The 235 took over the “out-country” section of route 237 in 1996, running between Sunbury and Hounslow – ironically providing a highly similar function to the original 237, before its extension to Shepherd’s Bush! However, the 237 had run further out into the suburbs, reaching Chertsey via Shepperton, now the province of route 557. Conversely, the 235 runs through to Isleworth and Brentford, replacing a similar function once provided by routes 116 and 117, and maintaining some cross-Hounslow links that would otherwise have been lost when the 237 was split.

After just over a year of operation by London United, route 235 was lost to Tellings-Golden Miller in January 1998, who now operate it with long wheelbase low floor Dennis Darts. The original vehicles were single door, so it came as no surprise when a new contract starting in Jan 2003 called for more new Darts, this time dual door, and again painted in a red livery. By contrast to the Metrobus livery featured before, this must rate as one of the best 80% red livery adaptations; the use of gold relief bands to separate the main colour areas makes all the difference.

Photo by John Nicholas Bennett.

Here 630 (RN52 FVS) lays over at Brentford Bus Station, by the County Court, on Sunday 16 March 2003. As will be noted, the bodywork for these buses is by Caetano, Tellings being one of an increasing number of smaller (and not so small) operators to move away from Transbus bodywork to this manufacturer.

The 2xx series route number gives away the origins of the 237 as a single deck route. The 237 was converted to double deck, but the new 235 restores single deck operation to the “country” section, enabling a much improved frequency. In 1936 the 237 ran every 30 minutes with a 20 minute Saturday afternoon service and a 15 minute Sunday service, while latterly it did slightly better with a 20 minute service for most of the week (reduced to half hourly evenings and Sundays). But now the 235 runs every 8 minutes, with a 12 minute evening and Sunday frequency, having increased from 10/20 respectively at the start of the present contract.

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Numerically	234	240

See also routes 237, 557, 116, 117