Carousel Buses commemorated 25 years of operation on 25 July with a special event at its High Wycombe depot, bringing together former and current employees, local stakeholders and the company’s four managing directors of past and present.
The event gave guests the opportunity to reflect on the growth of the business and how it has “become a successful cross-county operation”, according to current Managing Director Luke Marion. A restored MCW Metrobus, one of the first vehicles used by the company, was showcased during the anniversary event.
The regional operator, which began in 2000 with just two second-hand Metrobuses on school and rail replacement work, now runs more than 100 vehicles across Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Surrey, employing over 200 staff.
Since its purchase by Go-Ahead in 2012 for ÂŁ3.1 million, Carousel has expanded its operations from its Hughenden Avenue depot to key destinations that include Reading, Henley-on-Thames, Windsor, and Heathrow Airport. The Heathrow route, operating under the Flightline brand, was the company’s first local service and has been expanded and enhanced in partnership with the airport.
A transformative development came in May 2024 when Carousel invested ÂŁ2.5 million in infrastructure and staffing following the regional withdrawal of Arriva. The move added more than 80 employees and 35 vehicles to its fleet and saw the operator expand its depot facilities, including the addition of a new bus wash, larger fuelling stations, and an upgraded workshop.
Carousel has also pushed innovation with its PickMeUp service, a demand-responsive minibus scheme launched in 2022, now in the final year of its three-year pilot. Plans are underway to extend the programme beyond 2026.
The company introduced its inaugural Brand the Bus competition in January, offering Buckinghamshire charities the opportunity to promote their causes on an electric double-decker bus. Thames Valley Air Ambulance was selected as inaugural winner in June, with Chiltern Music Academy and Wycombe Homeless Connection recognised as runners-up.
“This is a significant milestone in Carousel’s history and everyone who has served the company can feel great pride in the achievement,” says Mr Marion. “People have been at the heart of Carousel Buses’ development since our first services were rolled out at the beginning of the millennium. So, expanding our team and services in the past year, just ahead of our 25-year anniversary, feels apt.
“Thank you to everyone who has used and continues to travel with Carousel Buses, and we look forward to serving our communities for the next 25 years. I’m looking forward to continuing to serve our passengers and enhancing our network for years to come.”
Lead image: Carousel’s four Managing Directors since it was founded (left to right): Philip Kirk, Steve Burns (Carousel Buses founder), Phil Southall, and Luke Marion.
