Metroline
Encyclopedia
ComfortDelGro Corporation
ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited is the world's second-largest transport company with a fleet of 46,200 vehicles.Headquartered in Singapore, ComfortDelGro also has operations in China, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Vietnam and Malaysia. Currently, overseas ventures account for 50% of...
of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, is one of many companies operating bus services in London under the management of London Buses
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...
.
Company history
Metroline was founded in 1989 by London Buses LimitedLondon 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...
, privatised in 1994, and acquired by ComfortDelgro in 2000. It incorporates the Metroline London Northern subsidiary, which was acquired from MTL in 1998. It also bought Scottish Citylink
Scottish Citylink
Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd is a long distance express coach operator in Scotland and the Republic of Ireland . The company was formed as a subsidiary of Scottish Transport Group in June 1985...
in 1998. Between 2004 and 2005, Metroline stepped up its expansion drive, purchasing two smaller London bus operators, Armchair and Thorpes. The latter two companies continued to operate buses under their former names until 6 January 2007, when their bus operations merged with Metroline. It is the first operator to order Alexander Dennis Enviro400 buses, of which 28 entered service in early 2006 on cross-city route 24
London Buses route 24
London Buses route 24 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:This route dates back to 1910, when it ran between Hampstead Heath and Victoria...
.
In 2005, Metroline was reported as the bus company with the second-most complaints filed with Transport for London
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...
, after Arriva London
Arriva London
Arriva London is a division of Arriva which operates bus services in London, UK. It is made up of many previous bus operators including previously independent Grey Green...
.
On 14 and 20 November 2006 Metroline bus drivers staged two one-day strikes over pay. It was the first London bus drivers strike of its kind in the 21st century. The dispute was successfully resolved between the company and trade union through further negotiation and compromise by both parties recommending an offer of 5.75% on all elements of pay. It was accepted by drivers in December 2006.
In June 2009, Metroline dropped the distinctive blue skirt from their livery, which had identified the company's buses since they were privatised. They now paint their buses in all over red like most operators, leaving Go-Ahead London
Go-Ahead London
Go-Ahead London is the trading name used collectively for the London bus operations of the Go-Ahead Group. The name first appeared in August 2008, before which the company had traded under separate names and brands...
as the only operator in London to paint buses in a variant livery.
Brentford (AH)
As of January 2007, this garage holds 94 buses, and runs London bus routes 190, 209London Buses route 209
London Buses route 209 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 237
London Buses route 237
London Buses route 237 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. This route is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, E2
London Buses route E2
London Buses route E2 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, E8
London Buses route E8
London Buses route E8 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, and school routes 609 and 635.
History
Brentford started operating as a bus garage in 1990 by Armchair Transport initially to house its recently won route 260 buses. The base had previously been used as a coach operating base which at the time was Armchair's main business. Armchair was bought out in 2005 by ComfortDelgro Holdings, the parent company of Metroline, although it continued to operate buses separately under the Armchair name until 2007. Since the take over a number of buses from the Metroline fleet have operated on Armchair routes.Armchair's coach business continues to operate under its own name, and includes commuter coach services and private hire.
Bus types in use
- Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart 10.2m (DE) for routes 209, 609 and E8.
- Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart 10.2m / MCV EvolutionMCV EvolutionThe MCV Evolution is a single-decker bus bodywork built by Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles. It was unveiled in late 2004.This body is based on the frame of the Stirling but has been drastically restyled, incorporating a new roof-dome , and other new mouldings...
(DM) for route 190. - Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2Dennis 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 PresidentPlaxton PresidentThe 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...
(TP) for routes 635 and E8. - Optare Tempo hybridOptare TempoThe Optare Tempo is a full-size single-deck bus manufactured by Optare and was launched in late 2004. It is marketed and sold as the replacement for the Optare Excel.It is designed as a lightweight bus, to use less fuel than traditional heavy duty integrals....
(OTH) for route E8. - Volvo B9TLVolvo B9TLThe 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:...
