The Southdown Historic Vehicle Group

A group of Bus Enthusiasts in the Worthing area of West Sussex have secured for preservation a number of Southdown buses from the 1960s and 1970s. The oldest of these are several examples of the Leyland PD3/4 with full-fronted Northern Counties bodies - The famous "Queen Mary" - both closed and convertible open top.

Most of us were brought up in this area at a time when these vehicles provided most, if not all of the local bus services, including the long service 31 between Brighton and Portsmouth and the summer 102 between Arundel Bus Station and Brighton/Devil's Dyke (whoever she was) which was the longest regular open top service in the country.

Other vehicles now owned include one of the Dual Purpose bodied Leyland Leopards, 465: PUF165H, and one of the Commer TS3 coaches with Harrington Crusader bodies, 70: 70AUF, although this vehicle was used as a racing car transporter after being sold by Southdown so a fair amount of work will be required before it will be used on the road again; similarly 465 wasnot in prestine condition when acquired - but see below just what a bit of hard wark and a paint brush can achieve.

Currently our "fleet" consists of:-

70 - 70AUF Commer TS3 with Harrington Crusader bodywork.

199 - KUF199F Leyland Leopard with Willowbrook BET style B45F body - built 1968

260 - BUF260C Leyland Titan PD3/4 with Northern Counties FH39/30F body - built 1965

294 - FCD294D Leyland Titan PD3/4 with Northern Counties FH39/30F body - built 1966

374 - TCD374J Daimler Fleetline CRG6 with Northern Counties body - built 1971

383 - TCD383J Daimler Fleetline CRG6 with Northern Counties body - built 1971

416 - PRX190B (416DCD)
Leyland Titan PD3/4 with Northern Counties FCO39/30F body - built 1964

418 - PRX200B (418DCD) Leyland Titan PD3/4 with Northern Counties FCO39/30F body built 1964

419 - DRR153B (419DCD) Leyland Titan PD3/4 with Northern Counties FCO39/30F body built 1964 and restored to National Bus Company livery. This bus has now regained its original registration number.

426 - BUF426C Leyland Titan PD3/4 with Northern Counties FCO39/30F body - built 1965. It is seen here at Hilsea West bus stands with the old Southdown Hilsea bus garage, now a dairy, in the background.

465 - PUF165H Leyland Leopard with Northern Counties DP47F body - built 1969.
This is how it looked when firs brought back from Ireland two years ago.

After much hard work and a complete repaint, this is how the bus will be presented from now on.

490 - TCD490J Bristol RESL6G with Marshall B45F body - built 1971

516 (UUF116J) was one of Southdown's first Bristol VRTs and until recently was used as a tunnel maintenance vehicle in the Mersey Tunnel. It was returned to Sussex in 2001 and restoration to Class VI standard is now under way.

Another bus we have brought back from Ireland is Bristol VRTLL6G, LFS296F, which was new to the Scottish Bus Group. It is one of the oldest production models of the VR still in existence (it is the 17th one). It came to Southdown in 1972 as part of the great SBG/NBC Bus Swap when VRs in Scotland were exchanged for Bristol FLFs from many English fleets. Southdown numbered it 544. Here it is in "as acquired" condition operating on the internal bus service at the 2001 International Festival of the Sea in Portsmouth Dockyard.

After service with Southdown, it was then transferred to Alder Valley under whose ownership the open-top conversion was carried out. Again, after much hard work by the new owner, the bus has been repainted in the appropriate Alder Valley stripe livery and is seen here at one of the Group's workshop sites in Horsham.

Another VR to be acquired in 2003 was former Southdown, and Brighton & Hove 615 (UWV615S). It had last operated for Hedingham & District in Essex and the livery shown is the remains of a special contract livery for a shopping complex in Clacton-on-Sea. The bus has since been converted to open-top - it came with a complete set or top-deck rails - and is shortly to be painted in an advertising livery for a local radio station.

It is seen here on Worthing sea front in the evening sun in June after attending the Southsea Rally (alas, not to be held in 2004).

Atlantean 731 (SCD731N) returned to the South Coast in 1999 and has now been repainted in National Green livery with the Coastliner 700 route branding carried by members of its class when new.

Leopard Coach 1828 has since regained its original registration mark (UUF328J) but is seen here shortly after it was acquired by members of the group from Anderson's Coaches. Various Southdown features are retained including the front illuminated Southdown name and, more significantly, the sliders in the side windows which were a feature unique to these Plaxton bodies for Southdown.

Repainting into Southdown lovery is took place in November 2002 and 1828 is seen here leaving Stagecoach's Worthing Garage shortly after the MOT and repaint. 1828 is fitted with a semi-automatic gearbox. Original style "white" on black number plates have been obtained to keep the authenticity of this coach.

A second touring coach is also part of the Group's collection - 1835 - which currently carries the registration BHH83J. It has, unfortunately, lost the hopper windows with which this batch of coaches were uniquely fitted (see 1828 above) and has gained a non-standard front end, rebuilt with a destination box above the windscreen. It is seen parked in Stagecoach's Worthing garage before the recent alterations had been completed.

Former Portsmouth Atlantean 254 (ERV254D), latterly operated by Guide Friday, has also joined the Southdown vehicles. It still carries Guide Friday livery in the view taken at Worthing last summer.

Many of the buses featured on this page have Class VI MOTs and can be hired through Southdown Historic Vehicles Ltd - contact 01903 520286. End of commercial.
Photographs by Richard Cossey and Gerry Cork
© Gerry Cork - February 2004
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