New route numbers

A massive overhaul of timetables occurred earlier this month with routes being cut, others going completely and new routes have been created with various route extensions. The route extensions of the 5 and 5A happened replacing what was part of route 55 with a more frequent weekday service to areas that were served by the 55.  Another route created was the 6 which replaced route 56 retaining the 56s routing just under a different number. The 5/5A is mainly operated by E200s with a few E300s appearing as well also with a booked E400 working of the route.

Here are some 5As featured:

The first extended 5A I photographed was worked by E300 27578 here it is leading a group of E300s.

27578 is seen working a Beachlands bound 5A here it leads 2 Scania E300s

 The other 2 5As photographed were worked by Scania E300 28606 this is an allocated Scania E300 working.

Scania E300 28606 in a soggy Eastbourne working the Scania E300 working of route 5A

Meanwhile here is 28606 in drier conditions

I will continue to get photos of the route along with the 5 and the 6 so hopefully will be more photos soon.

Transfers and short lived transfers

Buses transfer in and out all the time sometimes within the South East or other group members and the past few weeks have been full of transfers. Buses have come in whilst others have left to go elsewhere it's all happening.

I've been busy capturing some of buses that have appeared in the area which have done before and have never been in the area here are the photos that I've managed to get.

Tridents were very short lived they didn't last long here is 17734 on the 5

 Stagecoach in Eastbourne have gained 2 more GX58 E300s taking the total of the type up to 8 the buses are 27577/9. These 2 buses were on loan back in February covering normal services whilst others were away doing rail replacement they have joined 27578 and 27573/4/5/6/82.

E300 27577 is seen working the 1 service this was the first time I've seen 27577 since February. 

E300 27579 is seen working the 51 here it is in Eastbourne town centre

A summary of transfers.

A trip by Bus

On Monday this week I went on a bus trip this time I went to Brighton where I hadn't been for buses since 2016. There are 3 operators featured in this post they are: Brighton&Hove, Stagecoach South and MetroBus. Brighton&Hove are the most dominant operator in the city with the most routes. The bus I had for my journey in the morning was so busy it was packed but coming back, not as bad.

Here are my selection of bus photos from a really good day out:

Regency Volvo 423 is seen in the City Centre it was taken off after this photo was taken because of the many problems with the Regency Volvos.

Something more promising was Stagecoach South E300 27658 seen with a Coastliner behind.

E300 27667 is seen working the 17 route which can only use Single-Deckers because of a low bridge along the route.

Coastliner MMC 10968 is also seen these are no good for the 700 at all.

Working the 270 route was E200 6782 they have a ZF gearbox and are rubbish.

A Metrobus Scania is seen on the 273.

Rainbow Pride Bus 439 is also seen in the same place as the Regency Volvo. 

These Scanias are on borrowed time so I thought why not get a photo of one.

i360 Volvo 420 is also seen in the City Centre.

Regency Bus and Drusillas Bus in one featuring Volvo 426

Wasn't expecting to see one of these normally found on Worthings "The Pulse" route here is E300 27677 showing that route branding doesn't work and is seen on the 17.

A sight that won't be around for much longer as these Volvos will soon be displaced by brand new ADL hybrids.

I would love to visit the area again as I felt really happy with my photography.

A couple of weeks of odd workings

Route branding fails and buses appearing on routes they're not allocated to are classed as odd workings. There has been quite a few odd workings in the past couple of weeks including Hastings Arrows E200s appearing on the 98, E200s on the Wave 99, E300s on the Wave 99, Loop buses on the 1/1A and Scania E300s on the 1X. Here are some of my photos showing some of these odd workings occur.

The batch of 12 plate Hastings Arrows E200s are normally found on Hastings locals but come to Eastbourne on the 98 and sometimes the Wave 99 here we have 36489 working the 98.

