bus

74 Bus in Castle Hill Road Hastings

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photo shared from: Darren Griffin Hastings & St Leonards History Group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/hastingshistory

David Martin… Everywhere looks so much better years ago

Michael Piesley… I think the number 72 from Parker road stopped their too

Carol Paffett… Remember those days and Castle Hill Road looks clean and tidy

Carrie Downing-Waite Sawatsky… So did I, going up the West Hill every day for work

Jon McCallion… Done a paper round from the newsagents there by the bus stop when I was 15 years old. Everything looks so much better than the way it does now such a shame

Peter Ellingworth… Go to
https://www.thetransportlibrary.co.uk
for plenty of good colour photos of buses in and around Hastings in the 60s- 90s. Also b&w ones of the trolleybuses taken in 1950.

 

 

Hastings Tramways trolleybus No 34 at Lowestoft

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All photos Supplied by Peter Ellingworth

Peter Ellingworth… East Anglia Transport Museum, riding around on the recently renovated back into working order Hastings Trolleybus no. 34 – the last to work under the wires at Hastings, before going on to further service in Maidstone until mid 1967. All the logos and timetables etc. came titled to Hastings Tramways Company until Sept 1957, when the parent company Maidstone & District completely took over, following Hastings Council’s decision not to purchase the undertaking of which they had the option to do so in 1955 and changed all to their own corporate signage. All being well we are going to put some adverts such as they used to have on the upper deck sides soon.

Andre Martin… Some Great memories, I have been to that museum a few years ago, its just great for us more mature to look back and even travel in those old restored trolley buses. As you indicate what a great service, in fact the whole of the old public service transport was just that a service to everybody and really at realistic prices.  Hastings Depot was great as we had a lot of the long distance routes – Eastbourne, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, plus some locals. Unlike the Silverhill Depot – Estate to estate 151,133, and Bexhill?cooden157 very busy routes all the time. Still happy memories, I enjoyed my time, but would not want to do it today, with all the problems and constant changes to routes and shifts.

Chris Baker… I seem to remember that the seats were reversible so you could face whichever way the bus was going.

Martin Ellis… I think you’ll find that was the trams that had reversible seats

Peter Ellingworth… Chris,  you are thinking of the trams which did have reversible seats, the trolleybuses which like normal buses didn’t.

Peter Ellingworth… One thing I meant to add. I remember talking to one of the museum volunteers shortly before no. 34 was put back into service, he mentioned that the overhead electric collection poles (‘booms’ in trolley bus speak) for the vehicles used on route 8 run out to Cooden were extended by two feet ( 61 cm in new money) to give more manoeuvrability in parts of Bexhill, as the traffic and parking even then was starting to be an issue, and because some of the overhead wiring was right in the centre of some of the wider roads, a legacy from the tram days.

 

Ticket office Queens Road Hastings

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supplied by Matt Thomas

John Wilde… Many coach tickets purchased in there.

Graham Sherrington… Bring back the 1970’s let me make less mistakes and nearly start again. But then its that Time travel paradox is it not.

Michael Wilson… Maidstone and District coach trips in the summer holiday. Windsor Safari Park, Dover Castle

Ralph Town… Remember times we sat in there waiting for a coach to Tonbridge to see my Nan

Paul Coleman… A tour to Brighton- 8 bob! Those were the days!

Peter Ellingworth… Remember it well…..former single deck Hastings Tramways Co. trolleybus no. 45 ? re-utilised as a ticket booth/office.I believe it is under restoration for putting back to working order somewhere….will check out when time allows. Along with the Guy open top t/buses ( ‘ Happy Harold ‘ – the sole survivor- and this only because it was kept back as a maintenance vehicle until being decked out for the 1953 Coronation and used subsequently ). These were used until the early part of WW2 when the first batch of Weyman t/buses were delivered followed by the Sunbeams in 1946, of which there is a superbly restored working one at The East Anglia Transport Museum.

Tracy Birrell… Gosh, yes, this brings back memories.

