London Buses Route S3 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Belmont Station and Malden Manor, it is operated by Transport UK London Bus.
History[]
Route S3 commenced operating on 10 April 1995 between Worcester Park Green Lane Primary School and Belmont Station via Green Lane - Oldfields Road - Sutton Common Road - Marlborough Road - Dibdin Road - Stayton Road - Hallmead Road - Angel Hill - Sutton High Street - Marshall's Road - Throwley Way - Carshalton Road - Chalk Pit Way - Sutton Court Road - High Street - Brighton Road - Cedar Road - Langley Park Road - The Gallop - Chiltern Road - Brighton Road - Cotswold Road - Downs Road. The route was initially operated by Tellings-Golden Miller from their Byfleet (BF) garage using Plaxton bodied Mercedes-Benz 709Ds.
On 11 May 1996, the route was revised at Belmont to terminate at Sutton Hospital instead of Belmont Station and was revised to run both ways between North Cheam and Worcester Park via Browning Avenue area.
On 30 November 1996, the route was retained by Tellings-Golden Miller and was rerouted between Sutton Town Centre and Sutton Hospital via Carshalton and Carshalton Beeches, the previous routeing was replaced by revised route S1.
On 14 November 1998, the route was rerouted at Downs Road to run via Royal Marsden Hospital in both directions.
On 8 April 2000, the route passed to Quality Line operating from their Epsom (EB) garage and was converted to low floor operation using Alexander ALX200 bodied Dennis Dart SLFs. At the same time, the route was rerouted in Sutton to run direct via Angel Hill to Sutton Common Road instead of via Stayton Road - Dibdin Road - Marlborough Road.
On 10 February 2001, the route was reverted to Stayton Road - Dibdin Road - Marlborough Road routeing instead of direct via Angel Hill.
On 11 May 2002, the route was rerouted at Carshalton between Banstead Road and "Windsor Castle" via Cambridge Road and Carshalton Road instead of Park Hill.
On 9 April 2005, the route was retained by Quality Line with brand new East Lancs Myllennium bodied Dennis Dart SLFs introduced.
On 1 August 2009, the route was extended from Worcester Park to Malden Manor. At the same time, a brand new Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart was introduced alongside the East Lancs Myllennium bodied Dennis Dart SLFs.
On 10 April 2010, the route was retained by Quality Line using existing East Lancs Myllennium bodied Dennis Dart SLFs and an existing Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart.
On 14 July 2012, the route was rerouted via Tesco at Sutton Common.
In November 2014, brand new Enviro200 bodied Alexander Dennis E20Ds were introduced alongside the existing Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Darts and the East Lancs Myllennium bodied Dennis Dart SLFs.
In January 2015, the East Lancs Myllennium bodied Dennis Dart SLFs were withdrawn and the route was converted to full Enviro200 MMC bodied Alexander Dennis E20Ds and Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart operation.
On 8 April 2017, the route was retained by Quality Line with brand new Enviro200 MMC bodied Alexander Dennis E20Ds introduced alongside the existing Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Darts.
On 28 October 2017, the route was rerouted to Belmont Station.
On 27 February 2021, the operation of the route was transferred to London United's Tolworth (TV) garage.
On 2 March 2024, the route was rerouted between Sutton Green and Sutton Common Road via Sutton High Street.
On 6 April 2024, the route passed to Transport UK London Bus operating from their Beddington Cross (BC) garage temporarily using existing Enviro200 MMC bodied Alexander Dennis E20Ds.
Brand new electric buses will be introduced from 2024.
Current Route[]
Route S3 operates via these primary locations:
- Belmont Station Downs Road
- Royal Marsden Hospital
- Carshalton Beeches
- Carshalton Station
- Sutton Station
- North Cheam Sainsbury's
- Worcester Park Station
- Malden Manor Station Manor Drive North