Conway Street bus depot
Model feature
A BATS
a 4mm scale model diorama
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The model diorama in its entirety, as initially built, as viewed from the south-western end. The base acts as a storage drawer for the models and their boxes.
Welcome to Conway Street, Hove, in East Sussex, the primary depot and former head office of the Brighton Hove & District Omnibus Company which has recently merged with Southdown Motor Services under common ownership ownership as operating subsidiaries of the National Bus Company.
Inside the western garage, two Lodekkas await their next turn of duty. The foreground was a retrospective addition.
either Southdown or joint Southdown-BH&D fleetnames, so there is plenty of variations to keep us busy.
The scenario
It`s 9.10. am. and we are on our way into Brighton and decide to take a look at Conway Street bus depot. Parked inside are a number of double deckers, mainly Bristol Lodekkas, both in BH&D and Southdown liveries. As we walk eastwards we can see the depot manager in conversation with a conductor whilst his driver looks on. Passing the office block, look up at the former Tilling company-name proudly displayed.
Turning left into Goldstone Street passing the depot stores we come to the two-bay paintshop; one of the workshop staff is going for a cuppa whilst a conductor guides his drivers bus back to take up their daily duty. Of note is the workbench with an array of different paint tins, reflecting the various liveries now being carried on the vehicles. However the work undertaken here is cosmetic as all major engineering work such as full vehicle repaint is now carried out at Southdown`s Portsalde Works.
Crossing the road we come face-to-face with the eastern garage frontage. Two members of staff can
We will be visiting Conway Street depot one morning in the early 1970`s and we will be able to observe a transitional period as buses are no longer exclusively in BH&D red/cream but some have now been repainted into the green/cream livery of Southdown. Add to this the new corporate image as both fleets are undergoing repaint into N.B.C. green/white livery. Further as a temporary expedient, a number of vehicles carry either companies traditional livery but with corporate-style white fleetnames. Then there is the question of
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