A successful celebration of 125 years of Lewes Road Bus Depot

On Saturday, the gates to Lewes Road Bus Depot were opened to all, in celebration of 125 years of public transport from the much-loved site that has helped keep our city moving.

From trams, to trolleybuses, to today, Lewes Road Bus Depot is a location steeped in transport heritage, and was originally home to Brighton tramways before becoming a bus depot.

The sun was shining as attendees arrived and heard opening speeches from Managing Director of Brighton & Hove Buses, Matt Ashton, and the Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Cllr Theresa Fowler, who cut the teal ribbon marking the day officially open!

The event was also attended by former Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex, Sir Peter Field, and Cllr Trevor Muten, Cabinet Member for Transport and City Infrastructure.

Thousands of visitors from the local community and beyond travelled to the open day to explore Lewes Road Bus Depot, and enjoyed an array of classic buses on display and even got to ride through the depot bus wash!

In addition to bus wash rides, a free shuttle bus service operated by brand-new electric buses and classic buses carried passengers between Stanmer Park, Lewes Road Bus Depot and Volk’s Electric Railway, where guests enjoyed an exclusive discount on railway tickets.

Event organiser Carl English said:

“I'd just like to say a big thanks to everyone who gave up their own time to help on the day, it wouldn't have been possible without them, or the bus owners for bringing their buses down. The thousands of people who visited had a great day, and my highlight was driving a bus though the [bus] wash and hearing how excited all the children were as we went through it.”

There was the opportunity to meet the training and recruitment team, browse exclusive event merchandise and learn more about the depot’s history with a hugely informative area presented by the Brighton Tram 53 society. The area included historical photographs and information, and a model of Tram 53 - the last remaining intact Brighton passenger tram.

The family-friendly open day also included entertainment, including balloon making and the hugely popular Kelly the robot!

A big thank you to all those who celebrated 125 years of Lewes Road Depot with us, to all volunteers, colleagues, entertainers and event organisers. A special thank you to the owners and preservation groups who kindly brought their historical vehicles for display and to the Brighton Tram 53 society.