Ghardaia, Algeria.

Youyi manufactured bus passing the entrance to Ghardaia market. The window sign is saying 'Mashallah (ما شاء الله) means “what Allah has willed”. 

When you think of an oasis what comes to mind: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope on the Road to Morocco; French Foreign Legion in their white kepi with neck guard headgear; Maria Muldaur singing Midnight at the Oasis or a 1980’s Britpop band? Ghardaia is an oasis and none of the above would immediately come to mind. 376 miles from the capital Algiers and with a population of 93,423, it has palm trees and a water course and is set in the M’Zab valley surrounded by steep cliffs and miles of empty Sahara Desert. It is a modern-day commercial town which meets the needs of the five fortified settlements surrounding the valley and is home to Ibadi Muslim sect.

Surprisingly, for such a small town there is an extensive bus network stretching out into the desert communities under the auspice of ETUSG (Établissement de Transport Urbain et Suburbain de Ghardaïa). The main bus station is located in the Tagherdaït district, at the junction of Rue Emir Abdelkader and Avenue de L’A.L.N, and consists of two off-road parking areas with room for two lanes of buses in each. The five surrounding settlements are impregnable to public transport, and, in most cases, to any sort of vehicles other than motorbikes so buses terminate just outside at the main gates to the walls. Beni Isguen is the largest of these settlements. There are two distinct bus types, small TATA and Isuzu Ecobus of various ages operating in the town and large Higer or Sonacome-SNVI operating out of the valley.

The bus station at the junction of Rue Emir Abdelkader and Avenue de L’A.L.N. Only local buses now depart here. Long distance buses leave from a newer bus station on the edge of town.

The bus station just outside the main gate into Beni Isguen. Beni Isguen is a fortified settlement with defensive walls enclosing the entire community of 6800 residents, founded in 1347. The town, built on a steep hillside, features narrow streets winding between stone buildings with a central marketplace close to the main gate. Visitors are not permitted to enter the settlement without being accompanied by a guide from the community and are not permitted to remain after dark. 

Isuzu Ecobus arriving at the Ksar Tafilelt, the new town terminus. Ksar Tafilelt is a district of Bounoura, a commune of Ghardaïa. Land for the new town was purchased in 1997 and work began in 2000. The town planning replicates the older towns around Ghardaia but in a sustainable way, no concrete was used in construction, but streets are wider allowing for some vehicle movements. The town is occupied by Mozabites of the Ibadi Muslim sect.  

Higer KLQ6108GA on route 50, climbing out of Ghardaia on highway N1 towards New Metlili, a large recently developed town, and the airport. Other small communities are along the side of the highway giving the district a population of around 40,500. 

SNVI City at the Bounoura roundabout on the south-east side of the town at the junction of Avenue de L’A.L.N and the N1. The roundabout is a tourist attraction in itself, featuring a large mock sand castle at its centre. 

TATA manufactured bus in the city centre.

Higer KLQ6108G returning towards the city centre.

Higer KLQ6108G departing the city centre.

An SNVI 100L6 with all-over wrap for the war heroes in the city centre.  

Isuzu Ecobus Classic at rest by the oasis. 

Bus and Coach World

Algiers

 

Photographed on the Bouvard Zighout Youcef, Tirsam TS9 operated by ETUSA (L'Entreprise de Transport Urbain et Suburbain d'Alger) and officially introduced into service in March 2026. 

Algiers is the capital and chief seaport of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, population approximately 3.5m. Located along the Bay of Algiers and first settled by Phoenicians, it was later ruled by the Romans. The French took the city in 1830 and made it their headquarters for their African colonial empire. In World War II (1939–45), it became the Allied headquarters in northern Africa and, for a time, the provisional capital of France. The city centre is built on steep hillsides with narrow hairpin roads and many flights of pedestrian steps. A promenade, several kilometres long and dissected by the commercial dock area, provides a seaside feel. 19^th and 20^th century architecture give the city a cosmopolitan air, whilst the Casbah (the old walled quarters) harks back to an earlier time.  

The skyline is dominated by the Martyrs Memorial which was opened in 1982 to honour the 20th anniversary of Algeria’s brutal and bloody war for independence. The memorial rises 302 feet tall and is comprised of three soaring “palm leaves,” each punctuated at the base by a statue of a single Algerian soldier. At sea level the Great Mosque of Algeria, Africa's largest mosque, boasts the world's tallest minaret which dominates the landscape.

