Chelsham to Sevenoaks by Bus 1921 - 1999
Route S3 - 16th June 1921 to 30th November 1924
Route S3
East Surrey Traction Co. Ltd : 16th June 1921 - 30th November 1924
Start or Finish Date
Route Details (Daily
16th June 1921
WEST CROYDON - SANDERSTEAD - WARLINGHAM - CHELSHAM - BOTLEY HILL - WESTERHAM - BRASTED - SUNDRIDGE - RIVERHEAD - SEVENOAKS
Route 403 - 1st December 1924 to 2nd July 1971
1st December 1924
Route S3 renumbered Route 403
Route 403
East Surrey Traction Co. Ltd : 1st December 1924 - 31st December 1931
London General Country Services : 1st January 1932 - 30th June 1933
London Transport : 1st July 1933 - 31st December 1969
London Country Bus Services : 1st January 1970 - 2nd July 1971
Start or Finish Date
Route Details (Daily)
1st December 1924
WEST CROYDON - SANDERSTEAD - WARLINGHAM - CHELSHAM - BOTLEY HILL - WESTERHAM - BRASTED - SUNDRIDGE - RIVERHEAD - SEVENOAKS
20th January 1925
CHELSHAM GARAGE opened
27th June 1926
Certain journeys diverted between BOTLEY HILL and WESTERHAM via TATSFIELD Ship
19th October 1926
Last day of the TATSFIELD journeys
31st July 1935
Extended from SEVENOAKS to TONBRIDGE
2nd September 1936
Extended from WEST CROYDON to WALLINGTON
3rd March 1937
Extended from WALLINGTON to LEATHERHEAD and operated in two sections
LEATHERHEAD to CHELSHAM GARAGE and WALLINGTON to TONBRIDGE
11th October 1938
Last day of LEATHERHEAD section
6th May 1942
Certain journeys diverted between BOTLEY HILL and WESTERHAM via TATSFIELD Ship
12th December 1942
Certain journeys extended from TATSFIELD Ship to TATSFIELD School Corner
10th June 1952
Last day of TATSFIELD Ship to TATSFIELD School Corner journeys
15th June 1968
Sunday service introduced between WEST CROYDON - SANDERSTEAD - WARLINGHAM - CHELSHAM - BOTLEY HILL - WESTERHAM - HOSEY COMMON - CHARTWELL
29th September 1968
Last day of WESTERHAM to CHARTWELL section, also Last day of Sunday operation
2nd July 1971
Last day of WEST CROYDON - CHELSHAM - TONBRIDGE Route transferred to 403A
Route 403A - 3rd July 1971 to 6th July 1973
Route 403A
London Country Bus Services : 2nd July 1971 - 6th July 1973
Start or Finish Date
Route Details (Daily)
3rd July 1971
Route revised to operate as
WEST CROYDON - SANDERSTEAD - WARLINGHAM - CHELSHAM GARAGE - BOTLEY HILL - TATSFIELD - WESTERHAM - SEVENOAKS - HILDENBOROUGH - TONBRIDGE
6th July 1973
Last day of operation of Route 403A
7th July 1973
Route renumbered 483
Route 483 - 7th July 1973 to 29th May 1987
Route 483
London Country Bus Services : 7th July 1973 - 6th September 1986
London Country South West : 7th September 1986 - 29th May 1987
Start or Finish date
Route Details (Monday to Saturday)
7th July 1973
WEST CROYDON - SANDERSTEAD - WARLINGHAM - CHELSHAM GARAGE - BOTLEY HILL - TATSFIELD - WESTERHAM - BRASTED - SUNDRIDGE - RIVERHEAD - SEVENOAKS - HILDENBOROUGH - TONBRIDGE
28th November 1977
SEVENOAKS to TONBRIDGE section reduced to one journey in each direction on Monday to Friday only
21st April 1981
Route operation transferred to DUNTON GREEN GARAGE
One late night journey WEST CROYDON to TATSFIELD remained worked by CHELSHAM GARAGE
23rd July 1983
Diverted between WESTERHAM and BRASTED via LONDON ROAD and BEGGARS LANE
26th October 1986
Certain journeys diverted between SUNDRIDGE and RIVERHEAD via CHIPSTEAD
29th May 1987
Last day of operation as Route 483
30th May 1987
WEST CROYDON to SEVENOAKS Route transferred to Kentish Bus as Route 23
WEST CROYDON to TATSFIELD late night journey WORKED BY CHELSHAM GARAGE renumbered 403
Route 23 - 30th May 1987 to 9th December 1989
Route 23
Kentish Bus : 30th May 1987 - 30th August 1991
Start or Finish date
Route Details (Monday to Saturday)
30th May 1987
WEST CROYDON - SANDERSTEAD - WARLINGHAM - CHELSHAM GARAGE - BOTLEY HILL - TATSFIELD - WESTERHAM - BRASTED - SUNDRIDGE - RIVERHEAD - SEVENOAKS
9th December 1989
Last day of service between TATSFIELD and WESTERHAM
Route became operated in two completely seperate sections
WEST CROYDON - SANDERSTEAD - WARLINGHAM - CHELSHAM (OLD BUS GARAGE) - BOTLEY HILL - TATSFIELD
And WESTERHAM - BRASTED - SEVENOAKS
NO SERVICE BETWEEN TATSFIELD AND WESTERHAM
Garage journeys to and from Dunton Green and Tatsfield operated Not In Service
No service to & from Chelsham and Sevenoaks from
10th December 1989 to 31st August 1990
