Bygone Buses

A Bygone liveried Marshall-bodied Leyland Leopard en route to Goudhurst

Bygone Buses was a post-deregulation bus operator based in Biddenden, Kent, England. It operated on local competitive and tendered services in Maidstone, Medway and The Weald of Kent. It emerged from a company called River Valley Coaches, and used an allover red livery.

Bygone used some vintage types of buses, as well as many second hand standard buses of the era. Bygone was notable as one of the few public transport operators of the Routemaster bus in Kent, and also for a time operated one of the 5 prototype Leyland Titans, NHG 732P (B15.04).^[1][2] Bygone operated a mixed fleet of vehicles, with many one-off types, but did own several Bristol LHs and Leyland Nationals, as well as some coaches also used on bus routes. Many vehicles appeared in non-red livery after being pressed into service straight after purchase. Bygone vehicles were known for their often customised paintwork.

Bygone provided competition against newly privatised dominant operator, Maidstone & District, with practises by both companies becoming part of the scope of a 1993 Competition Commission inquiry into The supply of bus services in Mid and West Kent.^[3] Despite the report being critical of M&D, Bygone was sold to M&D shortly after.

See also

• List of bus operators of the United Kingdom

References

1. Bus lists on the web B15 prototype list
2. Image of Leyland Titan B15 prototype in Bygone colours
3. The supply of bus services in Mid and West Kent

External links

• Southbus Bygone page