Turnham Green Garage closed in Spring 1980 when the nearby and much rebuilt Stamford Brook Garage opened.

For several weeks after closure, Turnham Green remained empty but then became the Rolling Stock inspection facility given the proximity to Chiswick Works where RSI was based. At first it housed a variety of vehicles in `non-service` condition - some were withdrawn, some cannibalised and others temporarily surplus to operational needs awaiting transfer elsewhere. This picture taken on July 28 1980 shows a fairly typical scene with many different types present. The LT museum RT 4712 can be seen and it`s just about possible to make out a BL between the airport Routemaster and the Metrobus.




Turnham Green became instrumental in the RM withdrawal process from August 1982 as each bus capable of running under it`s own power passed through here for inspection prior to transfer to the Sales Department. Non-runners were inspected at their home garage to subsequently be towed from there. Generally an RM would be driven from its last operating garage to Turnham Green as an overtime job for one of the garage staff who would then travel home by bus/tube. The RM would stay at Turnham Green for a few days to be inspected and then transferred by the RSI team to the old AEC site. There were about twelve Rolling Stock Inspectors and often they would wait until several of them could be together to transfer a batch of buses to AEC with one of their colleagues following by car to take them back to Chiswick.

Hi Neil

Just seen your picture of Turnham Green and details of the sales buses which reminded me of my role at Stamford Brook. Although I was taken out of the electricians garage quota and put into the Accident Centre I was officially a part of the Lionel Moss led FFD team (just a paperwork exercise to keep the cost of an electrician off the accident centre books apparently). I therefore had to sort any sales bus electrical problems and the double dip headlight mod. as they came in for MOT prior to sale. That included occasional trips to the AEC sales department on top of those looking for spares from scrap buses. (I was often there as well when based at Hanwell as we could find spares when our store was out of stock). As a result I was also included in the team that moved bus sales to Fulwell and wonder if you were there (Easter weekend 1988) with your camera? The only photograph I have ever seen was in Bus and Coach preservation a few years ago in an article about an RM that someone had followed throughout its life until damaged by fire in later use. Cannot remember the bus no. but the company that then owned it was one of the heritage type bus companies near or in London. With the amount of photographers there that day I am surprised the internet isn’t full of these pictures.

My bus number (if any): M1001, RML2276, T806

I had RM1183 which was burnt out in about 2001, that was the green one, ex London & country, leatherhead. Also RM1571 which suffered some fire damage during the same blaze, but that was repaired. That one was later de-roofed at Southend Lane Catford, was later sold on, now believed to be in Argentina.

It had a Leyland engine when I got it from Timebus, but we converted it to AEC for standardisation.

My bus number (if any): RML2532,GS67,MLL721,MLL738 and an RT.

David

I`d gone from LT by the time that the Sales Department moved from AEC and so don`t have any pictures of the move to Fulwell.


Roy

RM 1571 is in southern Brazil and I found it whilst on holiday there in January 2013 and (inevitably!) posted a picture and text about it on the forum when I got back!

I'd heard it was somewhere in that part of the world!

My bus number (if any): RML2532,GS67,MLL721,MLL738 and an RT.

I remember attending a couple of well organized country pub tours in the mid eighties on Leyland engined RM1571 when it first entered preservation back from Stagecoach in Scotland. We visited Rayments of Furnaux Pelham pubs just before Greene King closed the brewery. RM1571 was loaned to Southend Transport to test the feasibility of Routemaster operation - the rest as they say is history !

My bus number (if any): RML 2747

I thought Turnham Green garage was where the repaints into country bus livery were done.

My bus number (if any): RMs 238, 471 & 2213. GS17

Very good, Chris!
And, yes, that was put into practise by quite a few conductors on the 27`s.

Passenger: Are you going to Turnham Green?
Conductor: No, madam, we`re keeping them red to save confusing people.

More often than not it went right over heads........

Along with:

Passenger: How long will the next bus be?
Conductor: Same length as this one........


And then there was the curse of intermediate blinds showing places not covered on short workings.

Passenger: Are you going to Charing Cross?
Conductor: No, Green Park only
Passenger: It says Charing Cross on the front.
Conductor: It says Typhoo Tea on the side but we don`t sell it........


And I could go on - but I won`t!!!!

As yes, the old bus jokes. I remember my days on the 13 and having been truncated at Aldwych most side and rear blinds still had Fleet Street and Cannon Street on them and as you were calling out 'all change' some joker would get on and you would say 'we're finished here' and he would say 'it say's Fleet Street on the side' and you would give the retort 'It say's Persil on the side but we don't take in washing'. Happy days. There was also 'It say's India rubber on the tyres but we don't go to Bombay'.

My bus number (if any): RM 912

Reminds me of Ernie Page, the driver of the first DMS in service. I asked him if the bus would do 70 as it said so on the speedo. "It says Wonderloaf on the back but I don't sell it".

My bus number (if any): RML2532,GS67,MLL721,MLL738 and an RT.