Route 20 - 1st September 1990 to 30th August 1991
Route 23 - 1st September 1990 to 30th August 1991
Route 20
Kentish Bus : 1st September 1990 - 30th August 1991
Start or Finish date
1st September 1990
SEVENOAKS - RIVERHEAD - CHIPSTEAD - SUNDRIDGE - BRASTED - WESTERHAM - TATSFIELD - BOTLEY HILL - WARLINGHAM - SANDERSTEAD - WEST CROYDON
(One evening journey only, all other journeys run via BESSELS GREEN as Route 23)
30th August 1991
Last day of service
Route 23
Kentish Bus : 1st September 1990 - 30th August 1991
Start or Finish date
Route revised to operate again with a limited through working as
1st September 1990
WEST CROYDON - SANDERSTEAD - WARLINGHAM - CHELSHAM (OLD BUS GARAGE) - TATSFIELD - WESTERHAM - BRASTED - SUNDRIDGE - RIVERHEAD - SEVENOAKS
30th August 1991
Last day of operation. Route revised as WESTERHAM - BRASTED - SEVENOAKS only
WARLINGHAM - TATSFIELD - WESTERHAM journeys covered by extension of East Surrey Bus Route 553
"Goodbye" Poster carried on the Kentish Buses prior to the final journey on 30th August 1991
No service to & from Chelsham and Sevenoaks from
31st August 1991 to 29th March 1994
Route 553 - 30th March 1994 to 31st August 1994
Route 553
East Surrey Buses : 30th March 1994 - 31st August 1994
Start or Finish date
Route Details (Wednesdays only)
30th March 1994
One journey each way on Wednesdays only operates as
CATERHAM STATION - CATERHAM ON THE HILL - WHYTELEAFE - WARLINGHAM - CHELSHAM (OLD BUS GARAGE) - BOTLEY HILL - TATSFIELD - WESTERHAM - BRASTED - SUNDRIDGE - RIVERHEAD - SEVENOAKS
31st August 1994
Last day as route No. 553, as from 5th September route diverted in CATERHAM ON THE HILL via COULSDON ROAD and BANSTEAD ROAD. (Wednesday only journey revised to run Monday to Friday and renumbered Route 253)
Route 253 - 5th September 1994 to 30th August 1996
Route 253
East Surrey Buses : 5th September 1994 - 30th August 1996
Start or Finish date
Route Details (Mondays to Fridays)
5th September 1994
CATERHAM STATION - CATERHAM ON THE HILL - WHYTELEAFE - WARLINGHAM - CHELSHAM (SAINSBURY) - BOTLEY HILL - TATSFIELD - WESTERHAM - BRASTED - SUNDRIDGE - RIVERHEAD - SEVENOAKS
30th August 1996
Last day of service, journeys transferred to London & Country Route 411 (Wednesdays only) and extended from SEVENOAKS to TONBRIDGE and TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Route 411 - 4th September 1996 to 1st September 1999
Route 411
London & Country / Arriva : 4th September 1996 - 1st September 1999
Start or Finish date
Route Details (Wednesdays only, one journey in each direction)
4th September 1996
CATERHAM STATION - CATERHAM ON THE HILL - WHYTELEAFE - WARLINGHAM - CHELSHAM -(SAINSBURY) - BOTLEY HILL - TATSFIELD - WESTERHAM - BRASTED - SUNDRIDGE - RIVERHEAD - SEVENOAKS - HILDENBOROUGH - TONBRIDGE - SOUTHBOROUGH - TUNBRIDGE WELLS
4th / 11th August 1999
Service cancelled due to shortage of drivers
1st September 1999
Last day of service, Route abandoned
No service to & from Chelsham to Westerham, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells from 2nd September 1999
Surrey Sunday Leisure Bus Route 483 - 28th May 1995 to 24th September 1995
This limited service was part of The Surrey Sunday Leisure Bus operation and ran during the summer of 1994 between West Croydon, Selsdon, Sanderstead, Warlingham, Tatsfield and Westerham.but NOT serving Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.The route for the Summer of 1995 and ran on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays to and from Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and beyond to Beltring Hop Farm as shown below.
Route 483
London & Country : 28th May 1995 - 24th September 1995
Start or Finish date
Route Details (Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays)
28th May 1995
WEST CROYDON - SANDERSTEAD - WARLINGHAM - CHELSHAM (SAINSBURY) - BOTLEY HILL - WESTERHAM - BRASTED - SUNDRIDGE - RIVERHEAD - SEVENOAKS - HILDENBOROUGH - TONBRIDGE - FIVE OAK GREEN - BELTRING HOP FARM
24th September 1995
Last day of service. Route withdrawn
This chronology was produced by Alan Edwards to document the last Route 411 journey to and from Caterham, Warlingham and Tatsfield to Westerham, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Tunbridge Wells on Wednesday 1st September 1999