Operator: Metroline
Subsidiary: Metroline Travel
Address: 467 High Rd, Harrow, Middlesex HA3 6EJ
Garage Code:  HD
Opened: 1930
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 69

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Vehicle Types Operated

Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2
Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3

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Garage History

The London General Omnibus Company had outgrown their existing garage in South Harrow in the late 1920s and authorised the construction of a new facility.

Construction began on the current site and was completed in January 1930, with Harrow Weald bus garage opening for traffic in April of that year. However, the new garage soon became overcrowded and was extended over its forecourt in 1932 to accommodate more vehicles.

The formation of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933 saw the LGOC amalgamated with other companies to form London Transport.

Under London Transport, the garage underwent expansion again in 1970 with the opening of an enlarged parking area at the rear of the structure.

In the mid-1980s London Regional Transport, who had assumed control of the bus network from the Greater London Council on 29th June 1984, set up Harrow Buses as a prelude to privatisation of London’s bus network.

The new operation was centred on Harrow Welad Bus Garage. The new operator started strongly, winning 12 tenders for local routes and a number of buses, both new and used, were acquired to operate them.

However, the new operation ultimately proved unsuccessful, losing half of its routes within the first three years of operation. The operation finally collapsed and Harrow Weald survived thanks to Privatisation, when Metroline took over the garage and its operations.

Today the garage operates 4 day routes, 2 night routes and 1 school route utilising 69 vehicles. Harrow Weald also undertakes engineering work for buses based at Edgware.

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Operator: Metroline
Subsidiary: Metroline Travel
Address: Station Rd, Edgware, Middlesex HA8 7AN
Garage Code:  EW
Opened: 1925 Rebuilt: 1984
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 80

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Vehicle Types Operated

Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro400
Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro400EV
MCV EV/Volvo BZL
MCV Evoseti
Wrightbus Electroliner

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Garage History

The original Edgware Bus Garage was constructed by the London General Omnibus Company, opening in 1925 with space to house 24 vehicles.

Following the formation of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933, London Transport constructed a new building adjacent to the original, allowing the LGOC garage to be demolished and replaced with Edgware Bus Station. The outdoor parking area was initially used to store new vehicles for the Trolleybus replacement programme.

Some reconstruction of the garage’s interior was carried out in the 1960s, but plans were drawn up in the early 1970s to replace it with a larger purpose-built structure.

However, it was not until 1982 that construction of the new facility commenced on the site of the former British Railways station adjacent to the Underground Station. The new building, costing £4.5 million, was opened in October 1984 with space for 100 vehicles.

In the run-up to privatising London’s Buses and creating 12 business units, Metroline took over the garage’s operation on 1 April 1989.

The takeover saw Cricklewood Garage rationalised and the engineering department was moved to Edgware. Following the completion of works at Cricklewood, the engineering department returned to its former home and Edgware was earmarked for closure in 1992. The garage building was closed but the outdoor parking area was used to operate midibuses, with a new bus wash and light maintenance facilities being provided.

After gaining a number of routes in northwest London during the tendering process, Sovereign London took a 10-year lease on half of the garage in 1999, investing over £250,000 on refurbishing the building and providing a 24-hour maintenance facility. With completion of the works, Sovereign closed their Borehamwood garage and relocated their entire fleet here.

Having undertaken a review of their services and requirements following theior sale to ComfortDelgro, Metroline returned to the other half of the garage in September 2000.

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Operator: Metroline
Subsidiary: Metroline Travel
Address: 329 Edgware Road, London NW2 6JP,
Garage Code:  W
Opened: 1914 Rebuilt: 2009
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 173

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Vehicle Types Operated

Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro200
Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro200 MMC
Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro400H
Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro400 MMC
Optare Solo SR
Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2
Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3
Wrightbus New Bus for London

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Garage History

As its fleet of motorbuses grew, the London General Omnibus Company constructed a garage on the current site in 1914, named Cricklewood.

The cessation of World War I saw Cricklewood Bus Garage become one of the four LGOC garages to undertake chassis and mechanical part overhauls. This practice continued until Chiswick Works opened, although Cricklewood continued undertaking body overhauls until 1941.

The formation of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933 saw all LGOC operations absorbed into London Transport

In the run-up to privatisation of London’s Buses and the creation of 12 business units, operation of the garage was taken over by Metroline on 1st April 1989.

