London area operators and their garages

Contacts

Most bus routes in London are operated by various companies under management contracts to London Buses, part of Transport for London. Complaints, commendations, comments and suggestions relating to these should therefore be directed to TfL.
London Buses Customer Services, 4th Floor, Zone G7, Palestra, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ
phone: 0343 222 1234
email: customerservices@tfl-buses.co.uk

For commercial or county council tendered routes, or for issues such as bus driver recruitment, contact the relevant company. For lost property, contact the company within 4 days of loss, or TfL's lost property office thereafter. The following routes are outside the London Buses network, and in these cases you should contact the operator directly: 3 (First Berkshire), 7 (First Berkshire), 8 (Arriva The Shires), 8 (First Berkshire), 9 (First Berkshire), 10 (Courtney Buses), 21 (Metrobus), 32 (Compass Bus
Stagecoach (Sun)), 66 (EoS), 66A (EoS), 84 (Metroline), 101 (Carousel Buses), 102 (Carousel Buses), 105 (Carousel Buses), 242 (Metroline / Trustybus), 269 (NIBS), 305 (Bear Buses), 306 (Sullivan Buses), 318 (Metrobus), 357 (Southdown PSV), 398 (Sullivan Buses), 400 (Metrobus), 409 (Southdown PSV), 416 (Buses Excetera), 420 (Metrobus), 429 (Go-CoachHire), 431 (Go-CoachHire), 442 (Carlone Buses), 458 (Hallmark Connections), 460 (Metrobus), 461 (Falcon Coaches
Hallmark Connections), 477 (Arriva Kent & Medway), 479 (Buses Excetera
Stagecoach Sun
), 505 (Galleon Travel), 513 (Reptons Coaches), 514 (Falcon Coaches), 515 (Falcon Coaches), 555 (Hallmark Connections), 575 (London General), 580 (Carousel Buses), 581 (Carousel Buses), 583 (Redline Buses), 610 (Uno), 611 (Uno), 614 (Uno), 644 (Uno), 715 (Stagecoach South), 724 (Network Harlow), 812 (CT Plus), 820 (Metrobus), E16 (Epsom Buses Silver Service), R1 (Red Eagle), R2 (Red Eagle), X21 (Ensignbus), X31 (Ensignbus), X80 (Ensignbus), X81 (Ensignbus), 8 (First Berkshire), 476 (Go Coach), 668 (Buses Excetera), 820 (Metrobus), 866 (Metrobus), 868 (Edward Thomas), R17 (Red Eagle), Please check on the routes page if you don’t know the name of the operator of your route – the operators are named on the right.

If you do not receive a satisfactory response or resolution to your comments, you should contact London Travewatch. Please note LTW do NOT deal with lost property enquiries.

Garage code index

These are the codes used in this site to identify bus garages, or official codes.
A AB AC AD AE AF AH AL AR AV AW BC BK BN BT BT BW BX C CP CT CY DT DX E EB EC EW FC FW G GR GY HA HC HD HF HH HK HO HT HZ KB KC LI MB MG MY N NC NF NP NS NX ON PA PB PD PL PM PT PV Q QB RA RH RM RP RR S SF SH SI SM SN SO SP SW T TB TC TF TH TK TL TP TV UB UE UX UX V W WD WH WJ WK WL WN WS X

Operator & Garage list

The table below is arranged by operator, listed alphabetically according to fleet/trading name in bold. The addresses for the company headquarters are written in red underneath, alongside the legal company names.

The left hand column gives the reference code for the garage. These are usually offical codes used by the operators, but those written in parentheses are unofficial codes. The second column gives the name of the garage/operating centre, the third the address. Some of these operators have other garages that do not operate any London routes. You must remember that bus garages are private property, and if you wish to visit a depot you must obtain permission before entering the site.

The fourth column is the list of London area routes, but in some cases the garages operate other bus routes, or other kinds of work such as coaching, which are not listed. Beware that just because a garage is shown as operating on a particular route does not mean it is the only, or the main, garage to do so. The fifth column is the garage PVR, or the maximum number of buses on the road on these routes at any one time. Of course, all garages have spare vehicles allocated in addition, and in some cases driver trainers etc. Please note that these figures include only the "main network" of TfL contracted or LLSA routes – some garages also operate non-TfL or non-London services, coaches, rail replacements etc. These figures are also subtotalled by company and by group.

