London Trolleybus on Route 630 Crossing Mitcham Common

 Moving quickly across Mitcham Common
Click on picture [67] for an enlarged version

From: <browse00@freewwweb.com>

I spent the first seven years of my life in Mitcham [having been born in Mitcham Hospital in March 1940]. My father was a sergeant in the Metropolitan Police and assigned to Mitcham station. My paternal grandmother lived for many years in Streatham.

My maternal grandmother lived, at the time, in Willesden. I can recall many times taking a 118 motor bus from our home to Mitcham Common and transferring there to a trolleybus for the remainder of the journey. These pictures brought many memories flooding back.

We moved to the U.S. in 1947 and, after spending 25 years in the U.S. Air Force [retiring in the grade of colonel], I have been employed for the past dozen years as an announcer with the public radio station in San Antonio, Texas.

I want to thank you for making all these memories possible through your beautifully designed site.

From: "Graham Boseley" <graham.boseley@iclway.co.uk>

Thanks for putting up this website on the trolleybuses. I was born in South Croydon in 1939 and lived in Waddon until 1963 when I moved away from home.

My memories include trying to keep up with a trolleybus across Mitcham Common on my cycle [unsuccessful] and watching the trolleybuses changing lines at the bus stop at the bottom of Tamworth Road. I saw a number of arms come off the wires at different times.

I have travelled the new tramways to keep up with progress.

From: "Richard Baker" <richard.baker@amcor.com.au>

Great site, I was born at St Heliers in 1950, lived in Croydon / Sanderstead until the family emigrated to Australia in 1964, I remember the trolleybuses well, my uncle lived in Mitcham and we would catch them to visit, although young then I can still remember the drama when the poles lost contact with the overhead wires.

On the subject of trams I have no recollection although my Mother used to tell me that as a babe in arms she took me for a ride on the last tram in Croydon, is that historically possible?
[Webmaster: The Croydon routes 16/18 and 42 were withdrawn in April 1951.]

From: "Alan Pearmain" <alan.pearmain@lineone.net>

The pictures of the 630 trolleybus brought back memories. I remember how quiet and smooth the ride was. The buses accelerated rapidly, even with a full passenger load. As a child I travelled regularly on this service on shopping trips to Croydon from my home in Mitcham. I returned late one evening on one of the very last buses with an empty "Private" following. The 630 was replaced the following day by the 220 and 64 routes.

An LT electrical switchgear box remained for many years in Montrose Gardens, just off Upper Green East in Mitcham. It might even have been a remnant from the former tram services.

From: "Colin Fowler" <colin.fowler@siemens.com>

Great old pictures!

I’ve just been looking at your 630 route pictures around Mitcham. I was born in Mitcham near the common in Westmorland Way, Pollards hill in 1962. Although the trolleybuses were gone by then a lot of the street scenes are what I remember from my childhood. My family moved to Crawley West Sussex in 1966 but I used to come back up to visit an aunt in Tooting so saw a lot of the changes happen. I was actually given the link to this web site by www.streetlighting.uk which I am a member. I posted them a question about the street lighting of my childhood time in the area and they told me there was plenty of that on your site which there certainly is. I also like old vehicles too so double job done there.

I will be saving this site to my favourites. Very interesting site.