Country Area Routes 450–459

Route 450 ran on Mondays to Saturdays between Dartford Garage and Gravesend (Clock Tower) via Horns Cross, Greenhithe, Bean, High Cross, Betsham and Southfleet.

Note that the first plate is one of the very early post-war ones without the black line at the top and bottom, and it is in very good condition for its age with virtually no chipping and a couple of small scrathes at the bottom. These “E” plates were fitted into the older, flat bus stop flags which also had horizontal cross bars and thus the top and bottom edges were hidden. However, they required a great deal of dismantling to change, hence the modern style was devised with the black top and bottom edging and which could simply be dropped into the runners.

Route 451 ran between Gravesend and Hartley Court via Betsham, Longfield and Hartley. This “E” plate is hand-painted onto sheet aluminum, hence the slight irregularities.

Route 452 ran on Saturdays and Sundays between Dartford Garage and West Kingsdown (Portobello) via Horns Cross, Greenhithe, Bean, High Cross, Westwood, Longfield and Fawkham Green. The route was withdrawn by the early ’70s. The number was soon re-used for the renumbering of the 457A, and ran between Uxbridge Station and Windsor (Bus Station) via Iver Heath, Upton Lea, Slough and Windsor Castle.

Route 453 ran from Caterham (Clifton Arms) to Chelsham Garage via Whyteleafe, Upper Warlingham and Warlingham Green. The route was notable in that there was RT operation on Saturdays well into the 1970s.

Route 454 ran daily between Chipstead (Square) and Tonbridge Station via Riverhead, Sevenoaks, River Hill and Hildenborough. In later days some journeys served Fort Halstead.

Route 454A provided just a few isolated Monday to Friday journeys between Tonbridge Station and Riverhead via Hildenborough, Riverhill, Sevenoaks Weald and Sevenoaks Station. The main 454 service ran daily and served Bat & Ball instead of Sevenoaks Station.

Route 456 ran on Mondays to Saturdays between Woking Station and Addlestone Garage via Maybury, Pyrford, West Byfleet, Woodham and New Haw, with certain journeys extended to Weybridge (Ship).

Route 457 ran from Uxbridge to Windsor (Bus Station) via Iver Heath, George Green and Slough. Route 457A is described below. Route 457D operated a limited service from Windsor to Pinewood via Slough and Iver Heath. Route 458 is described further down.

Route 457A ran from Uxbridge to Windsor (Bus Station) via Iver Heath, Upton Lea and Slough. This service was later renumbered 452.

Route 457B does not appear on any of my maps, but likely operated in the Slough area.

Route 458 ran from Uxbridge to Slough via Cowley, Iver and Langley Village.

In the ’60s route 459 ran on Mondays to Saturdays from Uxbridge Station to Richings Park Estate via Iver Heath and Iver. The route was withdrawn in the mid-seventies. (However, a replacement service has returned to Richings Park, again using the 459 number.)

In the late ’70s a new 459 was introduced between Feltham and Chertsey Station via Sunbury Cross and Shepperton.

I believe this “E” plate could have come from either route 459.