London Buses route 2

2
Overview
Operator	Arriva London
Garage	Norwood (N)
Vehicle	Volvo B7TL 10.6m / Alexander ALX400 Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 10.1m [1][2]
Peak vehicle requirement	24 [3]
Night-time	Night Bus N2
Route
Start	Norwood garage
Via	Brixton Victoria Marble Arch
End	Marylebone station

London Buses route 2 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Norwood garage and Marylebone station, it is operated by Arriva London.

History

Route 2 was the last West End bus route that was operated by step-entrance buses other than AEC Routemasters. Ironically, it was also the first London bus route to use the Routemaster.^[4]

In the 1950s, the route was run using AEC Regent IIIs.^[5] On 8 February 1956, the first prototype AEC Routemaster ran on route 2 between Golders Green and Crystal Palace and after undergoing modifications the following year, it passed to route 260.^[6][7] On 29 January 1994 route 2 was converted to one man operation with the AEC Routemasters replaced by Leyland Olympians and MCW Metrobuses.^[8]

In 2003, brand new Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TLs were introduced. Conversion to the type took place a few months before the contract was renewed. It is operated out of Norwood garage with a peak vehicle requirement of 24 buses.^[9]

In 2015, the route received a part allocation of Enviro 400's from route 341. Some of its longer 10.6 metre Volvo B7TL's transferred to Edmonton Garage for use on route 123.^[10]

Current route

Route 2 operates via these primary locations:^[11]

• Norwood Garage
• West Norwood station
• Tulse Hill station
• Brixton station
• Stockwell station
• Vauxhall bus station
• Vauxhall Bridge
• Bessborough Gardens for Pimlico station
• Victoria station
• Hyde Park Corner station
• Marble Arch station
• Baker Street station
• Marylebone station

References

1. Ken Carr (2015). The London Bus Guide. Visions International.
2. David Maxey (2016). Red all Over- The London Bus Review of 2015. Visions International.
3. Ken Carr (2015). The London Bus Guide. Visions International.
4. Marshall, Prince (1972). Wheels of London. The Sunday Times Magazine ISBN 0-7230-0068-9.
5. Reed, John (2000). London Buses: A Brief History. Capital Transport Publishing. p. 54. ISBN 9781854142337.
6. Graeme Bruce, J; Curtis, Colin (1977). The London Motor Bus: Its Origins and Development. London Transport. p. 99. ISBN 0853290830.
7. Reed, John (2000). London Buses: A Brief History. Capital Transport Publishing. p. 55. ISBN 9781854142337.
8. Blacker, Ken (2007). Routemaster: 1970–2005 2 (2nd ed.). Harrow Weald: Capital Transport. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-85414-303-7.
9. Carr, Ken (May 2015). The London Bus Guide (5 ed.). Boreham: Visions International Entertainment. p. 123. ISBN 978-0-9931735-3-0.
10. Maxey, David (2016). Red All Over- The London Bus Review of 2015. Visions International.
11. Route 2 Map Transport for London

External links

• Media related to London Buses route 2 at Wikimedia Commons
• Timetable