DSCN4920 Brighton and Hove 626 (YN04 GJY) and 52 (YN58 BCF) - 28 Sep 2010

Tuesday 28 Sept 2010 (0855) – Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company (Go-Ahead Group owned) favours Scania buses in their fleet. This view in Castle Square shows 626 (YN04 GJY), an East Lancs bodied Omnidekka dating from Feb 2004, and 52 (YN58 BCF), an integral Omnilink single decker dating from Sept 2008.

Most B&H buses carry names of people having a connection with the Brighton area. Bus 626 is named Ernest F Beal. Born in a 1883 he was a member of a famous local family and the only Brighton man to have been awarded the Victoria Cross in the First World War after showing immense bravery in holding a section of trench, capturing machine guns and looking after a wounded man.

Bus 52 is named Kenneth Fines, the planning officer for the resort in the 1970s. Prior to his appointment the council was considering widespread
demolition in the town centre so that a road on stilts could be built. Fines persuaded councillors this would not be a good idea and the scheme was rejected. He later suggested that the ‘ordinary’ district near Brighton Station should be turned into a conservation area, a controversial idea as conservation areas had previously only included grand houses.