London Buses route N20 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Trafalgar Square and Barnet Hospital, it is operated by Metroline.
History[]
Route N20, like route N5, is a special night service for the Northern line between Charing Cross and High Barnet Station (although it does not directly serve Totteridge & Whetstone, Woodside Park, Mill Hill East or West Finchley stations).
The route was initially numbered N1 and began operating on the morning of 28 October 1989 running from High Barnet to Charing Cross and then via the Strand to terminate at the Aldwych. Some journeys diverted via Whitehall and Westminster to Victoria station. (Returning via Victoria Embankment and Arundel Street before continuing from Aldwych). The section between Aldwych and Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross) was withdrawn on 18 July 1992. The journeys to Victoria were withdrawn on 24 June 1995, when the route was renumbered N20, as the number N1 was needed for the night service of the day route 1.
The route was run from Holloway (HT) using MCW Metrobuses, until 24 June 1995 when a single bus Potters Bar allocation was introduced. The weekend service was increased on 8 November 1997 and the allocations were increased. On 25 July 1998, the route was transferred to Northumberland Park bus garage to be operated by First London using Leyland Olympians. On 8 January 2000 extra Friday/Saturday night journeys were added between Trafalgar Square and Finchley Central. After 5 years with First, on 26 July 2003, the route transferred back to Potters Bar with Metroline, and the extra journeys were extended from Finchley Central to High Barnet. The route returned to Holloway (HT) on 5 February 2005, when a weekend night allocation was introduced.
On 26 July 2008, the route was retained by Metroline.
On 27 July 2013, the route was retained by Metroline.
In 2018, the Alexander Dennis Enviro 400s were replaced by Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5LHs.
On 6 April 2019, the route converted to a full Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5LH operation.
On 24 March 2020, the route was temporarily extended to serve Barnet Hospital due to the current pandemic.
On 25 July 2020, the route was retained by Metroline.
On 29 January 2022, the Potters Bar (PB) allocation was transferred to Holloway (HT) garage.
On 4 March 2022, the route was permanently extended to Barnet Hospital.
In December 2023, the Wright Eclipse Gemini 3 bodied Volvo B5LHs were replaced by existing MCV eVoSeti bodied Volvo B5LHs.
Current Route[]
Route N20 operates via these primary locations:
- Whitehall / Trafalgar Square
- Trafalgar Square / Charing Cross Station
- Leicester Square Station
- Tottenham Court Road Station
- Goodge Street Station
- Warren Street Station
- Euston Square Station †
- Euston Bus Station †
- Euston Station †
- Mornington Crescent Station
- Camden Town Station
- Kentish Town Station
- Tufnell Park Station
- Archway Station
- Highgate Station
- East Finchley Station
- East Finchley Manor View
- Finchley Central Station
- North Finchley Tally Ho Corner
- Whetstone High Road / Friern Barnet Lane
- High Barnet Station
- Barnet Church
- Barnet Hospital Wellhouse Lane
† These stops are sometimes skipped due to some services missing Euston Road / Eversholt Street and travelling directly north / south along Hampstead Road.