10.4m / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 (VW) for routes 237 and E2.
Cricklewood (W)
As of January 2010, this garage holds 162 buses, and runs London bus routes 16London Buses route 16
London Buses route 16 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 32, 210
London Buses route 210
London Buses route 210 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. This service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 316, 332, C11, school routes 632 and 643, and 24-hour routes 139
London Buses route 139
London Buses route 139 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline for London Buses.-History:...
, 189 and 266
London Buses route 266
London Buses route 266 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:The 266 replaced the former trolleybus route 666 between Edgware and Hammersmith in 1962...
.
History
This garage opened for service in May 1905 and was originally called Dollis HillDollis Hill
Dollis Hill is an area of north-west London. It lies close to Willesden, in the London Borough of Brent. As a result, Dollis Hill is sometimes referred as being part of Willesden, especially by the national press...
, It was the first motorized depot used by the LGOC and is one of London's oldest bus garages. In 2007 bus parking was temporarily relocated to a site on the opposite side of Edgware Road to allow work to commence on the replacement of the original garage buildings with a modern structure. This will provide better maintenance facilities, and improved staff and office accommodation. In January 2009 bus parking transferred back to the main site.
On 28 August 2010, route 186 was temporarily transferred to Cricklewood.
On 3 September 2011, London Sovereign successfully gained the contract of route 251 and are now operating it from their Edgware (BT) garage.
In August 2011, First Centrewest gained the contract to operate route 266, and will take over operation on 19 May 2012. Bus types are yet to be confirmed.
On 1 October 2011, route C11 was transferred to this garage.
Bus types in use
- Alexander Dennis Enviro400 10.1m (TE) for routes 16, 189, 210 and 332.
- Alexander Dennis Enviro400H hybrid 10.1m (TEH) for routes 16 and 139.
- Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart 10.2m (DE) for routes 316 and C11.
- Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2Dennis 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 / Alexander ALX400Alexander ALX400The Alexander ALX400 is a 2-axle double-decker bus body built by Walter Alexander Coachbuilders...
(TA) for routes 266, 632 and 643. - Dennis Trident 2 10.5m / Alexander ALX400 (TAL) for routes 32.
- Dennis Trident 2 10.5m / Plaxton President (TPL) for route 16.
Edgware (EW)
As of January 2009, this garage holds 66 buses, and runs routes 107London Buses route 107
London Buses route 107 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 113
London Buses route 113
London Buses route 113 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. This service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 186, 204
London Buses route 204
London Buses route 204 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. This service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 240
London Buses route 240
London Buses route 240 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. This service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, school routes 605 and 606, and night routes N5, N16, and N98.
History
When Edgware garage was first opened by the LGOC in 1925 it had space for 24 buses, but there was plenty of room adjacent to the Underground stationEdgware tube station
Edgware tube station is a London Underground station in Edgware, in the London Borough of Barnet, in North London. The station is the terminus of the Edgware branch of the Northern Line and the next station towards central London is . Edgware is in Travelcard Zone 5.-Location:The station is in...
which had recently been built. In 1939 a new building was built next to the original building which was to become the new Bus Station, while the remaining open parking area was used to store vehicles for the trolleybus replacement programme. In 1984 a new 100 bus garage was built on old railway land at a cost of £4.5 million, However in 1992 Edgware garage was planned for closure, as Cricklewood garage was to become a fully functioning garage with new facilities. The outdoor parking area and the bus station then became a midibus base in 1993, with a new bus wash and light maintenance facilities provided in the yard. Then in 1999, London Sovereign
Transdev London
London United is one of many operators of London Buses and is owned by the RATP Group, an international public transport operator owned by the government of France...
, who had won some recent tenders in the North East London area, took on a 10 year lease on half of Edgware garage and invested in new maintenance facilities in order to replace its former base at Borehamwood. In late 2000 Metroline moved back into the other half of the garage, making it one of the few garages to be shared by two operators.