Mercedes‑Benz O345 with MCV 120 body operated by Tahkout, a specialist in education transport, although some routes have transitioned to public entities like ETUSA or the Transtev group.  Photographed at the Place de la Grande Poste which was built on the site of an Anglican church. The main post office was designed by Jules Voinot and Marius Toudoire, constructed in 1910 and is a fine example of French-designed, early 20th-century Moorish architecture.

Local bus services, tram and cable cars are managed by Urban and Suburban Transport Establishment of Algiers (ETUSA). As with many large cities, there are roadside terminus points although the city centre focal point for many services is the bus station at Gare routière Tafourah just off the promenade. The majority of buses departing are Isuzu Ecobus minibuses and Sonacome/SNVI. Route numbers 100-105 form the core services along the western coast corridor, 121-128 head south and east, and routes 129 and 130 also use the bus station. Some distance to the east is the express coach station, Gare Routiere Grandes Invalides Caroubier, in the commune of Hussein Dey and managed by The Société de Gestion des Gares Routières d'Algérie (SOGRAL). Next door is Caroubier Bus Station, the largest urban hub in Algiers. Route numbers from Caroubier are 140-148 and 150-151.

On 3rd May 2026 ETUSA launched 30 new bus routes from the following termini: Hussein Dey (1 route), Rouïba (1 route), Baraki (1 route), Chéraga (1 route), El Harrach (2 routes), Bir Mourad Raïs (4 routes), Draria (2 routes), Sidi Abdellah (6 routes), Bir Touta (2 routes), Zéralda (3 routes), Sidi ’hamed (1 route), Bab El Oued (1 route), and Cross‑District Lines (5 routes). Plus three routes that extend beyond Algiers. The launch of these new routes coincided with the delivery of the first batch of new Tirsam buses, the first of several thousand expected.

The city also has a single metro line currently being extended to the airport.

Shoukran to Rafik Cheraitia in whose footsteps I faithfully followed whilst showing me the city.

A line of Isuzu Ecobus minibuses and one Tata parked on Rue Hammadi Nacer.

A SNVI 38L6 is short front-engine bus. Photographed at the Memorial park on Avenue November 1st. 

Mercedes-Benz Conecto bus operated by ETUSA standing at the Station de Bus Audin on Rue Didouche Mourad. This bus terminus is the departure point for services 170-174 with destinations towards the west of the city centre. 

Mercedes-Benz Conecto bus operated by ETUSA passing the Botanical Garden Hamma. In 1832, Pierre Genty De Bussy, the Civil Intendant, and General Antoine Avisard, Interim Governor, decided to drain the marshes at the foot of the Arcades hill. The 32 hectares Botanical Garden of Hamma were created.

Mercedes-Benz Conecto bus operated by ETUSA on Rue Asselah Hocine.

Higer passing the Museum of Fine Arts on route 24. This bus is part of a new fleet of 102 buses received by ETUSA in April 2026 to modernize urban transport. The fleet includes 32 large capacity 100 passenger buses. The Museum of Fine Arts is one of the largest art museums in Africa. 

Express coaches in Gare Routiere Grandes Invalides Caroubier.

SONACOME/SNVI 100V8.  These buses are based on the Berliet PR100 and were built in Algeria by SONACOME and later SNVI between around 1979 and 2002. The bus is on the N11 (Rue d’ Angkor) heading back towards the city centre. The overhead cables are from the adjacent railway line.

BUS AND COACH WORLD

Algeria 2026

 

Operating route 4 in Biskra is a Mercedes Benz.

The country.

Algeria is the largest country in Africa covering 2.4 million sq km with a population of 46.7 million: the capital is Algiers with a population of 3.1 million. Geographically, the Sahara Desert encompasses most of the country except for its fertile north, along the Mediterranean coast, where most Algerians live. The two distinct areas are divided by the Atlas Mountains that run west to east across the country from the Moroccan to Tunisian borders. The languages are Algerian Arabic and French, although English is now being taught as the second language in schools. The country is steeped in history which is reflected today in many Roman remains and more modern French influences. After the 1954-1962 War of Independence against the French and the 1991-2002 Civil War, the country is now stable with a thriving economy based upon gas and oil. 

