London Buses route 297
Encyclopedia
London Buses route 297 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to Metroline
.
bus garage and Perivale
as a Monday to Saturday route, and later it also replaced route 8
to Willesden via Wembley
Trading Estate, making it into some sort of circular route.
The Wembley Trading Estate section of route 297, was withdrawn and replaced by route 92 and was later extended on 2 June 1984 to Ealing Broadway to serve the new extended Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre. A Sunday service was added on 29 September 1984 between Ealing Broadway and Wembley Arena
for Wembley Market, operated by Alperton
bus garage (the Monday to Saturday service being operated from Willesden garage).
Following the inception of the London Buses Limited
subsidiaries in late 1988, the 297 was operated by Metroline
using MCW Metrobus
double-deckers. On 1 September 1990, the route was transferred to Centrewest from Alperton garage on all days, using DW-class Dennis Dart
/Wright Handybus
midibuses.
Centrewest was privatised
in 1994, following which it continued to operate the 297 for a further four years, until it was lost upon retendering on 5 September 1998 (by which time Centrewest had become part of First London
). The route was subsequently regained by Metroline, operating from Willesden garage again, and converted to low-floor operation using DLD-class Dennis Dart SLF 10.2m/Plaxton Pointer 2s.
The route was moved into Metroline's new Perivale bus garage to allow a new route 460 (from the split of route 260) to move into Willesden on 28 June 2003.
When First London also lost the contract for route W8 to Metroline, the 297 was temporarily converted to double-deck operation using Dennis Trident 2
s, while the route's DLDs were transferred to route W8, which required the use of single-deck buses due to a low bridge in Edmonton
.
The problematic low bridge in Edmonton was resolved during September 2003, and the two routes swapped buses once again, converting route W8 to double-deck operation and the 297 back to single-deck operation. Later in 2003, Metroline retained the contract for the route, on the basis that the route was converted back to double-deck operation on 6 December using new TPs - this time as a permanent fixture.
When Metroline gained the contracts for routes 7
and N7, they operated them from Perivale East (PV), in June 2007, 22 brand new Scania N230UD
/East Lancs Olympus
double-deckers were ordered for the routes. However, their delivery was delayed, so Metroline had to use the 297's Dennis Trident 2
9.9m/Plaxton President
s on the 7/N7, and so Dennis Trident 2 10.5m/Plaxton Presidents and Dennis Trident 2 10.5m / Alexander ALX400
s on loan from First Centrewest were used on the 297 for a while.
The 297 became a 24-hour service on 7 June 2008 and on 7 March 2009 its allocation was moved to Perivale West; at the same time new TE-class Alexander Dennis Enviro400s were introduced for the route.
On 11 December 2010, Scania N230UD
10.6m / East Lancs Olympus
(SEL) were introduced partially on route 297.
In August 2011, Volvo B9TL
/ Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 (VW) were introduced on route 297 to replace the Alexander Dennis Enviro400 (TE).
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
contracted bus route in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The service is currently contracted to Metroline
Metroline
Metroline, owned by ComfortDelGro Corporation of Singapore, is one of many companies operating bus services in London under the management of London Buses.-Company history:...
.
History
Route 297 was created in September 1968 to replace the withdrawn section of route 46 between WillesdenWillesden
Willesden is an area in North West London which forms part of the London Borough of Brent. It is situated 5 miles north west of Charing Cross...
bus garage and Perivale
Perivale
Perivale is a small suburb in the London Borough of Ealing, west of Charing Cross, central London. Landmarks in the suburb include the A40, a large road that connects Central London with the M40 motorway, and the large Art Deco Hoover Building, as well as St Mary's Church , the River Brent and...
as a Monday to Saturday route, and later it also replaced route 8
London Buses route 8
London Buses route 8 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London.-History:...
to Willesden via Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
Trading Estate, making it into some sort of circular route.
The Wembley Trading Estate section of route 297, was withdrawn and replaced by route 92 and was later extended on 2 June 1984 to Ealing Broadway to serve the new extended Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre. A Sunday service was added on 29 September 1984 between Ealing Broadway and Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
for Wembley Market, operated by Alperton
Alperton
Alperton is a district in the London Borough of Brent in northwest London.There is a high incidence of Indians living in Alperton . There is also a small Sri Lankan community in Alperton , and 10% stated as others....
bus garage (the Monday to Saturday service being operated from Willesden garage).
Following the inception of the London Buses Limited
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
subsidiaries in late 1988, the 297 was operated by Metroline
Metroline
Metroline, owned by ComfortDelGro Corporation of Singapore, is one of many companies operating bus services in London under the management of London Buses.-Company history:...
using MCW Metrobus
MCW Metrobus
The MCW Metrobus is a double decker bus model manufactured by MCW from 1977 until 1989, with over 4,000 examples built. The original MkI model was superseded by the MkII model in 1981/1982, although production of the original MkI continued for London Transport until 1985...
double-deckers. On 1 September 1990, the route was transferred to Centrewest from Alperton garage on all days, using DW-class Dennis Dart
Dennis Dart
The Dennis Dart is a rear-engined midibus built by Dennis in the United Kingdom. More than 11,000 were built during 18 years of production....
/Wright Handybus
Wright Handybus
The Wright Handybus was a single-deck bus body built primarily on Dennis Dart chassis by Wright between 1990 and 1995. It was also built on a small number of Leyland Swift chassis, in which form it had a higher floorline. It has a bolted aluminium structure....
midibuses.
Centrewest was privatised
Privatisation of London bus services
The privatisation of London bus services was the progressive process of the transfer of operation of London Buses from public bodies to private companies....
in 1994, following which it continued to operate the 297 for a further four years, until it was lost upon retendering on 5 September 1998 (by which time Centrewest had become part of First London
First London
.First London is one of many operators of London Buses and owned by First Group. They did also run the Tramlink network, in a partnership with Tramtrack Croydon before June 2008. Their registered office is at Paddington station in London...