Route 186 will be transferred back to Edgware garage from 17 December 2010.
On 28 September 2011, London Sovereign successfully gained the contract for route 605 and from 1 September 2012, they will be operating it from their Edgware (BT) garage.
Bus types in use
- Alexander Dennis Enviro400 10.1m (TE) for routes 186, 204, 605 and 606.
- Volvo B7TLVolvo B7TLVolvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
10.6m / Plaxton PresidentPlaxton PresidentThe 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...
(VPL) for routes 107, 113, 240, 605, 606, N5, N16 and N98.
Harrow Weald (HD)
As of January 2007, this garage holds 58 buses, and runs routes 182London Buses route 182
London Buses route 182 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:The current route 182 was introduced on 13 June 1970...
, H12
London Buses route H12
London Buses route H12 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 24-hour route 140
London Buses route 140
London Buses route 140 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:Route 140, at its inception, followed a very different route to the one it does today...
and Night route N16.
History
Harrow Weald garage was opened in 1930 by the LGOo to replace the much smaller South Harrow garageBus garages in London
Every garage operating services that form part of the London Bus network is given an official London Bus garage code. Such codes are given not only to garages running London Bus contracts, but also to those running commercial bus services under London Bus agreements. There is also a code for Tramlink...
. The new garage had to be extended over the forecourt just two years later to provide additional space. In its earlier years the garage was used by the LGOC to house its experimental vehicles including the Daimler
Daimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...
CH6's and the first diesel bus (ST). In 1987 Harrow Weald was the base for the new Harrow Buses operation set up by London Transport which had won tenders for a new local network. The garage survived the collapse of Harrow Buses and passed to Metroline and in 1994 just short of 60 buses were based there. The garage also undertakes engineering work on buses based at North Wembley and Edgware garages.
Bus types in use
- Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2Dennis 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 PresidentPlaxton PresidentThe 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...
(TP) as refurbishment cover. - Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2Dennis 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...
10.5m / Plaxton PresidentPlaxton PresidentThe 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...
(TPL) for local School routes. - Volvo B7TLVolvo B7TLVolvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
10m / Plaxton PresidentPlaxton PresidentThe 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...
(VP) for routes 140, 182, H12 and N16. - Volvo B7TLVolvo B7TLVolvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
10.6m / Plaxton PresidentPlaxton PresidentThe 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...
(VPL) as a logical spare.
Holloway (HT)
As of January 2007, this garage holds 187 buses, and runs London bus routes 4London Buses route 4
London Buses route 4 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 17
London Buses route 17
London Buses route 17 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 91, 603, W7
London Buses route W7
London Buses route W7 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline...
, 24-hour routes 43
London Buses route 43
London Buses route 43 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 134
London Buses route 134
London Buses route 134 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 271
London Buses route 271
London Buses route 271 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 390, C2
London Buses route C2
London Buses route C2 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, school services on route 143
London Buses route 143
London Buses route 143 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
and Night routes N5 and N20.
History
Originally opened as Holloway Tram Depot in 1907, it was the largest of LCC's sheds with space for 336 trams. It was renamed Highgate in 1950 (by which time it was a trolleybus depot) to avoid confusion with Holloway ("J") Bus Garage, and then back to Holloway in 1971 following the closure of the original Holloway garage. The garage then had an allocation of 210 buses although that drifted downwards until 1993 when the closure of Chalk Farm and the transfer of 5 routes into the garage meant Holloway was once again bursting at the seams. Today the garage is almost at capacity levels with around 200 buses allocated in addition to the outstation at Kings Cross. A prize route for Holloway, and for Metroline, since it was wrested back from Grey-Green in 2002, route 24 was lost to London General (Stockwell Garage) in November 2007. In July 2010, route 214 was transferred to the new King's Cross (KC) depot and the daytime service of route 390 was transferred to this garage.In August 2011, Abellio London gained the contract to operate route C2, and from 3 March 2012, they will be operating it from their Queenstown (Battersea) (QB) garage. Bus types are yet to be confirmed.