Peter Ellingworth… Further to my earlier comment : The former trolleybus no. 45, currently being restored I believe , and used for this M&D ticket office, was one of a batch of 50 single deckers and 8 open top double deckers of which ‘Happy Harold’ is the sole survivor, delivered to Hastings Tramways Co. at the start of trolleybus operation from trams in 1928.
They lasted until the first batch of new all enclosed double deckers, AEC/ English Electric with the first 10 having Weyman bodywork and the remainder Park Royal were delivered in May 1940. Two single deckers were kept in running reserve, of which one 45, was eventually utilised as the above ticket office staying thus until 1972. The Hastings Observer (no doubt written by either by “an Observer reporter” or ‘Round the Memorial’ by “Vigilant” himself), almost wet itself waxing lyrical with praise at the time of the 1940 delivery : “The new enclosed double deck trolley vehicles are a delight to travel in, being the last word in passenger comfort…..and purr through our streets in almost ghostly quiet….the general atmosphere of hush appears to be infectious ” etc. etc.etc. Of the original single deckers, which I remember my Mother saying were apt to brake very sharply, most were scrapped at Silverhill depot. 18 were transferred to other operators to make up for those destroyed during bombing raids. The remainder were kept in store until the end of hostilities in 1945. And double decker ‘Happy Harold’ formerly no 3., was kept back for use as an overhead equipment maintenance and running wire de -icing vehicle before being decked out for the 1953 Coronation, and subsequent use as a novelty on the likes of summer Sunday nights between the Bathing Pool and Fishmarket. Anybody remember this ? Date of the photo? Around 1964-66 I would say.

Peter Ellingworth… Simply Google in ‘Hastings Trolleybus no. 45″ – this gives a wealth of information about this vehicle, its history and what’s happening to it with a photo taken early in WW2 ? almost opposite along Queen’s Rd. of one of the single deckers still in public service outside the old Timothy Whites. Also photos of no.45 being used as a ticket office .

 

Hastings Old Town – July 1970

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photo © David Christie. Shared from Sam Tillson https://www.facebook.com/sam.tillson.7

Sam Tillson… Hastings Old Town, July 1970. A brief moment of tranquility before the boom of seasonal holiday-makers and tourists flood this (dare I say formerly) charming part of the East Sussex coast finds a member of the fondly remembered Southdown Motor Services fleet working her way to another of the south coast of England’s once-enviable seaside resorts. Making up some of the little number of other road vehicles, a Bedford “Hi-” van, an early Volkswagen T1 Combi and what would most likely be a brand-new Ford Capri all feature. I’d hazard a guess at the black car facing away is an Early Austin 1100 or similar mark, but I’m open to correction. It’s an education after all. Aside from its obvious claim to fame regarding the 1066 battle (which actually took place on Senlac Hill, 8 miles to the north west), Hastings is one of the few towns in Britain to retain a funicular railway. Opened in 1902, the East Hill Cliff Railway – also know as the East Hill Lift – is now regarded as the steepest funicular in the UK and also features a section of tunnel, highly unusual for such a system. The upper station stands proud in the backdrop of this photograph. Southdown No.1142 (XUF 142) – a Leyland Tiger Cub with attractive Weymann “Fanfare” bodywork – was one of fifteen new in the first quarter of 1960 (Nos.1130-1144). Despite not being numerically the last, No.1142 was the final example to be delivered and the only one to arrive in April. The 37-seater coaches were new for domestic tours, undertaking both local and long-distance duties across Britain. By the time this image was captured the coach would have another three years in service with Southdown, already downgraded to standard coaching duties. She’s working the jointly-operated “South Coast Express” service, acting as either a stand-in for a newer vehicle or a duplicate on this lengthy, scenic route between Margate and Bournemouth via several other coastal locations. Image: David Christie.

Patricia Burgess… Love it

Peter Houghton… What a great photo

Peter Ellingworth… Ah, the old Southdown livery…like the M&D green and cream. So much better than the bland standardised National Bus colours from the mid-seventies onwards.

Paul Coleman… Great pic. A little bit more to the left & the fishermen’s huts would have been in it too! I think you are correct & that is indeed an Austin 1100.

Tracy Birrell… Lovely photo. I would love to live in the Old Town but unfortunately I’m across the border in Hollington Hillbilly Heaven.