| 66 | |
|---|---|
| {{{image}}} | |
| Route | |
| Start | Leytonstone Station |
| Via | New Wanstead, Wanstead, Redbridge, Gants Hill, Newbury Park, Little Heath, Chadwell Heath (north), Eastern Avenue |
| End | Romford Station |
| Length | 9.6 miles |
| Operations | |
| Operator | Arriva Southern Counties |
| Garage | Grays |
| Vehicle | VDL DB300 10.4m/Wright Gemini 2 |
| Peak vehicle requirement | Mon-Fri: 12 Sat: 12 Sun: 9 |
| Service | |
| Journey time | 31-64 mins |
| Frequency (in mins) | Mon-Sat: 12 day, 20 eves Sun: 20 |
| Passenger usage data | |
| 1999/2000 | 0.860 million (379th) |
| 2000/2001 | 0.958 million (+11%, 376th) |
| 2001/2002 | 0.908 million (-5%, 393rd) |
| 2002/2003 | 0.988 million (+9%, 397th) |
| 2003/2004 | 1.176 million (+19%, 390th) |
| 2004/2005 | 1.440 million (+22%, 373rd) |
| 2005/2006 | 1.500 million (+4%, 372nd) |
| 2006/2007 | 1.633 million (+9%, 354th) |
| 2007/2008 | 1.568 million (-4%, 368th) |
| 2008/2009 | 1.776 million (+13%, 358th) |
| 2009/2010 | 1.865 million (+5%, 353rd) |
| 2010/2011 | 1.816 million (-3%, 370th) |
| 2011/2012 | 1.953 million (+8%, 361st) |
| 2012/2013 | 1.854 million (-5%, 368th) |
| 2013/2014 | 2.115 million (+14%, 349th) |
| 2014/2015 | 2.252 million (+7%, 335th) |
| 2015/2016 | 2.205 million (-2%, 337th) |
History
14 October 1925: New route, Leytonstone (Green Man) to Romford Station via Wanstead, Newbury Park, Little Heath and Eastern Avenue. Operated by LGOC
October 1927: Monday-Friday service withdrawn, replaced by routes 148 and 149.
October 1928: Monday-Friday service restored.
By June 1931: Extended from Romford via Victoria Road to Gidea Park Station.
20 November 1940: Withdrawn between Heath Park Road and Gidea Park, and instead diverted via Slewins Lane and Emerson Park to Hornchurch Station.
22 October 1952: Extended during Monday-Saturday peak hours, and Sunday afternoon journeys from Hornchurch Station to Hacton Drive.
18 July 1970: Withdrawn between Heath Park Road and Hornchurch, and instead diverted via Gidea Park, Upper Brentwood Road, Gallows Corner, Faringdon Avenue and Harold Hill to Harold Wood Station. Sunday service renumbered 66B.
8 January 1972: Converted to single-deck one person operation.
9 May 1976: Converted to double-deck operation.
4 September 1982: Withdrawn between Harold Wood and Gidea Park/Romford (see below). Sunday service re-introduced between Leytonstone and Romford.
Monday-Friday: Leytonstone to Romford, extended except evenings to Gidea Park
Saturday: Leytonstone to Romford, extended during shopping hours to Gidea Park
Sunday: Leytonstone to Romford
12 May 1984: Monday-Friday evening service extended from Romford to Gidea Park.
Monday-Friday: Leytonstone to Gidea Park
Saturday: Leytonstone to Romford, extended during shopping hours to Gidea Park
Sunday: Leytonstone to Romford
7 February 1987: Withdrawn between Romford and Gidea Park.
24 September 1988: Sunday service converted to single-deck operation.
4 August 1990: Contract awarded to County Bus (TownLink). Converted to single-deck operation.
29 June 1997: Extended in Leytonstone from the Green Man roundabout to Leytonstone Station.
2 August 1997: Service transferred within the Cowie group to Grey-Green (later Arriva London). Converted to double-deck operation on Monday-Saturday, and low-floor single-deck operation on Sunday.
