Bus garages in London 4532461 219428908 2008-06-15T04:54:33Z Michael Devore 44833 /* B */ remove user sig Every garage operating services that form part of the [[List of bus routes in London|London Bus network]] is given an official London Bus garage code. Such codes are given not only to garages running London Bus contracts, but also to those running commercial bus services under London Bus agreements. There is also a code for the [[Croydon Tramlink]]! The codes are used internally by [[London Buses]], for [[administration (business)|administrative]] purposes. Many operators also give their garages codes, sometimes for similar administrative reasons, or sometimes — particularly where they only have one garage — for "[[enthusiasm|enthusiast]] reasons". These are not always the same as the London Bus codes, although they often are. == History == Many of the codes are long-established, going back to London Buses Limited (LBL) (and in many cases earlier) days, and are well-known among staff and enthusiasts. There is usually some sort of logic to the code allocated. In the early part of the 20th Century, the [[London General Omnibus Company]] (LGOC) allocated its garages codes by going through the alphabet — initially A, B, C, etc; and then AA, AB, AC, etc. Codes allocated since often reflect the geographical name of the garage (e.g. '''F'''ul'''w'''ell, Alpert'''on''', '''N'''ew '''Cross''' (NX)), although some have since been renamed (HT, Holloway, was called '''H'''ighga'''t'''e). Since the start of tendering in 1985, some codes have also reflected the name of the owning company, examples being AH ('''A'''rmcha'''i'''r, Brentford), EL ('''E'''astern Nationa'''l''', Chelmsford), WI ('''Wi'''ngs, Uxbridge), BE ('''B'''lue Triangl'''e''', Rainham). Such company names may not still be in use today: DX ([[Arriva London#Barking|Arriva London North East, Barking]]) originates from '''D'''i'''x''' Travel, which was absorbed into [[Grey-Green]], becoming their [[Arriva London#Barking|Dagenham]] operation, and subsequently relocated to Barking, and now absorbed by [[Arriva]]. Similarly BT (Sovereign, Edgware) comes from '''BT'''S, which was subsequently bought out by [[London Sovereign|Sovereign]], and [[Hounslow Heath]] code WK originates from '''W'''estlin'''k'''. The official code FR for Metrobus's Crayford base is especially obscure, referring to the original owner, one Chris '''Fr'''eeman of Freeman’s Coaches, which was absorbed into Crystals, which subsequently sold out to [[Tellings-Golden Miller]] in 2003, who then sold it on to [[Metrobus (Go-Ahead Group)|Metrobus]] in 2005! In several cases (TB/TC/TL and QB) the code reflects both the location (Bromley/Croydon/Lewisham (Catford), Battersea) and the original owning company (Tilling, Q-Drive). (For example: '''TB''' would be '''T'''illing '''B'''romley, QB would be '''Q'''-Drive '''B'''attersea) Some garage codes have been used for more than one garage over the years, sometimes when an entire garage has moved such as at [[London Central#Peckham|Peckham (PM)]], and sometimes when a code has been "dormant" for some years and then been reused. Some premises have had different codes at different times in their life, and indeed three (Edgware, [[Fulwell Garage|Fulwell]] and Ash Grove) currently have two codes simultaneously, one for each operator. ==Current codes== ===A=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | A | [[London General#Sutton|Sutton]] | London General |- | AC | [[Metroline#Willesden|Willesden]] | Metroline |- | AD | [[Arriva London#Palmers Green|Palmers Green]] | Arriva London |- | AE | [[Arriva London#Ash Grove|Ash Grove]] | Arriva London |- | AF | [[London General#Putney|Putney]] | London General |- | AG | [[Arriva London#Ash Grove|Ash Grove]] | Arriva London |- | AH | [[Metroline#Brentford|Brentford]] | Metroline |- | AK | Streatham | none |- | AL | [[London General#Merton|Merton]] | London General |- | AN | [[First London#Acton|Acton]] | First London |- | AR | [[Arriva London#Tottenham|Tottenham]] | Arriva London |- | AT | [[First London#Acton|Acton]] | First London |- | AV | [[Transdev London#Hounslow|Hounslow]] | Transdev London |} ===B=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | BA | [[Arriva London#Battersea|Battersea]] | Arriva |- | BB | [[Arriva London#Battersea|Battersea]] | Arriva |- | BC | [[Travel London#Beddington Cross|Beddington Cross]] | Travel London |- | BD | [[Metroline#Brentford|Brentford]] | Metroline |- | BE | [[Blue