Vintage buses to run around Wembley

Another of London’s bus garages is set to let the general public inside for a look around next Saturday, and offer trips around the area in vintage buses.

This time it is the turn of the Alperton bus garage, which is near Wembley [map link].

Alperton Bus Garage was opened on 7 June 1939 next door to the London Underground station of the same name on the Piccadilly Line and was built to serve the expanding suburbs of north west London. Due to lack of facilities elsewhere, body overhauls were undertaken at the garage during the Second World War. Indeed, the garage itself suffered some bomb damage during this period.

The garage was extended in the second half of the 1970s but still looks very similar to the original building constructed 75 years ago.

Entry costs £2 (goes to charity) and the bus garage is open from 10:30am to 4pm.

Agenda:

• Take a free non-stop ride on vintage and other interesting buses from the garage, via either Harrow-on-the-Hill or to view Metroline’s Central Engineering and Logistics Facility at West Perivale. There will be regular departures from 10:45 until 15:30;
• View old preserved vehicles;
• See behind the scenes in the maintenance area;
• Get up close and personal with objects from the London Transport Museum collection and find out more about the stories behind them with the Tickets Please! handling collection;
• Browse the London Transport Museum pop-up shop selling exclusive Year of the Bus gifts, and stalls selling centenary merchandise and bus-related memorabilia.

The bus garage open days are part of TfL’s celebrations to mark the Year of the Bus, in partnership with London Transport Museum and the capital’s bus operators.

Other London bus garages opening their doors on Saturdays this summer are Stockwell Bus Garage (21 June), Fulwell Bus Garage (28 June), Potters Bar Bus Garage (5 July) and Walworth Bus Garage (19 July).

There will also be an open day at Dartford Bus Garage on Sunday 7 September.