Algiers, Mercedes‑Benz O345 with MCV body operated by Tahkout, a specialist in education transport. Mercedes Benz produced buses locally at its Rouiba plant. The bus is outside the Areej Library, part of the University of Algiers, having just come through the road tunnel under the university buildings and is taking a sharp bend on Rue Didouche Mourad. As is the case with most buses in Algeria, the destination box is not used and, in this instance, it contains a broom and black bin bag.

Transport.

There is an efficient passenger rail network along the Mediterranean coast, however going inland the rails are primarily for freight. There are eight tram systems in the country and the capital Algiers has a single line metro. Both the capital and the city of Constantine have cable car networks. 

Road passenger transport can be divided into three distinct types. Firstly, are small midibuses, typically Hyundai County built locally although there are many older types such as the SNVI 25L4 still plying their trade. They are used initially for local/medium distance services, later being down-graded to schools/transport social operations. It is this type of vehicle that caused recent headlines when in 2025 an overloaded bus crashed and killed 18 passengers, resulting in the government decreeing that all buses over 30 years old, approximately 5400 buses, would be banned immediately from the road and that 10,000 new buses (eg. under five years old) would be purchased. Eventually, a further 28,000 buses over 20 years old will be removed. In May 2026, it was reported that 3000 new buses are now on the road. 

The second type of vehicle is the standard city/urban bus, usually 11 or 12 meters in length, some with step entrances and other flat-floor. Older models consist of locally built Sonacome/SNVI types based upon the Berliet PR100 and manufactured between 1979 and 2002. Van Hool and Mercedes Benz are still well represented, however, the majority of more modern vehicles are Chinese imports, primarily from Higer. In line with current Government policy, banning importation of any new road vehicles and requiring manufacturing to be undertaken in the country, most recent new city type buses are from Tirsam based in Batna north-eastern Algeria. The current model is based upon the Chinese manufacturers Yutong and JMC products. Tirsam announced that it plans to begin local production of buses in Algeria during 2026. 

The third type of vehicles are coaches almost all being from Chinese manufacturers, again Higer being the dominant supplier, with many of these coaches proudly displaying roundels celebrating 20 years of Higer imports to the country. With very little tourist traffic the majority of the coaches are used on inter-wilaya (inter-state) services connecting major cities. The inter-wilaya network is extensive, providing a frequent and cheap means of travel, however, many of the coaches show signs of high mileage use. In total, there are 97,826 buses and coaches operating in Algeria.

Bus shelters are common place even in the remotest areas, essential in such hostile climatic conditions, but none of the shelters appeared to contain timetables nor did bus stops in larger towns and cities. Local people congregate at stops seemingly aware of the departure times although on occasions there appeared to be lengthy gaps in service. Online timetable and route information is limited for the visitor and many of the Algerian websites are blocked by security issues, although DZAIR.com does have a comprehensive list of all bus stops in Algiers along with maps and route planner. Passenger loadings are heavy on local and express services regardless of the time of day.

On the highway between Constantine and Algiers is a Daewoo BX212 operated by TVH. The windscreen destination sticker states the destination as Guelma, however, the vehicle is heading west towards Algiers suggesting the coach commenced its run in Guelma. Press reports indicated that Daewoo was to launch vehicle assembly in Algeria during 2025.

The journey.

Before setting out, it is worthwhile mentioning a couple of points about travel across Algeria in general. Road conditions very tremendously. Many roads consist of rough paving and potholes, although considerable amounts of money are being poured into upgrading the road infrastructure, much of it to motorway standard. Approaches to major road junctions and urban areas are supervised by local police or the Gendarmerie check points. Speed humps are used extensively throughout urban areas and at approaches to road junctions and check points, making journeys relatively slow.

Starting in Algiers, the capital city is located on the sweeping Bay of Algiers with a promenade several kilometres long, and the city centre is built on steep hillsides with narrow hairpin roads and many flights of pedestrian steps. Local bus services are managed by Urban and Suburban Transport Establishment of Algiers (ETUSA). As with many large cities, there are roadside terminus points although the city centre focal point for many services is the bus station at Gare de Champs de Manoeuvre just off the promenade. Some distance to the east is the express coach station, Gare Routiere Grandes Invalides Caroubier, in the commune of Hussein Dey and managed by The Société de Gestion des Gares Routières d'Algérie (SOGRAL). The bus fleet is an eclectic mix of Sonacome/SNVI, Mercedes Benz, Higer and Tirsam amongst others. This beautiful capital deserves a more indepth article which I hope will be published in a future blog.

