The Incredible Stockwell Bus Garage

Go-Ahead London invited me down to take an inside look around Stockwell Bus Garage - this incredible architectural building from the 1950's from which seventeen South London bus routes operate.
Follow TubeMapper Luke on Instagram : / tubemapper
Great article on the Beauty of Transport website for further reading : thebeautyoftransport.com/2014...
My thanks to Go-Ahead and everyone that we met on the day.

[@Jsjsjjssjs]

Yellow being on time, green being too late, and red being too early is INSANE, who designed that??

[@JBLewis]

I was pondering that too.

[@Michael75579]

Agreed - I'd have used green for on time, yellow for late and red for early, on the basis that a bus running early is a bigger problem than it running late; you can get to the stop on time and find you've missed your bus.

[@gregoryclark8217]

I think it may be like this; green - the bus needs to GO to catch up, red - the bus needs to STOP to hang back. In my work, designing railway signalling, we have a similar colour system with wiring and components being removed drawn in green, because they are going, and new wiring and components being drawn in red, because they are staying/not moving.

[@surreygoldprospector576]

I agree, but I guess green means the bus should GO faster, and red means it should STOP for a while to correct the service.

[@biscuit715]

@@gregoryclark8217 Yeah I thought so too. Red is stop, wait, green is go and hurry up, yellow is in the middle

[@Vanmanyo]

Geoff may be doing more bus videos but I'm all here for it!

[@Itsjustesh]

Same ngl

[@raphaelnikolaus0486]

I'm sure we can all learn more love for the buses, learn to appreciate buses - and busrides - more. At least I am.

[@crvrin]

Buses are what majority of people take and are objectively better.

[@howardrisby9621]

Buses are as crucial to London as the tube, the overground or the mainline railways .... I just wish the trams still were!!

[@greebowarrior]

you wait ages for one... 😝

[@chadoakley8505]

On one of my trips to London, my AirBnB was a couple blocks away from the Bus Garage, as I was walking to Stockwell Tube Station the first time, I passed by and stopped and looked at awe at all the buses and the magnificent Concrete Roof. (retired Civil Engineer here) After a brief moment of wonder, I was shocked back to reality by a very close and loud bus horn and the realization I had chosen a bad spot to stop and gawk.

[@dominicskelton3031]

That is a gorgeous space - I've never seen a bus garage look so light and airy.

[@onlineo2263]

snap. love that roof.

[@ArthurTK26]

Loving the bus content, they’re so under-appreciated, our buses and drivers. Great video, and I’m only a minute in

[@geofftech2]

Agreed! Need to show the buses some more love 😊

[@RichardWatt]

​@@geofftech2I'm loving Coventry's electric buses 😊

[@radiosnail]

It might sound like hyperbole, but it is a sort of" bus cathedral." Well worth it for the view of that magnificent roof. Were that a railway station we'd have all heard of it.

[@questioned54]

I don't think that's hyperbole at all

[@robWolvesfan1]

I remember my year group in primary school having a trip here. As a bus-mad child the London General (as it was then) staff gave me a tie, maps and two sets of destination blind rolls. Greatest treat ever

[@Richardincancale]

It’s truly a cathedral for buses!

[@matthewjburt6482]

Shame I missed you walking around my home garage. My training bus is the broken-down one that was in several shots. It is a stunning garage and I love to start my working day admiring its immense openness. Never gets boring.

[@stephenswift9868]

You don’t have to be into buses to like this his building. Magnificent is the word! Thanks for the guided tour!

[@DoubleDeckerAnton]

Thankyou Geoff, for documenting London's various forms of transport.

[@GojiMet86]

6:14 In New York, those rotation sheets are called Run Sheets, and each run (rotation) corresponds to a driver. Interlining is common here, even on busier routes, so a driver may do two trips (for one roundtrip) on one route, then switch to another. Interesting seeing headway management in action; a passenger might get the impression that nothing is being done to fix gaps, but someone actually is paying attention to them.

[@lzh4950]

On the other hand interlining is uncommon in HK & Singapore. When Go-Ahead started running public buses in the latter & brought interlining along with it, it sparked a mass resignation a few months later & another bus operator (SBS Transit, owned by ComfortDelgro, which also runs MetroLine in London) had to temporarily lend some drivers to cover the shortfall in manpower

[@dereksbryan]

I have always admired this building (I even delivered parts there a couple of times for Volvo Bus & Truck). What I wonder now is why, as this is undoubtably the best layout for such an operation, more were not constructed in this manner. Thornton Heath and South Croydon garages were built around the same time, following Blitz damage during WW2, and yet they remain box and pillar types.

[@stevieinselby]

4:40 I think you'll find, as the video clearly shows, the easiest way to get under a bus is _to be a pigeon_ 🐦

[@marengtech313]

And a quick homage to Lukes puddle shots, very slick.

