London Buses route 3
Encyclopedia
London Buses route 3 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, England
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to Abellio London
.
and South Croydon
was allocated the route number 3. On 19 November 1908, the route was altered at both ends to run between Oxford Circus
and South Croydon
(Swan & Sugar Loaf). From April 1909 it was extended on Sundays to Purley
, then to Whyteleafe
in August. A month later the 3 was extended northwards to Camden Town
, and was withdrawn between Streatham Common
and Whyteleafe.
1910 saw the route extended to Hampstead Heath
over the Easter period. However, on 3 March 1910, the 3 was withdrawn between Brixton (Lambeth Town Hall) and Streatham Common and re-routed via Effra Road to Brixton (George Canning), thus not serving any of the original route. From 16 June 1912, the 3 became a Monday to Saturday route only, being replaced by the recently introduced 59 on Sundays.
On 11 May 1913, a new daily route 3A was introduced between Camden Town and Crystal Palace
via the 3 to Brixton, then via Water Lane, Herne Hill, Croxted Road and South Croxted Road. The 3 and 3A only ran as such until 17 July 1913, when both routes became daily and exchanged numbers. At the outbreak of war in August 1914, the 3A was withdrawn as an economy measure, but was re-instated in October. The 3 was extended from Crystal Palace to Upper Norwood
a month later. By the end of hostilities the 3A had been withdrawn and the 3 ran between Camden Town to Crystal Palace.
On 1 December 1924, a new system of route numbering on London buses came into force under The London Traffic Act of 1924. As a result the short workings of the 3 from Camden Town to Brixton were renumbered 3A. This situation continued until 3 October 1934 when all 3A journeys were renumbered 3.
Just before the outbreak of the Second World War, on 3 May 1939, the 3 was replaced on Sundays by a new 3A route, running from Crystal Palace to Oxford Circus and on to Baker Street
, Swiss Cottage
, Hendon
, Mill Hill
and Edgware Station
. This was withdrawn after from 15 October 1939 as a wartime economy. The 3 returned to 7-day operation and remained virtually unchanged for the next 40 years.
In the early 1980s, the inhabitants of Parliament Hill
successfully campaigned for a bus service from that area to the West End. From 26 April 1981, the 3 was extended on Mondays to Saturdays from Camden Town to Parliament Hill Fields. This extension was withdrawn on 27 October 1984, being replaced by an extension of route 53
. On 21 June 1986 the service between Oxford Circus and Camden Town was reduced to Saturdays and Sundays only, as the section was now covered by recently introduced route C2
. It was completely withdrawn on 4 April 1987.
The route was operated by London Central
using 24 DAF DB250s with Optare Spectra
bodywork until 1999, when the contract to operate the route was won by Connex
, who introduced low-floor vehicles. It then passed to National Express Group
-owned Travel London
. National Express sold the company to NedRailways in May 2009, and it was Abellio
in October 2009.
In January 2010 an out-of-service Abellio double-decker crashed into a low bridge at Bedford Hill while returning to its depot in Croydon having operated on route 3. There were no injuries.
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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 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 Abellio London
Abellio (UK bus company)
Abellio London and Abellio Surrey operate buses in London and Surrey. They are part of the Abellio Group owned by the Nederlandse Spoorwegen.-History:...
.
History
Route 3 started operation 1 November 1908, when a daily unnumbered route operating between Brixton StationBrixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
and South Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
was allocated the route number 3. On 19 November 1908, the route was altered at both ends to run between Oxford Circus
Oxford Circus
Oxford Circus is the area of London at the busy intersection of Regent Street and Oxford Street, in the West End. It is served by Oxford Circus tube station, which is directly beneath the junction itself.- History :...
and South Croydon
South Croydon
South Croydon is a locality in Greater London, the area surrounding the valley south of central Croydon about 1 km in radius, centred on the Red Deer public house on the Brighton Road. It is part of the South Croydon post town and in the London Borough of Croydon...
(Swan & Sugar Loaf). From April 1909 it was extended on Sundays to Purley
Purley, London
Purley is a place in the London Borough of Croydon, England. It is a suburban development situated 11.7 miles south of Charing Cross.The name derives from "pirlea", which means 'Peartree lea'. Purley has a population of about 72,000....