Triangle#Rainham|Rainham]] | Blue Triangle |- | BF | [[Arriva London#Beddington|Beddington]] | Arriva London |- | BK | [[East London (bus company)#Barking|Barking]] | East London |- | BN | [[Arriva London#Brixton|Brixton]] | Arriva |- | BT | [[Transdev London#Edgware|Edgware]] | Transdev London The code BT is not a contraction of BTS. It signifies Borehamwood Town. The original garage was in Station Road, Borehamwood at the top of the town. This code was derived from the system used by Country Buses & Coaches who used codes for all termini, ie: BH = Borehamwood, Cowley Hill or BD = Borehamwood, Drayton Road. |- | BV | [[East Thames Buses#Belvedere|Belvedere]] | East Thames Buses |- | BW | [[East London (bus company)#Bow|Bow]] | East London |- | BX | [[London Central#Bexleyheath|Bexleyheath]] | London Central |- |} ===C=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | C | [[Metrobus (Go-Ahead Group)#Croydon|Croydon]] | Metrobus |- | CA | Clapham | none |- | CF | [[Chalk Farm]] | none |- | CN | [[Arriva London#Beddington Farm|Beddington Farm]] | Arriva London |- | CT | [[Arriva London#Clapton|Clapton]] | Arriva London |- | CY | [[Metrobus (Go-Ahead Group)#Crawley|Crawley]] | Metrobus |} ===D=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | DC | [[Docklands Buses#Poplar|Poplar]] | Docklands Buses |- | DM | [[First London#Dagenham|Dagenham]] | First London |- | DN | [[CT Plus#Dalston|Dalston]] | CT Plus |- | DT | [[Arriva Southern Counties#Depots|Dartford]] | Arriva Southern Counties |- | DX | [[Arriva London#Barking|Barking]] | Arriva London |} ===E=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | E | [[Arriva London#Enfield|Enfield]] | Arriva London |- | EB | [[Epsom Coaches#Garages|Epsom]] | Quality Line |- | EC | [[Arriva London#Edmonton|Edmonton]] | Arriva London |- | EM | [[Arriva London#Edmonton|Edmonton]] | Arriva London |- | EW | [[Metroline#Edgware|Edgware]] | Metroline |- | EY | [[Ealing Community Transport#Greenford|Greenford]] | Ealing Community Transport |} ===F=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | FE | [[Metroline#Perivale|Perivale]] | Metroline |- | FL | [[Blue Triangle#Rainham|Rainham]] | Blue Triangle |- | FW | [[Transdev London#Fulwell|Fulwell]] | Transdev London |} ===G=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | G | [[First London#Greenford|Greenford]] | First London |- | GR | [[Arriva Shires & Essex#Watford|Watford]] | Arriva Shires & Essex |- | GY | [[Arriva Southern Counties#Grays|Grays]] | Arriva Southern Counties |} ===H=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | H | [[First London#Hackney|Hackney]] | First London |- | HA | [[Arriva Shires & Essex#Harlow|Harlow]] | Arriva Shires & Essex |- | HD | [[Metroline#Harrow Weald|Harrow Weald]] | Metroline |- | HF | [[Uno (bus company)#Hatfield|Hatfield]] | Uno |- | HH | [[Transdev London#Hounslow Heath|Hounslow Heath]] | Transdev London |- | HI | [[Arriva Shires & Essex#High Wycombe|High Wycombe]] | Arriva Shires & Essex |- | HK | [[CT Plus#Ash Grove|Ash Grove]] | CT Plus |- | HM | [[Arriva Southern Counties|Horsham]] | Arriva Southern Counties |- | HO | [[First London#Lea Interchange|Lea Interchange]] | First London |- | HS | [[First London#Hayes|Hayes]] | First London |- | HT | [[Metroline#Holloway|Holloway]] | Metroline |- | HY | [[CT Plus#Dalston|Dalston]] | CT Plus |- | HZ | [[First London#Hayes|Hayes]] | First London |} ===K=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | KX | [[Metroline#King's Cross|King's Cross]] | Metroline |} ===L=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | LV | [[Arriva London#Lee Valley|Lee Valley]] | Arriva London |} ===M=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | MA | [[East Thames Buses#Mandela Way|Mandela Way]] | East Thames Buses |- | MB | [[Metrobus (Go-Ahead Group)#Green Street Green|Green Street Green/Orpington]] | Metrobus |- | MC | Beddington | None. Last used by [[Centra (bus company)|Centra]] |- | MW | [[London General#Mandela Way|Mandela Way]] | London General |- | MY | [[Metrobus (Go-Ahead Group)#Crawley|Crawley]] | Metrobus |} ===N=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | N | [[Arriva London#Norwood|Norwood]] | Arriva London |- | NC | [[NCP-Challenger#Twickenham|Twickenham]] | NCP-Challenger |- | NF | [[Arriva Southern Counties#Northfleet|Northfleet]] | Arriva Southern Counties |- | NP | [[First London#Northumberland Park|Northumberland Park]] | First London |- | NS | [[East London (bus company)#Romford|Romford]] | East London |- | NW | [[Metroline#North Wembley|North Wembley]] | Metroline |- | NX | [[London Central#New Cross|New Cross]] | London Central |} ===O=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | ON | [[First London#Alperton|Alperton]] | First London |} ===P=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | PA | [[Metroline#Perivale (West)|West Perivale]] | Metroline |- | PB | [[Metroline#Potters Bar|Potters Bar]] | Metroline |- | PD | [[Selkent#Plumstead|Plumstead]] | Selkent |- | PHs | [[Sullivan Buses#Polhill|Polhill]] | Sullivan Buses |- | PK | [[NCP-Challenger#Park Royal|Park Royal]] | NCP-Challenger |- | PL | [[London General#Waterside Way|Waterside Way]] | London General |- | PM | [[London Central#Peckham|Peckham]] | London Central |- | PV | [[Metroline#Perivale (East)|East Perivale]] | Metroline |} ===Q=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | Q | [[London Central#Camberwell|Camberwell]] | London Central |- | QB | [[Travel London#Queenstown (Battersea)|Queenstown (Battersea)]] | Travel London |} ===R=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- |R |Hammersmith Riverside |None. Garage closed 1983 |- | RA | [[London General#Waterloo|Waterloo]] | London General |- | RD | [[First London#Romford|Romford]] | First London |- | RM | [[East London (bus company)#Rainham|Rainham]] | East London |- | RN | [[First London#Dagenham|Dagenham]] | First London |} ===S=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | S | [[Transdev London#Shepherd's Bush|Shepherd's Bush]] | Transdev London |- | SF | [[Arriva London#Stamford Hill|Stamford Hill]] | Arriva London |- | SI | [[Docklands Buses#Poplar|Poplar]] | Docklands Buses |- | SM | [[Sullivan Buses#South Mimms|South Mimms]] | Sullivan Buses |- | SO | [[Transdev London#Harrow|Harrow]] | Transdev London |- | SR | Streatham Road | None. Last used by [[Centra (bus company)|Centra]] |- | SW | [[London General#Stockwell|Stockwell]] | London General |} ===T=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | T | [[East London (bus company)#Leyton|Leyton]] | East London |- | TB | [[Selkent#Bromley|Bromley]] | Selkent |- | TC | [[Arriva London#South Croydon|South Croydon]] | Arriva London |- | TF | [[Travel London#Fulwell|Fulwell]] | Travel London |- | TG | [[Travel London#Byfleet|Byfleet]] | Travel London |- | TH | [[Arriva London#Thornton Heath|Thornton Heath]] | Arriva London |- | TK | [[Tramlink|Croydon Tramlink]] | TfL, First London, and [[Tramtrack Croydon]] |- | TL | [[Selkent#Catford|Catford]] | Selkent |- | TM | [[Travel London#Middlesex|Middlesex]] | Travel London |- | TS | [[Arriva Southern Counties#Tunbridge Wells|Tunbridge Wells]] | Arriva Southern Counties |- | TW | [[Arriva Southern Counties#Tunbridge Wells|Tunbridge Wells]] | Arriva Southern Counties |- | TV | [[Transdev London#Tolworth|Tolworth]] | Transdev London |} ===U=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | U | [[East London (bus company)#Upton Park|Upton Park]] | East London |- | UB | [[Uno (bus company)#Hatfield|Hatfield]] | Uno |- | UX | [[First London#Uxbridge|Uxbridge]] | First London |} ===V=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | V | [[Transdev London#Stamford Brook|Stamford Brook]] | Transdev London |- |} ===W=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | W | [[Metroline#Cricklewood|Cricklewood]] | Metroline |- | WA | [[East London (bus company)#Waterden Road|Waterden Road]] | East London |- | WB | [[Arriva Shires & Essex#High Wycombe|High Wycombe]] | Arriva Shires & Essex |- | WD | [[Arriva London#Wandsworth|Wandsworth]] | Arriva London |- | WE | [[Arriva Shires & Essex#Ware|Ware]] | Arriva Shires & Essex |- | WH | [[Selkent#West Ham|West Ham]] | Selkent |- | WJ | [[First London#Willesden Junction|Willesden Junction]] | First London |- | WK | [[Transdev London#Hounslow Heath|Hounslow Heath]] | Transdev London |- | WL | [[Travel London#Walworth Road|Walworth Road]] | Travel London |- | WN | [[Arriva London#Wood Green|Wood Green]] | Arriva London |- | WS | [[Travel London#Middlesex|Middlesex]] | Travel London |} ===X=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | X | [[First London#Westbourne Park|Westbourne Park]] | First London |} ===Y=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Code ! Garage ! Operated By |- | Y | [[First London#Orpington|Orpington]] | First London |} ==External links== * [http://www.tfl.gov.uk Transport for London] * [http://www.londonbusgarages.co.uk London Bus Garages] [[Category:Bus transport in London|Garages]]