History
The route began on 7 January 1951 and provided a service between Tooting Broadway and Victoria. The route was operated from Brixton (BN) by RT type buses. On 29 January 1964, the BN allocation was withdrawn and replaced by Merton (AL). The route was extended from Tooting to Kingston and withdrawn from between Stockwell and Victoria. The route now ran from Kingston to Streatham (Monday-Saturday) or Stockwell (MF Peaks/Sat shopping hrs). On 31 December 1966, the 57 was withdrawn between Streatham and Stockwell. The route now ran from Kingston to Streatham.
On 17 June 1967, the route was extended from Streatham to Brixton Station. On 18 September 1971 the route was converted to One Person Operation by SMS type single deck buses. On 13 November 1977, the route was converted back to double deck operation by DMS type buses. On 9 September 1982, a Saturday LS allocation was introduced. By August 1985, the LS allocation was withdrawn. The route was operated by D type buses. On 2 September 1989, the service was transferred from AL to Norbiton (NB). The route was converted to MCW Metrobus type buses. On 7 September 1991, the route under a new contract with London United and was now operated from Fulwell (FW).
On 5 September 1992 the London United contract was withdrawn and London Country took over the route from Leatherhead (LH) and Croydon (CR). They operated the route by all types of buses. A Sunday operation was introduced by London and Country. The route was revised Monday to Saturday ran from Kingston to Streatham Hill and Sundays ran from Kingston to Tooting Broadway. Later on the Sunday service was extended from Tooting Broadway to Streatham Hill, in line with the weekday service. On 28 June 1997, London United won back the contact to operate the route and it was initially operated by Metrobuses, until new Volvo Olympians were delivered. The route was operated from Kingston (K). On 3 November 2001, Kingston (K) was closed and the route was transferred to Tolworth (TV). On 16 November 2002, there was an increase in the PVR and low floor Dennis Trident 2 9.9m / Alexander ALX400s were introduced. By 2003, the route was fully converted to low floor operation.
On 30 June 2007, route 57 became a 24-hour service.
Read more about this topic: London Buses Route 57
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