London Country (North East) SNB490 (BPL 490T) in Welwyn Garden City – 18 Jan 1989 (80-22)

Wednesday 18 January 1989 – London Country (North East) SNB490 (BPL 490T), a Leyland National I new in July 1979, seen in Howardsgate, Welwyn Garden City loading for St. Albans on service 333. The bus was allocated to St. Albans garage.

Standing behind is LP40 (A140 DPE), a Roe bodied Leyland Olympian new in September 1983 and Welwyn Hatfield Line FCY 295W, a Duple Dominant bodied Bedford YMQ that had been new to South Wales Transport (295) in January 1981.

London Country (North East) was created in 1986 when London Country Bus Services Limited, owned by the National Bus Company, was split into four smaller companies in preparation for privatisation. In April 1988 LC (NE) was purchased by the AJS Group and later the new owners spilt the business to create Sovereign Bus and Coach (operating from Hatfield, Stevenage and St. Albans garages) and County Bus and Coach (operating from Harlow, Grays and Hertford garages). Sovereign acquired the Welwyn Hatfield Line business in January 1990, a post deregulation operation that was established by a group of former London Country drivers.

The photograph was taken in the area used as a temporary bus station during the construction of the Howard Shopping Centre which now stands beyond the two buses behind SNB490. The buildings on the right remain today, the opticians is Jeremy Soloman at 62 Howardsgate and the Abbey National is now Santander at 60 Howardsgate.