The last column gives the official LBSL garage code (see foot of page for more information on garage codes).

The data in this table is available as a CSV file, suitable for importing into spreadsheet programs such as MS Excel.

Abellio				625 (7.95%)
Abellio London Ltd.		301 Camberwell New Road, London, SE5 0TF		434 (5.52%)
QB	Battersea	Silverthorne Road, Battersea, London, SW8 3HE	49 156 159 211 344 345 414 452 C2 C3 Night routes: 159 344 C2	194	QB
BC	Beddington	Unit 10, Beddington Cross, Beddington Farm Road, Croydon, CR0 4XH	109 130 201 367 407 433 464 S4 Night routes: N109	90	BC
WL	Walworth	301 Camberwell New Road, London, SE5 0TF	3 45 68 196 381 415 484 C10 P13 Night routes: N3 N68 345 N381	150	WL
Abellio West London Ltd.		301 Camberwell New Road, London, SE5 0TF		191 (2.43%)
TF	Fulwell (Twickenham)	The Old Tram Depot, Stanley Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW2 5NP	290 350 481 490 E7 H20 H25 H26 H28 K1 R68 R70 School/mobility routes: 969	94	TF
WS	Hayes	West London Coach Centre, North Hyde Gardens, Hayes, Middlesex, UB3 4QT	195 427 H28 U5 U7 U9	59	WS
AB	Southall	5 Bridge Road, Southall, London, UB2 4AB	E1 E5 E7 E9 Night routes: E1	38	AB
Arriva				1430 (18.20%)
Arriva Kent & Medway		Invicta House, Armstrong Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6TY		0 (0.00%)
NF	Northfleet	London Road, Northfleet, Kent, DA11	Other routes: 477	0	NF
Arriva Kent Thameside		Invicta House, Armstrong Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6TY		0 (0.00%)
HA	Harlow	Fourth Avenue, Harlow, Essex	Other routes: 724	0	HA
Arriva London North Ltd.		16 Watsons Road, Wood Green, London, N22 7TZ		972 (12.37%)
AE	Ash Grove	Mare Street, South Hackney, London, E8 4RH	48 78 106 254	83	AE
DX	Barking	638 Ripple Road, Barking, IG11 0ST	128 150 173 175 325 368 Night routes: 128 School/mobility routes: 673	80	DX
CT	Clapton	15 Bohemia Place, Mare Street, London, E8 1DU	38 242 393 Night routes: N38 242	87	CT
DT	Dartford	Central Road, Dartford, Kent, DA1	99 160 229 269 401 428 469 492 B12 B13 B15 School/mobility routes: 660	110	DT
EC	Edmonton	Unit 1E, Towpath Road, Stonehill Business Park, London E4	123 259	40	EC
E	Enfield	Southbury Road, Ponders End, Middlesex, EN3 4HX	121 279 313 317 318 349 377 W6 Night routes: N279 School/mobility routes: 313	97	E
GY	Grays	Unit 7, Europa Park, London Road, Grays, Essex, RM20 4DB	66 103 347 370 375	40	GY
AD	Palmers Green	Regents Avenue, Palmers Green, London, N13 5UR	102 141 329 340 Night routes: 102	76	AD
SF	Stamford Hill	Rookwood Road, London N16 6SS	67 73 253 Night routes: N73 N253	78	SF
AR	Tottenham	Philip Lane, Tottenham, London, N15 4JB	19 41 123 149 230 243 259 341 Night routes: N19 N41 123 149 243 341	149	AR
GR	Watford (Garston)	Marshwood House, 934 St Albans Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD25 9NN	Other routes: 8	0	GR
WN	Wood Green	Jolly Butchers Hill, High Road, Wood Green, London, N22 7TZ	29 144 184 221 W3 W4 Night routes: N29 W3 School/mobility routes: 184	132	WN
Arriva London South Ltd.		Bus Garage, Brighton Road, Croydon, CR2 6EL		458 (5.83%)
BN	Brixton	39 Streatham Hill, London, SW2 4TB Outstation (rtes 59/319): Brixton Hill, SW2	50 59 133 137 319 333 Night routes: N133 319	117	BN
TC	Croydon	Brighton Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR2 6EL	60 166 194 197 264 312 403 412 466 Night routes: 264 School/mobility routes: 405 612 627 685	111	TC
N	Norwood	Ernest Avenue, West Norwood, London, SE27 0HN	2 137 157 249 417 450 468 Night routes: N2 N137 School/mobility routes: 690	134	N
TH	Thornton Heath	719 London Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 6AU	64 157 198 250 255 289 410 Night routes: 64 250 School/mobility routes: 663 689	96	TH
CT Plus				123 (1.57%)
CT Plus Ltd		2 Hertford Road, Dalston, London, N1 5SH		123 (1.57%)