The takeover saw Cricklewood’s future become uncertain with the garage being rationalised, the engineering department moving to Edgware, and the allocation being reduced. Following expansion works at the garage, thanks to the upgraded facilities, it returned to full-scale operation in 1992.

Privatisation of London Buses saw Metroline purchased by its management in October 1994, followed by the sale of the business to ComfortDelGro in February 2000.

Due to the increased number of services operated, the garage was deemed too small and outdated for modern usage. In 2007 the garage was closed and operations transferred to a temporary site on the opposite side of Edgware Road.

The garage was demolished and construction work started on a new garage and head office building, finally being completed, with operation commencing in January 2009.

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Operator: Metroline
Subsidiary: Metroline Travel
Address: Commerce Road, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 8LZ
Garage Code:  AH
Opened: 1990 Rebuilt: 2024
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 95

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Vehicle Types Operated

Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2
Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3
Wrightbus New Bus for London

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Garage History

The original Brentford Bus Garage on Commerce Road was opened by Armchair Passenger Transport in 1990 primarily as a base for their coach operations.

However in June of that year, Armchair won the tender to operate Route 260 and the site became an active bus garage. Further route acquisitions in subsequent tender rounds saw Armchair need more room, so they acquired an adjacent storage yard from BRS Truck Rentals in 1993 to house the new vehicles.

Nothing of any further note occurred at the garage until November 2004 when Armchair’s operations were acquired by ComfortDelGro who continued to operate the business as a separate entity until the operations were absorbed into Metroline in 2007. The coach side of the business was merged with Westbus UK two years later with the vehicles moving to the Westbus site in Hayes.

The following years and their associated wins and losses saw Brentford become a pivotal garage for Metroline. The condition of the garage began to worsen with the facilities being sparse and the buildings beginning to deteriorate.

With this condition not likely to be remedied easily, in 2022 Metroline submitted a planning application for a new, purpose-built garage on the site. Before construction commenced, the buses stationed here were moved to a temporary site on an adjacent plot, with normal operation maintained throughout.

Construction of the new £19 million, 100-vehicle capacity facility was completed in June 2024 and the new premises opened in July.

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Operator: Metroline
Subsidiary: Metroline West
Address: Ealing Road, London HA0 4LL
Garage Code:  ON
Opened: June 1939 Closed: Friday 10 September 2021
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 40

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Vehicle Types Operated

Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2

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Garage History

Alperton Bus Garage was one of only three Central bus garages constructed by the London Passenger Transport Board, opening in June 1939.

The opening of the garage enabled a major reshuffle of staff and vehicles, with Cricklewood, Hanwell, Harrow Weald, and Willesden Garage moving vehicles here to relieve overcrowding.

Following the outbreak of World War II, the garage started to undertake body overhauls of the fleet with this lasting until October 1945.

Although built in a fairly modern style, by the 1970s the garage had become woefully inadequate for the routes it served, leading to several vehicles being parked in the car park of local business overnight and at weekends.

Plans to enlarge the garage were started in 1973 and work on the extension commenced in 1975. Due to the need for the Lifts and Escalators department of LT needing to relocate, and the building requiring alteration, the works were not completed until June 1978.

In the run-up to privatisation of London’s Buses and the creation of 12 business units, operation of the garage was taken over by Centrewest on 1st April 1989. This lasted for eight years until the Centrewest unit was purchased by Firstbus, becoming First Centrewest on 26th March 1997.

With the desire of FirstGroup to withdraw from London Bus operations, Alperton (along with Greenford, Hayes, Uxbridge, and Willesden Junction garages) and its routes were sold to Metroline in June 2013, forming their Metroline West subsidiary.

Following a review of business requirements, the decision was taken to close Alperton and sell the land for residential development. The site was sold to Redington Developments for a reported £25 million in 2019.

With Metroline acquiring a replacement site in nearby Athlon Road for an estimated £ 7 million, Alperton Garage finally closed after 82 years of operation at the end of Friday 10th September 2021.

A farewell open day was organised by Metroline, held the following day on Saturday 11th September and we have a gallery of images from the day here.

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Operator: Metroline
Subsidiary: Metroline Travel
Address: Unit 1-3, Capital Business Centre Athlon Road, Wembley HA0 1YU
Garage Code:  ON
Opened: 17th September 2022
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 21

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Vehicle Types Operated

Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2

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Garage History

Athlon Road Bus Garage was opened by Metroline in September 2022 as a replacement for the nearby Alperton garage dating from 1939.

