London Traveller
Encyclopedia
London Traveller was the trading name of Metropolitan Omnibus, a bus operator in Greater London
in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The company was partially owned by Yorkshire Traction
, and was sold to Thorpes in October 2001.
from a base in Potters Bar
. Its Managing Director was Steve Deveraux, who had experience in the London market through his former involvement with the short-lived London Forest
operation. A small number of contracted school bus workings on London routes 143
and 302 were gained in June 1998, and operated with second-hand double-deckers.
The company's biggest expansion came in May 1999, when the contract for routes 187 and 487 were won from Metroline
. 15 new Volvo B6BLEs were bought to operate the routes. Following this success Yorkshire Traction
bought a 25% stake in the company. The Hertfordshire routes were technically registered to a separate company so were expected not to be involved in the deal, but were ultimately integrated into the London Traveller business. In mid 2000 Deveraux left the company, and his successor Dave Booker immediately cancelled the two remaining off-peak commercial services in Hertfordshire. The 187 was extended to operate to Finchley Road
in early 2000, and five more B6BLEs were acquired.
Management problems at London Traveller in 2000 saw the company reformed, with Metropolitan Omnibus becoming a trading name for the first time. Traction's share in the company increased to 35% as a result. The routes and operation continued stably until October 2001, when the company was sold to Thorpes.
and Yorkshire Terrier fleets. They joined the fleet of Stagecoach Yorkshire
in 2006 when Stagecoach Group
took over Traction. In 2003 the former London Traveller school bus contracts were won back by Metroline
from Thorpes. Metroline went on to buy Thorpes in 2007. By this time, however, the contract to operate routes 187 and 487 had been won by First London
.
es, Leyland Olympian
s and a Dennis Arrow. A Leyland National
was also owned, as was a Leyland Leopard
and a Leyland Lynx
.
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The company was partially owned by Yorkshire Traction
Yorkshire Traction
Yorkshire Traction was a bus operator in South Yorkshire. Between 1986 and 2005 it was a key part of the Traction Group. In December 2005 it was sold to the Stagecoach Group.-History:...
, and was sold to Thorpes in October 2001.
History
London Traveller was formed in 1998 and initially operated local routes in HertfordshireHertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
from a base in Potters Bar
Potters Bar
Potters Bar is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England, located north of Central London. In 2001 it had a population of 21,618....
. Its Managing Director was Steve Deveraux, who had experience in the London market through his former involvement with the short-lived London Forest
London Forest
London Forest was a subsidiary of London Buses active between 1988 and 1991. Formed as one of the eleven operating divisions of London Buses in readiness for privatisation, the company initially operated from garages at Ash Grove, Walthamstow and Leyton on a network of routes in North-East London...
operation. A small number of contracted school bus workings on London routes 143
London Buses route 143
London Buses route 143 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.-History:...
and 302 were gained in June 1998, and operated with second-hand double-deckers.
The company's biggest expansion came in May 1999, when the contract for routes 187 and 487 were won from 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:...
. 15 new Volvo B6BLEs were bought to operate the routes. Following this success Yorkshire Traction
Yorkshire Traction
Yorkshire Traction was a bus operator in South Yorkshire. Between 1986 and 2005 it was a key part of the Traction Group. In December 2005 it was sold to the Stagecoach Group.-History:...
bought a 25% stake in the company. The Hertfordshire routes were technically registered to a separate company so were expected not to be involved in the deal, but were ultimately integrated into the London Traveller business. In mid 2000 Deveraux left the company, and his successor Dave Booker immediately cancelled the two remaining off-peak commercial services in Hertfordshire. The 187 was extended to operate to Finchley Road
Finchley Road
Finchley 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...
in early 2000, and five more B6BLEs were acquired.
Management problems at London Traveller in 2000 saw the company reformed, with Metropolitan Omnibus becoming a trading name for the first time. Traction's share in the company increased to 35% as a result. The routes and operation continued stably until October 2001, when the company was sold to Thorpes.
Subsequent history
Thorpes acquired all of Traveller's routes and vehicles, although the B6BLEs were later sold back to Traction and used in the Yorkshire TractionYorkshire Traction
Yorkshire Traction was a bus operator in South Yorkshire. Between 1986 and 2005 it was a key part of the Traction Group. In December 2005 it was sold to the Stagecoach Group.-History:...
and Yorkshire Terrier fleets. They joined the fleet of Stagecoach Yorkshire
Stagecoach Yorkshire
Stagecoach Yorkshire is an operating division of Stagecoach UK Bus.It was formed in 2005 to take over the former Traction Group fleets in Yorkshire by Stagecoach Group, which took over Traction from Frank Carter on 14 December 2005; Yorkshire Traction, Yorkshire Terrier and Barnsley & District....
in 2006 when Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
took over Traction. In 2003 the former London Traveller school bus contracts were won back by 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:...
from Thorpes. Metroline went on to buy Thorpes in 2007. By this time, however, the contract to operate routes 187 and 487 had been won by First London
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...
.
Fleet
The company used Volvo B6BLEs on routes 187 and 487, initially buying 15 and later acquiring a further 5 following a route extension. Another similar bus was delivered as a spare in 2001, taking the total to 21, the number acquired by Thorpes. These were joined on the routes by a unique MAN NL222 single-decker for a short period. Traveller's other routes used double-deckers such as MCW MetrobusMCW 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...
es, Leyland Olympian
Leyland Olympian
The Leyland Olympian was a double-decker bus built by British Leyland/Leyland Bus in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1993. It was the last Leyland bus model in production before the demise of Leyland Bus.-Construction:...
s and a Dennis Arrow. A Leyland National
Leyland National
The Leyland National is a British single-deck bus built in large quantities between 1972 and 1985. It was developed as a joint project between two UK nationalised industries - the National Bus Company and British Leyland. Buses were constructed at a specially built factory at the Lillyhall...
was also owned, as was a Leyland Leopard
Leyland Leopard
The Leyland Leopard was a mid-engined single-deck bus and coach chassis built by Leyland between 1959 and 1982. It was popular with bus and coach operators throughout the British Isles...
and a Leyland Lynx
Leyland Lynx
The Leyland Lynx is a single-decker bus built by Leyland between 1984 and 1992. It was designed to replace the ageing Leyland National.Production vehicles began to enter service in 1986. From 1990 to 1992 the updated Lynx II version was produced...
.