East Grinstead Rail Replacement: Sussex Operators

[Chris]

The entire three-vehicle fleet of DB Commercials was out in East Grinstead on Saturday. SN56 AEP, and stablemate SN56 AEK, started life with Lothian, but were acquired from G.H. Watts of Leicestershire, whose livery detailing (including the front 'Coaches' fleetname) they retain. All-white LK59 CWY is the newest into the fleet, acquired in December from Faresaver of Chippenham. The vehicle behind in that image is Scania YN17 OHR from the rather oddly named "Transport for School" of Thamesmead. 

EX56 ERV is, as JFO has stated, the second full-size double-decker in the Wealden "Not-so-Mini"buses fleet. As with the previous example, it was acquired from Keane Travel/Ensign with a KIG registration, and is soon to be re-registered WB05BUS... some caution will be required to differentiate it from existing fleet member WB06BUS! 

Finally, The Big Lemon is based over the Club border, but does operate into the area with services to Heathfield College acquired with the business of Seaford & District. E400 SN06BNO, numbered 809, is usually to be found on service 268 to/from Herstmonceux, but was out on the service to Three Bridges along with at least two other vehicles in yellow, two single decks acquired from Go-Ahead London, and the last remaining vehicle in S&D livery, SFZ 644. 

Chris

[Neil Gow]

I picked up a few more. Wealden's other bus was there but spent a good proportion of the day parked up at Three Bridges on layover/reserve, so I didn't picture it.

I was able to quickly snap DB Commercials' SN56 AEK after getting off at Gatwick. Pictures at Gatwick are quite difficult to take. You can only really get them arriving as you can't get far enough down the concourse to picture them at the departure point. Access to the departures is highly regulated there, you have to pass through rail barriers (my ticket from East Croydon to Three Bridges allowed me to do so!) and then stand in an orderly queue for the next departure - no chance to choose a vehicle or photograph it.

Also pictured were three more of the Big Lemon fleet, ex Seaford & District SFX 644, ex Stagecoach Corbystar KX04 RCZ and one of the ex Go-ahead London contract fleet B7RLEs HF05 HXD. This last one was part of the Wilts & Dorset "Morebus" launch in Bournemouth/Poole and still has low density seating in the front half and moquette featuring names and stylised images of places formerly served in Dorset and Wiltshire.

HF05 HXD was my last bus of the day, but the best was EX56 ERS. It had comfortable traditional squab seat cushions, was warm, smooth suspension, no rattles, a decent turn of speed and so quiet I wasn't sure it actually was a B7TL. A credit to the previous and current owners.

Neil.

[Nik Anthony]

Where abouts in Gatwick are they actually stopping?

Nik

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[Harry Powell]

DB Commercials currently have a few more then 3 vehicles in their fleet. 

Current fleet is E200 YX10BFJ, B7TL's SN56AEK, SN56AEP, LF52THK, B9TL's LK59CWY, LK59CWZ, LK59CXB, Irizars YT15AVG and YN08OCS, Plaxtons SV56BVT and a KX58 plate Panther that I've not seen yet.

[Nicholas King]

Can someone check O-discs on these to confirm their ownership?  It sounds as if quite a few vehicles are being loaned in.

 

Nicholas King

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[Neil Gow]

" Where abouts in Gatwick are they actually stopping? "

On the South Terminal side, on the upper level which if my memory serves me correctly is where the Greenline and Invictaway 900 bus stops were in the past. That canopy affair is new(ish) though (within the bounds of some time since since the late 1980s).

[Chris]

I must admit, I got the number of discs held by Wealden Minibuses (was 2, now 3, but they seem to own 4 vehicles) mixed up with DB (who have had 5 since the licence was granted). 

I suppose it is plausible that discs are being used 'as required' - after all, there are no restrictions on how many vehicles you can own! That said, though, have all of these been seen in service? It seems DB do a good deal of mechanical work and possibly also hire vehicles out (https://www.dbworkshop.co.uk/, and associated social media), so they may not all be being used on the DB discs. 

Chris

[Nicholas King]

It is very possible that discs move between vehicles as required, a practice we do not see with the larger operators but which should not be ruled out for those much smaller.

The crux is how many of the supposed vehicles of each operator are in use simultaneously.

                One naturally assumes that all operations follow the rules…

 

Nicholas

 

From: 'Chris' via Invicta Bus & Coach Newsgroup <mdekb...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: 23 January 2026 20:23
To: Invicta Bus & Coach Newsgroup <mdekb...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Invicta] Re: East Grinstead Rail Replacement: Sussex Operators

 

I must admit, I got the number of discs held by Wealden Minibuses (was 2, now 3, but they seem to own 4 vehicles) mixed up with DB (who have had 5 since the licence was granted). 

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[Michael Wadman 2]

Was YN17 OHR physically checked (disc / legals) to confirm that it’s still with Transport for School?

 

It’s just that Busdata reckons that it was only there briefly during May last year and has since moved on to Your Coach Hire Ltd of Finchampstead, Berks.

 

Michael Wadman

Sutton, Surrey

 

See my flickr account at https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelwadman/

 

 

From: 'Chris' via Invicta Bus & Coach Newsgroup [mailto:mdekb...@googlegroups.com]

Sent: 19 January 2026 23:44
To: Invicta Bus & Coach Newsgroup

Subject: [Invicta] East Grinstead Rail Replacement: Sussex Operators

 

The entire three-vehicle fleet of DB Commercials was out in East Grinstead on Saturday. SN56 AEP, and stablemate SN56 AEK, started life with Lothian, but were acquired from G.H. Watts of Leicestershire, whose livery detailing (including the front 'Coaches' fleetname) they retain. All-white LK59 CWY is the newest into the fleet, acquired in December from Faresaver of Chippenham. The vehicle behind in that image is Scania YN17 OHR from the rather oddly named "Transport for School" of Thamesmead. 

 

 

Chris

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[Chris]

Legals for Transport for Schools. See also https://www.flickr.com/photos/mjf-southsea/54794710529, which suggests it was there in June '25 at least. 

Chris

[Michael Wadman 2]

OK, many thanks. I’ll pass that back up the chain.

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