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The 487 was formed by taking over most of route 187; this initially left the 187 as quite a short route. The 187 was previously operated by Metroline, but both routes went out to tender and were won by London Traveller with a start date of 4 September 1999. These were its first mainstream London Transport Buses contracts, the company having previously concentrated on schools routes, as well as private hire contracts.

Thus the 487 runs from Willesden Junction to South Harrow, albeit stopping short of the obvious major objective of Harrow itself, and contributing to the general difficulty in getting to Harrow from south-east. There is a short overlap with the 187 between Harlesden and Park Royal, before buses run along the A40 to Hanger Lane and then the full length of Whitton Avenue.

Management difficulties at Metropolitan Omnibus (the legal name which London Traveller later adopted also as its trading name) prompted their sell-out to Thorpes, but Thorpes continued to have difficulties and surrendered the routes early. Both were won by First Centrewest from 6 March 2004, who drafted in Dart SLFs made spare from the 28/31/328 routes. These cramped B22D vehicles were however designed for that intensive operation, and offer a substantial reduction in seating capacity compared with London Traveller’s unusual Volvo B6/East Lancs.

Operation is from Alperton garage, on the line of route, and here DM 41291 (T291 JLD) pulls onto the stand at South Harrow on 13 January 2005.

Photo © John Nicholas Bennett.

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See also routes 187, 28, 31, 328

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