Year of the Bus focuses on Stockwell, a bus cathedral

摘要

There can be no better choice for an open day than Go-Ahead London General's Stockwell garage with its fine cathedral-like roof rising high above the buses. Its concrete vaulted roof has a span of 194ft (59m) and nine bays of arches each with a span of 42ft (12.8m) to give a completely uninterrupted floor space sufficient to accommodate 200 buses, though it is only in the past few years that the garage has been completely filled. Current allocation is 193 buses and it employs over 770 staff. The garage cost £450,000 and was a key component of London Transport's tram replacement plan, but substantial delays in starting its construction meant that on finally opening in April 1952 it initially housed only 12 buses, with 16 added a few days later.