I had to stand in between traffic cones for this shot of Hastings Arrows E200 36489 on the 98 

 The Wave 99 also runs between Eastbourne and Hastings but is a quicker route than the 98 using Scania MMCs. However, in the last couple of weeks, there has been some Single-Decker appearances on the route 36899 and 27572 are both seen on the route.

E200 36899 is seen working the Wave 99 which normally uses Scania MMCs

A week earlier, E300 27572 also made an appearance on the Wave 99

 The Eastbourne Loop E400s aren't good buses and the pink front doesn't hide their many problems there has been a few Loop Buses off route recently appearing on their former route the 1/1A here is 19651 on the 1.

Normally found on the Eastbourne Loop is E400 19651 here it is working the 1 its former route

 One final rare working was the appearance of Scania E300 28610 on the 1X which normally uses E200s I took a few photos of this and was able to get the blind showing on the last one I took.

A really rare working was Scania E300 28610 working the usually E200 operated 1X the route needs a bigger bus sometimes

Hopefully there will be many more odd workings to come.

The return of one really good bus

This particular bus first visited the area back in February this year along with 27577 and 27579 when E300s were away on rail replacement. However, it's now back on its own the one and only 27578 this E300 has a modified livery on the back with more blue and no white line on the front it takes its looks from the departed 27581 and Scania 28609. It joins other GX58 E300s 27573. 27574, 27575, 27576 and 27582 taking the ADL E300 total up to 6.

I had so many memories on this bus it was the very first bus I filmed when I started doing onboard YouTube videos and have been able to ride it a few times since its return. Here are a few photos of 27578s first couple of weeks back in service in its hometown.

This was my very first photo of 27578 upon its return here it is departing.

27578 is seen infront of an E200 as it works the 1 service which it spends most of its time on.

Here is 27578 seen working the 1 service again in Eastbourne Town Centre.

There will be plenty more photos of this bus to come it's nice for 27578 to be back where it belongs after being on the move the past few years.

Rail in Eastbourne

When rail works happen the buses come out to play that was the case last Sunday there were no trains out of Eastbourne so the buses replaced them. This particular one was very dominant with Brighton and Hove with most of the buses used being theirs. 

Here is my selection of photos from the afternoon all were photographed by me.

Volvo 472 "The Snowman" seen at the station you can see a Southern Transit Trident lurking in the background

Route 6 branded Gemini 407 is seen with the Rocking Horse behind

Gemini 410 is seen with another Route 6 Gemini behind it

Former Brighton and Hove Scania Omnicity 717 now with Metrobus on their 400 is seen with 472 behind

The Rockinghorse bus this is Gemini 438 seen in the Station 

Please excuse my finger a Brighton and Hove Gemini leads a Scania

This is my first time at a rail in a while because of bullying so was nice to see different buses.

Unexpected departures

I was heartbroken about some buses that I really like going. I was informed a few weeks back and was told to make the most of 27580-2 when I can I wasn't expecting them to go this soon. I was hoping more like the end of the month so I could enjoy them for that little bit longer and after 15450/1 and 15636 arrived I knew the 3 were the replacements for 27580-2. 

27581/2 got removed from service down here a few weeks back and 27580 clung on for that little bit longer until that left. They have transferred well away well and truly out off the South East but all the way to Scotland so many memories have been created on these buses and they will be missed here is some of my photos that I took.

27580:

What would be my last photo of 27580 the bus is seen leaving Langney it would be taken out of service and prepped for transfer 5 days later.

A week before sees 27580 arriving at Langney

 27581:

Sadly, I was unable to capture 27581 on its last week here is my last photo of it awaiting its entry into Langney.

Back in the Summer of 2018, 27581 took a spin on the 5 a route which didn't see these running often on it.

 27580 and 27581:

One of my favourite photos sees 27580 and 27581 both on the 1 but going different ways.

 27582:

27582 is seen arriving at Langney its screen refused to come out.

27582 this time is seen leaving Langney whilst on the 1 service.

It has been nice showing these buses in the good times and hopefully 27573/4/5/6 stay they appear to be as of this week.