Bus

Founding

The Hastings and Suburban Omnibus Company Limited was founded on the 29th of July 1886 with a stated purpose 'to convey passengers and goods in omnibuses, waggonettes, coaches and cabs within a ten mile radius of the Albert Memorial clock tower, Hastings' ^[1]

Arrival of A. Timpson & Sons Ltd.

In 1919, a London company, A. Timpson and Sons Ltd introduced a coach service to Hastings, buying a company that offered a route to Pett in 1925. They soon expanded this to offer a service between Hastings and Bexhill. These routes were complemented by a number of round-town routes, prompting Skinners to set up a competing service in 1929, but this would appear to have been unprofitable for Skinners, for they sold their routes to Timpsons in 1933.^[2]

Replacement of Trolleybuses

The Trolleybuses that used to run around the town were replaced by a fleet of Leyland Atlantean buses in 1959, these continuing in service until the 1970s, when a new fleet took over.

Routes

Vehicles

1940s

The Bristol K6A entered service with M&D in Feb 1945 (surprisingly) and had a Park Royal body at that time, it was later rebodied with a Weymann H30/26R body - Highbridge, 30 upstairs, 26 down, Rear entrance (no doors) in March 1953. It then stayed in service until 1966^[3].

Depots

During the 1960s & 1970s, there was a bus depot operated by Hastings & District (becoming Maidstone and District) off Waterworks Road behind the Gas Showrooms in Queen's Road Another depot was at the Silverhill Bus Depot in Beaufort Road, with the third depot at Bexhill Road