After a busy day at work, I took the short trip down to Hounslow garage to check out there new E40D's coded ADE's. Since the last time I visited the garage, some work has been completed within the shed to increase parking captivity space - although I didn't notice this until it was pointed out to me!!! I know we usually do this at the end of the post, but I would like to send a huge thanks out to the member of staff who took the time out of his busy day to take me around the depot this afternoon! Most appreciated!
ADE1, YX12FNG & ADE2, YX12FNH seen in the shed
This garage certainly holds a lot of history. Many people wonder why the layout of the garage is in such a weird shape, however there is a very good reason for this. The town of Hounslow was a very busy place during the coaching days. By the time the Metropolitan and District railway finally made it to West London, the coach and horse era was over. The railway finally made it to West London in 1883. An imposing terminus station once stood on the site of the present bus garage today. The original plan was to continue the railways southbound towards the nearby town of Twickenham however this was later withdrawn and the railways was extended westwards instead. Due to this decision, Hounslow East Station soon replaced the terminus station. Hounslow Town station, as it was know, was in use between1183 - 1886 and 1905 - 1909. This explains the layout of the garage as it is known today.
London General omnibus took over the site of Hounslow Town Station in 1912. The garage, along with many other in the local area, was requisitioned in the first world war. Hounslow became the first garage in 1925 and 1930 to house the first pneumatic tyre buses and the original Dennis dart allocated respectively. The original depot roof was to low and was raised around the mid 1930's. An interesting thing to note is that a survey was conducted by London Transport in 1947 where it discovered Hounslow garage was housing 92 buses when on paper only 72 were meant to fit! This was achieved by parking layover buses in a plot of land situated at the back of the garage, which remains in place today although used as a staff car park!
In the early 1950's Hounslow garage under went a rebuild which saw a new bus station introduced. Another unique feature about Hounslow garage is that is was one of the only garages in London not to operate the DMS double deck. Hounslow's first OPO (One-Person-Operation) buses did not arrived until early 1982 in the form of Metrobuses coded M for routes 111 and 120. In late 2007 the bus station on the garage forecourt was removed and the 8 bus boarding bays removed along with the roof. Nowadays there is only 2 bays on the forecourt for routes 120 and 281, although that doesn't stop people from walking across the forecourt and knocking on the doors asking to get on. People that stop 5 years ago!
Hounslow garage is now home to a very modern fleet. With the ADE's set to replace the old DPS's, VA's and VP's it is set to become the most modern garage across the whole of London United. The garage will soon be formed of five main buses types. E40D's for Routes 81,120 & 222, Scania Omnicites for Routes 27 (Night Element), 111, 120, 696, 697, H32 and N9, Optare Tempo's for Route H37, E20D's for Route H98 and Mercedes O530 Citaro's for Route 203. All in all a very nice mix of modern buses.
Once again a massive shout out has to go to the member of staff who waited around for me to finish work to take me on this garage tour! More photos from the visit can be seen below!
ADE1 Lower Deck
ADE1 Upper Deck
ADE1 Cab View
New touch screen pre service check facility
VP106 and DPS662 on the fuel bays
Brake testing facility
Rear of DPS671
OT7 in the maintenance area
VA294 and SP7 seen in the minor bodywork repair section
VA309 and VA85
VA77 with VA95 in the background blinded for the 203
DPS660 and DPS669 on the pits
SP172 down "the alley" - Four buses can be stored here
DPS657 rear
ADE2 rear
ADE2's nice clean engine - not for long!
SP41 hides in the bus wash
Shed exit view showing the roof
OT15 on the forecourt serving route 203
Hounslow Heath's DPS716 on the forecourt serving route 116
General forecourt view
SP136 on the forecourt serving route H32
DLE8 and DPS592 take a break before completing there next trips
Garage entrance