440 kilometres to the east, after a visit to the ancient Roman city of Djemila, is Algeria’s third largest city, Constantine, known as the ‘City of Bridges’. Originally built on a high plateau surrounded by deep ravines, today it is a sprawling modern city that includes a lengthy single tram route. The bus and coach station is located at the bottom of the ravine close to the river near the Mellah Slimane Bridge. Other terminus points include the Palace of Justice/Novotel, Aouinet El Foul at the Place des Martyres roundabout and Rue Baraka close to the tram terminus. Smaller buses including SNVI 25L4 work several routes, whilst Sonacome/SNVI types work the narrow twisting road north towards Hamma Bouziane. Larger city buses include Van Hool A500’s and Tirsam T9’s. 

Circling the Place des Martyres in Constantine is a SNVI 25L4. The 25L4 was produced in large numbers during the 1990's and many are still in daily use. The bus is about to pull into a stop on Aouinet El Foul, to commence a service to the suburb of Boudraâ-Salah. Above the windscreen, the destination box says ‘God willing’ whilst the actual destination blind is the sticker on the lower windscreen.

Timgad lies 145 kilometres south of Constantine and is home to extensive Roman ruins, about 50 hectares, known as the Pompeii of Africa. The town itself is a small pleasant settlement. The local bus service is operated by H. Abidi using a Foton AUV coach. The town is also the starting point for an express service to Algiers operated by TVE (Transport Voyageurs Est) using 2015 built Van Hool T915 coaches.

Foton AUV (Beiqi Foton Motor Co., Ltd) operated by H. Abidi on local service in Timgad. The terminus for the service is a bus shelter just outside the entrance to the Roman city founded by the Emperor Trajan around 100 AD, known as the Pompeii of Africa.

The landscape changes as the road crosses the Atlas Mountains, still snow-capped despite the spring temperatures, and descends onto the Desert plain reaching the first major town, Biskra. A large university town with a population of 307,987 astride the Oued Sidi Zerzour waterway. There is an extensive bus network with a bus/coach station located on L'oued Boulevard Front de. The bus fleet comprises of King Long XMQ6110G and many Sonacome/SNVI’s.

375 kilometres south west of Timgad is the industrial town of Touggourt which was the starting point in 1922 of the first motorised crossing of the Sahara. A further 309 kilometres southwest is the oasis town of Ghardaïa in the M’Zab Valley. A UNESCO site, the town is the commercial hub for the five surrounding historic villages. The modern oasis bears no resemblance to the Hollywood films of old, is still dependent upon the water that the oasis provides and with palm trees all around, the atmosphere is now more urban town. There is a surprisingly large network of bus services focused on the town centre bus station at Rue Emir Abdelkader, including vehicles from Higer, Tata and Isuzu. I hope to provide a more in-depth report in a future blog.

Climbing out of Ghardaïa Higer KLQ6108GA on route 50.

It is a long 621 kilometre drive south across the arid yet beguiling desert landscape to the final destination, Timimoun a town set amongst the sands and high dunes of the Gourra region. The area is steeped in Berber history and old abandoned settlements, whilst the modern main town has some unique architecture. On Rue 1er Novembre, surprisingly for such a small town, it has quite a large, well-used, central bus station with two long rows of shelters: interesting to note, the metal work supporting the bus shelters has ‘Welcome to Timimoun’ etched into it in English. The bus services are operated E.T.U.A (Etablissement de Transport Urbain ADRAR) using SNVI City vehicles.  

E.T.U.A (Etablissement de Transport Urbain ADRAR) bus stands in Timimoun bus station on Rue 1er Novembre. The bus is a SNVI (Société Nationale des Véhicules Industriels) City model. Local services operate to Aougrout, Tinerkouk, and Charouine whilst long distance operators provide services to Adrar, Béchar, Ghardaïa, Algiers and Oran. 

Timimoun is 1200 kilometres south of the capital, deep in the Sahara, and is where the journey ends. Algeria is a fascinating country, steeped in history, with wonderful landscapes and welcoming people and, for those interested in public transport, a feast for the eyes. Shoukran to Rafik Cheraitia for making this trip happen.  

