Bus garage celebrates 100 years of dedicated service

There was cause for celebration on Wednesday (11 March) as staffat Arriva London’s Norwood garage commemorated 100 yearsserving the community from the Ernest Avenue site.

To mark the occasion staff planted a centenary garden at thefront of the garage and are also displaying a pictorial history ofthe site in the garage foyer.

To give locals a trip down memory lane, two Routemaster busesfrom the Arriva Heritage Fleet made special journeys betweenNorwood and Brixton.

No birthday could pass without a cake so staff held a cakebaking competition. Following the judging the cakes were cut andsold in the staff canteen with the proceeds going to localcharities, Demelza House Children’s Hospice and StChristopher’s Hospice in Sydenham.

Arriva’s operating manager, Ken Robinson said: “Wecouldn’t let the date pass without marking the occasionsomehow. Our garage is a focal point in the area and staff past andpresent have enjoyed the celebrations.”

Mike Weston, operations director for London Buses, part ofTransport for London, said: “Norwood bus garage has been anintegral part of the local community for a century, providing vitaltransport links to locations throughout south and central London,as well as employment for generations of local people. As such, thecentenary of the garage marks an important milestone in the historyof the local area.”

The site of the current Norwood garage, which is situated at thecorner of Ernest Avenue and Knights Hill in Norwood, was firstopened in 1909 by the London General Omnibus Company and marked thestart of the heyday of buses.

In 1981 the garage underwent complete reconstruction, with thebuses and employees being transferred to the reopened Claphamgarage until 1984 when the current building opened.