The October 1989 Exodus of Buses from Chelsham Garage

The beginning of a new life "Up North"

Saturday 28th October 1989

9 of the 13 redundant AN buses after the end of the 403 had been lined up in Chelsham Garage bus parking area including 4 AN buses from other garages ready for their long journeys up to the North West of England.

9 of the 13 AN's, L to R, AN335, AN297, AN304, AN361, AN305, AN380, AN365, AN296 and AN295

The Bee Line Buzz Company drove south in their Ribble Leyland Leopard Coach 1059 Registration number UTF739M arrived at Chelsham Garage during the morning of Saturday 28th October to collect their 13 AN's

Ribble Leyland Leopard Coach 1059 UTF 739M has just arrived at Chelsham garage with drivers who will be taking the 13 redundant buses off to their new homes in the North West of England.

All 13 AN's were lined up along the Limpsfield Road, Here is South London Olympian L203 on a 403 is heading past AN297 on the first day that South London red buses ran the complete 403 service.

4 of the 13 AN's and the Ribble coach lined up opposite the Ambulance Station along the Limpsfield Road patiently waiting to head off for the long journey from Chelsham Garage to the North West.

It had clouded over by the time that these three AN's including AN296 proudly displaying her 403 rear route plate as they all headed off from Chelsham Garage to pastures new in the North West.

That's it, this really was the end as 5 AN's plus the Ribble coach head away from Chelsham Garage.

The 13 AN's were driven north via Whyteleafe, the A22 Caterham By-pass and the M25. .Here are four AN's racing down Godstone Hill towards the M25 Junction 6. My thanks to Mark Porter for kindly taking me in his car so we could bid them a final fond farewell and also to get this photo.

This photo shows 3 SNB's L to R, 219, 335 and 332 and 1 AN355 that were getting bored waiting all day for their new owners from Bootle, Merseyside to come to Chelsham Garage to take them away.

It was after dark that evening before The North Western Road Car Company arrived from Bootle Depot with their Dennis Dominator Double Decker registration number F632BKD to collect the 3 SNB's and 1 AN double decker which had been redundant from their work on routes 289 and 403. The AN's on the left were ready and eager to get to work from Chelsham the next day on route 196

The lists below show the London Country Fleet numbers and registrations and Bee Line Buzz Company and North Western Road Car Company Fleet numbers the buses gained when operating with their new owners