London & Country
|
|
| Parent |
National Bus Company (1986-88) Drawlane Group (1988-92) British Bus (1992-96) Cowie Group (1996-2000) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 7 September 1986 |
| Ceased operation | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Guildford |
| Service area |
Surrey West Sussex Greater London |
| Service type | Bus operator |
| Depots | 10 |
| Fleet | 415 |
London Country South West (LCSW) was a bus operator in South East England and London. It was formed from the split of London Country Bus Services in 1986 and operated a fleet of around 415 buses from 10 garages, with its headquarters in Guildford.
In the run-up to deregulation, London Country Bus Services was broken into four smaller companies on 7 September 1986. The South West division contained 415 buses.
On 19 February 1988, LCSW was sold to the Drawlane Group. In 1989 the London & Country trading name was adopted, being applied to a new two-tone green and red livery.
LCSW entered the London Regional Transport market, winning several contracts using second-hand Leyland Atlanteans from Greater Glasgow, GM Buses and Busways, where deregulation was making the major fleets dispose of large numbers of surplus vehicles.
LCSW then purchased new buses, with a batch of Dennis Dominators purchased for route 131, later followed by thirteen 88-seater East Lancs bodied Volvo Citybuses, entered service at Addlestone garage in September 1989, displacing Leyland Atlanteans.
In 1989, the airport coach operations at Crawley and Staines had been split off as Speedlink Airport Services. Additionally the private hire fleet was consolidated into Guildford and re-branded Countryliner. A new garage was opened in Newington Butts, near Elephant & Castle for the operation of London Regional Transport tendered route 78 and part of route 176, this was later moved to the more suitable ex London Transport Walworth garage. Following LCSW successfully tendering to operate route 320 from Westerham to Bromley, buses were outstationed at Kentish Bus' Dunton Green garage from 1 September 1990.
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