Country Area Routes 440–449

Route 441 ran daily from Staines Central Station to High Wycombe via Pooley Green, Egham, Englefield Green, Old Windsor, Windsor, Slough, Salt Hill, Farnham Road, Hedgerley Corner, Beaconsfield, Holtspur, Loudwater and Wycombe Marsh. Part of the service was diverted at Hedgerley Corner to Hedgerley Village. Between Englefield Green and Windsor, buses ran either via Bells of Ouzeley or Fox & Castle.

In 1965 route 441D provided just two return school-day journeys on Mondays to Fridays between Staines Central Station and Virginia Water Station via Pooley Green, Egham and Englefield Green. This plate is notable as it is an example of the rather unusual “D” suffix which occurred only in the Country Area.

Colin Grafham writes: “High Wycombe Garage [HE] operated a local town circular route numbered 442, Weekdays only (Monday-Saturday). The route was High Wycombe - Hatters Farm Estate - Hicks Farm Estate - Wycombe March - High Wycombe (this direction only) and ran basically hourly during the off-peak periods. I’m afraid I can’t at present find any dates when the route operated, but from memory it was certainly during the 1960s, being withdrawn around the mid 1970s.”

A later route 442 was the new number used in the ’70s for the 441C service between Staines Station and Englefield Green via Pooley Green and Egham when the 441C was converted from RML (Routemaster) to LN (Leyland National) operation. Since this route ran daily, the “E” plate is most likely from the High Wycombe area.

Route 443 ran from Staines to Ascot via Egham and Virginia Water, but by 1968 it had been rerouted to run Staines–Virginia Water–Ascot Racecourse. The route was marked with an asterisk, indicating that it was a special service not shown on the map itself. In the early 1980s a newer 443 ran from Staines to Uxbridge, however this plate dates from the earlier time since “E” plates had been replaced by vinyl sitckers by that time.

Route 446 ran daily between Slough Station and Farnham Road (George) via Whitby Road. In later years it became a circular route and served Wexham Park Hospital.

Route 446A was identical to route 446 except that it ran via Manor Park instead of Whitby Road. In later years it became a circular route serving Wexham Park Hospital.

Route 446B prodived a peak hour service between Windsor (Bus Station) and Slough Trading Estate via Slough and Salt Hill.

In 1965 route 447 ran between Merstham (Delabole Road) and Redhill Station via South Merstham, Redhill, Earlswood, Meadvale, Reigate and Batts Hill.

Route 447B ran between Merstham (Delabole Road) and Redhill Station via South Merstham, Redhill, Blackborough Road (which gave it the “B” suffix), Reigate and Batts Hill. It was limited to just a few journeys—mainly during the rush hours and early mornings—and made a quicker journey for buses running to and from the garage by missing out Earlswood and Meadvale.

Route 447C was listed on the late-60s bus maps as a circular service running from Merstham, through South Merstham, Wray Common, Reigate, Meadvale, Redhill and back to Merstham (Delabole Road). The route was marked with an asterisk, indicating it was not shown on the map itself. These asterisk routes were mainly special services, serving schools, hospitals and factories. It probably didn’t last more than a few years, as it had certainly gone by 1973.

Route 449 was a Dorking route that ran between Chart Downs Estate and Goodwyns Farm Estate via Dorking. Some journeys ran to Holmwood Common (Four Wents Pond) or to South Holmwood (Holly & Laurel).