, then to Whyteleafe
Whyteleafe
Whyteleafe is a small town in South East England, in the Surrey district of Tandridge. Four streets in Whyteleafe are just inside the southern edge of the London Borough of Croydon. Neighbouring villages and towns include Woldingham, Caterham, Coulsdon, Warlingham, and Kenley...
in August. A month later the 3 was extended northwards to Camden Town
Camden Town
-Economy:In recent years, entertainment-related businesses and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area. A number of retail and food chain outlets have replaced independent shops driven out by high rents and redevelopment. Restaurants have thrived, with the variety of culinary traditions found in...
, and was withdrawn between Streatham Common
Streatham
Streatham is a district in Surrey, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
and Whyteleafe.
1910 saw the route extended to Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath
Hampstead 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...
over the Easter period. However, on 3 March 1910, the 3 was withdrawn between Brixton (Lambeth Town Hall) and Streatham Common and re-routed via Effra Road to Brixton (George Canning), thus not serving any of the original route. From 16 June 1912, the 3 became a Monday to Saturday route only, being replaced by the recently introduced 59 on Sundays.
On 11 May 1913, a new daily route 3A was introduced between Camden Town and Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace, London
Crystal Palace is a residential area in south London, England named from the former local landmark, The Crystal Palace, which occupied the area from 1854 to 1936. The area is located approximately 8 miles south east of Charing Cross, and offers impressive views over the capital...
via the 3 to Brixton, then via Water Lane, Herne Hill, Croxted Road and South Croxted Road. The 3 and 3A only ran as such until 17 July 1913, when both routes became daily and exchanged numbers. At the outbreak of war in August 1914, the 3A was withdrawn as an economy measure, but was re-instated in October. The 3 was extended from Crystal Palace to Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood
Upper Norwood is an elevated area in south London, England within the postcode SE19. It is a residential district largely in the London Borough of Croydon although some parts extend into the London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Bromley. Upper Norwood...
a month later. By the end of hostilities the 3A had been withdrawn and the 3 ran between Camden Town to Crystal Palace.
On 1 December 1924, a new system of route numbering on London buses came into force under The London Traffic Act of 1924. As a result the short workings of the 3 from Camden Town to Brixton were renumbered 3A. This situation continued until 3 October 1934 when all 3A journeys were renumbered 3.
Just before the outbreak of the Second World War, on 3 May 1939, the 3 was replaced on Sundays by a new 3A route, running from Crystal Palace to Oxford Circus and on to Baker Street
Baker Street
Baker Street is a street in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London. It is named after builder William Baker, who laid the street out in the 18th century. The street is most famous for its connection to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, who lived at a fictional 221B...
, Swiss Cottage
Swiss Cottage
Swiss Cottage is a district of the London Borough of Camden in London, England. Thedistrict is located north-west of Charing Cross. It is centred on the junction of Avenue Road and Finchley Road and is the location of Swiss Cottage tube station.-Etymology:...
, Hendon
Hendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
, Mill Hill
Mill Hill
Mill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until it was absorbed by London...
and Edgware Station
Edgware 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...
. This was withdrawn after from 15 October 1939 as a wartime economy. The 3 returned to 7-day operation and remained virtually unchanged for the next 40 years.
In the early 1980s, the inhabitants of Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
successfully campaigned for a bus service from that area to the West End. From 26 April 1981, the 3 was extended on Mondays to Saturdays from Camden Town to Parliament Hill Fields. This extension was withdrawn on 27 October 1984, being replaced by an extension of route 53
London Buses route 53
London Buses route 53 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London.-History:...
. On 21 June 1986 the service between Oxford Circus and Camden Town was reduced to Saturdays and Sundays only, as the section was now covered by recently introduced route 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:...
. It was completely withdrawn on 4 April 1987.
