London Buses route C3
Encyclopedia
London Buses route C3 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to Abellio London.
The route was then tendered, and initially retained by London General
with extensions at both ends: at the south, to Sands End Sainsbury's, and at the north, during shopping hours only, to Kensington High Street. In 1989, the original minibuses were withdrawn, being replaced by more stylish Optare CityPacer
s cascaded from route C2. In 1990, the Kensington extension was withdrawn, but the route was further extended at the south across Wandsworth Bridge
to Clapham Junction Station via Grant Road, including a deviation via Plantation Wharf. The vehicle allocation was again changed to Optare MetroRider
s.
A new contract starting in September 1996 saw various changes. The route was revised to operate direct via York Road, and then via the full length of Plough Road and St. John's Hill to approach the Clapham Junction terminus from the south. An evening and Sunday service was also introduced for the first time. Operation was transferred to Putney garage, and new ML-class Marshall Minibuses were introduced. The type proved unreliable and, combined with severe staff shortages, prompted London General to surrender the contract. It was taken over by Limebourne in October 1997.
Limebourne went into receivership in October 1998, but the local bus business was sold to local management under the name of Independent Way Ltd. Having had its vehicles re-possessed, replacement vehicles were sought, and a batch of ex-Metroline DT-class Dennis Dart
s was obtained for the C3. The Limebourne business was sold to Connex bus
on 7 July 2001. The Darts were soon replaced by new Optare Solo
s as part of a new contract, restoring low floor operation to the route, but these did not last long as Dennis Tridents
were transferred in to convert the route to double deck operation. Connex sold its London bus operations to National Express Group
, which re-branded them Travel London
and painted the vehicles into allover red. The operation was re-awarded to Travel London shortly before the operation was sold by National Express to become Abellio London. The route was increased in frequency in July 2008 following the introduction of the western extension to the London congestion charge
.
Plough Road at its junction with St John's Hill. The bus mounted the pavement and toppled over. Three people were taken to hospital with serious injuries, including the bus driver, and 14 more had to be treated for minor 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...
, 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.
History
The route was started on 13 April 1987 on behalf of Chelsea Harbour Ltd, marketed as the Chelsea Harbour HOPPA, running between Chelsea Harbour and Earl's Court. Four minibuses painted in a dark blue livery were used. The allocation moved from Battersea depot to Victoria Basement (GB) on 12 September 1987. When GB closed the route reverted to Battersea, by then an outstation of Stockwell rather than a garage in its own right.The route was then tendered, and initially retained by London General
London General
London General is a bus company operating in Surrey ang Greater London. It is owned by the Go-Ahead Group and operates most buses under contract to London Buses...
with extensions at both ends: at the south, to Sands End Sainsbury's, and at the north, during shopping hours only, to Kensington High Street. In 1989, the original minibuses were withdrawn, being replaced by more stylish Optare CityPacer
Optare CityPacer
The Optare CityPacer was a minibus body, typically seating 25, produced by Optare from 1985 to 1992. It was based on a Volkswagen LT55 van chassis which at the time was not available in the UK...
s cascaded from route C2. In 1990, the Kensington extension was withdrawn, but the route was further extended at the south across Wandsworth Bridge
Wandsworth Bridge
Wandsworth Bridge crosses the River Thames in west London. It carries the A217 road between the areas of Battersea, near Wandsworth Town Station, in the London Borough of Wandsworth on the south of the river, and the areas of Sands End and Parsons Green, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and...
to Clapham Junction Station via Grant Road, including a deviation via Plantation Wharf. The vehicle allocation was again changed to 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...
s.
A new contract starting in September 1996 saw various changes. The route was revised to operate direct via York Road, and then via the full length of Plough Road and St. John's Hill to approach the Clapham Junction terminus from the south. An evening and Sunday service was also introduced for the first time. Operation was transferred to Putney garage, and new ML-class Marshall Minibuses were introduced. The type proved unreliable and, combined with severe staff shortages, prompted London General to surrender the contract. It was taken over by Limebourne in October 1997.
Limebourne went into receivership in October 1998, but the local bus business was sold to local management under the name of Independent Way Ltd. Having had its vehicles re-possessed, replacement vehicles were sought, and a batch of ex-Metroline DT-class 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....
s was obtained for the C3. The Limebourne business was sold to Connex bus
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...
on 7 July 2001. The Darts were soon replaced by new Optare Solo
Optare Solo
The Optare Solo is a low-floor midibus manufactured by Optare in Leeds, UK since 1997. The name "Solo" is a play on the low-floor status of the bus, the manufacturer believing its vehicle having an entrance that is "so low" from the floor, namely 200 mm with kneeling suspension.The innovative...
s as part of a new contract, restoring low floor operation to the route, but these did not last long as Dennis Tridents
Dennis Trident 2
Dennis 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...
were transferred in to convert the route to double deck operation. Connex sold its London bus operations 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...
, which re-branded them 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...
and painted the vehicles into allover red. The operation was re-awarded to Travel London shortly before the operation was sold by National Express to become Abellio London. The route was increased in frequency in July 2008 following the introduction of the western extension to the London congestion charge
London congestion charge
The London congestion charge is a fee charged for some categories of motor vehicle to travel at certain times within the Congestion Charge Zone , a traffic area in London. The charge aims to reduce congestion, and raise investment funds for London's transport system...
.
Crash
On 16 December 2009, a bus operating route C3 was struck by a lorry carrying metal pylons. The incident happened at around 8.30am in BatterseaBattersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
Plough Road at its junction with St John's Hill. The bus mounted the pavement and toppled over. Three people were taken to hospital with serious injuries, including the bus driver, and 14 more had to be treated for minor injuries.
Current route
- Earl's Court Tesco
- Earl's Court StationEarl's Court tube stationEarl's Court tube station is a London Underground station in Earls Court. The station is located between Earls Court Road and Warwick Road . It is on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 1 and 2 and is in both zones....
- ChelseaChelsea, LondonChelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
- Chelsea HarbourChelsea HarbourChelsea Harbour is a mixed-use development in Central London, situated on the north bank of the River Thames, in the Sands End area. It lies within the eastern boundary of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and on the southwestern boundary of the Royal Borough of Kensington and...
- Imperial Wharf StationImperial Wharf railway stationImperial Wharf is a railway station in Fulham, near to the boundary with Chelsea in west London on the West London Line. The station is between and stations and services are provided by London Overground and Southern....
- Sands EndSands EndSands End is in the southernmost part of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in London, England. Sands End was a close knit working class community but has in recent years become gentrified with flats on the market for more than £2.4 million....
- Wandsworth BridgeWandsworth BridgeWandsworth Bridge crosses the River Thames in west London. It carries the A217 road between the areas of Battersea, near Wandsworth Town Station, in the London Borough of Wandsworth on the south of the river, and the areas of Sands End and Parsons Green, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and...
- Clapham Junction StationClapham Junction railway stationClapham Junction railway station is near St John's Hill in the south-west of Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Although it is in Battersea, the area around the station is commonly identified as Clapham Junction....
Meyrick Arms