Nottingham City Transport has commemorated the closure of its Gotham Garage with the return of an original South Notts bus and donation of historic documents to the Nottinghamshire Archives.
Opened in March 1926 when the South Notts Bus Company was formed by C T Dabell, the Gotham Garage became part of Nottingham City Transport (NCT) when it purchased South Notts in March 1991 and has been an important operating base for NCT for the last 35 years.
Regrettably, in order to reduce costs as part of a post COVID recovery plan, Gotham Garage closed yesterday, 27th March 2021.
The South Notts name and service continues between Nottingham, Gotham, East Leake and Loughborough, with the buses and employees transferring to NCT’s Trent Bridge Garage from 28th March 2021. Customers will continue to be served 7 days a week at the same frequencies.
To commemorate the 95-year history of Gotham Garage, the last new bus purchased by South Notts prior to NCT’s takeover in 1991 visited Gotham on its last operational day.
The Leyland Olympian bus was delivered in 1989 to South Notts and had a seating capacity of 83. Within the South Notts fleet it was numbered 129 and became 699 when it transferred to NCT in 1991. The preserved bus is owned by Nottingham Heritage Vehicles Charity, who own a number of former NCT and South Notts vehicles.
Nottingham City Transport’s Commercial and Operations Director, David Astill, donated a number of original South Notts deeds and documents to Peter Hammond of The Nottinghamshire Archives. Peter is also a former South Notts employee. Chris Dabell, one of the grandchildren of the founder C T Dabell was also present.
David Astill said, “We are sad to be leaving Gotham Garage and pay tribute and thanks to everyone who has played a part in its long, successful time as a bus garage. South Notts remains an important part of Nottingham City Transport and the name will continue to be proudly displayed on buses on the route”.
The clock, memorial benches, timeline and South Notts sign on the front of Gotham Garage will join the employees and buses at the new home of South Notts at Trent Bridge Garage in The Meadows. This both honours the heritage of South Notts within NCT, but importantly retains a link for our employees to recognise and remember their time at Gotham Garage and South Notts.
A Commemorative Book celebrating 95 years of Gotham Garage will be published and available for sale next month.