(HK)	Ash Grove	Mare Street, South Hackney, London, E8	London network routes: 26 309 388 394 D6 W5 W13 Night routes: N26 N550 N551 School/mobility routes: W13 Other routes: 812	81	HK
AW	Walthamstow Avenue	Walthamstow Avenue, London, E4 8SP	385 397 W11 W12 W16 W19	42	AW
Ensignbus				0 (0.00%)
Ensign Bus Co Ltd		Juliette Close, Purfleet Industrial Park, Aveley, South Ockendon, RM15 4YF		0 (0.00%)
(PT)	Purfleet	Juliette Close, Purfleet Industrial Park, Aveley, South Ockendon, RM15 4YF	Other routes: X21 X31 X80 X81	0
Falcon Coaches				0 (0.00%)
Falcon Coaches		Littleton Lane, Shepperton, TW17 0NF		0 (0.00%)
FC	Byfleet	20a Wintersells Road, Byfleet, Surrey, KT14 7LF	Other routes: 461 514 515	0
First				0 (0.00%)
First Beeline Slough		Brunel Bus Station, Wellington Street, Slough, SL1 1XN		0 (0.00%)
SH	Slough	Stanley Cottages, Stoke Road, Slough	London network routes: Night routes: 8 Other routes: 3 7 8 9	0	SH
Tram Operations Limited		22 Coomber Way, Beddington, Croydon, CR0 4TQ		30 (0.38%)
(TK)	Therapia Lane	22 Coomber Way, Beddington, Croydon, CR0 4TQ	1 2 3 4	30	TK
Go-Ahead				1826 (23.23%)
London General Transport Services Ltd t/a Blue Triangle		18 Merton High Street, London, SW19 1DN		214 (2.72%)
RR	River Road	51 River Road, London, IG11 0SW	5 15 101 115 147 300 346 364 376 EL1 EL2 EL3 Night routes: N15 EL1 School/mobility routes: 608 646 648 649 650 651 652 656 667 674 679 686 687	214	RR
London General Transport Services Ltd t/a Docklands Buses		18 Merton High Street, London, SW19 1DN		57 (0.73%)
SI	Silvertown	Factory Road, Silvertown, London, E16	100 135 276 D7	57	SI
London General Transport Services Ltd t/a London Central		18 Merton High Street, London, SW19 1DN		643 (8.18%)
BX	Bexleyheath	Erith Road, Bexleyheath, Kent, DA7 6BX	89 132 244 486 B11 B16 Night routes: N89 132 486 School/mobility routes: 625 658 661 669	81	BX
Q	Camberwell	1 Warner Road, Camberwell, London, SE5 9LU	12 35 40 42 176 185 188 360 432 507 521 P5 X68 Night routes: 12 35 176 188 School/mobility routes: 624 658	197	Q
MG	Morden Wharf (Greenwich)	Morden Wharf Road, Greenwich, London, SE10 0NU	1 108 129 180 225 286 386 Night routes: N1 108	86	MG
NX	New Cross	208 New Cross Road, London, SE14	21 36 108 171 172 321 343 436 453 Night routes: N21 N136 N171 321 N343 453	206	NX
PM	Peckham	Blackpool Road, Peckham, London, SE15 3SE	37 63 363 P12 Night routes: 36 37 N63	73	PM
London General Transport Services Ltd		18 Merton High Street, London, SW19 1DN		705 (8.97%)
AL	Merton	High Street, London, SW19 1DN	44 57 131 152 163 164 200 219 270 280 Night routes: 57 School/mobility routes: 163 655	161	AL
NP	Northumberland Park	Marsh Lane, Tottenham, London, N17 0XB	London network routes: 20 76 153 191 192 357 379 476 W10 Night routes: 76 School/mobility routes: 616 657 675 Other routes: 575	113	NP
AF	Putney	10 Chelverton Road, London, SW15 1RN	14 22 74 337 424 430 485 Night routes: 14 N22 N74 School/mobility routes: 639 670	100	AF
SW	Stockwell	Binfield Road, London, SW4 6ST	11 77 87 88 93 118 155 170 315 322 432 Night routes: N11 N44 N87 88 N155	162	SW
A	Sutton	Bushey Road, Sutton, SM1 1QJ	80 93 151 154 164 213 Night routes: 93 154 N155 213	83	A
PL	Waterside Way	Waterside Way, London, SW17 0HB	39 493 G1	44	PL
RA	Waterloo	Cornwall Road, London, SE1 8TE	507 521	42	RA
London General Transport Services Ltd t/a Metrobus		18 Merton High Street, London, SW19 1DN		207 (2.63%)
C	Croydon	134 Beddington Lane, Beddington, CR9 4ND	119 127 202 355 359 405 434 455 X26 Night routes: 119	92	C
MB	Orpington	Oak Farm, Farnborough Hill, Green Street Green, Orpington, Kent, BR6 6DA	126 138 162 233 246 320 352 353 358 R1 R2 R3 R4 R6 R8 R9 R11 School/mobility routes: 654 684	115	MB
Metrobus Ltd		Wheatstone Close, Manor Royal, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 9UA		0 (0.00%)
