London Buses route 263
Encyclopedia
London Buses route 263 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to Metroline
.
buses, in 1971 and originally operated between Barnet High Street and Farringdon Street. In 1980, the route was converted to one man operation buses. 1983 saw the route's buses being converted to Metrobuses
. At this point the route's garages were Finchley and Holloway. 3 years later the route was shortened on the southern side to Archway station. The northern side of the route was extended to Potters Bar bus garage which also became the main garage for the route. In 1986, some of the route's buses started terminating at Barnet Hospital, where a stand was built for terminating buses. Others were terminating at Potters Bar station, since 1983, to counter the shortening of the route 134
. Later the route 84
took over operations to Potters Bar station and so the 263 was shortened to Potters Bar bus garage. In 1989, Metrobuses were replaced by Scanias low floor buses. These buses were only used by the route for a year. When they were replaced by double decker buses, the route was also slightly modified between Barnet High Street and Barnet Hospital. The route to Potters Bar bus garage was, in 1994, suspended on Sundays and later withdrawn completely as the route 234 covered these operations. At this point the route was operated by Leaside Buses and subsequently its garage changed. The garage was changed again in 2001, when First Capital
took over operations of the route. The route was awarded to Metroline in 2003 and at this point its garage was Holloway. Its garage was moved back to Potter Bar in 2004. As of 2007, the route uses Trident 9.9m/President buses.. The route has been extended to Holloway
as from Saturday 7 February 2009 to provide better connection services to the nearby Upper Holloway
Overground Station, Arsenal's Emirates Stadium
and provide students with alternative buses to the City and Islington College
on Camden Road where the bus now terminates.
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 263 originally started operation, with RoutemasterRoutemaster
The AEC Routemaster is a model of double-decker bus that was built by Associated Equipment Company in 1954 and produced until 1968. Primarily front-engined, rear open-platform buses, a small number of variants were produced with doors and/or front entrances...
buses, in 1971 and originally operated between Barnet High Street and Farringdon Street. In 1980, the route was converted to one man operation buses. 1983 saw the route's buses being converted to Metrobuses
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...
. At this point the route's garages were Finchley and Holloway. 3 years later the route was shortened on the southern side to Archway station. The northern side of the route was extended to Potters Bar bus garage which also became the main garage for the route. In 1986, some of the route's buses started terminating at Barnet Hospital, where a stand was built for terminating buses. Others were terminating at Potters Bar station, since 1983, to counter the shortening of the route 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:...
. Later the route 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...
took over operations to Potters Bar station and so the 263 was shortened to Potters Bar bus garage. In 1989, Metrobuses were replaced by Scanias low floor buses. These buses were only used by the route for a year. When they were replaced by double decker buses, the route was also slightly modified between Barnet High Street and Barnet Hospital. The route to Potters Bar bus garage was, in 1994, suspended on Sundays and later withdrawn completely as the route 234 covered these operations. At this point the route was operated by Leaside Buses and subsequently its garage changed. The garage was changed again in 2001, when First Capital
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...
took over operations of the route. The route was awarded to Metroline in 2003 and at this point its garage was Holloway. Its garage was moved back to Potter Bar in 2004. As of 2007, the route uses Trident 9.9m/President buses.. The route has been extended to Holloway
Holloway, London
Holloway is an inner-city district in the London Borough of Islington located north of Charing Cross and follows for the most part, the line of the Holloway Road . At the centre of Holloway is the Nag's Head area...
as from Saturday 7 February 2009 to provide better connection services to the nearby Upper Holloway
Upper Holloway railway station
Upper Holloway railway station is in Holloway, North London, near Archway . It is on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line, between and . It is operated by London Overground, and the service is usually one train every 20 to 30 minutes in each direction...
Overground Station, Arsenal's Emirates Stadium
Emirates Stadium
Ashburton Grove, currently known as the Emirates Stadium, is a UEFA elite football stadium which is home to Arsenal FC, where they moved from Highbury in 2006. It has an current capacity of 60,361, and there have been rumours of an expansion...
and provide students with alternative buses to the City and Islington College
City and Islington College
City and Islington College also known as Candi, is a further education college located in the London Borough of Islington, England with five major sites across Islington. It is a member of the 157 Group of highly successful Further Education colleges in England, of which it's principal Frank...
on Camden Road where the bus now terminates.
Current route
- Barnet HospitalBarnet General HospitalBarnet Hospital, formerly called Barnet General Hospital, is a hospital in Barnet, north London, run by Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Hospitals Trust as part of the National Health Service.-Overview:...
- BarnetBarnetHigh Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
Church - High Barnet StationHigh Barnet tube stationHigh Barnet tube station is a London Underground station located in High Barnet in North London. The station is the terminus of the High Barnet branch of the Northern line and is in Travelcard Zone 5. It is the northernmost station on the Northern line and is situated 10.2 miles north north-west...
- WhetstoneWhetstoneWhetstone may refer to:* Whetstone, a sharpening stone used for knives and other cutting tools* Whetstone , a benchmark for measuring computing power* Operation Whetstone, a nuclear test program in the 1960s- Places :United Kingdom...
Griffin - North Finchley Tally Ho Corner
- East Finchley StationEast Finchley tube stationEast Finchley is a London Underground station in East Finchley in north London. The station is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, between Highgate and Finchley Central stations, and is in Travelcard Zone 3.-History:...
- Highgate StationHighgate tube stationHighgate tube station is a London Underground station on Archway Road, Highgate, not far from Highgate Village in north London. It is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, between Archway and East Finchley, in Travelcard Zone 3....
- Archway StationArchway tube stationArchway tube station is a London Underground station in north London, underneath the Archway Tower, at the intersection of Holloway Road, Highgate Hill and Junction Road in the area known as Archway....
- HollowayHolloway, LondonHolloway is an inner-city district in the London Borough of Islington located north of Charing Cross and follows for the most part, the line of the Holloway Road . At the centre of Holloway is the Nag's Head area...
Camden Road