Prepared on Notepad by Ian Smith,
This page created 14th February 2015

Crawley Reds (Sussexbus)

Sussexbus had sprung up following the demise of Countryliner in October 2012. Based in Haywards Heath it concentrated on the Sussex operations and adopted a red livery with www.sussexbus.com in white on the sides.

In September 2014 it started a new operation in Crawley, competing with Metrobus. There were four routes initially, and four buses, all 10.7m Dart SLFs. Two were new to the company, having previously been with Pennine Motor Services. The other two were from the Sussexbus fleet. All were in the company red livery, with prominent branding as "Crawley Reds". More signwriting offering cheaper fares soon followed.

The original routes, on 30 minute headways were:

  • CR1:Crawley Bus Station - Bewbush - Broadfield - Bus Station
  • CR2:reverse of CR1
  • CR3:Crawley Bus Station - Ifield Station - Gossops Green - Bus Station
  • CR4:reverse of CR3
From the beginning of December 2014 routes CR1 and CR2 were withdrawn, but CR3 and CR4, revised, continued with the four SLFs. (A new route 500 (Crawley - Gatwick Airport) with Enviro Darts started then too).

But the new services were largely ignored by the public, and the Crawley venture ceased in mid-February 2015.

Bus histories

These histories are incomplete. They are being assembled as I garner information from a variety of sources. Particularly useful have been:
  • LOTS for accurate data.
  • Ensign Bus & Coach, Purfleet

 
DP 4   X214 ONH  1/01    10.7m Dennis Dart SLF SFD322BR1YGW14745, Plaxton Pointer2, B39F
                 1/01    new to Central Parking, Heathrow
                10/04    Centra
                 8/05    taken over by Flights Hallmark
                10/05    rebranded Surrey Connect 
                 1/06    returned to Dawson Rentals
 DP 27           6/06    acquired by Countryliner (Guildford)
                 2/08    Countryliner
                 5/09    in service, Countryliner DP27
                 9/11    Countryliner
                10/12    Countryliner ceased operation
                11/12    in service, Sussexbus
                 5/13    in service, Sussexbus
                 9/14    in service on CR1, Crawley Reds
                 2/15    Crawley Reds services withdrawn
   

DPL1   X601 AHE  9/00    10.7m  Dennis Dart SLF SFD322BR1XGW13366, Plaxton Pointer2 9910.7HLB1471, B39F
                 9/00    new to Connex Bus, Lewes: blue/white
                 9/00    at Showbus, Duxford 
                         acquired by RDH Services, Haywards Heath
                 8/02    in service, RDH  
              by 3/06    returned to Dawson Rentals   
                 3/06    hired by Countryliner (East Sussex): white
 DP 25           6/06 SF tranfer to Guildford
                 8/06 SF in service on 479, Epsom
                 9/07    in service on 254 (Hawkhurst-Tunbridge Wells): white
                11/07    in service on 304 to Hastings
                 2/08    in service on 254: Countryliner livery
                 5/08    in service on 305 (Hawkhurst-Hastings): Countryliner livery
                 6/11 SF moved to Guildford: repainted 
                 9/12 SF in service on 479
                10/12    Countryliner ceased operation
                10/12    repossessed by Dawson Rentals
                10/12    at Ventura (Lingfield) 
                10/12    bought by SussexBus
                 9/13    in service, Sussexbus, Brighton: red
                11/13    in service, Sussexbus, Brighton: red
                 3/14    in service, Sussexbus, Haywards Heath
                12/14    in service on CR3, Crawley Reds
                 2/15    Crawley Reds services withdrawn


       KN52 NFM  2/03    Dennis Dart SLF SFD3CACR32GW86890, Alexander Pointer2 2062/10, B37F
                 2/03    new to Dawson Rentals for Clynnog & Trefor, Trefor, Gwynedd
                 8/04    on hire, Clynnog & Trefor, Trefor
                 2/07    on hire to Grant Palmer
                 2/07    in service on X42, Dunstable to Bedford: white
                 4/07    on hire to Kent Top Travel
                 4/07    in service on 208 to East Peckham: white
                 8/07    on hire to Grant Palmer
                 8/07    in service on X42, Dunstable to Bedford: white
                 8/09    on hire to Veolia, Abercynon: white
                 5/11    on hire to Burton's, Haverhill: white
                         bought by Pennine Motor Services #D6  
                 2/13    in service, Pennine: orange/black
                 3/13    in service, Pennine
                 5/13    in service, Pennine
                 5/14    in service, Pennine: Pennine ceased trading
                 6/14    sold to Ensign Bus, (Purfleet)  
                         bought by SussexBus
                 9/14    in service on CR1 to Bewbush
                 9/14    in service on CR3 to Gossops Green: Crawley Reds
                11/14    in service on CR3 to Crawley Town Centre
                12/14    in service on CR4
                 2/15    Crawley Reds services withdrawn

       KU52 RYG  9/02    10.7m Dennis Dart SLF SFD3CACR32GW16650, Plaxton Pointer2 2025/3, B37F 
                 9/02    new to Dawson Rentals for Pete's Travel, West Midlands
                 3/05    Peoples Express: name change
                 3/06    Peoples Express ceases trading
                 2/10    at Dawson Rentals: white
                10/10    Red Line, Barnsley, #8752: white
                 7/11    in service, Arriva North West #7904: white
                 9/11    in service, Arriva North West #7904, Liverpool
                         bought by Pennine Motor Services #D8
                 3/13    in service, Pennine
                 9/13    in service, Pennine
                11/13    in service, Pennine
                 5/14    in service, Pennine: Pennine ceased trading
                 6/14    sold to Ensign Bus, (Purfleet)
                         bought by SussexBus
                 7/14    repainted red by Mardens
                 9/14    in service on CR4 to Ifield: Crawley Reds
                11/14    in service on CR4 to Ifield
                 2/15    Crawley Reds services withdrawn

Photographic References

A key to the references can be found in the bibliography 


      KU52 RYG LBM170 p16  9/14     on CR1 to Crawley Bus Station via Broadfield

Ian's Bus Stop Dart SLF index. EOS SLFs. histories. photo refs.