Buses at Chelsham

Chelsham Bus Garage was built on land situated on the corner of Limpsfield Road and Chelsham Road where the J Sainsbury Warlingham Store now stands. The Garage was opened on 20th January 1925 by The East Surrey Traction Company and served the public in the Chelsham and Warlingham area by operating local buses until 27th October 1989. One local route, the 403 had been worked from Chelsham Garage for the whole period. Chelsham Garage had a reprieve, the following day began operating the London Transport Contract Route 196, which ran in The London Area from Norwood Junction to Brixton, with peak hour trips extended to Islington, this ran for six months and Chelsham supplied buses and crews for the last time on Friday 27th April 1990. Chelsham Garage continued for a further two months in an engineering capacity until the doors finally closed on Friday 29th June 1990.

After the last bus had gone

On 27th March 1990, an application by C.A.Lennon on behalf of Speyhawk Land and Estates for erection of a Supermarket together with access road, car parking and ancillary works, also a Three storey block of 18x2 Bedroom Flats and 3x1 Bedroom flats with garages and car parking with access from Chelsham Road, on the former Bus Company Premises.

Yellow Planning Notices were posted to one of the sliding front doors of Chelsham Garage.

During the next few months, various amounts of builders and household rubbish began to be dumped in the parking area and on the forecourt of the old bus garage.

On 30th July 1990, persons along with two caravans and a lorry gained access and occupied the rear of the bus garage, and hundreds of old tyres were dumped inside the garage and around the out buildings.

Several copies of the summons dated 1st August 1990, for repossesion of the land were posted on and around the garage, the unauthorised occupiers moved on within a week.

Buses at Chelsham

(Please click on the thumbnail pictures below for a larger photograph)

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