Five bus routes were selected for operation by the first 68 experimental fully accessible low floor buses (though I should not say the ever first low floor buses as that would not be true). The very first to arrive were those for the 120 at Hounslow garage, which took the first ten of an order for 38 Dennis Lance SLFs with Wright Pathfinder bodywork. At that time the 120 required 8 buses, with buses running every 15 minutes for most of the day on Mondays to Saturdays, between Hounslow and Northolt.

However, the new single deckers replaced double deckers, and capacity issues led first to a frequency increase, and then to a reversion to double deck as soon as low floor double deckers could be delivered, in 2000. In fact the route was almost converted back to elderly Metrobus (non-low floor) operation in the intervening weeks. Anyhow, the now 13-strong 120 has further improved to a 10 minute frequency and now uses Volvo B7TL double deckers with a mixture of Alexander and Plaxton bodywork.

Photo by Andrew Gronneberg.

The Plaxton President bodied B7TLs at Hounslow garage seem to be very shy, so it’s another ALX400 for the camera as it lays over at Hounslow bus station (the forecourt to its home garage) on the 120. This example is VA 88 (W118 EON), brand new and still devoid of adverts.

In 1934 the 120 ran from Hayes & Harlington station via Southall, Heston and Hounslow Central to Hounslow Heath (Hussar). New route 105 started on Wednesday 4 March 1936, replacing the 93 from Shepherd's Bush to Southall via the Western Avenue and Greenford, and then on to Hounslow Heath replacing the 120. This rendered the 120 a very short route indeed, from Hayes to Southall (White Swan), with a running time of just 17 minutes. It generally ran half hourly, but every 20 minutes on Saturdays. The Sunday service was lost from May 1938.

However, the route was restored to Hounslow Heath from October 1938, to allow for an extension of the 105 at the other end, although the 105 remained as Shepherd's Bush to Hounslow Heath on Sundays when the 120 did not run. The 120 was re-introduced on Sundays from October 1939, between Hounslow Heath and Southall.

Then about 1950 a 120A variant appeared, diverting at Southall to Greenford (Civil Engineer) to provide a first service along Lady Margaret Road. This ran daily thus replacing the 120's shortened Sunday service. However, in 1955 this disappeared again except on Saturdays, Lady Maragaret Road being covered by new route 232, Hounslow Heath to Greenford (Civil Engineer). Consequently the 120 was restored on Sundays, but still only from Hounslow Heath to Southall.

Introduction of route 207A (Chelsea to Hayes) about 1960 resulted in the 120 being cut back to Southall, initially with a token peak hours extension to Delamere Road. From 1966 it was extended a different way from Southall, to central Greenford via Somerset Road and Allenby Road, largely duplicating the 105 but providing some new sections. This was later introduced Sunday afternoons.

In 1987 the Monday to Saturday daytime service was diverted to Hounslow Bus Station instead of Hounslow Heath, usefully bringing buses closer to the Hounslow shops, and part of the service was diverted via Beavers Farm to replace the Hounslow local 257. This would appear to have involved a fairly lengthy double run! However, the service north of Southall was withdrawn in 1989, along with the introduction of route E5. The 105 was diverted via Allenby Road to replace it. The rather queer arrangements at the south end were standardised in 1990 when the H21 and H23 (and H22) were introduced, with all buses now running to Hounslow Bus Station.

The next change was at the north end again — with an extension northwards to replace the 232, which was being withdrawn! (The Hounslow — Southall section became the H32). By then the 232 had been extended from Greenford (Civil Engineer) to Northolt Station, and the 120 simply replaced this leg when the 232 was withdrawn in 1993.

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See also routes 105, 93, E5, H23, H32