CY	Crawley	Wheatstone Close, Manor Royal, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 9UA	Other routes: 318 400 420 460 820	0	MY
Hallmark Connections (Rotala)				0 (0.00%)
Hallmark Connections		Coach Travel Centre, Bedfont Road, Stanwell, Middx, TW19 7LZ		0 (0.00%)
HC	Hounslow	Green Lane	Other routes: 458 461 555	0
Metroline				1421 (18.08%)
Metroline Travel Ltd.		329 Edgware Road, Dollis Hill, London, NW2 6JP		1073 (13.65%)
AH	Brentford	Commerce Road, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 8LZ	117 190 209 235 237 E2 E8 School/mobility routes: 609	103	AH
W	Cricklewood	329 Edgware Road, Dollis Hill, London, NW2 6JP	16 112 143 168 189 210 232 266 268 316 324 332 C11 H2 H3 Night routes: N16 189 266 School/mobility routes: 143 631 632 643	204	W
EW	Edgware	Approach Road, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 7AN	32 107 113 240 Night routes: N113 School/mobility routes: 606	67	EW
HD	Harrow Weald	467 High Road, Harrow Weald, Middlesex, HA3 6EJ	140 182 186 Night routes: N5 N98 140 School/mobility routes: 640	70	HD
HT	Holloway	37A Pemberton Gardens, London, N19 5RR	4 17 24 43 46 91 271 390 603 W7 Night routes: N5 N20 24 43 N91 134 271 390 W7 School/mobility routes: 143	189	HT
KC	King's Cross	Freight Lane, London N1	30 214 274 Night routes: 214	53	KC
PV	Perivale [East]	Alperton Lane, Western Avenue, Greenford, Middlesex, UB6 8DW	7 79 245	51	PV
PA	Perivale (West)	Unit 12, Perivale Industrial Park, Horsenden Lane South, Greenford, Middlesex, UB6 7RL	7 31 90 120 297 395 Night routes: N7 N31 297 School/mobility routes: 611	70	PA
PB	Potters Bar	High Street, Potters Bar, Herts, EN6 5BE	London network routes: 34 125 134 231 234 263 307 382 384 491 W8 Night routes: N20 34 N91 307 School/mobility routes: 634 Other routes: 84 242	152	PB
AC	Willesden	287 High Road, Willesden, London, NW10 2JY	6 52 98 260 302 460 Night routes: 6 52 N98	114	AC
Metroline West Ltd.		329 Edgware Road, Dollis Hill, London, NW2 6JP		348 (4.43%)
ON	Alperton	Ealing Road, Alperton, Middlesex, HA0	83 204 483 487 Night routes: N83	66	ON
G	Greenford	Council Depot, Greenford Road, Greenford	92 95 207 282 482 E6	102	G
HZ	Hayes	Swallowfield Way, Hayes	London routes: none at present.	0	HZ
UX	Uxbridge	Bakers Road, Uxbridge	114 207 331 607 A10 U1 U2 U3 U4 U10 Night routes: 114 N207	93	UX
UE	Uxbridge Industrial Estate	51 Wallingford Road, Cowley, UB8 2RW	222	17	UX
WJ	Willesden Junction	Station Road, Harlesden, NW10	187 206 226 228 295	70	WJ
RATP Dev				976 (12.42%)
London Sovereign Limited		Approach Road, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 7AN		183 (2.33%)
BT	Edgware	Approach Road, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 7AN	139 142 258 288 292 326 H12 Night routes: 139 School/mobility routes: 642	90	BT
CP	Canons Park	Parr Road, HA7	251 288 303	25	BT
SO	Harrow	331 Pinner Road, Harrow	183 H9 H10 H11 H13 H14 H18 H19 Night routes: 183	68	SO
London United Busways Ltd		Busways House, Wellington Road, Fulwell, Middlesex, TW2 5NX		707 (9.00%)
FW	Fulwell	Wellington Road, Fulwell, Middlesex, TW2 5NX	33 65 71 216 267 281 371 391 419 K3 Night routes: 33 N65 281 School/mobility routes: 681	138	FW
AV	Hounslow	Kingsley Road, Hounslow, TW3 1PA	81 110 111 203 H22 H32 H37 H98 Night routes: N9 111 H32 H37	106	AV
HH	Hounslow Heath	Tamian Way, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW4 6BL	105 116 216 285 423 E10 H32 H91 H98 Night routes: 105 285 School/mobility routes: 635 696 697 698	80	WK
RP	Park Royal	Atlas Road, Harlesden, London, NW10 6DN	18 220 223 224 283 398 440 E11 H17 Night routes: N18 220	122	RP
S	Shepherd's Bush	Wells Road, London, W12 8DA	70 72 94 148 C1 Night routes: 72 94 148	104	S
V	Stamford Brook	72-74 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 1SY	9 10 27 272 E3 Night routes: 10 27	100	V
