About the BATSAboutBuses Sites
This is the `home` site of the BATSAboutBuses websites. BATS is a non-profit making organisation run by bus enthusiasts with an interest in the historical operations and vehicles of the three Brighton-based bus companies, Southdown Motor Services, Brighton Hove & District Omnibus Company and Brighton Corporation Transport. Primarily information related to these three operators between the years 1935 and 1985 are in the process of being collated and added to the sites. Our aim is to either provide information on the bus companies, their routes and vehicles or else link to other websites with images or information pertaining to the three bus companies.
The impetus behind the BATS Sites
Why Brighton ?
There are a number of factors that makes the history of the Brighton bus scene so fascinating. Firstly there is Southdown, arguably the most popular operator with enthusiasts after London Transport. Judging by the models and preserved vehicles alone, the popularity is not likely to abate. Then there is the unique and complex transport history that could only have happened in the Sussex coastal resort. Where else in the British Isles could you have found a municipal fleet, a state-owned operator and a private company operating co-ordinated bus services? And we have not even mentioned the near-iconic status of the Queen Marys, the cream open toppers, Southdown`s coaches or the many other fascinating aspects of Brighton`s road passenger transport history !
In November 1896 Magnus Volk constructed a Seashore Electric Tramway that ploughed through the sea on rails laid on the sea bed between Brighton and Rottingdean. The marine tramway was never a success, the line being dismantled by 1910. Whilst there has been photographs and information published, what about the personal accounts and recollections of the crew or passengers? Those people that witnessed the marine tram have now gone and took such unique and priceless information with them, depriving future generations of transport enthusiasts and historians. However it is not too late to collate and preserve the information about Brighton`s trams, trolleybuses and motorbuses which is the primary aim of the BATSAboutBuses websites.
Copyright Statement
Can you help ?
You are welcome to print pages for personal use or to link them so long as personal research and not for financial gain. Every effort has been made to ensure the information given on any of the BATS websites is accurate. Any photographs posted have been given in good faith that permission of the copyright holder is given. In the event that copyright has been infringed please contact us whereby the appropriate photograph will be removed immediately.
If you have any information, personal re-collections or photographs that can be posted on the BATS websites or if you are a site leader and would like to link to any BATS website please contact us. All contributions are gratefully accepted in the pursuit of the historical study of passenger road transport.
COPYRIGHT 2005 BATS PAGES. All Rights Reserved.
