After a short break, we are back looking at a couple of transport anniversaries in the area. Many locals will remember Chelsham Bus Garage, on the corner of Chelsham Road and Limpsfield Road in Warlingham, which first opened its doors on Tuesday, 20 January 1925.
Demand for rural motor bus services grew rapidly in the early years of the 20th Century, replacing earlier stagecoach and horse bus services, and as a result the East Surrey Traction Company was formed in 1911 to serve the area. Demand for bus transport grew even faster following the First World War, prompting the East Surrey Traction Company to introduce many new routes and open the bus garage in Chelsham.
On opening, the garage supported only two routes: the 403 running from West Croydon to Warlingham Hospital, and on to Tatsfield, Westerham and Sevenoaks, and the 404 running from West Croydon all the way down to East Grinstead. Initially the garage could accommodate only eight open deck buses, but increasing passenger numbers prompted the company to enlarge the garage in March 1931, raising the roof and extending the length to accommodate up to 24 buses.
The company also opened another bus garage in Godstone in 1929, an almost identical ‘twin’ of Chelsham. Following a reorganisation of transport services, the routes and garage were taken over by General Country Services, and all the buses were painted ‘London Country Green’. By 1939, buses from Chelsham were also running to Tonbridge, Oxted, Caterham, Dorking, and through London all the way to Aylsbury. A small community grew up in and around the garage, with a staff canteen and a cafe offering refreshments to staff and travellers, and the garage also had a very active sports and social club.
However, by the 1970s bus passenger numbers declined as car ownership grew, and Chelsham’s routes began to be cut. Under bus deregulation, in 1985 London Country buses were split up into separate companies, and sold off in 1988. The new owners wasted no time in reorganising and rationalising services and on Friday, 29 June 1990 Chelsham Bus Garage closed for the final time, with bus routes served by the company’s other garages. Planning permission was sought for a new supermarket soon afterwards, and following the eviction of squatters, demolition of the garage began on 20 August 1990. The new Warlingham Sainsburys supermarket opened its doors for the first time on Tuesday, 13 September 1994. Chelsham’s sister garage at Godstone also closed in 1990, and was demolished in 1992 for housing.
2025 also marks the 125th anniversary of the opening of the ‘new’ Caterham station, replacing the original gothic-style building that had been in place since the railway first opened in 1856.
Caterham’s ‘new’ station opened in January 1900, and is still there, having seen many changes in its long life: steam trains being replaced by electric, the old coal yard being replaced by the Waitrose supermarket, and Caterham Cars and the old Stationmaster’s house being replaced by retirement apartments.
The history of the bus garages and Caterham Station feature in two new displays in the museum, so pop in and have a look! You can find out more about East Surrey Museum on our website.
Read more about the district’s history in previous Tandridge Past columns.
