Aviation Specials – June 2018

60 The London Bus

W

hen the

Romans

headed

north out of

Londinium

they extended Watling Street,

which had already been

established across Kent. Thirteen

or so miles from the city centre

they encountered Eggesweir, a

fishing pool.

By the early 1200s, a farm had

been established at Edgwarebury,

500 years later a turnpike trust

was charging for the upkeep of

this stretch of Watling Street and

railways reached the community

in 1867. The Underground was

extended north from Golders

Green in 1924.

Today’s High Street, Edgware

runs north/south along Watling

Street between Stonegrove and

Burnt Oak Broadway and from

February to November 1903

a horse bus ran on Sundays

between Cricklewood and

Edgware, becoming a daily

service from April to December

1904 when the Metropolitan

Electric Tramways Company

introduced a tram service

(probably the 66) between

Cricklewood and Edgware,

extended in 1907 to Canons

Park, known nowadays as

Canons Corner.

The London General company

ran its bus route 105 between

Kilburn and Watford straight

along the Edgware Road via

Canons Park. During 1914 this

was renumbered 142.

Tram routes were developed

and altered and by July 1933,

when London Transport took

over, the 64 linked Edgware and

Paddington, while the 66 linked

Acton with Canons Park. But

trams were about to give way

to trolleybuses and this change

came to Edgware in July and

August 1936 when trolleybuses

645 (Edgware-North Finchley),

664 (Edgware-Paddington Green)

and 666 (Edgware-Hammersmith

Broadway) were introduced. The

645 was extended from Edgware

to Canons Park in June 1938 to

serve new housing.

Trolleybuses on route 666 had

to complete a U-turn manoeuvre

across the dual carriageway in

Edgware. Many occasions saw

drivers attempt this turn with

vigour, resulting in the booms

atop the trolleybus becoming

detached from the wires

overhead. Thus the sight of the

long bamboo pole from beneath

the vehicle, brought into use to

retrieve the errant booms and

attach them back to the power

source.

Similar occurred at the Canons

Suburban London

ABOVE: Edgware
station forecourt
in June 1986.
Three London
Buses M-class
MCW Metrobuses
are operating
routes 221, 288
and 240, while
a Routemaster
prepares to leave on
the 113 to Oxford
Circus and a green
London Country
Leyland Olympian
is on the 142.

Once served by electric trolleybuses and classic London Transport

diesel double-deckers, this northern suburb is home to two red bus

operators and is served by a colourful out-of-town operation

Edgware has the edge