Metroline Travel Archives – LSPhotography Blog

Harrow Weald Bus Garage

LSPhotography — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Harrow Weald Bus Garage

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

Vehicle Types Operated

Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2
Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 3

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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Edgware Bus Garage

LSPhotography — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 18:45:59 +0000

Edgware Bus Garage

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

Vehicle Types Operated

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

Metroline Travel MCV Evoseti LK18 AFV-VMH2440

Metroline Travel Edgware Bus Garage-EW

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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Cricklewood Bus Garage

LSPhotography — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 17:00:00 +0000

Cricklewood Bus Garage

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

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

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.

The post Cricklewood Bus Garage appeared first on LSPhotography Blog.

Brentford Bus Garage

LSPhotography — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 17:00:00 +0000

Brentford Bus Garage

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

Vehicle Types Operated

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

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.

The post Brentford Bus Garage appeared first on LSPhotography Blog.

Alperton Bus Garage

LSPhotography — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 17:00:00 +0000

Alperton Bus Garage

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

Vehicle Types Operated

Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2

Metroline West Alperton Bus Garage

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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Athlon Road Bus Garage

LSPhotography — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 17:00:00 +0000

Athlon Road Bus Garage

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

Vehicle Types Operated

Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini 2

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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