Every garage operating services that form part of the London bus network has a one or two letter garage code. Such codes are not only for garages operating Transport for London contracts, but also to those operating commercial bus services under London bus agreements. There is also a code for Tramlink. The codes are used internally by London Buses, for administrative purposes.

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 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. Fulwell, Alperton), New Cross (NX).) although some have since been renamed (HT, Holloway, was called Highgate).[1][2]

Since the start of tendering in 1985, some codes have also reflected the name of the owning company, examples being AH (Armchair, Brentford), EL (Eastern National, Chelmsford), WI (Wings, Uxbridge), BE (Blue Triangle, Rainham). Such company names may not still be in use today: DX (Arriva London North East, Barking) originates from Dix Travel, which was absorbed into Grey-Green, becoming its Dagenham operation, and subsequently relocated to Barking, and now absorbed by Arriva London. Similarly BT (Sovereign, Edgware) comes from BTS, which was subsequently bought out by Sovereign, and Hounslow Heath code WK originates from Westlink. The official code FR for Metrobus's Crayford base is especially obscure, referring to the original owner, one Chris Freeman 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 in 2005.[3]

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 is Tilling Bromley, QB is Q-Drive Battersea.[3]

Some garage codes have been used for more than one garage over the years, sometimes when an entire garage has moved such as at 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. Three garages (Ash Grove, Edgware and Fulwell) have two codes, one for each operator.[2][3]

During the period of operation by London Transport and its predecessors, indeed back to the earliest motor buses in the early 20th century, the garage code was clearly carried on both sides of the vehicle. The code was usually in the form of a metal (later plastic) stencil plate carried in a holder beside the running duty number plate. Latterly, the garage codes took the form of painted stencils or adhesive characters. In the post London Transport/ London Buses period, the display of garage codes is no longer universal and many vehicles carry no visible identification.[3]

There are a number of historical anomalies with the allocation of codes. When Ash Grove garage opened in 1981, it was coded AG by London Transport. As an operational garage that has opened and closed several times over the years, it now carries the code AE, formerly the code of the long closed Hendon garage and the AG code is currently unused.

Current codes

A

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
A Sutton London General A 1924 [4]
AC Willesden Metroline AC 1912
AD Palmers Green Arriva London AD 1912
AE Ash Grove Kentish Bus (1994-98)

East Thames Buses (2000-05)

HCT Group (2001-2022)

Arriva London (from 2005)

East London (from 2022)

 AE 1981 [5]
AF Putney London General AF 1888 (horsebus)

1912 (motorbus)
AH Brentford Armchair (1999-2006)

Metroline (from 2006)

 AH 1999
AL Merton London General AL 1913
AR Tottenham Arriva London AR 1913 A picture of the entrance to Tottenham bus garage
AV Hounslow London United AV 1913
AW Walthamstow Avenue East London AW 2016 [6]

B

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
BC Beddington Cross Abellio London BC 1999 [7]
BK Barking East London BK 1924
BN Brixton Arriva London BN 1892 (cable trams)

1906 (trams) 1951 (buses)
BT Edgware London Sovereign BT 1925
BW Bow East London BW 1908 (trams)

1939 (trolley buses) 1959 (buses)
BX Bexleyheath London Central BX 1935 [4]

C

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
C Croydon London General C 2005
CT Clapton Arriva London CT

D

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
DT Dartford Arriva London DT 1933 (original)

19 January 1986

 18 January 1986 (original) [8]
DS Henley Road Blue Triangle DS 2021 [9]
DX Ripple Road, Barking Grey-Green (1991-98)

Arriva London (from 1998)

 DX 1991 [10]

E

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
E Enfield Arriva London E 1927
EC Edmonton Arriva London EC 1997
EW Edgware Metroline EW 1925

F

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
FW Fulwell London United FW 1904 (tram)

1931 (trolleybus)

1962 (bus)

 [11][4]

G

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
G Greenford First London (1997-2013)

Ealing Community Transport (2003-09)

Metroline (from 2013)

 G 1993
GW Armstrong Way Abellio London GW 2019

H

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
HD Harrow Weald Metroline HD 1930
HK Ash Grove East London HK 1981
HT Holloway Metroline HT 1907 (trams)

1938 (trolleybuses) 1961 (buses)

 [4]
HZ Hayes Metroline HZ 2005 2017

K

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
KC King's Cross Metroline KC 2010 May 2023

L

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
LI Lea Interchange Stagecoach London HO 2007

M

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
MG Morden Wharf London Central MG 2017

N

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
N Norwood Arriva London N 1909
NP Northumberland Park Capital Citybus (1991-7)

First London (1997-2012)

London General (from 2012)

 NP 1991
NS Romford East London NS 1953 [4]
NX New Cross London Central NX 1906 (trams)

1962 (buses)

P

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
PA Perivale West Metroline PA 2022
PB Potters Bar Metroline PB 1930 [12]
PD Plumstead Selkent PD 1981 [13]
RP Park Royal London United RP 2007
PL Waterside Way London General PL 2003 2023 [14]
PM Peckham London Central PM 1905 [15]
PV Perivale Metroline PV [16]

