L.T.E. Builds Its Ideal Garage A NEW garage at Garston, Watford,
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is the first post-war building to be constructed by the London Transport Executive for the operation of country buses and coaches. All the new garages in London Transport's post-war programme conform to a basic design evolved as the standard to be adhered to or adapted as necessary to suit the
requirements of a particular site. By virtue of the favourable size and shape of the site, which covers an area of some three acres bordering on it.. Albans Road, the new garage represents the nearest approach to this ideal layout so far achieved.
Three Main Blocks
It comprises three main buildings: the operating and welfare block, placed on the main road frontage; a covered bus parking area at the rear of the site; and,
between them, the dock. A private road between the -office block and the dock serves as a terminal road for buses to turn in without having to enter the parking area and allows vehicles to enter the dock from the street.
Long private-access roads have been provided to serve as " reservoirs " for vehicles going into or coming out of service. These arc of value in obviating congestion of the public highway, particularly at night when buses tend to arrive in groups. The main feature of the layout is the planning of the dock as a separate unit with stores and so on common to the main parking area where minor repairs are done. An unobstructed floor area of 45,400 sq. ft. accommodates 150 buses. At the entrance to this area, service lines are provided for vacuum cleaning, washing, refuelling and oiling.
Buildings adjoining these lines include a machine room, housing fuelling and oil pumps and air compressors, staff rooms, and a high-pressure steam-cleaning unit in which a hoist is provided to raise vehicles to a suitable height for the application of jets to the chassis. Underground oilfuel storage for 25,000 gallons has been provided in the open. Each of the five tanks is installed vertically, an arrangement which affords accurate checking of levels by means of the dipsticks.
In the parking area, pits are provided adjacent to the dock for inspection and adjustments of a minor nature. Ten pits are provided in the dock, five for heavy overhauls and five for secondary overhauls. 'Around the pits are the workshops, stores, offices for staff, lavatories, and a first-aid room.
The operating and welfare block provides for officials and staff functioning not only for this garage but also for attached subsidiary garages. It also has traffic offices for the issue of
tickets and receipt of cash, publicinquiry and lost-property offices, a duty notice room and a canteen with seating accommodation for 160.
The parking area roof span is 170 ft., with the main girders at 60-ft. centres, the end bays being 43 ft. wide.
The floors of the parking area and the dock are of reinforced concrete and are finished with a granolithic preparation in which Elcon hardener has been incorporated. In the servicing lines, where the floor is often covered with water from the washing processes, the risk of skidding has been obviated by embodying earborundum in the finish.
No heating is provided in the 'main parking area.
Vertical Ventilation Shafts
The warmth from the engines of parked vehicles provides a measure of heat which has been found sufficient to obviate the risk of freezing of water in the radiators. Ventilation of the main parking area is by means of vertical shafts with electric fans discharging io the atmosphere. A special ventilation systemhas been provided in the dock building for fumes emitted from vehicles standing over the pits. Flexible pipes can be connected to the exhaust pipes and to underground pipes which ultimately discharge into vertical shafts fitted with fans.