County Bus & Coach

Saturday 3 September 1988 – I am not exactly certain just which company was operating this vehicle at the time. London Country North East was privatised on 22 April 1988 when it was bought by the AJS Group who later created two companies in the names of County Bus and Coach and Sovereign Bus and Coach. National Bus Company style Green Line livery was carried by C203 PPE although it was working National Express summer Saturday holiday service 103 from Hatfield to Great Yarmouth when seen travelling on the A11 through Red Lodge, Suffolk. The vehicle is a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger. It features the low driving position which combined with the 3500 high model gives a very large size windscreen. It was new in August 1985 as fleet number STL3 in the London Country Bus Services fleet.

Saturday 6 August 1994 – Sampson Coaches of Hoddesdon was owned by County Bus and Coach Company, the former London Country (North East). BTF10 (B110 KPF) was seen at Barton Mills Picnic Area on the A1065 when taking the Crystals Marching Band to Pleasurewood Hills for the day. A Berkhof Everest bodied Leyland Tiger new in November 1984 as a service coach for the London Country Bus Services Green Line network.

Saturday 6 August 1994 – Sampson Coaches of Hoddesdon was owned by County Bus and Coach Company, the former London Country (North East). BTF10 (B110 KPF), a Berkhof Everest bodied Leyland Tiger new in November 1984 as a service coach for the London Country Bus Services Green Line network, was seen at Barton Mills Picnic Area on the A1065 when taking the Crystals Marching Band to Pleasurewood Hills for the day. What appears to be a depiction of the biblical character Samson is used as a logo alongside the fleetname although the latter has the spelling Sampson with a ‘p’ included.

Saturday 6 August 1994 – Sampson Coaches of Hoddesdon was owned by County Bus and Coach Company, the former London Country (North East). BAZ 7384 was seen at Barton Mills Picnic Area on the A1065. It was a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger which featured the low driving position which when combined with the 3500 high model gave a very large expanse of glass. It was new in August 1985 as fleet number STL10 in the London Country Bus Services fleet registered C210 PPE.

Saturday 17 August 1996 – Sampson Coaches of Hoddesdon was owned by County Bus and Coach Company, the former London Country (North East). VPL501 (L501 MOO), a Plaxton Première 350 bodied Volvo B10M new in September 1993, was seen parked at Ram Meadow in Bury St. Edmunds. What appears to be a depiction of the biblical character Samson is used as a logo alongside the fleetname although the latter has the spelling Sampson with a ‘p’ included.

Tuesday 30 July 1996 (approx. 1000) – County Bus and Coach TDL60 (C260 SPC), a Duple 320 bodied Leyland Tiger new to London Country in April 1986, seen in Welwyn Garden City bus station. It was working the 0850 Watford-Harlow service 724, a short run on what was the Heathrow-Watford-WGC-Harlow service.

September 1998 - County Bus and Coach Company (Arriva owned) PDL202 (R202 VPU) seen in Welwyn Garden City bus station when working Green Line service 724 from Harlow to Heathrow Airport. It is a Plaxton Prestige bodied DAF SB220LC new in December 1997.

Friday 3 July 1998 (approx. 1630) - County Bus and Coach Company (Arriva owned) PDL206 (R206 VPU) seen in Welwyn Garden City bus station when working Green Line service 724 from Heathrow Airport to Harlow. It is a Plaxton Prestige bodied DAF SB220LC new in December 1997.

Friday 3 July 1998 (approx. 1630) - County Bus and Coach Company (Arriva owned) PDL206 (R206 VPU) seen in Welwyn Garden City bus station when working Green Line service 724 from Heathrow Airport to Harlow. It is a Plaxton Prestige bodied DAF SB220LC new in December 1997. On the right is Sovereign Bus and Coach (G906 UPP), a Reeve Burgess bodied Mercedes-Benz O 709D, new to Sovereign in November 1989. It wears Welwyn Hatfield Line livery, a company acquired by Sovereign in January 1990.

Wc 16 March 1998 – County Bus and Coach (Arriva) VPL503 (H903 AHS), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M new to Park’s of Hamilton in March 1991, which carries Leaside Travel livery and names. It was seen in Burnham Green Road, Bulls Green (approaching Bramford Road) when working the morning run of a school contract to Hertford and Ware. The contract picked up at various villages including Tewin, Burnham Green, Bulls Green etc.

Wc 16 March 1998 – County Bus and Coach (Arriva) VPL503 (H903 AHS), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M new to Park’s of Hamilton in March 1991, which carries Leaside Travel livery and names. It was seen turning from Burnham Green Road to Bramfield Road at Bulls Green when working the morning run of a school contract to Hertford and Ware. The contract picked up at various villages including Tewin, Burnham Green, Bulls Green etc.

