Route 54 started in the 1940's?, and provided a service between Selsdon and Plumstead, using RT's from Catford garage. In 1952, a Sunday allocation at Elmers End was introduced. In 1959 the Sunday service ceased to serve Plumstead. In 1961, the Elmers End Sunday allocation was withdrawn, and Catford garage ran the entire service. In 1963, the entire service ceased to serve Plumstead Common all other days of the week, and terminated at Woolwich. In 1965 weekday peak hour journeys were introduced between Riddlesdown and Woolwich Industrial Estate. In 1972 a Elmers End allocation was reintroduced and Catford ceased to run the service on a Sunday. In 1973, the route ceased to serve Selsdon and Woolwich Industrial Estate, and simply ran Woolwich to Croydon. The Sunday service also started to be run by RM's. Later that year, the Sunday service was converted to One Person Operation. In 1978 the full service was converted to One Person Operation. In 1985, during Saturday shopping hours, some Saturday daytime journeys were extended to serve the Asda superstore at Charlton, however these ceased just a year later. In 1988, a Sunday Plumstead allocation was introduced, and used Leyland Olympians. Some Sunday journeys were also extended from Woolwich to Plumstead garage. In 1991, the Sunday allocation was transferred back to Catford garage, and used single deckers. Later that year, a part allocation was also given to Plumstead garage. In 1993, the entire service was transferred to Plumstead garage. In 1996, the Sunday service reverted to double deckers. In 1997, Volvo Olympians, were introduced. In 1999 the service and its buses transferred to Catford garage. In 2000, route 54 ceased to serve Croydon, due to the new Tramlink system. In 2001, a Plumstead allocation was reintroduced, running the full service on a Saturday, and a joint service on weekdays and Sunday's. In 2002, the route received brand new ALX400 Trident's, and in 2003, the Plumstead allocation was removed. IN 2006, Stagecoach sold their London operations to Australian investment bank Macquarie, for £264 million pounds. This saw the route run by East London bus group, with South London business branded Selkent. In 2009, Selkent lost Route 54 to Metrobus, who ordered Scania/Optare Olympuses, running the route from Green Street Green depot. These arrived late, and for a few months Selkent Trident's were hired. In 2012, due to the loss of Route's T33 and X26 at Croydon depot, Route 54 was transferred there. In 2014, Metrobus lost Route 54 to Stagecoach, who purchased Volvo B5LH/Wright Gemini 3 buses for the route, however, these were transferred to Plumstead instead. The 54 ended up using Enviro 400 hybrids, running from Catford garage. The Scania Olympuses the ran the route for 5 years, will be transferred to Go Ahead London, one will go to Belvedere, two to Bexleyheath and the remain vehicles will be transferred to Blue Triangle at Rainham for route 498 and school routes. I hope you enjoyed reading this post.