22294 in the ETUSA fleet is a Van Hool A500/2 operating in Constantine. The bus is heading away from the Place des Martyres on Ave Aouati Mostafa towards the southern part of the city.

One of the many new Tirsam TS9 buses currently being delivered to Constantine. The bus stands at the Palace of Justice/Novotel terminus. Two batches each consisting of 50 new buses with a capacity of 70 passengers, have been delivered and commenced service on Friday, March 20, 2026. 

Algerian built Sonacome/SNVI type based upon the Berliet PR100. Returning to Constantine along the narrow ravine road from Bekira, a suburb north of the city. This vehicle type was manufactured between 1979 and 2002.

Two Higer KLQ 6108G’s at the Kadri Brahim, Constantine terminus.

An Ankai A6 operated by Youcef Passenger Transport Company, located in Batna a small town between Constantine and Biskra.

A Van Hool T915 of EPE TVC (formerly SNTV). One of two standing at the bus terminus in Timgad in the late afternoon. The destination blind was showing Algiers, a journey of 420 kilometres.

Calling in for a top-up at the service station on the outskirts of Oumache whilst operating route 37 is a King Long XMQ6116GFB. Buses in the same livery were also noted operating in Biskra. Oumache is a small Saharan-edge town known for its date palm tree agriculture and quiet rural character, 326 km from Algiers and 204 km from Constantine.

Bus and Coach World

Vancouver 2025

The City of Vancouver is a coastal seaport on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Located on the western half of the Burrard Peninsula, Vancouver is bounded to the north by English Bay and the Burrard Inlet and to the south by the Fraser River, and covers an area of 44 square miles. On the western end of the city is the 400-hectare Stanley Park. The city population is 766,296, whilst the greater metro area has in excess of 3m. Much of the city centre is built on a gentle incline from the waterfront and features a mixture of heritage buildings and ultra-modern architecture. Coast Mountain Bus Company, an operating subsidiary of TransLink, provides bus and trolleybus services, operating 1550 conventional buses on 232 routes and 262 trolleybuses on 13 routes. There are thriving convention, visitor and cruise sectors which are catered for by several coach companies. 

Wilson’s Transportation Ltd of Victoria, Vancouver Island operate express services from various points in downtown Vancouver to Victoria on Vancouver Island using BC Ferries Connector name. The summer schedule has six daily departures and the winter schedule has four with a total end-to-end journey time of four hours. Photographed at the Vancouver Pacific Central Station terminus is fleet number C262, a Prevost H3-45, acquired from Pacific Coach Lines in 2019.  

Coast Mountain Bus Company 18381, Nova Bus LFS HEV, BAE HybriDrive HDS200.  104 buses of this type entered service between November 2018 and May 2019. Service 22 is a north-south route connecting South Vancouver and Downtown Vancouver every 15 minutes. The bus is photographed south bound on Burrard Street.

Universal Coach Line is based in Richmond, an area south of central Vancouver close to the international airport, and provide private hire, contract and tourist services. Prevost H3-45 new in 2015 wears a vinyl wrap for the free shuttle service to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, 9km from downtown. The free shuttle operates all year round with pick-ups at Canada Place on the water front and the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the city centre. On the day of our visit Universal were providing a multi-vehicle shuttle service from the Canada Place Convention Centre, hence the No.2 on the clipboard in the windscreen.

Epic Rides was founded in 2010 offering minivan services from the international airport. In 2025 they operated five Volvo powered Prevost H3-45 coaches from downtown to Whistler, a ski resort in the Blackcomb mountains 121 kilometers from Vancouver, up to six times a day, with a journey time of 1hr 45mins. The coach is making a left turn into the city centre terminus located on Melville Street adjacent to Burrard Skytrain Station and the Hyatt Regency hotel.

Vancouver receives around 800,000 cruise passengers and over 11m visitors a year. Westcoast Sightseeing have been providing sightseeing services in Vancouver since 1984. Currently in excess of fifty-one vehicles of various types are operated including Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 double-deckers. Fleet number 293 is an ElDorado Escort RE dating from 2001 and used primarily on hotel transfers to the main tour fleet. Big Bus branding is used for much of the operation and a booking kiosk is maintained at Canada Place on the waterfront. 