TV	Tolworth	Kingston Road, Tolworth, KT5 9NU	71 85 265 K2 K4 Night routes: 85 School/mobility routes: 613 662 665 671	57	TV
NC	Twickenham	The Skills Centre, Twickenham Trading Estate, Rugby Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW1 1DU	London routes: none at present.	0	NC
Quality Line Transport Ltd		3 Roy Richmond Way, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 9AF		86 (1.09%)
(EB)	Epsom	3 Roy Richmond Way, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 9AF	London network routes: 293 404 406 411 413 418 463 465 467 470 K5 S1 S3 School/mobility routes: 293 633 Other routes: E16	86	EB
The Original Tour		25 Jews Row, Wandsworth, SW18		0 (0.00%)
WD	Wandsworth	25 Jews Row, Wandsworth, SW18	London routes: none at present.	0	WD
RH	Rainham	Denver Industrial Estate, Ferry Lane, Rainham, Essex RM13 9DD	London routes: none at present.	0
Southdown PSV				0 (0.00%)
Southdown PSV Ltd		Unit 3 Silverwood, Snow Hill, Copthorne, West Sussex, RH10 3EN		0 (0.00%)
(SP)	Copthorne	Unit 3 Silverwood, Snow Hill, Copthorne, West Sussex, RH10 3EN	London routes: none at present.	0
Stagecoach London				1066 (13.56%)
East London Bus & Coach Co. Ltd.		Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London, E16 4SA		517 (6.58%)
BK	Barking	205 Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 8UE	62 145 167 169 362 366 396 462 Night routes: 145 238 School/mobility routes: 677	89	BK
BW	Bow	Fairfield Road, Bow, London, E3 2QP	8 205 277 Night routes: N8 N205 N277	79	BW
T	Leyton	High Road, Leyton, London, E10 6AD	55 56 97 179 215 257 275 Night routes: N55	103	T
NS	Romford	North Street, Romford, Essex, RM1 1DS	86 193 247 256 294 296 496 498 499 Night routes: N86 296 365	92	NS
WH	West Ham	Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London, E16 4SA	15 86 97 104 158 238 241 262 323 330 473 474 549 D3 Night routes: 158 474 School/mobility routes: 678	154	WH
East London Bus Ltd.		Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London, E16 4SA		98 (1.25%)
RM	Rainham	Unit 2, Albright Industrial Estate, Ferry Lane, Rainham, Essex, RM13 9BU	165 174 248 252 256 287 365 372	98	RM
South East London & Kent Bus Co. Ltd.		Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London, E16 4SA		451 (5.74%)
TB	Bromley	111 Hastings Road, Bromley, Kent, BR2 8NH	61 146 208 227 261 314 336 354 B14 R5 R7 R10 School/mobility routes: 638 664	96	TB
TL	Catford	180 Bromley Road, Catford, London, SE6 2XA	47 54 75 124 136 178 199 208 273 380 P4 Night routes: 47 N199 School/mobility routes: 621	140	TL
KB	Kangley Bridge Road	Kangley Bridge Road, Lower Sydenham, London, SE26 5BA	181 284 356	32	KB
PD	Plumstead	Pettman Crescent, Plumstead, London, SE28 0BJ	51 53 96 122 161 177 291 422 472 Night routes: 53 472 School/mobility routes: 601 602 672	183	PD
Sullivan Buses				55 (0.70%)
Sullivan Buses Ltd.		First Floor, Deards House, South Mimms Service Area, St Albans Road, Potters Bar, Herts, EN6 3NE		55 (0.70%)
SM	South Mimms	South Mimms Services, Potters Bar, Herts	London network routes: 217 298 299 327 389 399 W9 School/mobility routes: 605 617 626 628 629 653 683 688 692 699 Other routes: 306 398	55	SN
(TP)	Thorpe Park	Thorpe Park, Staines Road, Chertsey, KT16 8PH	London routes: none at present.	0
Transit Systems				304 (3.87%)
Tower Transit		Great Western Road, London, W9 3NW		304 (3.87%)
LI	Lea Interchange	151 Ruckholt Road, Leyton, London, E10 5PB	25 58 69 212 236 308 339 425 444 488 508 D8 RV1 W14 W15 Night routes: 25 69	208	HO
X	Westbourne Park	Great Western Road, London, W9 3NW	13 23 28 328 Night routes: 13 23 N28 N97	96	X
Uno				3 (0.04%)
University Bus Ltd		College Lane, Hatfield, AL10 9AB		3 (0.04%)
(HF)	Hatfield	Gypsy Moth Avenue, Hatfield Business Park, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9BS	London network routes: 383 Other routes: 610 611 614 644	3	UB

