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Buses
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Basildon Bus Station South Walk, Southernhay


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Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station
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Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol KS5G
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2300
Registration Number: DJN 554
Route Service Number: 241
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: October 1965
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1950 with ECW L27/28R body. Originally delivered to Westcliff-on-Sea and seen leaving by the original western exit. Withdrawn 11/1967.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol KS5G
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2269
Registration Number: ONO 78
Route Service Number: Unknown
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: August 1965
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1951 with ECW L27/28R body. Formerly numbered 1541 and withdrawn in 1967.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol LD5G
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2527
Registration Number: 50 PPU
Route Service Number: 254
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: August 1967
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1959 with ECW H33/27R body. Formerly numbered 1558 and withdrawn in 1975.
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Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station
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Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol LD5G
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2462
Registration Number: 324 GPU
Route Service Number: 244
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: September 1972
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1956 with ECW H33/27R body. Formerly numbered 3293 & withdrawn in 1973. Note the space now occupied by the Eastgate Indoor Shopping centre.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol FLF6B
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 1640
Registration Number: RWC 607
Route Service Number: X10
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: June 1963
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: FLF6B coach with ECW CH37/18F body new in 1963. Later renumbered 2604. Note the bus alight point Island, parallel with Southernhay and now the site of the taxi rank.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol FLF6G
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2826
Registration Number: JHK 461C
Route Service Number: 147
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: 1970
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1965 with ECW H38/32F body and withdrawn in 1980. Note above the top deck windows, aluminium beading along the roofline. A significant feature of this bus was that it used much more glassfibre as an experiment - a foretaste of the future.
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Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station
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Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol FLF6G
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2792
Registration Number: AVX 960B
Route Service Number: 2A
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: June 1970
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1964 with ECW H38/32F body. Originally numbered 1669 and withdrawn in 1979.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol FLF6G
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2866
Registration Number: RVW 392D
Route Service Number: 400
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: 1971
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1966 with ECW H38/32F body. Withdrawn in 1971. Shortly afterwards this bus was exchanged with W. Alexander & Sons (Midland) for a Bristol VR.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol FLF6G
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2814
Registration Number: GNO 790B
Route Service Number: 2
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: May 1971
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1964 with ECW H38/32F body. Withdrawn in 1980.
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Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station
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Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol FLF6G
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2718
Registration Number: 98 TVX
Route Service Number: 259
Photographer: Chris Stewart
Year of photo: 5 September 1976
Copyright: Chris Stewart
Comments: New in 1960 with ECW H38/32F body. Originally numbered 1589 and withdrawn in 1977.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol FLF6B
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2779
Registration Number: 992 KOO
Route Service Number: Not known
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: March 1977
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1963 with ECW H32/32F body. Originally numbered 1656 and withdrawn in 1978. Note the original wall mural above the shops.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol FLF6LX
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2919
Registration Number: AEV 813F
Route Service Number: 26
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: August 1968
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1968 with ECW H40/30F body. Destroyed by fire at Prittlewell depot (Essex) 1981.
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Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station
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Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol FLF6LX
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2887
Registration Number: WNO 975F
Route Service Number: 251
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: May 1970
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1967 with ECW H40/30F body and withdrawn in 1981.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol FLF6LX
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2892
Registration Number: WNO 980F
Route Service Number: 151
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: August 1974
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1967 with ECW H40/30F body and withdrawn in 1981. Intermediate livery (NBC green/white) Yellow (Eastern National) above radiator.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol FLF6LX
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2922
Registration Number: AEV 816F
Route Service Number: 2
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: May 1977
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1968 with ECW H40/30F body and withdrawn in 1981.
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Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station
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Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol FLF6LX
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 2894
Registration Number: WNO 982F
Route Service Number: 151
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: August 1980
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1967 with ECW H40/30F body and withdrawn in 1981.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol VRT/SL6LX
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 3000
Registration Number: CPU 979G
Route Service Number: X10
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: 1968
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1968 with ECW H39/31F body and withdrawn in 1986. The first VRT SL and was the chassis shown at the Earls Court Show in 1968. It is now preserved and privately owned by a bus enthusiast.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol VRT/SL6LX
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 3001
Registration Number: CPU 980G
Route Service Number: X10
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: March 1969
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: New in 1969 with ECW H39/31 body and withdrawn in 1986. Painted in duel-purpose livery.
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Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station Basildon Bus Station
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Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol VRT
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 3019
Registration Number: SMS 45H
Route Service Number: 400
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: September 1971
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: Swopped in a deal involving 15 FLFs with W. Alexander & Sons (Midland). Seen with interim scrolls (no numbers) in Alexander blue livery.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol VRT
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 3008
Registration Number: SMS 34H
Route Service Number: 400
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: September 1972
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: Swapped for FLFs, seen here after re-paint into NBC green/white livery, but missing the NBC-style fleetnames and grey wheels.
Location: Basildon Bus Station
Bus Type: Bristol VRT
Bus Operator: Eastern National
Fleet Number: 3005
Registration Number: LFS 287F
Route Service Number: 400
Photographer: Bill Cansick
Year of photo: April 1974
Copyright: W.T. Cansick
(Paul Harrison Collection)
Comments: ENOC VRT in NBC green/white livery, ex Eastern Scottish AA287, with curiously small "T" box front destination box fitted by ENOC.

