This time, I ride mostly outgoing types on a variety of bus routes in North and North West London, focused on the Archway area.

***How it used to be…***
Back in 1986/7, Potters Bar (PB) Garage operated a number of secondhand Volvo Ailsas previously with South Yorkshire and West Midlands PTE, together with the 3 experimental vehicles purchased by London Transport for future vehicle evaluation. The third of the trio, V3, is seen on the 263 outside its home garage in 1987.

*This bus was unique in having front and rear staircases, which are behind the plain panels each side of the lower deck windows.*

Route 263: Barnet Hospital to Highbury Barn

I began my day at the top end of the TfL Bus Map in Barnet. My first route was the 263, for which Metroline has recently retained the contract. New electric buses are specified, but in the meantime, the service continues with a mix of diesels and hybrids. On the day I travelled, this comprised VW/TE/VMH/VWH types.

There were half a dozen VWs out and I joined VW1197, which arrived out of service from Potters Bar (PB) Garage at Barnet Hospital after an extended gap, despite it being fairly early on a quiet Saturday morning. We got going with a handful on board and soon acquired more passengers as we made our way through Barnet. A reasonable run followed down to Whetstone and on to North Finchley. Plenty of usage through to East Finchley Station, before we took the rerouteing introduced in 2023 via Highgate Village as part of the replacement for withdrawn 271. Down the hill to Archway Station, where a large number alighted.

However, I stayed on as we continued south through Holloway to Highbury & Islington, for once not delayed at the badly-planned revised layout at Highbury Corner. It was then a short hop to the terminus at Highbury Barn, a slightly strange destination but presumably the nearest point to Highbury & Islington Station where the route can turn and stand. The 65 min journey was nearly 10 mins longer than scheduled at that time of day.

The 263 originated in 1971 as an RM route between Barnet and Archway / King’s Cross / Farringdon St at different times, largely as a replacement for the northern section of the 104. It was an early convert to OPO in 1972 with DMS types, replaced in 1980 with Ms. In 1983, part of the service was extended to Potters Bar, although with a separate leg to Barnet Hospital. When PB received a number of secondhand Metrobuses and Volvo Ailsas in 1986/7, they appeared on the 263, although these were replaced later in the decade with S class Scanias.

The Potters Bar leg came off in 1994 and two years later the route passed to Leaside Buses with DBS types, although in 2001 the route was subcontracted to First for a short period with Ms. Metroline returned in 2002, initially with TA types, but later replaced with TPs. In 2009, the route was extended to Holloway Nags Head, by which time TEs had become the usual allocation. The further extension to Highbury Barn came in 2014. Recent years have seen more fluidity in the mix of types as described at the start.

***Fast forward to 2025…***
The 263 was retained by Metroline on re-tender from April with new electrics in due course. For now, existing vehicles continue, like Volvo B9TL VW1197 of PB Garage which I rode from Barnet, seen at the Highbury Barn terminus.

*At the time of writing, the route was a mix of VW/VWH/VMH types.*

Part Route 4: Highbury Barn to Finsbury Park / Part Route 254: Finsbury Park to Clapton

From Highbury, I took a very short 5 minute ride on Metroline VMH2474 of Holloway (HT) Garage on the 4 to Finsbury Park, where I changed to the 254 for another 15 minute positioning trip aboard Arriova LT597 of Stamford Hill (SF) Garage to Clapton Pond.

***Metroline DEM2685 typifies the Enviro200 MMC allocation from Holloway (HT) Garage on the 393 and is pictured at Chalk Farm Morrisons after my trip on it from Clapton.***

*This route provides a convenient link to Camden Market, one of the entrances to which can be seen behind the bus.*

Route 393: Clapton Pond to Chalk Farm

Next, a route I had not been on for a long while, one of those useful but rambling back-streets services, the 393. This is operated by Metroline out of Holloway (HT) Garage using a batch of Enviro200 MMCs. DEM2685 was the first to depart the stand in the centre of the roundabout at Clapton Pond and I boarded with a few others. Soon we were off on the loop around the Jack Watts Estate serving the back doubles of Clapton, with plenty on and off. Back to the Upper Clapton Road, which we crossed and followed Cazenove Road to Stoke Newington. Another passenger exchange, before circumnavigating the common and making our way past the Town Hall and beside the green open space of Clissold Park to Green Lanes.

More back streets then traversed via Highbury New Park down to Highbury & Islington Station. Then northbound up the main Holloway Road to the Nags Head via the reverse of the route I had travelled earlier on the 263. Roadworks had closed the normal direct route along North Road, so we were put on diversion down the Caledonian Road to Brewery Road then along York Way, rejoining line of route at Camden Park Road, encountering some congestion on this stretch. Then the final section through Kentish Town to Kentish Town West and Chalk Farm, terminating at Morrisons beside the bustling Camden Market. A 1h10m trip in all.

The 393 began only in 2003 between Clapton and Holloway Nags Head, operated by East Thames Buses with DW class Cadets. In 2007 it was extended to Chalk Farm Morrisons, when Arriva took the contract with ENS Enviro200s. Metroline became the third operator in 2019 with the current vehicles.