The grand total PVR is 7859.

LBSL Codes

Every garage operating services that form part of the LBSL network is given an official LBSL garage code (right hand column). Such codes are given not only to garages running LBSL 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 LBSL, for administrative purposes.

Many operators also give their garages codes, sometimes for similar administrative reasons, or sometimes – particularly where they only have one garage – for "enthusiast reasons". These are not always the same as the LBSL codes, although they often are.

Many of the codes are long-established, going back to LBL (and in many cases LGOC) 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. Fulwell, Alperton, New Cross (NX)), although some have since been renamed (HT, Holloway, was called Highgate).

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), 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 their Dagenham operation, and subsequently relocated to Barking, and now absorbed by Arriva. Similarly, Hounslow Heath code WK originates from Westlink, although parts of the company now use HH to distance themselves from some of Westlink's more dubious practices! FE comes from F. E. Thorpe & sons, sold out to Metroline; in this case TfL have changed the official code to a geographical one, PA. WS comes from Wings of Uxbridge, which subsequently sold its bus operations to Tellings-Golden Miller (which used a code of TM internally), which in turn sold the operations to Travel London. The official code FR for Metrobus's former 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 T-GM in 2003, which then sold it on to Metrobus in 2005! (Thanks to David Stewart of LOTS for that one.)

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).

BT (London Sovereign, Edgware) originally came from Borehamwood Town, depot of the erstwhile BTS, which was subsequently bought out by Sovereign and re-located to Edgware. The code also rather conveniently formed the first two letters of the company name, and was therefore adopted by LT.

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, and indeed three (Edgware, Fulwell and Ash Grove) currently have two codes simultaneously, one for each operator.

Thanks to David Connor for most of the above information.

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