London's Metrobuses

The Metrobus was the first bus to be built and designed in its entirety by Metro Cammel Weymann (MCW). WMPTE and LT were the biggest customers of the model. Five trial vehicles entered service with London Transport during 1978 and 1979. In 1979 and 1980, a large number entered service in north-west and south-west London. In 1982, the Metrobus Mark II was launched, with changed styling at the front. LT initially ordered two of these buses, trialling them against three other models, the Leyland Olympian, Dennis Dominator and Volvo B55 Ailsa. By 1991 1,485 MCW Metrobuses were operating in London. Those purchased by LT passed to private operators in 1994. Others were also acquired by tour operators in the capital, who converted them to open-top layout. David Beddall provides a snapshot of the Metrobus while in service in London, both on London Regional and Transport for London services, as well as those examples that saw further service in London as sightseeing buses.