Wc 16 March 1998 – County Bus and Coach (Arriva) VPL503 (H903 AHS), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M new to Park’s of Hamilton in March 1991, which carries Leaside Travel livery and names. It was seen turning from Burnham Green Road to Bramfield Road at Bulls Green when working the morning run of a school contract to Hertford and Ware. The contract picked up at various villages including Tewin, Burnham Green, Bulls Green etc.

Monday 30 March 1999 – County Bus and Coach (Arriva) VPL503 (H903 AHS), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M new to Park’s of Hamilton in March 1991, which carries Leaside Travel livery and names. It was seen in Orchard Road, Burnham Green when working the morning run of a school contract to Hertford and Ware. The contract picked up at various villages including Tewin, Bulls Green etc.

March 1998 (approx. 0845) – Two photographs stuck together then scanned. The view from the office at Schering-Plough, Falcon Way, Shire Park, Welwyn Garden City towards two of the Tesco Stores office buildings. The coach is standing outside was became known as the ‘Checkout Building’ – the building beyond became known as the ‘Omega Building’. The wooden fencing had recently been erected around the site where another Tesco office building was to be erected and this became the ‘Pear Building’. As Schering-Plough expanded the offices moved to a larger building further along Falcon Way where they remained until the company was taken over and merged with another pharmaceutical business (MSD). In due course Tesco occupied both Schering-Plough buildings as well as others on Shire Park also adding their ‘Heart Building’ which became a focal point for staff welfare. Only a small number of other businesses remain on the overall site. I believe the coach was performing the daily staff shuttle from the former Tesco headquarters at Cheshunt and today was worked by a Bova Futura. Plaxton Paramount and Plaxton Première coaches also appeared on the work all wore Leaside Travel livery and names.

March 1998 (approx. 0845) – The view from the office at Schering-Plough, Falcon Way, Shire Park, Welwyn Garden City (with the S-P flag) towards two of the Tesco Stores office buildings. The coach is standing outside was became known as the ‘Checkout Building’ – the building beyond became known as the ‘Omega Building’. The wooden fencing had recently been erected around the site where another Tesco office building was to be erected and this became the ‘Pear Building’. As Schering-Plough expanded the offices moved to a larger building further along Falcon Way where they remained until the company was taken over and merged with another pharmaceutical business (MSD). In due course Tesco occupied both Schering-Plough buildings as well as others on Shire Park also adding their ‘Heart Building’ which became a focal point for staff welfare. Only a small number of other businesses remain on the overall site. I believe the coach was performing the daily staff shuttle from the former Tesco headquarters at Cheshunt and today was worked by a Bova Futura. Plaxton Paramount and Plaxton Première coaches also appeared on the work all wore Leaside Travel livery and names.

March 1998 (approx. 0845) – The view from the office at Schering-Plough, Falcon Way, Shire Park, Welwyn Garden City (with the S-P flag) towards two of the Tesco Stores office buildings. The coach is standing outside was became known as the ‘Checkout Building’ – the building beyond became known as the ‘Omega Building’. The wooden fencing had recently been erected around the site where another Tesco office building was to be erected and this became the ‘Pear Building’. As Schering-Plough expanded the offices moved to a larger building further along Falcon Way where they remained until the company was taken over and merged with another pharmaceutical business (MSD). In due course Tesco occupied both Schering-Plough buildings as well as others on Shire Park also adding their ‘Heart Building’ which became a focal point for staff welfare. Only a small number of other businesses remain on the overall site. I believe the coach was performing the daily staff shuttle from the former Tesco headquarters at Cheshunt and today was worked by a Bova Futura. Plaxton Paramount and Plaxton Première coaches also appeared on the work all wore Leaside Travel livery and names.

Saturday 25 May 1996 – RAF Mildenhall Left: Sampson Coaches of Hoddesdon was owned by County Bus and Coach Company and part of the Lynton Travel Group. VPL503 (H903 AHS), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M new in March 1991 to Park’s of Hamilton. What appears to be a depiction of the biblical character Samson is used as a logo alongside the fleetname although the latter has the spelling Sampson with a ‘p’ included. Right: Wiltshire’s Coaches of Sea Palling, Norfolk BTH 364V, a Duple Dominant bodied AEC Reliance new in October 1979 to Eynon Coaches of Trimsaran, Carmarthenshire.

Friday 8 June 1990 – National Bus Company owned London Country Bus Services Limited introduced some Eastern Coachworks bodied Leyland Olympian coaches for commuter services into central London during the 1980s operating under the Green Line name. C212 UPD, new as LRC12 in June 1986, was assigned to Harlow garage to work the Harlow-London service 710. LCBS was split into four separate companies in 1986 and later these companies were privatised. This vehicle was now operated by County Bus and Coach (owned by the AJS Group) and was seen in Drummer Street Bus Station, Cambridge on a limited stop service operated into London.