Coast Mountain Bus Company 21025, an NFI XDE60 delivered in 2021. The last of a batch of 25 delivered between March and June 2022. Operating route 2, a north-south route connecting Dunbar Loop and Downtown Vancouver via Kitsilano. It is a frequent 15 minutes service operating seven days a week. The bus is turning from Burrard Street into Pender Street.

West Vancouver Transit (Blue Bus), formerly West Vancouver Municipal Transit, is owned and operated by the District Municipality of West Vancouver under a contract with TransLink. The system started operating in 1912 and is one of the oldest continually operated municipal transit systems in North America. Fleet number 907 is one of nine Nova Bus LFS units built in 2009. Route 250 is an east-west route connecting Horseshoe Bay with Downtown Vancouverl. The bus is on West Georgia Street in downtown, approaching the end of the route. 

No visit to downtown Vancouver can ignore the extensive trolleybus network with 13 routes, 262 buses and over 370 kilometers of wires.  Coast Mountain Bus Company 2144, an NFI E40LF Škoda 19 ML 3550 K/4 dating from 2006 waits at the junction of Granville Street and West Hastings Street approaching the historic area of the city centre. Route 16 is an east-west route connecting 29th Avenue Station and the 63rd Avenue Loop at West 63rd Avenue & Granville Street, operating every 10 to 15 minutes. 

Bus and Coach World

Eastbourne – Figure-of-eight.

Go Ahead Brighton & Hove Wrightbus in Brighton.

Mid-point between vibrant Brighton and down-at-heel Hastings, Eastbourne still maintains a genteel air of grandeur associated with British seaside towns of old. For the bus traveller it is an ideal location for exploration of East Sussex and southern parts of Kent, although operator variety is sadly lacking. The area is dominated by two of the UKs largest groups, Go Ahead and Stagecoach.

The first of two sunny October days starts with a gentle stroll along the prom to Cornfield Road, now the main bus terminus in the town centre since semi-pedestrianisation of Terminus Road, the main shopping throughfare. The first bus of the day should be the 10am Brighton & Hove service 12A to Brighton: the reality however, despite B&H’s reputation for quality service, is a line of three vehicles all awaiting departure, two displaying route 12A and one 12X which is the slightly faster route as it sticks closer to the coast road. First to pull up to the stop at 9.58am is YX24 PPK an Alexander Dennis E40D MMC, on the 12X which I assume was the late running 9.47am departure. Whilst waiting to board, the driver of the scheduled 10am departure of the 12A decides to by-pass the stop ignoring any waiting passengers and continues ahead of the loading 12X. As our final destination is Brighton this fiasco mattered little to us and we settle into our top-deck front seats for the 1hr 20min journey. The route departs Eastbourne through the old town leading to a long, very steep climb up East Dean Road onto the downs which shows the limitations of the low powered modern double-decker bus and the inability of automatic gearboxes to predict the terrain. The magnificent views continue as the bus crosses the estuary at Seven Sisters before reaching Seaford and a short layover in the town centre. A short lapse in the scenery, as the route continues west into Newhaven where a driver changeover takes place. The climb out of Newhaven brings the route back onto the coast, the road undulating as it passes through Peacehaven, Saltdean and Rottingdean with the first distant views of Brighton appearing on the horizon. Entering the city of Brighton, the first landmark is the modern marina whilst on the right-hand side are the beautiful facades of the Georgian terrace houses before the bus turns inland at the Palace Pier. Where once corporation buses parked and Southdown coaches turned into the coach station, there is now work in progress turning the area into a wide pedestrian boulevard and we leave the bus whilst it continues to the terminus at the railway station. 

Go Ahead Brighton & Hove Alexander Dennis E40D MMC about to depart for Eastbourne.

For the bus enthusiast Brighton is a gem. Few cities outside of London can boast such an intense bus network with the majority of services provided by Go Ahead Brighton & Hove; several routes provided by Stagecoach including the intensive 700 service, and Compass Bus operating a small network of contracted services on behalf of the council. Besides plenty of photographic opportunities, there are also numerous opportunities for lunch before our next journey.

