Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,

This page created 5th April 2000, updated 13th December 2008.

The TT class was probably the strangest bunch of buses operated by London Transport. They gave every appearance of having been designed by a committee, from their design concept through their mode of use and their numbers. They were ODD!

They came about because of the Dartford Tunnel, opening up to connect Kent and Essex. It was expected to bring a new flood of labour benefits, with workers streaming either way through the link to new opportunities. Someone must have said "What about cyclists? They aren't allowed through the tunnel. What will we do about them?" Anyway, a fleet of five enormous double-deck buses was designed, each capable of carrying a significant number of bikes (23) in racks on an open lower deck, with tandems and tricycles in a capacious open boot and passengers (33) upstairs. Special loading ramps were built, into which the buses could reverse to give level access to the cycle racks, boot, and the foot of the twin staircases (one each side). The chassis was a Thames Trader. A note in Buses magazine states that they were 16ft 4in high, but 'Buses of London' by Colin Curtis gives the dimensions as: 30ft long, 7ft10in wide, 14ft3in high, with wheelbase 17ft8.5in and track 5ft10in. The latter certainly seems to fit the photos of them alongside RTs better. They were fitted with tunnel tyres at Poplar garage (which used these reinforced-wall tyres on their tunnel RTLs) at the beginning of November 1963.

Presumably five gave an operating fleet of four to give a reasonable frequency to encourage use, with a maintenance spare. They were operated by London Transport from Dartford garage, although they were owned by the Dartford Tunnel Joint Committee.

TT1-5 went into service in November 1963, and ran between the Dartford and Purfleet shores largely empty. After two years the whistle was blown in October 1965. The level of actual requirement was indicated by the replacement: a Land-Rover with trailer, on call for use when summoned.

All five buses were sold to Don Everall Commercial Vehicles, Wolverhampton in March 1966. TT4 was bought for preservation by Leon Daniels, and is in store awaiting restoration.

TT4 goes for restoration: photo by Paul Almeroth

Bus histories

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Ford Thames Trader, Strachans FH33/0F

TT1     526 FJJ  11/63    new to Dartford Tunnel Authority
                 11/63 PR fitted with tunnel tyres (Poplar)
                 11/63 DT into service on Dartford Tunnel bicycle service (Dartford)
                       NF in store (Northfleet)
                  3/66    sold to Don Everall Commercial Vehicles, Wolverhampton
                  */66    bought by Trucks & Palletts (Scotland) Ltd, Braeview, East Kilbride:
                          experimental use for the testing of a pedestrian controlled
                          hydraulic bus transporter

TT2     527 FJJ  11/63    new to Dartford Tunnel Authority
                 11/63 PR fitted with tunnel tyres (Poplar)
                 11/63 DT into service on Dartford Tunnel bicycle service (Dartford)
                       NF in store (Northfleet)
                  3/66    sold to Don Everall Commercial Vehicles, Wolverhampton

TT3     528 FJJ  10/63    new to Dartford Tunnel Authority
                 11/63 PR fitted with tunnel tyres (Poplar)
                 11/63 DT into service on Dartford Tunnel bicycle service (Dartford)
                       NF in store (Northfleet)
                  3/66    sold to Don Everall Commercial Vehicles, Wolverhampton
  
TT4     529 FJJ  11/63    new to Dartford Tunnel Authority
                 11/63 PR fitted with tunnel tyres (Poplar)
                 11/63 DT into service on Dartford Tunnel bicycle service (Dartford)
                 10/65 DT into store
                 11/65 NF change store (Northfleet) 
                  3/66    sold to Don Everall Commercial Vehicles, Wolverhampton
                          bought by Shrewsbury Corporation
                          rescued from Shrewsbury scrapyard  by Leon Daniels:
                  */92    under restoration at Capital Citybus
                  */98    still under restoration
                  */02 NP in store, Northumberland Park 
                  2008    in store, awaiting rebuild   
 
TT5     530 FJJ  11/63    new to Dartford Tunnel Authority
                 11/63 PR fitted with tunnel tyres (Poplar)
                 11/63 DT into service on Dartford Tunnel bicycle service (Dartford)
                 11/65 DT into store
                 11/65 NF change store (Northfleet)
                  3/66    sold to Don Everall Commercial Vehicles, Wolverhampton
  

Photographic references

 
TT1     FJJ 526   LBiC p63            n/s rear: wrong reg.
TT1     526 FJJ   AIHLB p61   1/64 DT front

TT2     527 FJJ   AIHLB p61   1/64 DT front o/s

TT3     528 FJJ   Bus541p16 c10/63    during crew training, Dunton Green
                  MinLC p122          front n/s
                  VHD2 p54            front o/s

TT4     529 FJJ   LBM67 p47   */63    n/s front
                  Bus542p16   */98    under restoration by Leon Daniels

TT5     530 FJJ   LBM67 p47   */63    o/s front

                  LT60s p69           being loaded with cycles
 

Ian's Bus Stop