Q

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
Q Camberwell London Central 1919 [4]
QB Battersea Abellio London 1990s

R

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
RA Waterloo London General RA 1951 [4][17]
RM Rainham Thameside RM 2007
RR River Road Blue Triangle RR 2016 [18][19]

S

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
S Shepherd's Bush London United S 1906
SI Silvertown Docklands Buses SI
SM South Mimms Sullivan Buses SM 1998
SO Harrow London Sovereign SO 1994
SW Stockwell London General SW 1952 [4]

T

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
T Leyton East London T 1912 [4]
TB Bromley Selkent TB 1924
TC South Croydon Arriva London TC 1916
TF Fulwell Abellio London TF 1904 (tram)

1931 (trolleybus)

1962 (bus)
TH Thornton Heath Arriva London TH 1879 (horse tramway)

1901 (tram) 1951 (bus)
TK Tramlink Tramlink TK 2000
TL Catford Selkent TL 1914
TP Thorpe Park Sullivan Buses TP
TV Tolworth London United TV 1990s

U

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
UX Uxbridge Metroline UX 1929 (original)

1983

 1983 (original)

V

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
V Stamford Brook London United V 1980

W

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
W Cricklewood Metroline W
WD Wandsworth Tootbus London WD 1902 (tram)

1937 (trolleybus) 1950 (bus)

 [4]
WH West Ham East London WH 2009
WJ Willesden Junction Metroline WJ
WK Hounslow Heath London United WK
WL Walworth Abellio London WL 1905 (tram)

1951 (bus)

 [20]
WN Wood Green Arriva London WN 1900s (tram)

1930s (trolleybus) 1960 (bus)
WS Hayes Abellio London WS 2021

X

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
X Westbourne Park First London (1997-2013)

Tower Transit (2013-2021)

London Transit (from 2021)

 X 1981 [4]

Country Area

Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference
BF Byfleet Travel Surrey (2006-9)

Abellio Surrey (2009-18)

Falcon Buses (from 2018)

 TG [21]
CY Crawley Metrobus MY
GY Grays Arriva London 1935 (original)

1993

 1993 (original)
UB Hatfield Uno UB 2003
HH Hemel Hempstead Arriva Shires & Essex 1935 (original)

1995

 1995 (original)
HW High Wycombe Arriva Shires & Essex 1929 (original) 1977 (original)
MB Orpington Metrobus MB
TW Tunbridge Wells Arriva Southern Counties TS 1937 (original)

27 May 2018

 2018 (original) [22][23]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Joyce, James (1988). London Transport Bus Garages Since 1948. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0711018022.
  2. 1 2 London Bus Garages and Allocations. Crecy Publishing. 2014. pp. 3/4. ISBN 978-1908347220.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Carr, Ken (September 2014). The London Bus Guide (4 ed.). Boreham: Visions International Entertainment. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-9570058-6-0.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Research Guide No 34: London Transport Bus Garages and Depots" (PDF). Transport for London. TfL Corporate Archives. May 2015.
  5. ↑ Lyons, Mark (2019). "Ash Grove". London Bus (BUSES). Key Publishing.
  6. ↑ "CT Plus opens new Walthamstow garage". Coach & Bus Week. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  7. ↑ "Beddington Cross Garage [BC]". The Circle of London. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  8. ↑ "Last bus garage open day - Dartford". Transport for London. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  9. ↑ "Henley Road garage opens". Buses. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  10. ↑ Cooke, Phoebe (18 October 2016). "Barking bus driver shortlisted for UK Bus Awards". Barking & Dagenham Post. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  11. ↑ Woodriff, Bryan (2003). Fulwell: Home to Trams, Trolleys and Buses. Middleton Press. ISBN 1-904474-11-X.
  12. ↑ "Welcome to Potters Bar garage". Bus & Coach Buyer. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  13. ↑ "Plumstead bus garage open day is just the ticket for cancer charity". 853 London. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  14. ↑ "Waterside Way Bus Garage (PL)". LS Photography. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  15. ↑ "Bull Yard and Peckham Bus Garage". The Peckham Society. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  16. ↑ "Grand Opening Night at Perivale (PV)". London Connected. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  17. ↑ Dalrymple, Will (8 May 2018). "London's low-carbon electric bus garage". Transport Engineer. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  18. ↑ "Go Ahead's 7m new Barking garage". Buses. Key Publishing. July 2016. p. 25.
  19. ↑ "Short Hops". Buses. Key Publishing. August 2016. p. 27.
  20. ↑ "Green light for new energy efficient bus infrastructure". Transport for London. 24 February 2005. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  21. ↑ "Goodbye to Abellio Surrey, hello to Falcon Flagship". Hants & Surrey Bus Blog. 16 September 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  22. ↑ "Arriva's Tunbridge Wells garage closes its doors". Coach & Bus Week. 24 October 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  23. ↑ "Opening date confirmed for Arriva's new Tunbridge Wells bus hub". Tunbridge Wells Times. 14 February 2018. Archived from the original on 14 November 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
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