Royal Blue returns to Sussex - Eastbourne visit

[Derek Jones]

The main reason for my visit to Exceat on Saturday 22 June 2024 was to capture some pictures of the visiting Royal Blue and other preserved coaches taking part in the TVAGWOT South Coast Express event that weekend.

Not all of the coaches reached east beyond Newhaven where they stopped overnight, or at least not until the following morning, but at least five did, as illustrated here.

Royal Blue examples were Bristol LS6G/ECW coaches OTT 43 and VDV 749 (originally Western National 2200 & 2206), dating from 1953 and 1957 respectively, and MW6G/ECW 56 GUO which was Western National 2267, new 1961.

From other origins came ex-Lincolnshire Road Car Co 1431 (CVL 850D), Bristol RELH6G/ECW, and Beadle-Commer demonstrator WKJ 787, new 1955, which is preserved in the livery of Moss Motors of Sandown, Isle of Wight (hence the "Island Queen" name).

Sadly there appear not to have been any participants from local origins featuring vehicles in Southdown or East Kent liveries, which is a bit of a shame - there are one or two pictures on the TVAGWOT website showing one of the two EK Beadle rebuilds but this appears to have been taken at a previous such event.

And sorry everyone, I omitted to take a separate picture of Stagecoach 15338 on the 99 behind 56 GUO, finding the latter vehicle more appealing!

Derek J