[@iansmithtravels]

Great to see Luke in another video Geoff! Always a welcome collab 👍🏼

[@Professor_sckinnctn]

So that's why Luke's Instagram had some great photos of buses!

[@mattvjmeasures]

"I'll 'ave you Butler!". Fascinating video on the buses. Thanks 👍

[@PopeLando]

Haven't watched yet, just wanted to say that Stockwell Garage has been one of my favourite pieces of architecture for years! It's 72 years old!

[@teapot2186]

Hats off to everyone keeping our busses running!

[@andylawsonHeisenberg]

Not anywhere close to that scale but watching this takes me back to travelling with my dad when he drove for Eastern Counties in King’s Lynn. I used to spend a lot of time in the depot/garage many, many years ago. 😊

[@telhudson863]

That early shot (0.21) of Regent IIIs and Routemasters. Magnificent!

[@paulikxp]

I had the great pleasure to be part of the Route 11 running day in November 2014, which started at and in the Stockwell bus garage. I was driving Green Line RT3238. We had a superb line-up of RTs, just like in the olden days. What a magnificent day that was! Thanks for another great video!

[@sbv-zs7wz]

What a great time capsule video, especially seeing the Boris busses being retired :)

[@137Rita]

Amazing building and always great to see Tubemapper!

[@_Ben4810]

It's sister building is the Bowmaker (now Finning) Caterpillar construction equipment workshops at Cannock.

[@daff.wallace2267]

Thanks for showing us this amazing building, oh and the buses as well. Always great to catch your videos Geoff from a Aussie.

[@arilebon]

You both have a on-air good chemistry.

[@daveco4645]

Love utility 50s architecture.. Nice one Geoff

[@michaelessig6376]

Thanks Geoff for making the everyday extraordinary. I appreciate your highlights of some of the 600 people that work there. One of your best videos. Thanks.

[@darrellleverkuhn2204]

Wow! What a great building!! Wish I could go in and see it. Thanks for sharing with you. Plus I love when you and Luke join forces.

[@simonmcowan6874]

Many years ago I was a bus conductor in North Kent, I remember distinctly the smell of the bus garage, it's unique.

[@ashfuller3480]

It's always good to see BusMapper Luke in a video

[@padesignconsultancy505]

I once visited the Battersea Bus Garage...I fell asleep on the last C3 bus of the night, didn't wake up at the terminal of Clapham Junction, and ended up at the Battersea Bus Garage. I only awoke because the driver was attempting a three-point turn. I was on the top and deck and when I realized where I was, I ran down and locked eyes with the driver. At that point, I understood I had 5 seconds to get out...Once outside and seeing where I was, I got on the night bus and got home.Turned out I was closer to home from the bus garage that I was from Clapham Junction!

[@AchyutChaudhary]

*Love the Bus series Geoff (& Luke)…keep it up!!* 👍

[@AJSAN1971]

I used to work there in the early 90s as a controller. Happy days.

[@EngineerLewis]

My grandma lived in Stockwell and I remember walking past this garage in the 1970s - thanks for an interesting inside video of it! 🙏🚌

[@MRTransportVideos]

I remember going to an Open Day there back in early 1980's - as a teenager, I was absolutely blown away by it, especially when they pointed out the garage was, when it opened, the largest Unsupported Roofed (no internal pillars) Building in the WORLD.

[@ktwoa]

The two of you together was really nice!

[@DoubleDeckerAnton]

Great to see Stockwell garage in all its glory. Camberwell would be a good part two, to your London bus garage series, as it is ginormous and well over a 100 years old.

[@finnlewis1924]

Saw you the other day Geoff in Brighton outside the restaurant- what a gent, always great to meet someone same on and off camera. What a legend

[@mpersad]

It’s so fascinating to see how professional and dedicated all the staff are to delivering a good service to their passengers. Very impressive, really great video of something we take for granted.

[@tonys1636]

Stockwell looked best with RT's and RM's in it. That 77 road ran from Raynes Park to Euston/Kings Cross via Wimbledon and Clapham Junction when I was at Merton (AL). We shared the 77a with SW which ran from Tooting Broadway to Euston via Clapham Junction. There was a 77b from Tooting Broadway to Wallington via Carshalton. Peak hours the 77b was extended to Clapham Junction. 2 and 3 minute headways were common then, after catching two sets of lights at red there would be 3 buses in a line, didn't take long for 6 or 7, the point inspector going nuts working out which ones to turn short of destination.

[@darganx]

70 years old and still looks so modern! The architechture around the time of the Festival of Britain is really inspiring.

[@TonyTheYouTuba]

Great stuff, what an amazing building and I love to geek out and see how these things are managed on a technical level. Great to see Luke taking this superb opportunity to get some unique pics and thanks for the Go-Ahead folks for making it possible!