At 2.36pm we are waiting on Churchill Square at stop G for Regency branded route 28 - a 2hr 25min inland return journey to Eastbourne. YY25 DNV, another E40D MMC, departs on time and we start a thirty-minute crawl along the A27 through the north Brighton suburbs, making a short stop outside the B&H depot on Lewis Road for a driver change. The route continues along the A270 through a built-up area before turning onto a slip road at Falmer Hill, where the A270 meets the A27. A dilapidated bus shelter on the slip road caters for passengers accessing the university campus and football stadium. Approaching Lewis from the south you get the opportunity to enjoy the architecture of this old coaching town as the bus descends into the town centre. The one-way system brings you to a bus stop directly opposite the former bus station/depot, now in a sorry state and looking for a buyer, whilst the numerous roadside bus stops are an inconvenience to car drivers using the busy T junction. The bus completes a full circuit of the one-way system, climbs back up through the town centre, turns right to cross the River Ouse and then into the industrial estate. After enjoying a selection of warehouses and out of town shops we emerge onto the side of the downs just before the turning to Ringmer, the next destination on the route. By the time we arrive the schools are out, the King’s Academy is a large school and the next three bus stops at teaming with children. Before departing the village, the bus turns off the main road making a long one-way circuit through a large housing estate collecting still more children. Eventually we reach open countryside and after some miles and arriving at the small village of Laughton, we start to drop off a few children. Shortly afterwards the bus joins a long queue of traffic waiting to turn right and join the A22, a long straight stretch of road leading to Hailsham, a large town where most of the children leave the bus at various stops along the route. We wait time at the town centre, an opportunity to admire the skills of the Turkish barbers, before heading out of town and rejoining the A22. The bus by-passes Polgate before joining the A2270 for a slow journey through the northern suburbs of Eastbourne with a short diversion to visit the East Sussex College campus and General Hospital. The bus arrives at Eastbourne town centre on time at one minute past five, the western loop of out figure eight completed.

Day two and once again we wake to a beautiful sunrise over the English Channel, not a single rubber dingy in sight. By 9.35am we are again standing in Cornfield Road waiting for the 9.40am departure of Stagecoach route 99 to Hastings. Yesterday was a Go Ahead day, today will be a Stagecoach day and will prove to be an interesting contrast. Whereas Go Ahead has a clearly defined product and marketing strategy e.g. quality, Stagecoach has for many years seemed unable to define their product as attempts with ‘Gold’ have now fallen by the wayside, leaving a mixture of ill-defined liveries, an aging unkept fleet, poor driving standards and shabby uniforms. All that aside, SK20 AXG, an AD E40D new to Greater Manchester, departs on time, with us in our favourite top-deck front seat. The route starts by leaving Eastbourne via the coast road before hitting the modern urban sprawl containing huge retail parks typical of so many towns and cities these days. We drop a German family at Pevensey, intent on seeking out the castle whilst wondering if they have a return or dayrider ticket. The landscape becomes flat for the next few miles before we enter the outskirts of Bexhill-on-Sea and work our way through the dense housing estates before arriving into the town centre. Bexhill could be a poster town for the government’s policy of vehicle electrification, just a pity in this case most of those vehicles are mobility scooters. The bus continues through the town passing the art deco De La Warr Pavilion on the seafront, now looking slightly worse for wear, before calling at the railway station and leaving the town. Sadly, the next part of the journey is rather depressing: the main road through Bulverhythe and St Leonards is littered with unkept industrial units and poorly maintained housing. Eventually reaching the Hastings’ seafront, the view out to sea offers some relief but it is all too apparent why this area of the country is considered to be one of the most deprived. At Hastings town centre we alight at the shops but there is little to lift the spirits, however a cup of tea and a breath of sea air helps after which we walk up hill to the bus station.

Stagecoach in Hastings.

