Proposals were in hand to convert the South London tram routes to trolleybus
operation. The proposals were interrupted by WW2. After the war there was much deliberation it was decided to replace
the trams with motor buses. |
The Proposed South London Routes
502 Wimbledon - Embankment via Westminster | Daily |
504 Wimbledon - Embankment via Blackfriars | Daily |
502A Streatham Library - Clapham - Westminster - Clapham - Tooting, becoming 522 | Mon-Sat peaks |
522 Tooting - Streatham - Westminster - Streatham, becoming 502A | Mon-Sat peaks |
504A Streatham Library - Clapham - Blackfriars - Clapham - Tooting, becoming 524 | Mon-Sat peaks |
524 Tooting - Streatham - Blackfriars - Streatham, becoming 504A | Mon-Sat peaks |
506 Wimbledon (Sats pm) Tooting - Clapham - Cannon Street Stn | Mon-Sat peaks |
508 Victoria - Clapham - Streatham - Victoria (via Tooting) | Daily |
520 Victoria - Streatham - Clapham - Victoria (via Tooting) | Daily |
510 Tooting - Streatham - Cannon Street Station | Daily |
516 Purley - Embankment via Westminster | Daily |
518 Purley - Embankment via Blackfriars | Daily |
533 Newington Green - West Norwood | Daily |
534 Battersea - Embankment via Blackfriars
am peak
via Westminster pm peak Battersea - Camberwell Green off-peaks |
Daily |
535 Archway - Forest Hill | Daily |
536 Abbey Wood - Embankment via Blackfriars | Daily |
538 Abbey Wood - Embankment via Westminster | Daily |
540 Welling Corner - Embankment via Westminster | Daily |
542 Thornton Heath - South Croydon | Daily |
546 Woolwich - Cannon Street Station | Daily |
548 West Norwood - Cannon Street Station | Daily |
552 Grove Park - Cannon Street Station | Mon-Sat peaks |
554 Marvels Lane - Victoria | Daily |
556 Peckham Rye - Embankment via Westminster | Daily |
558 Blackwall Tunnel - Victoria | Daily |
560 Goose Green - Cannon Street Station | Mon-Sat peaks |
562 Forest Hill - Embankment via Blackfriars | Daily |
568 Greenwich - Waterloo | Daily |
570 Greenwich - London Bridge | Daily |
572 Woolwich - Victoria | Daily |
574 Grove Park (Sats pm) Downham - Embankment via Blackfriars | Daily |
578 West Norwood - Victoria | Mon-Sat |
631 Wandsworth - Hackney Station | Daily |
Revised trolleybus routes: | |
612 Mitcham - London Bridge (via Lambeth Road) | Daily |
626 Hammersmith - London Bridge | Daily |
628 Wembley - Victoria | Daily |
655 Hammersmith - Hanwell (Acton Market Place in peaks) | Daily |
698 Eltham, Well Hall Station - Bexleyheath | Daily |
The programme of tram to trolleybus conversions was almost the same
as the one for the eventual tram to bus dates. Stages 1, 2 and 3 for trolleybuses
was carried out in only two stages. Stages 9 and 10 for trolleybuses was
merged into stage 8. The proposals if they had been agreed would have started
in January 1945.
Tram depot | Planned code | Number of trolleybuses |
Abbey Wood | AW | 58 |
Brixton Hill | no plans for trolleybus use | 32 |
Camberwell | WL | 112 |
Clapham | CA | 108 |
New Cross | NX | 250 |
Norwood | no plans for trolleybus use | 40 |
Streatham | BN | 90 |
Thornton Heath | TH | 60 |
Wandsworth | 86 |
More information can be found in 'London Trolleybus Routes' by Hugh Taylor.