London Country South East
Encyclopedia
London Country South East was a bus operator in South-East England. It was formed in 1986 from the break-up of London Country Bus Services
, and was known as Kentish Bus for most of its existence. Its operations are now part of Arriva Southern Counties
.
, Northfleet
and Tunbridge Wells, with some London contracts operated from London Buses
' garage at Catford
. Bill Gunning, the former Traffic Manager of London Country, became the new company's Managing Director. The company was renamed Kentish Bus in April 1987, and a new livery of maroon and cream replaced the former London Country green.
on that company's privatisation, bought Kentish Bus.
Bill Gunning was replaced as Managing Director by Brian Hirst, who had previously worked for Alder Valley
. The company then expanded its London operations significantly with a series of contract wins and acquisitions. In 1989 route 22A
and route 55
were won from London Forest
; 43 new Leyland Olympian
s were bought to operate the routes. Outside of London, a small Northfleet-based operator called Mini Metro was taken over at the beginning of 1990. In February 1992 the company paid £300,000 for the seven contracted routes and 50 vehicles of Boro'line
. These were initially operated from the former Boro'line garage at Crayford
, but were later transferred to the former London Forest garage at Ash Grove
along with routes 22A and 55. In early 1993 Kentish Bus gained work in the Lewisham area and ordered 65 new buses to cover the workings; this took the fleet size to 352, more than double its size in 1986. One of the routes gained was route 19
, for which the company leased AEC Routemasters from London Regional Transport
; they were the first operator other than a former London Buses
subsidiary to win a contract for a Routemaster-operated route, and were permitted to use their own maroon and cream livery in place of London red. By August 1993 they had become the largest operator of London contracts except for London Buses. Further expansion came in November 1993, when two London contracts and six minor commercial routes, along with 23 buses, were taken over from Transcity Buses.
), and in January 1995 London & Country's contracted operations at Croydon
, Walworth
and Dunton Green
depots were split into a new company, Londonlinks, which was run from Kentish Bus' Northfleet base. When Maidstone & District were also acquired by British Bus in April 1995, the three companies were put under the control of a single holding company, Invictaway
, which was based at M&D's head office in Maidstone
. A new livery of green and yellow was also introduced to Kentish Bus. On August 1, 1996, the company had another new owner: Cowie Group bought out British Bus in a deal which brought three of the four segments of London Country back into common ownership.
. The Invictaway company became Arriva Southern Counties
, which was subdivided into five smaller subsidiaries. The Dartford and Northfleet garages of Kentish Bus formed the new Arriva Kent Thameside
operation, while Tunbridge Wells joined most of Maidstone & District's operation as Arriva Kent & Sussex.
London Country Bus Services
London Country Bus Services was a bus company that operated in South East England from 1969 until split up and sold in 1986 under Margaret Thatcher's government's bus deregulation scheme.-Creation:...
, and was known as Kentish Bus for most of its existence. Its operations are now part of Arriva Southern Counties
Arriva Southern Counties
Arriva Southern Counties is a bus operator in London, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent and Essex in England. It is a regional division of Arriva.- History :...
.
Creation and early history
In the run-up to deregulation, London Country Bus Services was broken up into four smaller companies with in September 1986. London Country South East was the smallest of the four, with just 169 buses and garages at DartfordDartford
Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, east south-east of central London....
, Northfleet
Northfleet
Northfleet is a town in the Borough of Gravesham in Kent, England. Its name is derived from North creek , and the settlement on the shore of the River Thames adjacent to Gravesend was known as Norfluet in the Domesday Book, and Northflet in 1201...
and Tunbridge Wells, with some London contracts operated from London Buses
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
' garage at Catford
Catford
Catford is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Architecture:...
. Bill Gunning, the former Traffic Manager of London Country, became the new company's Managing Director. The company was renamed Kentish Bus in April 1987, and a new livery of maroon and cream replaced the former London Country green.
1988-1994: Proudmutual Ownership
As part of the privatisation of National Bus Company, Kentish Bus was sold by the government in March 1988. Proudmutual, a holding company formed by the management buyout of Northumbria Motor ServicesArriva Northumbria
Arriva Northumbria operates in Northumbria, using the "Arriva serving Northumbria" name. They are considered now to have merged with Arriva North East,-Brief history:*1986: United Automobile Services split into two parts, ready for privatisation....
on that company's privatisation, bought Kentish Bus.
Bill Gunning was replaced as Managing Director by Brian Hirst, who had previously worked for Alder Valley
Alder Valley
The Thames Valley and Aldershot Omnibus Company, trading as Alder Valley, was a former bus operator in England.-The NBC era:The Thames Valley and Aldershot Omnibus Company was formed by the merger of two National Bus Company subsidiaries, Aldershot and District Traction and Thames Valley Traction...