All photos and caption information appear courtesy of
The History of Southend Corporation Transport website.
No unauthorised use is permitted - see website link above for more information.

Abbreviations:
ENOC; Eastern National Omnibus Company, ECW; Eastern Coach Works (Lowestoft, Suffolk).
Bus Type Codes:
KSW5G=kchassis Short Wide 5 cylinder Gardner engine.
LD5G=Lodekka 5 cylinder Gardner engine.
FLF6B=Flat floor Long Forward 6 cylinder Bristol engine.
FLF6G=Flat floor Long Forward 6 cylinder Gardner engine.
FLF6LX=Flat floor Long Forward 6 cylinder Leyland engine.
VRT=Vertical Rear-engine Transverse.


In 1958 development of Basildon town centre was well under way with the first shops opening later that year. Bus services up to then had operated routes on existing pre-new town roads and the few new roads either completed or under development, without being able to serve the town centre directly.

Following the completion of Whitmore Way and Southernhay, from May 4th 1958 service numbers 243, 244, 254 & 255 all had their routes extended to become the first services to use the new bus station in Southernhay. At the same time with Roundacre roundabout now partly operational the 244 route was extended again, during peak hours, to Laindon Railway station via the newly opened Laindon Link, thus becoming the first cross-town service.

Initially the passenger pick up point consisted of a double parallel island arrangement with buses entering from the eastern end. The South Walk pedestrianised shopping walk was at that time still under construction, with the parallel bus bay only partially developed against the entire length of South Walk. Interestingly during the early years to 1969 cars and other road vehicles were also permitted to park within the bus station area. (See note 1.)

New arrival/departure arrangement

During mid 1966 to August, the bus station was completely rebuilt and extended as one large bay. This meant the end of the double parallel arrangement - although a paved parallel section was retained alongside Southernhay, which some services would still continue to use for many years. An increase in services and coach arrivals had necessitated this work and the new 20 bay 'saw tooth' layout, numbered A - V (no letter I or O bays), with buses now entering from the western end has remained ever since. A further addition was a small information kiosk at the eastern end. This later fell out of use and was removed in 2022.

Weatherproof roof added

During the 1990s further development of the waiting area resulted in a new closed in weatherproof design encompassing the entire length of South Walk. A further change occured in the late 1990s when the single parallel island section became a pedestrian pick-up point following the re-siting of the Market Square/Market Pavement taxi rank.

Raised bus bay approaches

Over the winter of 2022 and the early months of 2023 the entire length of the bus bay approaches were raised to facilitate easier off/on access to the buses. During this time services using an affected bay were diverted to temporary pickup/put down points in a westerly direction along a stretch of Southernhay directly opposite the bus station until the works were completed. Each bay also received a three foot high yellow crash barrier.

Notes:

1) BASILDON URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL The Basildon Central Bus Station (Prohibition of Driving) Order, 1968
Notice is hereby given that on the 2nd January 1969 the Urban District Council of Basildon made two Orders under sections 1 and 2 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967, the effect of which will be to prohibit all vehicles other than those owned or operated by the Eastern National Omnibus Company Limited or its associated undertakings from entering the Basildon Town Centre Bus Station.
Source: London Gazette, 17/01/1969, Edition No. 44769, p. 664.
Page added: 2002
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Text researched and written 2002 with revisions 2023.
Copyright © 2002, B. Cox - Basildon History Online. All rights reserved.

Copyright
Unless otherwise specified, all photographs appearing on the Basildon History website, are the sole property of Basildon History Online and are protected by copyrights and laws. You may not modify, copy, reproduce, upload, transmit, republish, post, publicly display, prepare derivative works based on, or distribute in any way Basildon History's own material without first receiving written permission. You may download photographs, images and text provided it is for your own personal non-commercial home use.

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