SCT'61 Articles
Southend Sea Front Bus Services by Brian Pask

Third part of a short personal history of the Southend sea front bus services and the open toppers that worked them with the pictures either taken by Brian or drawn from his collection.

In the late 1950s, Eastern National started replacing its motley fleet of mainly ex-Brighton Hove & District open toppers. The vehicles converted were all Leyland PD1/1s or PD1As of 1947-9, most with Beadle 6 bay bodies but two with Alexander 5 bay. All had come from the City fleet, where they had been that company's first double deckers since their London independent days. A total of 10 vehicles were converted, the first in December 1956 (and presumably in service for the 1957 season), the rest in 1958-60. Not all would have been used in Southend, some covering the Eastern National open top service at Clacton. All had been withdrawn by the end of the 1965 season but two survived, 2102 entering preservation in October of that year and 2111 being exported to the USA. The latter (picture Classic Bus No.34 p.29) is thought still to survive.

1112, later 2102, (LEV917), one of the two with Alexander bodies, turns from the seafront into Chalkwell Avenue on a 68 for Thames Drive. The vehicle carries it original fleet number so photo must be from prior to August 1964. Livery is cream with Tilling green mudguards and engine cover and a traditional Eastern National fleetname in a small green panel enclosed by moulding below the windows. Note the self advert for Eastern National coach services. This is the vehicle which is now preserved.

Beadle bodied 2108, originally 1128, (NVX308) probably at the same Thames Drive location as Southend 242 on the previous page, but from the nearside. The blinds have already been changed for the return journey on the 68 to Shoebury Common. The vehicle carries its later fleet number, so the photo must be from either post August 1964 or summer 1965. This has a different Eastern National advert, for local services in Essex.

On the duty which fell to most open toppers each year, 1111, later 2101, (LEV920), with Beadle body, waits outside the Great Eastern Hotel in Liverpool Street to pick up a party for the 1962 Derby. Again, this has an advert for Essex local services.

A recent shot of 2102 (LEV917) at the Castle Point Rally in 2010. Note the "SEA FRONT SERVICE DIVERTED VIA SPECIAL ROUTE" blind. A similar display was provided on Southend blinds, normally used when the service was diverted away from the sea front on the days of the Carnival procession.

The other survivor, 2111, NVX311, seen here in North Carolina in the late 1990s. In summer 2001 it was still being used regularly to tour the town of Beaufort, North Carolina. Unfortunately, at that time, the bus was experiencing significant transmission/gear box issues - and certainly made for a rough ride around town. They indicated during the ride that they would be getting a new bus, and it appears online that they did - a 1967 Routemaster SMK695F. Not clear what happened to NVX311.

The next change came in the winter of 1965/6 when Eastern National made further open top conversions. These were standard ECW bodied Bristol KSWs which had been new to Westcliff and Eastern National in 1953. Ten vehicles were converted between October 1965 and May 1966 and replaced the PD1s from the 1966 season. Again, this batch of ten vehicles was split between Southend and Clacton. They were eventually withdrawn in the early 1980s, but one (2378) was later used by Eastern National as a tree lopper. At least three saw further PSV use, 2384 with Town & Country of Grays, 2385 with Eastern Counties and then Tricentrol, 2386 with South Wales (on the Swansea-Mumbles route). 2384 is now with Talisman of Colchester, while four (2380, 2381, 2383 and 2386) are in preservation in Britain and a fifth (2379) in Holland (picture here). Another (2385) still exists, although derelict, in Tenerife (photos - see here.).

When first converted the WNO batch of open toppers were painted in the same livery as their predecessors, cream with Tilling green mudguards and engine covers. They had a traditional Eastern National fleetname within an ornate moulding below the forward lower deck window. Here 2386 (WNO484) has just passed under the very low pier bridge on a 67 for Kent Elms Corner.

Slightly further west, with the shrubbery and its illuminated displays in the background, 2383 (WNO479) heads for Kent Elms Corner on a 67.

2384 (WNO480), well away from the sea front, stands at the western terminus of the 67, in the middle of a housing estate at Kent Elms Corner. This open topper came to grief near here when it had an argument with the kitchen of a house! This did not do either the bus or the house any good.

Later in their lives the WNO batch were repainted into National white with leaf green band and mudguards. Gone is the distinctive moulding and fleetname, replaced by a bland Eastern National and double N logo in leaf green. In this condition 2382 (WNO483) waits at the end of Lifstan Way ready to turn onto the sea front with a 67 for Kent Elms Corner.

2382 is now turning onto the sea front while 2379 (WNO475) approaches on its way to Temple Sutton, by that time the terminus of the 67.

2383 (WNO479) stands at another location well away from the sea front and in a housing estate, the by then Temple Sutton terminus of the 67.

2378 (WNO474) converted for use as a tree lopper and painted in all over leaf green, parked in the bus station at Chelmsford. A Bristol RE single decker stands behind it on a 53 for Colchester.

2385 (WNO481) with Tricentrol, location unknown, but might be at a rally. For later pictures of this vehicle see here.