. The company then expanded its London operations significantly with a series of contract wins and acquisitions. In 1989 route 22A
London Buses route 22
London Buses route 22 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:...
and route 55
London Buses route 55
London Buses route 55 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London.-History:...
were won from London Forest
London Forest
London Forest was a subsidiary of London Buses active between 1988 and 1991. Formed as one of the eleven operating divisions of London Buses in readiness for privatisation, the company initially operated from garages at Ash Grove, Walthamstow and Leyton on a network of routes in North-East London...
; 43 new Leyland Olympian
Leyland Olympian
The Leyland Olympian was a double-decker bus built by British Leyland/Leyland Bus in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1993. It was the last Leyland bus model in production before the demise of Leyland Bus.-Construction:...
s were bought to operate the routes. Outside of London, a small Northfleet-based operator called Mini Metro was taken over at the beginning of 1990. In February 1992 the company paid £300,000 for the seven contracted routes and 50 vehicles of Boro'line
Boro'line (London)
Boro'line describes the London operations of the former municipal bus company Boro'line Maidstone. Boro'line Maidstone was the arms length bus company of Maidstone Borough Council...
. These were initially operated from the former Boro'line garage at Crayford
Crayford
Crayford is a town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bexley that was an important bridging point in Roman times across the River Cray, a tributary of the River Darent, which is itself a tributary of the River Thames.-History:...
, but were later transferred to the former London Forest garage at Ash Grove
Ash Grove Bus Garage
Ash Grove Bus Garage is a bus garage in Hackney, east London. It is located on the A107 Mare Street, where it crosses the Regent's Canal. The depot is occupied by two companies, CT Plus and Arriva London, and holds around 30 buses. Opened in 1981 by London Buses, it was closed in 1991 following the...
along with routes 22A and 55. In early 1993 Kentish Bus gained work in the Lewisham area and ordered 65 new buses to cover the workings; this took the fleet size to 352, more than double its size in 1986. One of the routes gained was route 19
London Buses route 19
London Buses route 19 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London.-History:...
, for which the company leased AEC Routemasters from London Regional Transport
London Regional Transport
London Regional Transport was the organisation responsible for the public transport network in Greater London, UK from 1984-2000. In common with all London transport authorities from 1933 to 2000, the public name and operational brand of the organisation was London Transport.The organisation was...
; they were the first operator other than a former London Buses
London Buses
London Buses is the subsidiary of Transport for London that manages bus services within Greater London, UK. Buses are required to carry similar red colour schemes and conform to the same fare scheme...
subsidiary to win a contract for a Routemaster-operated route, and were permitted to use their own maroon and cream livery in place of London red. By August 1993 they had become the largest operator of London contracts except for London Buses. Further expansion came in November 1993, when two London contracts and six minor commercial routes, along with 23 buses, were taken over from Transcity Buses.
1994-1997: British Bus and Cowie
In July 1994, the fast-expanding British Bus group bought Proudmutual. British Bus already owned neighbouring operator London & Country (successor to London Country South WestLondon Country South West
London Country South West was a former bus operator which existed between 1986 and 1997. It was formed from a part of London Country Bus Services. The company was privatised in 1988 and sold to Drawlane, who adopted the trading name London & Country...
), and in January 1995 London & Country's contracted operations at Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, Walworth
Walworth
-Places:United Kingdom* Walworth, County DurhamUnited States* Walworth County, South Dakota* Walworth County, Wisconsin* Walworth, New York* Walworth, Wisconsin, a village* Walworth , Wisconsin, a town...
and Dunton Green
Dunton Green
Dunton Green is a small village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England, lying in the valley of the River Darent, three miles north of Sevenoaks. The original ecclesiastical parish of Dunton Green was part of Otford parish...
depots were split into a new company, Londonlinks, which was run from Kentish Bus' Northfleet base. When Maidstone & District were also acquired by British Bus in April 1995, the three companies were put under the control of a single holding company, Invictaway
Invictaway
Invictaway was an express commuter coach service from Kent to London in the 1980s and 1990s, and was also a holding company for the emerging Arriva group...
, which was based at M&D's head office in Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
. A new livery of green and yellow was also introduced to Kentish Bus. On August 1, 1996, the company had another new owner: Cowie Group bought out British Bus in a deal which brought three of the four segments of London Country back into common ownership.
Rebranding and subsequent history
In 1997 Cowie was rebranded as ArrivaArriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
. The Invictaway company became Arriva Southern Counties
Arriva Southern Counties
Arriva Southern Counties is a bus operator in London, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent and Essex in England. It is a regional division of Arriva.- History :...
, which was subdivided into five smaller subsidiaries. The Dartford and Northfleet garages of Kentish Bus formed the new Arriva Kent Thameside
Arriva Kent Thameside
Arriva Kent Thameside is a bus operator based in North-West Kent, England, part of the Arriva group. The company operates services in Dartford, Northfleet and Gravesend, as part of the Arriva Southern Counties division...
operation, while Tunbridge Wells joined most of Maidstone & District's operation as Arriva Kent & Sussex.