London Buses route 52

Infobox London Bus
number=52


operator=Metroline
garage=Willesden (AC)
vehicle=Volvo B7TL / Plaxton President
pvr=24
start=Willesden
via=Kensal Rise
Ladbroke Grove
Notting Hill
Kensington
Knightsbridge
Hyde Park Corner
end=Victoria Station
length=7 miles (11 km)
level=Daily
frequency=About every 6-8 minutes
time=35-50 minutes
day=4:50am until 0:38am
night=Night bus N52
ibus=yes

London Buses route 52 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Metroline.

History

Route 52 began in 1 January 1950 as totally new route, running from Victoria to Mill Hill and Borehamwood (Monday to Saturday peak journeys).

In the Borehamwood area withdrawn from Warwick Road and Drayton Road to Elstree Way Hotel in 1951.

Extended in Borehamwood from Elstree Way Hotel to Drayton Road on 3 February 1953 and Brook Road on 3 February 1954, Monday to Friday peaks to Drayton Road and Brook Road (Sundays) in 1955, extended from Brook Road to Rossington Avenue (Sundays) in 1956.

Extended Monday to Friday peaks to Rossington Avenue in 1963. Withdrawn between Mill Hill Broadway and Borehamwood, this section was replaced by route 292 in 1969.

Withdrawn between Willesden garage and Mill Hill, this section was replaced by route 302 in 1992.

Extended in Willesden from Bus garage to Roundwood Park in 1993. This section was discounted in 1995.

Route 52 has always been operated from Metroline's Willesden (AC) garage. Although for a brief period in 1993 it was operated by London Coaches (WD), where the night service N52 first commenced. The operation was transferred to Atlas Bus in Harlesden (HR), then Metroline bought Atlas bus and was renamed Metroline in 1996 and the allocation was transferred back to Willesden (AC).

Garages like Edgware (EW), Stockwell (SW), Victoria (GM) and Westbourne and Middle Row (X) also have partly operated.

All sorts of double-deck buses have been operated on route 52. It first used Leyland Titans until 1997 then Volvo Olympians along with MCW Metrobuses followed by low floor Tridents in 2001 and finally Volvo B7TLs. Even Routemasters were used for a limited time by Metroline.

Current route

Route departing Willesden

*Willesden Garage
*Kensal Rise Station
*Ladbroke Grove Sainsbury's
*Ladbroke Grove Station
*Notting Hill Gate Station
*Kensington Church Street "High Street Kensington Station"
*Royal Albert Hall
*Knightsbridge Station
*Knightsbridge
*Hyde Park Corner Station
*Victoria Station "Bus Station"

Route departing Victoria Station

*Victoria Station "Bus Station"
*Hyde Park Corner Station
*Knightsbridge
*Knightsbridge Station
*Royal Albert Hall
*Kensington Church "High Street Kensington Station"'
*Notting Hill Gate Station
*Ladbroke Grove Station
*Ladbroke Grove Sainsbury's
*Kensal Rise Station
*Willesden High Road
*Willesden Bus Garage

ee also

* List of bus routes in London
* Metroline

External links

* [http://www.tfl.gov.uk Transport for London]
* [http://www.busesatwork.co.uk London Bus Routes]
* [http://www.busmap.org/tt4/052.pdf Full timetable (PDF)]