fbb's big outing, whilst spending a few days with No 3 son, was from Eastbourne to Brighton. Back in the day this might well have been on a full fronted Southdown service 12.
By the time of the great Great Britain Bus Timetable it had become a 712, jointly run by Brighton and Hove and Stagecoach.
Back then the service ran every 20 minutes, seven days a week (Summer presumably). Things have moved on somewhat by 2019!
Stagecoach have backed out and there are three services here, each running every 20 minutes, all tun by the GoAhead company.
12 - Brighton to Seaford
12A - Brighton Eastbourne via Paradise Park
12X - Brighton Eastbourne
(limited stop Brighton Newhaven)
This does give a bus every ten minutes between Brighton and Eastbourne (12A and 12X) with the 12s joining the 12As to give a bus every ten minutes all stops to Seaford. It is mighty impressive.
So it was that fbb toddled down to Eastbourne Pier to catch the 0945 service 12X to Brighton. He allowed himself plenty of time to find the stop but in the end the flags were clear. On the landward side of the road was the stop for the 99. One time, long ago, this was a Maidstone and District route ...
... now Stagecoach, but still 99.
A cluster of seniors was waiting for their day out to Bexhill or Hastings.
The 99 runs every 20 minutes and is on fbb's list for the next visit to No 3 son.
The stop for the 12A & 12X was on the opposite side of the road ...
... with one Brighton Bus boob. The blue and green sub-flad advertises a bus every ten minutes ...
... but this is incorrect. Only the 12X buses leave from the Pier whilst the 12As leave from the Winter Gardens, a tad further along the esplanade. Everything comes together at the Gildredge Road stop sort-of opposite the station.
Also leaving from the Pier is the Dotto Train ...
... also part of the Stagecoach oeuvre.
Eastbourne open top tours are, however, in the hands of Seaford and District with separate flags ...
... a tidy timetable in a frame ...
... and smart green and cream open toppers.
SEZ 404, onetime closed but with removeable roof ...
... was once part of neighbour Brighton and Hove's fleet registration T819 RFG.
But fbb's 12X was lurking in the distance ...
... as were nearly 30 seniors eager for the ride; 0945 being to first departure on which the pass is valid.
In passing, it is worth remarking that every 12, 12A and 12X that fbb spotted has a useful (and no doubt profitable) load. Again, very impressive.
But then Brighton and Hove does have a printed timetable book widely available and free of charge. It is an in-house production, A4 size and editor compiler Mike Cheeseman ...
... is to be congratulated on an excellent twice-a-year production.
But we are going on a very pleasant bus ride, made extra good as fbb was able to get a top deck front seat.
Pictures of scenery are disappointing in Blogger (something to do with the way the gubbins compresses the JPEG files, fbb guesses) so you will have to take fbb's word for the fact that, between Eastbourne and Seaford the views are gorgeous.
Here is part of the A239 ...
... climbing up on the downs and ...
... dropping down the downs to the Seven Sisters tea room and visitor centre. Here we pass a well loaded 12X on its way to Eastbourne.
The Cuckmere River maeanders gracefully towards the ocean ...
... as fbb's 12X crosses the narrow bridge at the eponymous Inn.
The bridge is both delightful and frustrating as a hindrance to Summer traffic. The bridge crosses a man made channel leaving the wiggles as a disconnected but much extended oxbow lake.
Seaford in a pleasant "suburban" setttlement where the service 12 short workings turn at the War Memorial.
It is also the terminus of a railway line from Lewes via Newhaven ...
... boasting a pleasant tradition station bang on the main street.
Trains run every 30 minutes from Brighton with excellent connections at Lewes for London etc.
Newhaven is not the most picturesque place on the south coast, but we are soon there and this blog will take a break before continuing to Brighton.
Part 2 of the ride from Eastbourne will come sometime next week.
Next weekend odds blog : Saturday 6th July
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