Picture Archive Post 63

Metroline TA642 on Route 266, Hammersmith, 19/06/2010 (© Aubrey)

Route 266 was introduced as the bus replacement of former trolleybus route 666. Running between Edgware and Hammersmith, the route ran as current 266 to Cricklewood, then as current 32 to Edgware. Introduced as part of Stage 13 of trolleybus replacement on 3rd January 1962, new Routemasters were introduced from Stonebridge Garage (SE) and Cricklewood Garage (W). A Willesden Garage (AC) allocation was added in September 1968, after Route 260A was withdrawn. In June 1970, the route was withdrawn between Edgware and Colindale (peak hours), West Hendon (weekdays) and Cricklewood Garage (weekends). June 1972 saw Hammersmith Riverside (R) gain an allocation to cover for the 255 withdrawal. 255 itself was a former trolleybus route of 655. In January 1976, Brent Cross Shopping Centre opened and Route 266 was diverted to the shopping centre on Monday-Saturday except late evenings. From October 1978, some journeys were extended in Monday-Friday peak hours via Graheme Park to Mill Hill Broadway on Monday-Friday peak hours. April 1979 saw the allocation of crewed Daimler Fleetlines (DM) on Sundays from SE. In 1980, the DMs were replaced by MCW Metrobuses (M), still crewed. 1981 saw the peak hour extensions to Mill Hill be withdrawn, and SE be closed. The SE allocation was replaced by a split Willesden and Cricklewood allocation. 1982-1985 saw the allocation solely be dealt with by W. 1985 saw the conversion of the route to OPO, with Ms initially introduced crewed before November. 

Under sectorisation, the route came under Metroline. 1995 saw the whole shopping hours service extended to Brent Cross. June 1998 saw the service partly, then completely in December 1998 go to Cricklewood Garage. September 2000 saw the route move to Harlesden (HR), and convert to Volvo Olympians ex-16/52. 26th July 2003 saw the route be fully extended (day and later night) to Brent Cross Shopping Centre, as the bus station later became known as an interchange. 17th April 2004 saw the N266 become renumbered into 266, based at W. The day route moved to W on 21st May 2005, as the route was converted to low-floor with Tridents. On 22nd May 2012, the 266 was won by First Centrewest using Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 2s, from their new garage at Atlas Road (AS), a base to replace the temporarily closed part of Westbourne Park (X) due to Crossrail work. 22nd June 2013 saw the contract novate to Tower Transit, as they bought out that part of First Centrewest. As AS closed on 1st July 2017, the route moved to X for 28 days, as then the route returned to Metroline on 29th July 2017 (for 2.5 years).

Alexander-Dennis Trident/ALX400 TA642 started out in 2005 as a bus for Cricklewood, as part of the low-floor conversion of Route 266. Initially based at Cricklewood, it moved to Brentford (AH) to replace Tridents which were on lease for the 237. Once those buses were replaced by TPs (Trident/Presidents), the bus moved back to Cricklewood. Ironically, on the first day of 266 back with Metroline, TA642 was back on the route!


It was like nothing had changed, as on 29th July 2017, TA642 is seen back on its old haunts.
(© Aubrey)