[@Michael75579]

Annandale Street bus depot in Edinburgh has a bus wash, and on Doors Open Day they have a bus driving loops around the depot taking people through it. They also have examples of the various models of bus that have been used in Edinburgh over the years which you can have a wander round, sit in the driver's seat etc.

[@77jazzbass]

Stockwell garage, is where i started with London Transport Advertising back in 1990

[@BrianMurfitt]

Thanks Geoff, that was a real indepth video about Stockwell Bus Garage. I've been past the building, but always wondered what it looked like inside? Well, thanks to you now I know. 🎥🚌🤗

[@HJJSL-bl8kk]

It's my favourite local building. A close friend lived nearby and we always sneaked a look inside, back when it was all Routemasters.

[@eight-two]

My first place of work when I passed my PCV test in 2001 where I ended up in the 345 roster.

[@stashedawayman1521]

Thanks Geoff. I went specifically to look at the bus garage last autumn and was stunned by the interior working space. It is a majorly important building for London in terms of function and architecture. I'm not really into buses, however I was born in Stockwell in 1950 but for the last seventy years have lived in Hertfordshire. The only similar building I can recall is the now demolished (2001) Brynmawr Rubber Factory in South Wales. The Stockwell garage was built using concrete due to the shortage and cost of steel in the post war period. There must be scope for more London bus garage videos but you've done the largest.

[@johnhoward2402]

Brilliant Geoff. I remember going there in the early 1960s to see RTL 3 ( with the reverse body for right hand loading.)

[@Nooticus]

Truly phenomenal video. What an incredible building and the interviews with the people keeping the great performance of our buses were very insightful

[@kieranstravels]

Stockwell is truly a beautiful depot - Thanks for the tour Geoff!

[@DavidTwiss-kv7nx]

Thanks Geoff, brought back memories when bus spotting with my Red Rover in the 60s

[@TheGreatPOD]

Talking about headways, I live in the San Francisco Bay area and was riding BART with a couple of friends on our way to work and I was talking about headways on the BART system and one of my friends was unfamiliar with the term and asked me "what's a headway" I being the person I am, responded "about 10 pounds "the young lady sitting next to us near about, spit up her coffee through her nose. What can I say when you're on your way to work sometimes you just have to crack a joke when the perfect set up line is given to you. Great video as always, keep up the good work. I look forward to your next entry.

[@apuldram]

Btw. A headway on railways is the theoretical signal distance between trains. That said I’m not sure of your joke… despite 20 years in the Bay Area 🤔 Perhaps if you did it in kilograms?

[@Kevin_Hones]

Wow - that roof is stunning! Thank you Geoff - this is a special one. And a wave to Luke - top photos, top hats, top bloke 😀

[@hellofinepeople]

I’m genuinely gobsmacked at the beauty of the garage’s interior

[@southcalder]

London has an impressive amount of enclosed bus garages. When I was a bus driver in Bristol, most buses lived outdoors. Pain in the butt on frosty mornings because a diesel bus takes an age to defrost and you only had a 15 minutes between your book on time and depart time, and in that time you also had to book on with the duty manager, collect the vehicle turn card (which stays with the bus all day), do your vehicle pre start checks and stop at the gatehouse to be loaded with Metro newspapers. Storing buses indoors means they are good to go pretty much straight away.

[@alanmartin9207]

That open top bus gave us a hire view.

[@Anonymoususer_2023]

I have to say that the bus garage at Stockwell in South London is very unique and large enough to accommodate double decker buses coming in and out of the depot. Lovely design that the bus depot was built.

[@GeorgeChoy]

Morning Geoff, please do more bus related videos. Thanks

[@NoelplayzSCR]

Wow Geoff. You entertain me every day with your trains video like secrets of the central line :D

[@Alan_UK]

Brilliant video. I love art deco and it doesn't get any better than this building. Thank you Geoff & Luke.

[@MrCherryJuice]

Fabulous! In addition to that great building, those wonderful buses and the entertaining and informative delivery of facts and fun, this is also a reminder of what a cosmoplitan city London is. I look forward to being there again this summer. Between Geoff, Jago and such London vloggers as Hannah Ricketts, John Rogers and others revealing the streets, sites and sights I have a new and much greater appreciation of the minutiae of this tremendous city.

[@PeterGaunt]

Excellent Geoff and Luke.

[@rogercruickshank2655]

What a very cool building, just stunning looking, another great video Geoff 👍🇳🇿

[@petermarcham8729]

This visit brought back happy memories for me Geoff and Eugene. I travelled to Stockwell using my Red Rover ticket in the 60s. Thanks again for a great video and explanations.

