Welcome to our vintage bus Running day to commemorate the closure of Chalk Farm bus garage 30 years ago in 1993.
The Vintage buses today are operating as extras on parts of routes 24, 29, 31, 68, 74 and 139.
Travel on the vintage buses is FREE but by buying a programme all proceeds of sale will go the Royal British Legion POPPY APPEAL...
Chalk Farm Garage was opened by the London General Omnibus company in 1916, subsequently becoming part of London Transport in 1933. In 1988 as a result of legislation requiring London bus routes put out to competitive tender Chalk Farm lost its flagship route 24 to the Grey Green Co.
To provide continuity of employment part of route 29 was transferred in.
In 1989 London Northern bus company formed a subsidiary of London Buses and Chalk Farm came under their control. In 1992 Chalk Farm gained new route 139 from West Hampstead to Trafalgar Square - one of the last new routes operated by Routemaster buses.
Following tendering losses by Holloway Garage Chalk Farm closed permanently in 1993 with the land redeveloped as flats.
A brief summary of some of the highlights ...
24: RTW 1960-1965 then in 1965 30 XA experimental Atlanteans going to RML in 1966/67. 1975 to DM then swapping RMLs from route 18 in 1979. OPO conversion in 1986 saw Titans then Metrobuses before lost to Grey Green in 1988.
29: An STL allocation in 1930s and from 1988 allocation of M and T.
31: RTL then RTW finally RM, from 1987 T and M Opo Sundays only until 1989 minibus conversion as GoldArrow.
68: 1966 RTL to RT then RM converted to Opo in 1986 with cutback to Euston with new route 168.
74: 1965 converted to RM, then 1987 to Opo with new route 274 in 1991 north of Baker Street.
139: One of the last new RM routes introduced to replace north end of 159 on 14/3/92 with 16 buses.
Links:
www.londonbuses.co.uk/
busmap.org
shorturl.at/eotvR
Filmed on: 05/11/2023
Filmed using:
- Canon EOS 250D
- iPhone Xs