Open Day at Cumberland Bus Garage on 5 September
London Central operates four bus garages – Bexleyheath, New Cross, Camberwell and Peckham. In a series of garage open days, Camberwell Bus Garage will open its doors to the public on Saturday 5 September 2015. The garage operates bus routes 12, 42, 45, 68, 185, 345, 360, 468, N68, P5 and X68. Routes nos. 35 and 40 with route 345 will start operating by Camberwell garage on 30 April 2016, to pass to Abellio London on the same date.
Although Camberwell garage was built in 1914, it was not used as a bus garage until 1919 because at the time of the First World War, it was requisitioned for war purposes. However, once it started operations after the war, it became one of London’s largest garages and it also carried out body overhauls in 1940/41. During World War II, it was bombed in 1940 as a result of which, four buses were destroyed and 13 buses were seriously damaged.
The garage was modernised during the early 1950s. This process included reconstruction of the welfare and operational block and extension of the parking area. A new pit was also incorporated in the new building. The workshop layout was in a separate self-contained block where heavy maintenance work for the adjacent Walworth garage for a total of 350 buses was also carried out. Camberwell’s allocation started declining over the years from 165 in 1952 but the closure of Walworth garage in 1985 again increased the allocation to 142. Camberwell garage also housed three Leyland Titans that had electronic blinds that were used on night bus standby duties. From 28th March 2015, new Routemasters were introduced on route 12.
During the open day, Camberwell Bus Garage will feature static bus display from vintage buses to a new Routemaster; provide information at the ‘Innovation Centre’ where visitors can learn about how different buses from hybrids to flywheels operate; provide a trip on a vintage bus; enable visitors to take a ride through the bus wash; enable them to visit an array of stalls and stands selling bus memorabilia, refreshments and face painting and give them the opportunity to talk to staff regarding how to become a bus driver at the Recruitment Stand.
The open day will be from 11am to 5pm and entry will be free. Camberwell Bus Garage is located at Warner Street. All proceeds from the event will be donated to charity to Trinity Hospice that has provided free care for dying people and their families for more than 120 years. They are committed to helping people live life to the full and Go-Ahead London is proud to be supporting such a local and well deserved charity.
The Marble Arch By Montcalm London is one of the premier hotels in London that offers luxurious accommodation along with the best of facilities and amenities and also personalised services. It is centrally located close to most attractions of the city and many bus routes and stops are located close by.
In a statement, Mike Weston, TfL’s Director of Buses said that vital services are provided by the buses to millions of people and they provide links from homes to jobs, schools and hospitals in all areas of London. He added that buses are the “backbone, and often the forgotten workhorses of London’s transport network.” He also said that the open days provide the right opportunity to the people to come and know more about their local bus services.
Many visitors to London prefer to stay in hotels in Great Cumberland Place because they offer a very convenient location close to most places of interest such as tourist attractions, shopping districts and business offices.
The open days for other London bus garages are Willesden garage on Saturday 19 September and Westbourne Park garage on Saturday 10 October. Open days offer an exciting, fun-filled and fantastic event both for the family and for bus enthusiasts. A number of bus garage open days were held in 2014 as part of celebrations to mark the Year of the Bus. These events were in partnership with London Transport Museum and London's bus operators. A whole array of events and activities, of which the open days were a part, was held throughout 2014 to celebrate the role of the London buses and also of bus drivers and staff who support the movement of buses that play a vital role in keeping the city moving. A number of important anniversaries were also celebrated including 60 years since the creation of the original and iconic Routemaster, 75 years since the launch of its predecessor the RT-type bus, and 100 years since hundreds of London buses were sent to the Western Front to play a crucial role during the First World War.