***Although not the one I travelled on, elderly Enviro200 DE1143 of Metroline’s Holloway Garage demonstrates the outgoing class on the C11 as it embarks on a trip to Brent Cross from Archway.***

*New Wright GB Kite Electroliners have been delivered to replace these veterans but are being used temporarily on the 153 until the longer versions for that route enter service.*

Route C11: Archway to Brent Cross

I walked through the crowded market to Camden Town Station, which was rammed with visitors, taking the Northern Line a short distance to Archway, departure point of my next route.

The C11 moved from Cricklewood to Holloway Garage in 2024, taking its elderly Enviro 200s with it. The contract has been retained by Metroline on the basis of new WSE class electrics, which have been delivered but are being used for now on the 153 until the longer WSEL versions intended for that route have been put into service. Therefore, a last chance perhaps for me to sample the old -timers on the C11. DE1139 was the next to arrive at the first pick-up stop at Archway and I jumped on with a good crowd.

This was a busy and slow run as we made our way past the Whittington Hospital and through the back streets to Parliament Hill Fields. Then onwards via Gospel Oak to Hampstead Heath, where we crawled up the hill past the Royal Free Hospital. Then down Haverstock Hill to Belsize Park, before continuing via Primrose Hill to Swiss Cottage and Finchley Road Station. More congestion around West Hampstead caused a slow run up to West End Green, before a slightly easier run through to Cricklewood Station. We were quieter on the last stretch through the Clitterhouse Estate to Brent Cross, finally arriving at the Shopping Centre after an extended run of 1h 10m. As with many routes these days, much slower than they used to be a few years ago due to the combined effects of 20 mph limits, cycle lanes, narrowed roads, speed humps and inconsiderate parking all leading to increased congestion!

The C11 was famously one of London Transport’s initial minibus routes, introduced in 1972 between Archway & Cricklewood with Ford Transits. The route was converted to Bristol LH BS types in 1975 and extended to Willesden Green in the following year. The longer BLs replaced the BSs in 1981 and a year later the service was cut back to West Hampstead but extended at the other end to King’s Cross. The Brent Cross extension at the northern end was introduced in 1984.

1990 saw the route pass to R&I Coaches with Darts and a split into the C11/C12, with the C11 essentially assuming the form it retains today. Operator changes in subsequent years saw MTL London, Metroline, Thorpes and Metroline (again!) take turns with various Dart types, until the current DEs were introduced in 2010.

***Another Volvo B9TL, this time VW1287 of Cricklewood (W) Garage, at Archway Station on the 210. This is the bus I rode from Brent Cross to Finsbury Park.***

*This route is another awaiting new electric vehicles and at the time of this journey was being operated with a mix of VW and TEH types with the odd VWH thrown in.*

Route 210: Brent Cross to Finsbury Park

Brent Cross Shopping Centre Bus Station is usually extremely busy and this occasion was no different! A large number surged forward when Metroline VW1287 of Cricklewood (W) Garage pulled up to the 210 stop, but luckily I was nicely positioned to board first. This route is another which has been retained on re-tender on the basis of new electrics which have yet to arrive. In the meantime, existing vehicles continue in service, comprising a mix of VW diesels and TEH hybrids on the day I travelled.

In contrast to the earlier turgid runs on the 393 and C11, this trip on the 210 was a fast run, with positive driving where conditions allowed, helped by the fact that much of the earlier congestion around lunchtime appeared to have dissipated. We left Brent Cross Station behind and were soon into Golders Green, omitting the Bus Station and stopping at the Hippodrome. A powerful run uphill past the Bull & Bush to Hampstead Ponds followed, before taking the pleasant section through the greenery of Hampstead Heath and past Kenwood House.

A short delay due to roadworks with single lane working and temporary lights, but then we were back at Highgate Village and soon down the hill into Archway again. The final section through the Victorian and Edwardian housing around Hornsey Rise was a contrast to the countrified Hampstead Heath, but we arrived at Finsbury Park Station after a decent 45 min run.

The 210 is a long-standing route linking Finsbury Park and Golders Green, the extension to Brent Cross coming with the opening of the Shopping Centre in 1976. Prior to that, there was a long Sunday extension to Leyton from 1963-70 to cover the 236 which was withdrawn on that day. From 1970-71, the reverse situation occurred, when the 236 was extended over the 210 on Sunday!

The 210 was one of the last crew-operated RF routes, being converted to OPO in 1970. In the 70s, types progressed from RF to SMS to LS, which continued until Grey Green took the contract in 1990 with Volvo East Lancs single deckers. The route passed to Thorpes in 1998 with Darts, although that company was taken over by Metroline in 2004. Double deck conversion took place in 2008, initially with TA types, although TEs increasingly appeared in tandem, with VWs and then TEH / VWH hybrids then added into the mix.

To finish, I stepped up a working, boarding sister vehicle VW1181 in front and retraced my steps a short way to Archway Station, where I transferred to the Northern Line back to my start point at High Barnet.

Watton

Through the Archway

Routeing through Tooting

Heritage Visit: Beamish Museum