6 September 2003: Contract awarded to Blue Triangle (later Go-Ahead London). Converted to low-floor single-deck operation daily.
5 September 2009: Rerouted between Leytonstone and Wanstead via New Wanstead and Wanstead High Street.
4 September 2010: Contract awarded to Arriva Southern Counties.
30 August 2014: Converted to double-deck operation.
Operators
Route 66 has been operated by the following companies:
- General: 14 October 1925-30 June 1933
- London Transport: 1 July 1933-31 March 1985
- London Buses: 1 April 1985-31 March 1989
- East London: 1 April 1989-3 August 1990
- County Bus: 4 August 1990-1 August 1997
- Grey-Green/Arriva London: 2 August 1997-5 September 2003
- Blue Triangle/Go-Ahead London: 6 September 2003-3 September 2010
- Arriva Southern Counties: 4 September 2010-present
Garages
Route 66 has been operated from the following garages:
- Hornchurch (RD): 14 October 1925-5 February 1954
- Forest Gate (G): 2 October 1935-26 April 1960
- Upton Park (U): 19 April 1944-4 July 1944, 12 December 1945-16 April 1946
- Romford (NS): 12 August 1953-3 August 1990
- Debden (DD): 4 August 1990-1 August 1997
- Barking (DX): 2 August 1997-5 September 2003
- Rainham (BE): 6 September 2003-3 September 2010
- Grays (GY): 4 September 2010-present
Route description - list of stops
Route departing Leytonstone
- Leytonstone Station
- Kirkdale Road
- Green Man Roundabout
- Gordon Road
- High Street / Hermon Hill
- Wanstead Place
- Wanstead High Street / Wanstead Station
- Nutter Lane
- Redbridge Station
- The Drive
- Mornington Avenue
- Gants Hill Station
- Parham Drive
- Ashurst Drive
- Denham Drive
- Horns Road
- King George Avenue
- Newbury Park Station
- Oaks Lane
- Aldborough Road North
- Grenfell Gardens
- Bawdsey Avenue
- Barley Lane
- Somerville Road
- Padnall Road
- Whalebone Lane North
- Mawney Road
- King George Close
- Romford Bus Station
- The Avenue
- Romford Market
- Western Road
- Romford Station
Route departing Romford
- Romford Station
- Western Road
- Romford Market
- The Avenue
- Park Drive
- Cedar Road
- Mawney Road
- Whalebone Lane North
- East Road
- Somerville Road
- Barley Lane
- Bawdsey Avenue
- Grenfell Gardens
- Aldborough Road South
- Newbury Park Station
- Ley Street
- Milton Crescent
- South View Crescent
- Gants Hill Station
- Clarence Avenue
- Mornington Avenue
- The Drive
- Redbridge Station
- Redbridge Lane West
- Wigram Road
- Wanstead Station
- Wanstead Place
- Chestnut Drive
- Green Man Roundabout
- Leytonstone Station
Route record (list of roads traversed)
Route departing Leytonstone
Leytonstone Bus Station, Church Lane, High Road Leytonstone, Hollybush Hill, New Wanstead, Wanstead High Street, Kingfisher Avenue, Eastern Avenue, Newbury Park Interchange, Eastern Avenue, Eastern Avenue West, North Street, St Edwards Way, Mercury Gardens, Western Road, Grimshaw Way, Slaney Road, Chandlers Way, Eastern Road, South Street, Atlanta Boulevard
Route departing Romford
South Street, Western Road, Mercury Gardens, St Edwards Way, North Street, Eastern Avenue West, Eastern Avenue, Harrier Avenue, Wanstead High Street, New Wanstead, Hollybush Hill, High Road Leytonstone, Gainsborough Road, Lemna Road, Kirkdale Road, Leytonstone Bus Station
Timetable information
First bus from Leytonstone: 0530 (0700 Sundays)
First bus from Romford: 0500 (0550 Sundays)
Last bus from Leytonstone: 0040
Last bus from Romford: 0022 (0027 Saturdays and Sundays)
Links
Current timetable
Current route map
Zenfolio photo gallery
Timetable graveyard
Performance report (PDF file)