Alperton garage was closed on Friday 10 September 2021 and the site was sold off for residential development. However, as Athlon Road was not ready to receive buses, the Alperton allocation was temporarily housed at Perivale until Route 83 took residence at Athlon Road on 17th September 2022.

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Operator: Go Ahead London
Subsidiary: London General
Address: Waterside Way, London SW17 0HB
Garage Code:  PL
Opened: 2003 Closed: March 2023
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 34

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Vehicle Types Operated

Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro200
Optare Esteem
Wrightbus Streetlite

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Garage History

Waterside Way Bus Garage was established on the site in 2003 as a base for their training and private hire fleets. Soon after opening, some of the engineering fleet was also transferred here. The site was also used to store withdrawn buses for a time.

The garage became operational in January 2007 when, due to space constraints at Putney Garage, routes 39 and 485 were transferred here. Route 493 was won from Transdev in March 2012 and was allocated here.

Waterside Way was closed in March 2023 as the site lease had expired. The routes were transferred to Merton, Putney & Stockwell.

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Operator: Go Ahead London
Subsidiary: London General
Address: Cornwall Road, London SE1 8TE
Garage Code:  RA
Opened: 1990
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 30

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Vehicle Types Operated

Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro200 EV

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Garage History

Waterloo Bus Garage, located in Cornwall Road, opened in 1951 as a bus stand for vehicles terminating at Waterloo Station during the Festival of Britain.

In the early 1980s, a scheme to house all of the Red Arrow buses, at the time operated from Victoria and Ash Grove garages, at the site was put forward.

Planning permission was sought to establish a bus garage but, due to various delays and issues, did not get granted until February 1989.

This was followed by London Transport approving the scheme, and construction commencing later that year.

Waterloo garage opened in mid-1990, consisting of a fuelling facility, a bus wash, offices for supervisory staff and noise reduction measures to appease the local residents.

From its opening, the garage was allocated all 42 vehicles operated on Red Arrow routes. This also saw the garage become unique in London as it only operated from Monday to Friday.

Following the closure of Victoria Bus Garage in 1993, the AEC Routemasters utilised on Route 11 were allocated here, as they also operated from Monday to Friday. Weekend services on Saturday and Sunday were run using one-person operated buses from Stockwell Garage.

2nd June 2002 saw the replacement of the incumbent Red Arrow fleet with London’s first examples of the Mercedes Benz Citaro O530G articulated buses. Space constraints on the Waterloo site meant that Route 11’s Routemasters were transferred to Stockwell to make room for the new vehicles.

Withdrawal of the articulated buses in September 2009 saw the fleet replaced with 12m rigid Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro vehicles.

Following the successful trial of two electric BYD buses in 2013, Waterloo Garage was reconfigured with electric charging points installed in 2016.

This rebuild led to the replacement of the entire vehicle fleet in September 2016, with Waterloo becoming London’s first 100% electric bus garage after Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro200 EV buses were introduced.

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Operator: Go Ahead London
Subsidiary: London General
Address: Bushey Road, Sutton SM1 1QJ
Garage Code:  A
Opened:  January 1924
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 85

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Vehicle Types Operated

Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro 200 EV
Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro 400 EV City
Optare Olympus
Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3

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Garage History

Sutton Bus Garage was opened by the London General Omnibus Company in January 1924, with a capacity for 100 buses. However, the garage was underused and regularly only housed 40 vehicles.

Following the extension of the London Underground’s Northern line to Morden and the associated expansion in housing, the number of vehicles allocated to the garage increased to 100 in 1945 before peaking at 128 in 1952.

On 1 April 1989, London Buses was divided into 12 individual business units to prepare for the sell-off to private companies. Sutton Garage and its routes were allocated to the London General business unit, which had responsibility for routes in the South West area of London.

The London General business unit was purchased by its management in 1994, however, this only lasted for two years before the business was sold on to the Go-Ahead Group, who still operate the garage today.

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Operator: Go Ahead London
Subsidiary: London General
Address: Binfield Road, London SW4 6ST
Garage Code:  SW
Opened:  2 April 1952
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 180

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Vehicle Types Operated

Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro200
Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro400
Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro400H
Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro400 MMC
MCV Evoseti
Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2
Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3
Wrightbus New Bus for London
Wrightbus Streetdeck
Wrightbus Streetlite

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Garage History

Stockwell Bus Garage came to fruition with the realisation by London Transport that the withdrawal of trams, and the subsequent move to motor buses left them with a distinct lack of facilities in the Capital for the storage and operation of the expanding fleet.

