London Buses route 145

London Buses route 145 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to East London.

History
On 1 December 1924, a new system of route numbering on London Buses, known as the Bassom System, came into force under The London Traffic Act of 1924. This made the Metropolitan Police responsible for bus operation and route numbering in London. The new system was designed to make route numbering easier to understand for the travelling public, but in fact because of the use many suffixed numbered routes, quite the reverse was the result.

Route 145 commenced operation as a Monday to Saturday Peak Hours & Sunday service, between Cranbrook Park (Beehive) and Becontree (Chittys Lane) via Ilford and Green Lane on 1 December 1924. It was in fact a re-numbering of route 25D, a short working of route 25. This was the first time that the route number 145 had been used on a London Bus route.

During the Summer of 1925, from 12 July until 25 October 1925, it was extended on Sundays from Cranbrook Park to Epping Forest (Warren Wood House) via Woodford Avenue, Southend Road, Grove Road, Woodford New Road, Woodford Green and Woodford Wells. The 145 group of routes were now registered as follows:
 * 145 High Beach (Kings Oak) - Becontree (not operating)
 * 145A Epping Forest - Becontree (Sundays)
 * 145B Woodford Wells - Becontree (Monday - Saturday)
 * 145C Cranbrook Park - Becontree (Monday - Saturday shortworkings)

As from 24 February 1926, the route became a daily operation. At the same time it also was extended at both ends to run from Woodford Wells to Becontree (Bennett's Castle Lane) via Woodford Green and Ilford. The route was further extended on Summer Sundays in 1926 from Woodford Wells to Epping Forest (Warren Wood House). At the end of 1926, the 145 group of routes were now registered as follows:
 * 145 High Beach (Kings Oak) - Becontree (not operating)
 * 145A Epping Forest - Becontree (not operating)
 * 145B Woodford Wells - Becontree (Daily)
 * 145C Cranbrook Park - Becontree (Monday - Saturday shortworkings)

1927 saw the Summer extension to Epping Forest being introduced in June, as well as a short daily extension at Becontree as from 24 August 1927, from Bennett's Castle Lane to Becontree (Nine Elms). The route then settled down to being a daily service from Becontree(Nine Elms) via Ilford to Woodford Wells, extended on Summer Sundays to Epping Forest (Warren Wood Wood House) from 1928 until 1931 as follows:
 * 145 High Beach (Kings Oak) - Becontree (not operating)
 * 145A Epping Forest - Becontree (Summer Sundays)
 * 145B Woodford Wells - Becontree (Daily)
 * 145C Cranbrook Park - Becontree (Monday - Saturday shortworkings)

As from 27 January 1932, the route was extended daily from Becontree To Dagenham (Frizlands Lane) via Wood Lane, Heathway and Oxlow Lane. The Summer Sunday extension to Epping Forest didn't appear in 1932, but an extension to Chingford (Royal Forest Hotel) via Whitehall Road and Station Road was introduced as from 5 October 1932.

By the beginning of the 1960s, the 145 was operating from Chingford (Royal Forest Hotel) to Dagenham (New Road) with rush hour extensions to either Dagenham Ford's or Dagenham Dock. However the Ilford - Chingford section was taken over by new route 179 in the early 1960s and the 145 then operated Ilford - Dagenham (New Road) via Green Lane, Bennetts Castle Lane, Porters Avenue, Becontree Station, Heathway. This remained the same for approximately the next 20 years. It was around 1984 that changes were again made, when route 145 was diverted from Dagenham Heathway (Church Elm) to run via Dagenham Village and Ballards Road, instead of Heathway. This giving Dagenham Village a bus service.

Tendering of London Bus services in the mid 80s, saw the 145 lost to Ensignbus and again a change of route, with the 145 being diverted from Green Lane via South Park Drive, Faircross and Longbridge Road to Porters Avenue instead of Green Lane and Bennetts Castle Lane, the 148 being the sole route now serving Bennetts Castle Lane. The 145 was also extended from Ilford via The Drive to Redbridge Station (Route 148 also being diverted via The Drive to Redbridge Station instead of Cranbrook Road and Gants Hill) replacing route 147 which was withdrawn between Redbridge Station and Ilford. This gave new links along Longbridge Road and South park Drive to Ilford and Dagnenham and also replaced the infrequent shuttle service between Ilford and Faircross (Barking Bus Garage) via South Park Drive that was served by one bus on route 148 which was in effect a separate service but operated as a diversion off the main 148 route.

Ensignbus lost route 145 to London Buses at the beginning of the 1990s and around 1993 changes to bus services in the Barking, Ilford and Dagenham areas led to route 145 being coverted to midibus operation by now having been extended from Dagenham (New Road) to Dagenham (Asda Store). The rush hour extension to Dagenham Dock and Dagenham Ford's having also been withdrawn some time earlier. At the same time route 148 was withdrawn and replaced between Ilford and Dagenham by new route 364 (ableit running via residential streets instead of Green Lanes between Goodmayes and Ilford). The section between Ilford and Leytonstone was covered by another new service route 366. Route 145 was to be extended from Redbridge Station in a loop via Falmouth Gardens and Roding Lane South back to Redbridge Station. However objections from residents prevented this from going ahead. However a few years later Routes 145 and 366 swapped terminals, with the 145 being extended from Redbridge Station to Leytonstone (Green Man) and the 366 being cut back to Redbridge Station but extended via Falmouth Gardens and Roding Lane South to form a loop back to Redbridge Station. This also reinstated the link between Dagenham and Leytonstone which was lost with the withdrawal of route 148. A further extension on route 145 was from Leytonstone (Green Man) to Leytonstone Station. Double Deckers returned to route 145 around 2003 as heavy loadings made the single deckers unable to handle passenger demand.

This History is currently being expanded and is not yet complete.

Current route

 * Leytonstone Station Bus Station
 * Wanstead Station
 * Redbridge Station
 * Ilford Station
 * Ilford High Road
 * Becontree Station
 * Dagenham Church Elm
 * Dagenham Asda