London Buses Route 292 - History

History

This route was established on 3 January 1962 as part of London Transport's trolleybus replacement program, replacing trolleybus route 666 between Willesden Bus Garage and Burnt Oak; it also replaced route 52 between Mill Hill and Borehamwood. It was initially operated by AEC Regent III RTs based at Edgware (EW) garage, and ran Mondays to Saturdays, though during Monday to Friday peak hours it only ran as far south as Colindale.

Just five months after its introduction, the route lost its Saturday service in favour of a route 292A. Three years later, in 1965, the section between Colindale and Willesden was withdrawn outright; the route also ran only to Burnt Oak on evenings.

In 1973, the 292 was diverted at Burnt Oak to terminate at Edgware station, but continued to run to Colindale during Monday to Friday peaks; from there it now continued to Grahame Park (Quaker's Course). At the same time, the route was converted to one-person operation using DMS-class Daimler Fleetlines, and a full weekend service was introduced following the withdrawal of the 292A. In 1980, the DMSs were replaced by MCW Metrobuses.

Following the establishment of competitive route tendering in 1985, operation of the 292 passed to London Country North East in June 1987. However, a strike by LCNE employees ultimately led to Borehamwood Travel Services (BTS) taking over the route in early 1988, using secondhand Leyland Nationals and Atlanteans before acquiring a batch of Scania N112DRB / Alexander RHs in 1989.

In November 1989, Monday to Friday peak journeys were cut back to Colindale. In July 1993, the route was diverted at Mill Hill to run direct to Edgware via Hale Lane, and all journeys now ran to Colindale (Asda).

In December 1993, BTS lost the 292 upon retender to Metroline, thus restoring the route to Metrobus operation. Five years later, in December 1998, London Sovereign (as BTS had by now become) took back the 292, ordering a batch of Volvo Olympian / Northern Counties Palatines with appropriate route branding.

London Sovereign was sold to London United in 2002, and the Olympians were duly replaced by 10.6-metre Volvo B7TL / Plaxton Presidents, which continue to work the route today.