In its favour, Hastings does have a modern bus station that is located directly outside the railway station and adjacent to the East Sussex College campus. We are waiting for the 12.36pm departure of route 1066 to Royal Tunbridge Wells and the bus finally arrives five minutes late on the inward journey. One grumpy driver and a full load of passenger aboard and we are away in no time. Whilst buses branded for the 1066 were running around Hastings, none were observed on the actual route with our bus being a recent repaint into the new standard Stagecoach livery, Scania K230UB with AD bodywork. After enjoying a pleasant journey from Eastbourne, unfortunately this journey was to prove my point about Stagecoach’s inconsistences. The driver sped along and then kept waiting time at every village on route, he was also discourteous to passengers and, in particular, some of the school children we would eventually pick up. The 1066 leaves Hastings on a long uphill section of route through the densely populated suburbs before hitting open countryside with far reaching views and soon arrives into Battle, hence the route number (Stagecoach have an ‘eye’ for marketing). Battle is a pleasant little town and we get some time to admire the Abbey whilst we wait time, the bus stops being directly outside, before continuing up the High Street. At this point the route has two variants, we are on the one going via Whatlington, which necessitates a right turn from the High Street onto Mount Street and we experience a dangerous driver manoeuvre on the part of the bus driver. Without stopping, we turn right across the flow of traffic into narrow Mount Street, with cars waiting to turn into the High Street, we are unable to get past the cars and are now blocking the road in all directions causing a standoff. The issue is resolved by cars reversing and then mounting the pavement enabling the bus to squeeze pass. Needless to say, we then head at speed through open countryside to Whatlington and on to St. Johns Cross, where we rejoin the other route variant and continue to Robertsbridge to pick up our first passengers since leaving Battle. Robertsbridge is a pretty village, once on the main road but now by-passed by the A21. Groups of children are waiting at the two bus stops in the village, heading for home at 1.20pm: the English education system, discuss! A few children alight in Hurst Green, but most remain onboard until we reach Hawkhurst crossroads, where once again we wait time. Interestingly, the bus stop flag displays eight routes, quite a number for such a small town. Before turning left there is just enough time to reminisce about the Maidstone & District depot and bus station that until 2006 stood just a short distance to our right. On this route you do get to see some wonderful villages and countryside, as we now pass through Flimwell before reaching Ticehurst, picking up the last passenger for this trip and once again waiting time. Just twenty-eight minutes of the journey remains and we have Wadhurst to pass through before reaching Royal Tunbridge Wells, which we do four minutes early at 2.18pm.  

Royal Tunbridge Wells built on a hillside, exudes wealth. The lower town centre where the railway station and main terminus point for many of the bus routes is located has many fine Georgian buildings, whilst the upper town centre has a more modern feel to it with bus stops spread over three roads including a section controlled by a bus gate. The principal operator in the town is Arriva with Go Ahead and Stagecoach providing limited longer distance services. It is encouraging to see three independent operators still providing services: Autocar, Go Coach and Hams all have routes into the town centre. After a late lunch and time for photography, we need to move on.

Ham's Volvo/MCV in Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Go Coach Scania in Royal Tunbridge Wells.

For the final journey of the day, we are back on Stagecoach for their route 51 to Eastbourne. The afternoon timetable has an irregular headway and we are waiting for the 4.40pm departure. Twenty-nine minutes prior to this a Tunbridge Wells Boys' Grammar School, school days only service 251 (a short working 51) should depart, going as far as Heathfield. However, with just minutes to go before our bus is due, the bus stop is teaming with school children. At 4.40pm the 251 arrives and a sudden rush to board occurs, and I enquire with the driver as to the whereabouts of the 51. He informs me it is right behind and sure enough, on cue, an AD E40D pulls up behind with just ourselves, two other adults and a handful of children left to board. This is to prove a pleasant way to end the day, bagging our top deck front seats, a driver of the old school and a generous running time, we settle in for the next 2 hours and 18 minutes. The first twenty minutes is a pleasant run through open countryside along the A267 to Marks Cross, a small village, now bypassed by the main road. This is followed by a much longer diversion off the main road to the much larger and prettier village of Rotherfield. Once back on the main road it is only a short distance before we turn off again, this time heading in Mayfield, where before entering the village centre we wait time on the fire station forecourt. The village is dominated by the church and extensive grounds of the private school. We return to the main road and with light traffic make good time to Cross-in-Hand where once again we wait time, before entering Heathfield where a five minutes layover is timetabled in. Having watched the comings and goings in the fish and chip shop, we set off along Heathfield High Street before turning right to Horam and rejoining the A267. Thirty-one minutes later, just like yesterday, we find ourselves in Hailsham, where the last of the children from Tunbridge Wells leave the bus and we again wait time. Unlike yesterday the run to Eastbourne takes us into Polegate and we collect our final passenger of the day and wait time outside the railway station. The remainder of the route replicates yesterday journey and we arrive on time into Eastbourne at 6.58pm, nine hours after we departed from the same bus stop. 

This part of the country is well worth exploring with wonderful countryside, beautiful villages, interesting coastline and plenty of history. All helped of course by a comprehensive bus network, making it even better!    

Bus and Coach World