London Buses route 268
Encyclopedia
London Buses route 268 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to Arriva Shires & Essex
.
.
The 268 was introduced on 7 September 1968, giving Hampstead Village its first bus service at all. Initial operation was from Cricklewood garage over what was essentially the same route as today. In 1986 the contract was awarded to London Country North West
. It used Mercedes L608Ds based at Scratchwood services
on the M1
, with maintenance carried out at the Mercedes dealership in Colindale. London Country later opened its own base on Muswell Hill (coded ML), where the 268 was moved to, along with routes 153 and C2
.
In 1990, the route was re-tendered and passed to R&I, and service 268 moved to North Acton
and later Harlesden
garage, with Optare MetroRider
buses used. R&I was later taken over by MTL and merged into the London Northern operation, with more Mercedes minbuses used along with Dennis Dart
/Carlyle
Dartlines. MTL sold its London bus operations to Metroline
in turn. Metroline took over MTL's buses, but the operation of route 268 gradually passed to new Dennis Dart
SLF/Plaxton Pointer
2s. The company retained the route until 10 June 2006 when the route was awarded to Arriva Shires & Essex
, the successor to London Country North West
. It is now operated from the garage in Garston
, near Watford
.
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 Arriva Shires & Essex
Arriva Shires & Essex
Arriva Shires & Essex is a division of Arriva, with operations in Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London. It is one of many private operators of London Buses. Until 2002 its operations included Colchester...
.
History
The 268 is a short route with an end to end journey time of 14 to 32 minutes, depending on traffic conditions. It is one of only two daytime services to serve Hampstead village, the other being route 46. Route 268 links the village to Golders Green and the Finchley Road shops, Golders Green in parallel with the Northern LineNorthern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
.
The 268 was introduced on 7 September 1968, giving Hampstead Village its first bus service at all. Initial operation was from Cricklewood garage over what was essentially the same route as today. In 1986 the contract was awarded to London Country North West
London Country North West
London Country North West was a bus operator in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, England. It was formed in 1986 when London Country Bus Services was broken up, and acquired by Luton & District in 1990.-History:...
. It used Mercedes L608Ds based at Scratchwood services
London Gateway services
London Gateway services is the southern-most motorway service station on the M1 motorway, located between Junctions 2 and 4 north of London, England....
on the M1
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
, with maintenance carried out at the Mercedes dealership in Colindale. London Country later opened its own base on Muswell Hill (coded ML), where the 268 was moved to, along with routes 153 and 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:...
.
In 1990, the route was re-tendered and passed to R&I, and service 268 moved to North Acton
North Acton
North Acton is a place in West London, UK. It is part of Acton and on the edge of the industrial district of Park Royal. It is located in the London Borough of Ealing.-Commercial activity:...
and later Harlesden
Harlesden
Harlesden is an area in the London Borough of Brent, northwest London, UK. Its main focal point is the Jubilee Clock which commemorates Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee....
garage, with Optare MetroRider
Optare MetroRider
The Optare MetroRider was a midibus built by Optare between 1989 and 2000. Optare based the original design on the MCW Metrorider after Optare bought the rights following a decision by MCW to end bus production. This model also replaced the less successful StarRider.The MetroRider was an integral...
buses used. R&I was later taken over by MTL and merged into the London Northern operation, with more Mercedes minbuses used along with 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....
/Carlyle
Carlyle Works Limited
Carlyle Works Limited was a manufacturer of bodywork for minibuses and later midibuses, located in Egbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom.Carlyle Works was the central engineering works for Midland Red, once one of the largest bus operators in the United Kingdom. The company was famous for building...
Dartlines. MTL sold its London bus operations 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:...
in turn. Metroline took over MTL's buses, but the operation of route 268 gradually passed to new 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....
SLF/Plaxton Pointer
Plaxton Pointer
The 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...
2s. The company retained the route until 10 June 2006 when the route was awarded to Arriva Shires & Essex
Arriva Shires & Essex
Arriva Shires & Essex is a division of Arriva, with operations in Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London. It is one of many private operators of London Buses. Until 2002 its operations included Colchester...
, the successor to London Country North West
London Country North West
London Country North West was a bus operator in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, England. It was formed in 1986 when London Country Bus Services was broken up, and acquired by Luton & District in 1990.-History:...
. It is now operated from the garage in Garston
Garston, Hertfordshire
Garston is a village in Hertfordshire, England, more or less contiguous with Watford and now, despite retaining a local identity, is effectively, a suburb...
, near Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
.
Current route
- Finchley RoadFinchley RoadFinchley Road, an inner city main road which runs for about 7 kilometres/4 miles, is one of the major thoroughfares of north London, England.Originally named Finchley New Road, it was built as a turnpike road in the late 1820s/early 1830s to provide a by-pass to the existing route north from London...
O2 CentreO2 CentreThe O2 Centre is an indoor shopping and leisure centre on Finchley Road, London, near Finchley Road tube station. It is located in between Hampstead, West Hampstead and Swiss Cottage.... - Finchley Road StationFinchley Road tube stationFinchley Road tube station is a London Underground station at the corner of Finchley Road and Canfield Gardens in the London Borough of Camden, North London. It is on the Jubilee Line, between West Hampstead and Swiss Cottage and on the Metropolitan Line between Baker Street and Wembley Park. It is...
- Swiss Cottage StationSwiss Cottage tube stationSwiss Cottage tube station is a London Underground station at Swiss Cottage. It is on the Jubilee Line, between and . It is in Travelcard Zone 2 and on the Finchley Road.-History:...
- Buckland Crescent
- Belsize Park Belsize Square
- Belsize Village
- Belsize Avenue for Belsize Park StationBelsize Park tube stationBelsize Park tube station is a London Underground station in Belsize Park, North-West London. The station is on the Edgware branch of the Northern Line, between Chalk Farm and Hampstead stations, and in Travelcard Zone 2. It is located at the northern end of Haverstock Hill...
- Royal Free HospitalRoyal Free HospitalThe Royal Free Hospital is a major teaching hospital in Hampstead, London, England and part of the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust....
- Hampstead StationHampstead tube stationHampstead tube station is a London Underground station in Hampstead, north London NW3 1QG. The station is on the Edgware branch of the Northern Line, between Golders Green and Belsize Park stations, and on the boundary between Travelcard Zone 2 and Zone 3....
- Hampstead HeathHampstead HeathHampstead Heath is a large, ancient London park, covering . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London clay...
Jack Straw - Golders Green StationGolders Green tube stationGolders Green tube station is a London Underground station in Golders Green, north London. The station is on the Edgware branch of the Northern Line between Hampstead and Brent Cross...
Bus Station