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Route 54 Heritage Day
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Ride free on old buses in service on London bus route 54 (Elmers End and Plumstead)!

As part of London Bus Museum's programme to bring the Museum to the streets of London , on Saturday 13th September 2025, between 10am and 5pm we will be running heritage buses dating from the 1950s to 1970s alongside the normal daily service on route 54, between Elmers End, Woolwich and Plumstead.   This is with the kind agreement of Transport for London.

On the same day, our friends at Stagecoach London are expecting to hold an Open Day at their Catford Garage (route 54 stops nearby), with a small entry charge in aid of charity.  

No need to book, just put your hand out at any route 54 bus stop and a heritage bus will stop to pick you up!  Hold very tight please! 

Travel is free although you may get an old-type ticket issued by the conductor! ... Remember conductors? ... Remember tickets?

Gibson machine

Buses used will be mostly the iconic RT-type, which in the 1950s formed the largest standardised bus fleet in the world, plus their successor the famous Routemaster. There will also be a selection of more modern buses of types used on route 54 over the years. 

Please note that all these buses pre-date the low-floor, easy access buses that we take for granted today and there are steps at the entrance and inside. 

Most modern buggies cannot be carried as they are too large to fit under the stairs; nor can wheelchairs be accommodated. However our crews will make every effort to help the less able and those with small children enjoy a ride back in time.  

Well-behaved dogs are welcome but are carried at the conductor's discretion, and must be on a lead and not occupy seats.

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and ...

 

RT4771 at Blackheath © David Bowker

RT4771 at Blackheath © David Bowker

RM1140 at West Croydon © David Bowker

RM1140 at West Croydon © David Bowker

Red Rovers welcome on this service

Red Rovers welcome on this service

As featured by ...

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Catford Garage [TL]

TL garage

Originally opened in 1914 by the London General Omnibus Co., Catford Garage was requisitioned by the army in the First World War and reopened in 1920 under the control of Thomas Tilling Ltd., whose Lewisham operation moved there, hence the garage code TL [Tilling - Lewisham].

The garage was doubled in size in 1923 and had the roof raised in 1930 and 1948 to accommodate double-deck buses of increasing size. The garage was modernised further in 1970.

Thomas Tilling Catford Garage in 1926

Thomas Tilling's Catford Garage in 1926 ~ Underground Group Photo Dept. [London Transport Museum]

Catford Garage

Catford bus garage; 2014  by David Kemp

Today, Stagecoach London run the following routes from Catford Garage :

    • 47 (Shoreditch - Bellingham)
    • 54 (Elmers End - Woolwich)
    • 75 (Croydon - Lewisham Station)
    • 124 (Eltham - Catford)
    • 136 (Grove Park - Elephant & Castle)
    • 160 (Sidcup Station - Catford Bridge)
    • 199 (Bellingham - Canada Water)
    • 273 (Petts Wood - Lewisham)
    • 621 (Lewisham - Crown Woods School)
    • 660 (Bellingham - Crown Woods School)
    • 661 (Petts Wood Station - Chislehurst)
    • N199 (St Mary Cray - Trafalgar Square)
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