Bus types in use
- Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2Dennis 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 PresidentPlaxton PresidentThe 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...
(TP) for routes 17, 134, 143, 271, 603, C2, W7 and N20. - Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2Dennis 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...
10.5m / Plaxton PresidentPlaxton PresidentThe 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...
(TPL) for route 43. - Volvo B7TLVolvo B7TLVolvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
10.6m / Plaxton PresidentPlaxton PresidentThe 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...
(VPL) for routes 43, 134, 390 and N5. - Alexander Dennis Enviro400 10.1m (TE) for routes 4, 91 and N91.
King's Cross (KC)
As of July 2010, it holds 52 buses, and runs routes, 46, 274 and 24-hour route 214London Buses route 214
London Buses route 214 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
.
Bus types in use
- Dennis Dart SLF 10.2m / Alexander Dennis Pointer (DLD) for routes 46 and 214.
- Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart 10.2m (DE) for route 274.
Perivale East (PV)
As of June 2009, this garage holds 88 buses, and runs routes 7London 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:...
, 70, 79, 206, 232, school route 611 and Night route N7.
History
On 11 December 2010, route 70 was transferred to this garage.On 26 November 2011, Metroline successfully gained the contract for route 79 and are now operating it from this garage.
In August 2011, First Centrewest gained the contract to operate route 206, and will take over operation on 28 April 2012. Bus types and garages are yet to be confirmed.
In September 2011, First Centrewest gained the contract to operate route 70, and will take over operation on 23 July 2012.
Bus types in use
- Dennis Dart SLF 10.2m / Plaxton Pointer 2 (DLD) for routes 70 and 232.
- MAN 12.240 10.2m / MCV Evolution (MM) for routes 206 and 232.
- Scania N230UDScania N-seriesScania 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 OlympusOptare OlympusThe Optare Olympus is a double-decker bus built by Optare...
(SEL) for routes 7, 611 and N7. - Volvo B9TLVolvo B9TLThe 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:...
10.4m / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 (VW) for route 79.
Perivale West (PA)
This garage holds 75 buses, and runs London bus routes 90, 105London Buses route 105
London Buses route 105 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 143
London Buses route 143
London Buses route 143 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 297
London Buses route 297
London Buses route 297 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 326, 395 and E6
London Buses route E6
London Buses route E6 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
.
History
On 2 July 2011, Metroline successfully gained the contract of route 105 and are operating it from this garage.On 26 November 2011, route 90 was transferred to this garage from Perivale East (PV).
Bus types in use
- Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart 10.2m (DE) for routes 143, 326, 395 and E6.
- MAN 14.240 10.2m / MCV EvolutionMCV EvolutionThe MCV Evolution is a single-decker bus bodywork built by Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles. It was unveiled in late 2004.This body is based on the frame of the Stirling but has been drastically restyled, incorporating a new roof-dome , and other new mouldings...
for route 90. - Scania N230UDScania N-seriesScania 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 OlympusOptare OlympusThe Optare Olympus is a double-decker bus built by Optare...
(SEL) for route 297. - Volvo B9TLVolvo B9TLThe 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:...
10.4m / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 (VW) for routes 105 and 297.
Potters Bar (PB)
As of January 2007, this garage holds 108 buses, and runs London bus routes 82London Buses route 82
London Buses route 82 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 84
London Buses route 84
Hertfordshire bus route 84 is a commercial bus service, operated by Metroline, in London and Hertfordshire, England.The route runs between New Barnet in North London and St Albans in Hertfordshire...
, 217, 234, 263
London Buses route 263
London Buses route 263 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 383, 384, W8, W9, school route 626, and Night routes N20 and N91. It also holds buses for Hertfordshire bus route 242.
