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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 HK, 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 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 (2005-2024)

East London (from 2022) AE 1981 AF Putney London General AF 1888 (horse-drawn omnibus) 1912 (motorbus) AH Brentford Armchair (1999-2006)

Metroline (from 2006) AH 1999 AL Merton London General AL 1913 AR Tottenham Arriva London AR 1913 AV Hounslow London United AV 1913 AW Walthamstow Avenue East London AW 2016

B Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference BC Beddington Transport UK London Bus BC 1999 BK Barking East London BK 1924 BN Brixton Arriva London BN1892 (cable trams) 1906 (trams) 1951 (buses) BT Edgware London Sovereign BT1925 BW Bow Selkent BW1908 (trams) 1939 (trolley buses) 1959 (buses) BX Bexleyheath London Central BX1935

C Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference C Croydon London General C 2005 CP Parr Road London Sovereign BT 2018 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) DS Henley Road Blue Triangle DS 2021 DX Barking Grey-Green (1991-98) Arriva London (from 1998) DX 1991

E Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference E Enfield Arriva London E1927 EC Edmonton Arriva London EC1997 EW Edgware Metroline EW1925

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

1931 (trolleybus)

1962 (bus)

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 1993GMGoat RoadLondon GeneralGM2023GWArmstrong WayTransport UK London BusGW2019 GY Grays Arriva London 1935 (original) 1993 1993 (original)

H Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference HD Harrow Weald Metroline HD1930 HK Ash Grove East London HK1981 HT Holloway Metroline HT1907 (trams) 1938 (trolleybuses) 1961 (buses) HZ Hayes Metroline HZ20052017

K Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference KC King's Cross Metroline KC2010 2024 (reopened)2023

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

M Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference MB Orpington London General MBMGMorden WharfLondon CentralMG2017

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 NS1953 NX New Cross London Central NX1906 (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 PD Plumstead Selkent PD 1981 PT Purfleet EnsignBus PL Waterside Way London General PL 2003 2023 PM Peckham London Central PM 1905 PV Perivale Metroline PV

Q Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference Q Camberwell London Central1919 QB Battersea Transport UK London Bus1990s

R Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference RA Waterloo London General RA 1951 RM Rainham Thameside RM2007 RP Park Royal London United RP2007 RR River Road Blue Triangle RR 2016

S Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference S Shepherd's Bush London United S1906 SD Stratford East London SD 1992 2008 SF Stamford Hill Arriva London SF 2024 SI Silvertown Docklands Buses SI SM South Mimms Sullivan Buses SN 1998 2024 SO Harrow London Sovereign SO 1994 SW Stockwell London General SW 1952

T Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference T Leyton East London T1912 TB Bromley Selkent TB 1924 TC Croydon Arriva London TC 1916 TF Twickenham Transport UK London Bus TF1904 (tram)

1931 (trolleybus)

1962 (bus) TH Thornton Heath Arriva London TH1879 (horse tramway) 1901 (tram) 1951 (bus) TK Tramlink Tramlink TK2000 TL Catford Arriva London

First Bus London (from 2027)

London Central

Metrobus

Stagecoach London TL1914 TP Thorpe Park Sullivan Buses TP 2002 TV Tolworth London United TV1990s

U Code Garage Operator London Buses Code Opened Closed Picture Reference UX UxbridgeMetroline 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 CW Cricklewood Metroline W WDWandsworth The Original Tour WD1902 (tram) 1937 (trolleybus) 1950 (bus) WH West Ham East London WH 2009 WJ Willesden Junction Metroline WJ WK Hounslow Heath London United WK WL Walworth Transport UK London Bus WL1905 (tram) 1951 (bus) WN Wood Green Arriva London WN1900s (tram) 1930s (trolleybus) 1960 (bus) WS Hayes Abellio London WS2021

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

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 CY Crawley Metrobus MY GY Grays Arriva London 1935 (original) 1993 1993 (original) HF 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)

See also List of London bus and coach stations

References

External links Transport for London London Bus Garages LT Bus Garage Codes IAN'S BUS STOP