). The route was subsequently regained by Metroline, operating from Willesden garage again, and converted to low-floor operation using DLD-class Dennis Dart SLF 10.2m/Plaxton Pointer 2s.
The route was moved into Metroline's new Perivale bus garage to allow a new route 460 (from the split of route 260) to move into Willesden on 28 June 2003.
When First London also lost the contract for route W8 to Metroline, the 297 was temporarily converted to double-deck operation using Dennis Trident 2
Dennis Trident 2
Dennis Trident 2 is a 2-axle low-floor double-decker bus chassis originally built by Dennis in the United Kingdom, which was unveiled in 1997 and replaced the Dennis Arrow...
s, while the route's DLDs were transferred to route W8, which required the use of single-deck buses due to a low bridge in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
.
The problematic low bridge in Edmonton was resolved during September 2003, and the two routes swapped buses once again, converting route W8 to double-deck operation and the 297 back to single-deck operation. Later in 2003, Metroline retained the contract for the route, on the basis that the route was converted back to double-deck operation on 6 December using new TPs - this time as a permanent fixture.
When Metroline gained the contracts for routes 7
London Buses route 7
London Buses route 7 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
and N7, they operated them from Perivale East (PV), in June 2007, 22 brand new Scania N230UD
Scania N-series
Scania N-series is a series of city bus with straight-up, transversely mounted Euro IV/Euro V engine at the rear.It is available as N230UB, N270UB as well as the N230UD and N270UD...
/East Lancs Olympus
Optare Olympus
The Optare Olympus is a double-decker bus built by Optare...
double-deckers were ordered for the routes. However, their delivery was delayed, so Metroline had to use the 297's Dennis Trident 2
Dennis Trident 2
Dennis Trident 2 is a 2-axle low-floor double-decker bus chassis originally built by Dennis in the United Kingdom, which was unveiled in 1997 and replaced the Dennis Arrow...
9.9m/Plaxton President
Plaxton President
The Plaxton President was a double-decker bus body built at Northern Counties plant in Wigan, England and branded as a Plaxton product for its main production run. It was unveiled in 1997 and built between 1999 and 2005. When Plaxton became part of TransBus International, the body was sold under...
s on the 7/N7, and so Dennis Trident 2 10.5m/Plaxton Presidents and Dennis Trident 2 10.5m / Alexander ALX400
Alexander ALX400
The Alexander ALX400 is a 2-axle double-decker bus body built by Walter Alexander Coachbuilders...
s on loan from First Centrewest were used on the 297 for a while.
The 297 became a 24-hour service on 7 June 2008 and on 7 March 2009 its allocation was moved to Perivale West; at the same time new TE-class Alexander Dennis Enviro400s were introduced for the route.
On 11 December 2010, Scania N230UD
Scania N-series
Scania N-series is a series of city bus with straight-up, transversely mounted Euro IV/Euro V engine at the rear.It is available as N230UB, N270UB as well as the N230UD and N270UD...
10.6m / East Lancs Olympus
Optare Olympus
The Optare Olympus is a double-decker bus built by Optare...
(SEL) were introduced partially on route 297.
In August 2011, Volvo B9TL
Volvo B9TL
The Volvo B9TL is a low-floor double-decker bus built by Volvo Buses since 2002. It superseded the older Volvo B10TL and the Volvo B7TL.-Chassis:...
/ Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 (VW) were introduced on route 297 to replace the Alexander Dennis Enviro400 (TE).
Current route
- Ealing Broadway StationEaling Broadway stationEaling Broadway is an east-west National Rail and London Underground station in Ealing in west London. The station is located in Haven Green , at the termination of The Broadway, and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-Services:...
- Perivale StationPerivale tube station-History:The Great Western Railway opened "Perivale Halt" on 2 May 1904. The current London Underground station was opened on 30 June 1947. In July 2011 the station was one of 16 London Underground stations made a Grade II listed building,-The station today:...
- AlpertonAlpertonAlperton is a district in the London Borough of Brent in northwest London.There is a high incidence of Indians living in Alperton . There is also a small Sri Lankan community in Alperton , and 10% stated as others....
Sainsbury's - Alperton StationAlperton tube stationAlperton is a London Underground station on the Uxbridge branch of the Piccadilly Line. The station is between Sudbury Town and Park Royal. It is located on Ealing Road a short distance from the junction with Bridgewater Road and is close to Alperton Bus Garage and the Paddington branch of the...
- Wembley Central StationWembley Central stationWembley Central is a Network Rail station served by London Underground Bakerloo Line, London Overground , Southern and a few London Midland services. It is located in the High Road of Wembley, northwest London...
- Wembley Park StationWembley Park tube stationWembley Park tube station is a London Underground station in Wembley Park, north west London. The station is served by the Underground's Metropolitan and Jubilee Lines and is in Travelcard Zone 4...
- Blackbird Cross
- NeasdenNeasdenNeasden is an area in northwest London, UK. It forms part of the London Borough of Brent.-History:The area was recorded as Neasdun in 939 AD and the name is derived from the Old English nēos = 'nose' and dūn = 'hill'. It means 'the nose-shaped hill' referring to a well-defined landmark of this area...
- Neasden StationNeasden tube stationNeasden Underground station is a London Underground station in Neasden. It is on the Jubilee Line, between Wembley Park and Dollis Hill. Metropolitan Line trains pass through the station but do not stop, except on rare occasions...
- WillesdenWillesdenWillesden is an area in North West London which forms part of the London Borough of Brent. It is situated 5 miles north west of Charing Cross...
Bus Garage