History
Opened in 1930 at a cost of over £48,000 by the LGOC subsidiary 'Overground', it was nearly closed in the 1960s as it was too far north to be useful to the red bus network. It survived but soon faced closure again in the 1980s during deregulationBus deregulation
Bus deregulation in Great Britain came into force on 26 October 1986, as part of the Transport Act 1985.The 'Buses' White Paper was the basis of the Transport Act 1985, which provided for the deregulation of local bus services in the whole of the United Kingdom except for Northern Ireland and...
. This time it was saved after crews accepted a revised pay agreement and the depot tendered for and won Hertfordshire County Council routes. During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and in the run up to the Festival of Britain
Festival of Britain
The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition in Britain in the summer of 1951. It was organised by the government to give Britons a feeling of recovery in the aftermath of war and to promote good quality design in the rebuilding of British towns and cities. The Festival's centrepiece was in...
the garage was used as a storage facility for buses. In 1952 the garage allocation consisted entirely of RT's
AEC Regent III RT
The AEC Regent III RT was a variant of the AEC Regent III. It was a double-decker bus produced jointly between AEC and London Transport. It was the standard red London bus during the 1950s.-Prototype:...
with some 68 as a daily requirement. In 1973 the experimental FRM1 was allocated to the garage for single bus route 284 and lasted there until 1976. The garage has seen an interesting mix of buses over the years ranging from Ford minibuses and A class Dodges to Volvo Ailsas and the route branded X43 Scanias acquired when Finchley Garage closed.
Bus types in use
- Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart 10.8m (DEL) for routes 84 and 242 (Hertfordshire)
- Alexander Dennis Enviro200 Dart 8.9m (DES) for routes 383 and 384.
- Dennis Dart SLF 9.4m / Alexander Dennis Pointer (DSD) for routes W9.
- Dennis Dart SLF 10.2m / Plaxton Pointer 2 (DP) for route 234.
- Alexander Dennis Enviro400 10.1m (TE) for routes 263 and N91.
- Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2Dennis 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 PresidentPlaxton PresidentThe 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...
(TP) for routes 217, 626, W8 and N20. - Dennis Trident 2 10.5m / Plaxton President (TPL) for route 82.
Willesden (AC)
As of January 2007, this garage holds 112 buses, and runs London Buses route 52London Buses route 52
London Buses route 52 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, 98, 260, 302, 460, 24-hour route 6
London Buses route 6
London Buses route 6 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
, and night route N52 and N98.
History
Opened in 1902 Willesden was used for major Chassis overhauls before Chiswick Works opened in 1921. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
it was also use to provide major body overhauls. Prior to the war its allocation consisted mainly of ST's and STL's whilst RT's and RTW's were the main allocation afterwards. Prototype RM (RML3) was allocated to the garage in 1958, and then ran the first production RM's on route 8 in 1959. These moved on for trolleybus replacement later that year but RM's reappeared in 1965 to replace the RTW's. Improvements to the garage were made in 1975 to enlarge its capacity from 90-120 in order for the stonebridge allocation to be moved in, although the talk of providing staff housing on the site never materialised and Stonebridge work didn't move to AC, but to Westbourne Park (X). In 1994 Metroline became the first ex-London Buses company to expand when it bought Atlas Bus & Coach, regaining the 52 which it had earlier lost under tendering although it continued to be operated from Harlesden until 1995.
On 11 December 2010, route 460 was transferred to this garage from Perivale (East).
Bus types in use
- Dennis DartDennis DartThe 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....
/ Plaxton PointerPlaxton PointerThe Plaxton Pointer is a successful single-decker bus body manufactured during the 1990s by Plaxton and latterly built by Alexander Dennis.With the launch of the Dennis Dart in 1989, Plaxton's subsidiary Reeve Burgess made the Pointer body on the short 8.5 m...
(EDR, trainer) - Volvo B7TLVolvo B7TLVolvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of Volvo Olympian...
10m / Plaxton PresidentPlaxton PresidentThe 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...
(VP) for routes 6, 98, 260, 302 and 460. - Volvo B7TL 10.6m / Plaxton President (VPL) for routes 52, N52 and N98.