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East London bus group is a large company operating TfL (Transport for London)
contracts from garages all over East London, north and south of the River Thames.
In terms of route 372, it’s sole TfL contract route within the Thurrock area, the
relevant garage is located in Rainham (Essex) and it’s the only garage using the
trading name Thameside (not to be confused with the former County Bus operation
of the same name!). Other trading names within the East London bus group are
‘East London’ (operates north of the River Thames) and ‘Selkent’ (operates south
of the River Thames).
The company’s history goes way back to London Transport, and beyond, with
‘central area’ Red buses. London Buses, as it became, was privatised with the
garages being grouped together into small operating companies. East London and
Selkent were acquired by Stagecoach in September 1994.
On 30th August 2006, Stagecoach sold both companies to the Australian bank
Macquarie, and the companies became known as the East London Bus Group,
although they retain their separate identities on the vehicles.
Route 372 isn’t the first time East London have been in Thurrock - they briefly ran a
route 723X between Stratford and Lakeside under the guise of London Buses. There
is an image in the former operators area, within the ‘Others’ page (click here).
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