vehicles. By 11 October 1950 the vehicle allocation had become 12 RTW on Monday to Saturday and 13RTW on Sunday. By early May 1951 the RTW type was withdrawn and replaced by RT type buses. On 10 May 1961 the Monday to Friday peaks were extended from Croydon to Thornton Heath Garage, but it did seem to go the long way round Waddon and Purley Way. The contemporary PVR was Monday to Friday 14RT, Saturday 11RT and Sunday 6RT. On 9 May 1962 the route was extended again Monday to Friday peaks from Thornton Heath Garage to Thornton Heath High Street. The Saturday PVR was increased to 12RT. By late January 1964 the 119 ran to West Croydon bus station at all times, so the route was Bromley North Station to West Croydon, Monday to Friday peaks Bromley North Station to Thornton Heath High Street. The contemporary PVR was Monday to Friday 13RT, Saturday 12RT and Sunday 5RT.

On 31 October 1970 the Saturday and Sunday service was withdrawn and replaced by routes 119A and 119B. The contemporary PVR was Monday to Friday 13RT. By May 1976 the RT type was withdrawn and replaced by Routemasters (RM), the contemporary PVR was 15RM. On 28 October 1978 the route was extended from West Croydon to Thornton Heath at all times. The Saturday service was back in action on the 119 this was because the 119A was withdrawn. The contemporary PVR was Monday to Friday 16RM and Saturday 11RM. On 16 October 1984 the Routemasters were withdrawn and replaced by Titan Crew operation, the contemporary PVR was Monday to Friday 13Tc and Saturday 9Tc. In late April 1985 the Sunday service was back on the 119 due to the withdrawal of the 119B. The contemporary PVR was Monday to Friday 14T, Saturday 13T and Sunday 6T. The route was joint up with the 138. By the end of July 1989 the joint allocation with the 138 was withdrawn, the contemporary PVR was Monday to Friday 11T, Saturday 10T and Sunday 7T.

On 14 March 1992 the Sunday service was joint up with routes 198* and 166* and the 119 was withdrawn between West Croydon and Thornton Heath. The route was now under the operation called Selkent, the contemporary PVR was Monday to Friday 12T, Saturday 9T and Sunday 13T*. On 30 June 1996 the route was re-routed to Croydon Airport instead of West Croydon. The contemporary PVR was Monday to Friday 11T, Saturday 7T and Sunday 13T. On 29 August 1998 Selkent lost the contract to Metrobus. The route was operated at Orpington Garage (MB). The contemporary PVR was Monday to Friday 13DD, Saturday 12DD and Sunday 8DD. By 2003 the 119 was converted to low floor double deck using OmniDekkas (OD). In 2006 the PVR is Monday to Saturday 16OD and Sunday 9OD. The average journey time is between 38 and 68 minutes. The frequency Monday to Saturday is every 12 minutes, Sunday and evenings every 20 minutes.

Current route

Route departing Bromley North

* Bromley South
* Hayes
* West Wickham
* Shirley
* Addiscombe Road
* "'East Croydon
* "'South Croydon
* "'Croydon Airport

Route departing Croydon Airport

* South Croydon
* East Croydon
* Addiscombe Road
* Shirley
* West Wickham
* Hayes
* Bromley South
* Bromley North

Previous route 119s in London

The route number 119 had been used twice prior to its current use.
*In 1921 - 1926 for a Charing Cross*, Lewisham* to Chislehurst route. *Termini varied.
*In 1936 - 1938 for a Kingsbury Station to Colindale Station route.

There was also in London:
*Between 1924 and 1926 a Lewisham - Chislehurst route 119A.

ee also

*List of bus routes in London
*Metrobus

External links

* [http://www.tfl.gov.uk Transport for London]
* [http://www.busesatwork.co.uk London Bus Routes]
* [http://www.londonbusesbyadam.fotopic.net London Bus Routes Fotopic]
* [http://www.londonbusroutes.net/times/119.pdf Full timetable]