One opportunity for a new building arose on a large World War II bomb site bordered by Lansdowne Way and Binfield Road in Stockwell which, although scheduled to open in October 1950, was delayed and finally opened on 2 April 1952. However, construction did not cease until the autumn of 1953.

At the time of opening, Stockwell was one of the largest bus garages in the capital, with a capacity of 200 buses. The garage also boasted the largest unsupported roof span in Europe at 393 feet (120 metres).

The garage was designed by Adie, Button and Partners, with Thomas Bilbow, architect to the London Transport Executive, following the style of architecture of the post-war reconstruction period in London.

A distinct lack of steel also saw reinforced concrete used for the roof. The offices, canteen and inspection pits were housed in both one and two-storey brick buildings on the corner of the site.

29 June 1984 saw the introduction of the London Regional Transport Act which necessitated the formation of an arms-length subsidiary company, London Buses Limited.

In reflection of its importance in post-war architectural and engineering history, Stockwell was awarded Grade II Listed status on 29th March 1988.

Following the takeover of the garage by London Buses Limited, the company forged ahead with the division of the business into 12 individual units in preparation for sale to private companies, completing the process on 1 April 1989. As a result, Stockwell Garage and its routes were allocated to the London General business unit, which was responsible for routes in the South West area of London.

The London General business unit was purchased by its management in 1994, but this only lasted for two years before the business was sold on to the Go-Ahead Group, who still operate the garage today.

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Operator: Go Ahead London
Subsidiary: London General
Address: Chelverton Road, London SW15 1RN
Garage Code:  AF
Opened:  1912 (Current Build: 1985)
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 103

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Vehicle Types Operated

Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro200
Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro200 MMC
Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro200EV
MCV EvoSeti
Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2
Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3
Wrightbus StreetLite

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Garage History

Putney Bus Garage can claim to be home to buses since 1888 when the London General Omnibus Company opened stables and garage facility for its horse bus operation in the area. The garage was subsequently rebuilt during the conversion to motorbus operation in 1912.

Chelverton Road was rebuilt again in 1935/6, with new office facilities, new staff accommodation and a new entrance with the remaining buildings on the site undergoing modernisation. The garage became the first in London to operate the AEC Regent III class, commencing in 1939 whilst during World War II, under-utilisation saw the garage become a store for de-licensed vehicles.

With the closure of the nearby Putney Bridge (F) garage in 1958, Chelverton Road garage was renamed Putney in 1963.

29 June 1984 saw the introduction of the London Regional Transport Act which necessitated the formation of an arms-length subsidiary company, London Buses Limited. It was under this company that Putney was again modernised in 1985.

Initially, bus services continued as before but, on 1 April 1989, London Buses was divided into 12 individual business units to prepare for the sell-off to private companies. Putney Garage and its routes were allocated to the London General business unit, responsible for routes in the South West area of London.

The London General business unit was purchased by its management in 1994, however, this only lasted for two years before the business was sold on to the Go-Ahead Group, who still operate the garage today.

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Operator: Go Ahead London
Subsidiary: London General
Address: Marsh Lane, Tottenham, London N17 0XB
Garage Code:  NP
Opened:  1991
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 181

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Vehicle Types Operated

Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro 200 EV
Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro 400 EV City
Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro 400 MMC
MCV Evoseti
Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2
Wrightbus New Bus for London (NB4L)
Wrightbus StreetLite

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Garage History

Northumberland Park Bus Garage was opened in 1991 by Capital Citybus after they achieved massive route gains in London, following the collapse of London Regional Transport subsidiary company London Forest.

Ownership of Northumberland Park and Capital Citybus transferred on 21 December 1995 when owners CNT Group sold out to the incumbent management team. This arrangement lasted until 8 July 1998 when the management sold the company to FirstGroup.

From the beginning of FirstGroup ownership, Northumberland Park and its services were operated utilising the First Capital name. This did not last long and the garage was integrated into the First London operation.

Following a series of tender losses and the general downturn of the bus business at First, the company sold Northumberland Park and its routes to the Go-Ahead Group in March 2012. The operation was incorporated by the new company under its London General subsidiary.

With the tender wins by Go Ahead London General of routes 153, 230, and 444, coupled with their allocation of new Alexander Dennis Limited Enviro200 & Enviro400 EV vehicles, Northumberland Park now operates one of the largest electric bus fleets in Europe, totalling over 100 vehicles.

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