This page created 3rd November 2003
448 GF Guildford - Newlands Corner - Gomshall - Peaslake - Ewhurst
Guildford received GS buses to replace its Cubs on the rural 448 and local 448A in December 1953. The routes were worked in association with Tillingbourne Valley Services, who operated the same routes but without route numbers. On the Peaslake and Ewhurst route London Transport provided two GSs, while Tillingbourne operated one bus just as far as Peaslake. Eventually, in August 1964, both routes were taken over entirely by Tillingbourne Valley, who bought redundant GSs to operate them both. Tillingbourne amassed thirteen GSs to run their operations, including these two routes plus routes to Farley Green and Warren Road. They painted them in a blueish maroon plum colour, with white lining. The sparse operation to Ewhurst only continued until November 1965, when the half-hourly frequency service to Peaslake was also thinned out to once every three-quarters of an hour.
The route started in Guildford's Onslow Street bus station.
It headed east out along the main road, briefly rubbing shoulders with RLHs on the 436
and with the Greenline 715. The 448A short route buses turned off to the right into Pewley Way,
while the 448s continued with the RTs on the 408 and 408A to Merrow.
There the GSs turned off the main road anbd headed over the North Downs to Newlands Corner,
and on to Silent Pool, where they met the RFs on the 425.
They passed through delightful Shere and Gomshall,
and turned off over the 7.5 ton limit bridge
onto the exceedingly narrow lane that climbed up through the woods towards Peaslake.
Some buses turned there,
but some continued through the delightful Hurt Woods to reach Ewhurst.
This village was served by the 448 and the 449 to Dorking (another GS route)
and very briefly in 1954 by the 852 from Crawley.
Was any other village served by GSs from three different garages?
GS76 on display at Cobham Open Day in April 2002, wearing a 448 to Guildford blind. GS1 waits at Ewhurst during the Running Day in September 2002, with GS76 behind on the 449.
GS1 at the pretty Peaslake terminus, between war memorial and pub, in September 2002, and a little later crossing the weak bridge over the watercress beds at Gomshall.AllocationGuildford supplied the GSs required for the London Transport operation, 4 or 5 at a time. Initially there were GS 30,31,33,35,39. After the overhaul round at the end of 1956 there were GS25,35,36,39 and 66 as long-term residents. After the late 1961 overhauls there were GS20,25,26,35 and 36. Other buses were there for short periods. The following list is incomplete:GS20: 9/61 - 8/64 GS25: - 11/60, 3/61 - 8/64 GS26: 10/61 - 8/64 GS27: 12/60 - 3/61 GS30: 11/53 - 3/57 GS31: 11/53 - GS32: 2/57 - 2/57 GS33: 11/53 -c11/56, 5/57 - 2/58 GS35: 11/53 -c11/56, 2/57 - 11/61, 2/62 - 8/63, 1/64 - 9/64 GS36:c12/56 - c9/61, 12/61 - 8/64 GS39: 11/53 - 1/57, 3/57 - 5/59 GS42: 1/62 - 2/62 GS66: - 5/57, 6/57 - 2/62 GS76: 9/62 - 10/62 Tillingbourne Valley: GS1: 3/63 - 2/69 GS3: 3/63 - GS4: 3/63 - GS14: 4/71 - 10/71 GS24: GS25: 10/64 - GS59: 12/69 - 1/70 GS64: 4/71 - 10/72 GS67: 5/63 - GS69: 5/63 - 9/65 GS76: 5/64 - GS82: 7/70 - GS84: 3/64 -  445
 449
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Bus Stop
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