The route was operated by London Central
London Central
London Central is one of many operators of London Buses. It was established in late 1988 as one of 12 operating subsidiaries of London Buses Limited , and was privatised to the Go-Ahead Group in September 1994...
using 24 DAF DB250s with Optare Spectra
Optare Spectra
Launched in 1991, the Optare Spectra is a double-decker bus body built on the DAF DB250 chassis.The vehicle was developed as a joint project between Optare and DAF; based on the designs of the successful MCW Metrobus which Optare had purchased, but they are no means a restlyed Metrobus...
bodywork until 1999, when the contract to operate the route was won by Connex
Connex bus
Connex bus refers to the bus company branded Connex that operated in the United Kingdom from its creation in 1996. Connex was a brand name of Veolia Environnement, used in train and bus operating companies...
, who introduced low-floor vehicles. It then passed to National Express Group
National Express Group
National Express Group plc is a British transport group headquartered in Birmingham that operates bus, coach, rail and tram services in the UK, the US and Canada, Spain, Portugal and Morocco and long-distance coach routes across Europe...
-owned Travel London
Travel London
Travel London was a bus operator in London which was originally a subsidiary of the National Express Group. In May 2009 the company was sold to NedRailways, now called Abellio...
. National Express sold the company to NedRailways in May 2009, and it was Abellio
Abellio (UK bus company)
Abellio London and Abellio Surrey operate buses in London and Surrey. They are part of the Abellio Group owned by the Nederlandse Spoorwegen.-History:...
in October 2009.
In January 2010 an out-of-service Abellio double-decker crashed into a low bridge at Bedford Hill while returning to its depot in Croydon having operated on route 3. There were no injuries.
Current route
- Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace, LondonCrystal Palace is a residential area in south London, England named from the former local landmark, The Crystal Palace, which occupied the area from 1854 to 1936. The area is located approximately 8 miles south east of Charing Cross, and offers impressive views over the capital...
Bus Station - Gipsy HillGipsy HillGipsy Hill is an area of South London near Upper Norwood, it is considered to be part of Crystal Palace. This area of Gipsy Hill also includes the Central Hill estate...
- Croxted RoadWest Dulwich railway stationWest Dulwich railway station is in the London Borough of Southwark in West Dulwich south London. It is in Fare Zone 3, and the station and all trains are operated by Southeastern...
for West Dulwich StationWest Dulwich railway stationWest Dulwich railway station is in the London Borough of Southwark in West Dulwich south London. It is in Fare Zone 3, and the station and all trains are operated by Southeastern... - Herne Hill StationHerne Hill railway stationHerne Hill railway station is in Herne Hill, a location in the London Borough of Lambeth, South London, England. Its location is .The station is above road level near the junction of five main roads, between Railton Road and Milkwood Road. There is no entrance in Milkwood Road, but there is a...
- Brixton StationBrixton tube stationBrixton tube station, a station on the London Underground opened on July 23, 1971, is the southern terminus of the Victoria line.It is located in Brixton Road, and is about 100m from Brixton railway station . From the ticket hall, three escalators take passengers to and from the platforms...
- KenningtonKenningtonKennington is a district of South London, England, mainly within the London Borough of Lambeth, although part of the area is within the London Borough of Southwark....
for Oval StationOval tube stationOval tube station in Kennington is a station on the Northern line of the London Underground between Stockwell and Kennington stations. It is the only station on the Morden branch of the Northern line whose name begins with a vowel and is one of only two stations on the London Underground with only... - Westminster StationWestminster tube stationWestminster is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster. It is served by the Circle, District and Jubilee lines. On the Circle and District lines, the station is between St. James's Park and Embankment and, on the Jubilee line it is between Green Park and Waterloo. It is in...
- Trafalgar SquareTrafalgar SquareTrafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
for Charing Cross StationCharing Cross stationCharing Cross station may refer to:In London, England:*Charing Cross railway station*Charing Cross tube station **Embankment tube station was previously named Charing CrossIn Glasgow, Scotland:... - Piccadilly Circus StationPiccadilly Circus tube stationPiccadilly Circus tube station is the London Underground station located directly beneath Piccadilly Circus itself, with entrances at every corner...
- Oxford Circus StationOxford Circus tube station-External links:* ** ** * Plans of the station after the Victoria Line works , , *...
Harewood Place