[@Paco_Gaepedores]

Lovely video woohoo ❤ Goodnight from London, England 🇬🇧 ❤️

[@simontaylor2319]

Adie, Button and Partners designed this building with Thomas Bilbow, who was architect to the London Transport Executive, and the structural engineer from the firm of Alfred Edward Beer. Opened in April 1952, it was, at the time of construction, Europe's largest unsupported roof span. Constructed in reinforced concrete due to a shortage of steel at the time

[@HenrysAdventures]

What a fantastic building, interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes and good to see Luke to!

[@NewCityMedia]

Great video Geoff. It takes me back. I visited it back in the 60's (yes, 60's!) when my cousin drove Routemasters out of there.

[@wrightwells]

Fantastic that such architecture is listed.

[@dancedecker]

Thanks Geoff. An absolutely excellent video as usual. I went to an open day a year or two ago at Stockwell and to see it full of Routemasters, RTs, the unique V3 Volvo Ailsa and even a DMS, was truly exceptional. It was built like that, just after the war whilst there was still quite a shortage of metals, especially steel, so obviously the less steel that was needed, the better. A side issue was the incredible open plan feel of the place, which does make one wonder why it wasn't repeated more. It's held up by pressure, using the '3 library books' principle. The middle book stays put by default, if you apply sufficient pressure to the 2 outer ones. It also means that it might be impossible to ever knock it down. Not that anyone with even half a brain should ever want to. It's magnificent!!

[@VarissNI]

Geoff! Will you be visiting Belfast in October for the opening of the new Belfast Grand Central Station, whilst it may not be a national rail station, could still be worth a ticking off 😉 the building is spectacular!

[@greathairyfool]

What an amazing space

[@robertofraser101]

Geoff the bus train legend video brought together brilliantly as always enjoyed thanks

[@michellebell5092]

London Transport, TfL , definitely has the most spectacular architecture and design.

[@tubemapper]

Maybe I should rename myself the Bus Mapper 😅

[@geofftech2]

👋

[@evanw2164]

Beautiful. Thanks Geoff, as always!

[@francisnewmarch6837]

Another cracking insight. I've passed many times and wanted to be Nosey but you've do it for me! Cheers and regards from Barnes

[@jamesgilbart2672]

Great video. Incredible that a mundane bus garage should have such soaring architecture and that so much activity goes on behind the scenes.

[@callumjobber7256]

Nice video geoff i loved your secrets of the underground vids

[@Hanzilla75]

Fantastic video Geoff, I have always wanted to eperience that building. Thanks so much for the tour. I hope I get to experience it myself one day.

[@wanderingoff13]

Wow, what a beautiful building!!

[@smogmonster1876]

Arriva North East could learn a thing or ten here. Fantastic Video Geoff. Safe travels.

[@tramcrazy]

Wow, that looks absolutely incredible. I imagine it was cool to photograph for Luke with the contrast between the amazing concrete architecture and the bright red buses.

[@chidinduegeneonu5285]

Very good , As a Bus content and very hardworking i love it

[@01cthompson]

I had aunts and an uncle that worked for a bus service in Scotland many years ago. One of the aunts was a bus cleaner and said while she was cleaning they would be driving the buses around the terminal for servicing, repairs, washing,etc. You had to watch your step when you got off because you didn't know where you'd be.

[@FouiAnimations]

I'm in love with the thumbnail! How did you manage to get that great shot ? ^^

[@geofftech2]

it's a .. reflective puddle shot. put the camera right on the ground - you see Luke do it towards the end of the vid!

[@FouiAnimations]

@@geofftech2 okay !! :D

[@waleedarif6740]

Geoff, I'm 34 but if you can agree with me, all transport vehicles from the 20th century, whether it is buses, cars or trains, will always be the best to look at when it comes to vehicle spotting.

[@t.p.mckenna]

Was escort on a great National Trust architecture tour on a Routemaster a few years back. Stockwell Garage was on the itinerary and although it was not planned, our driver worked his charm with someone and we were allowed to drive into the station and do a couple of revolutions of it. Swell!

[@DEEDUBZ]

It's an amazing location. I've passed there so much that it's become a normal ting for me. I almost forget just how great that place is, because it seems normal to me. A Secondary School Friend lived right opposite the Station growing up. He got obsessed with Buses and eventually became a Bus Driver.

[@MrGreatplum]

Wow, what a building. Thanks for showing us around :)

[@markjlewis]

What a magnificent building, many thanks for sharing.

[@robertblack906]

Loved the facts about the headway meaning. Great views, thanks

[@nmart1n]

Watching this with my son now. I would love to visit with him. I need to find out if they do open days.

[@marthaanderson2656]

OH the Driver Sign Off sign is a delight. Could use a little touch up clean to keep it healthy. Lukes reflected roundel photo (at the end) will be great

[@Mpower-hz4gk]

Thank you for taking me to all these places I may never get a chance to see for myself !

[@travelswithjess]

What a beautiful bus garage! Thanks for the video Geoff 😀