TWH Bus & Coach

TWH Bus & Coach (also used to trade as Travel with Hunny) was a small bus and coach company located in Loughton, Essex, who operated bus and coach services in East London, Essex and Hertfordshire.

History

Plaxton Premiere bodied Volvo B10M at St Paul's Cathedral in October 2010

TWH Bus & Coach was originally located in Stowmarket and traded as Classic Bus Anglia, until moving to Rainham and then to Collier Row. TWH was briefly involved with Imperial Buses of Rainham. Imperial Buses purchased TWH during September 2007, however the two companies divided again in January 2008. TWH began public bus operations with route 55, which operated in competition with Imperial Buses, between Loughton and Harlow. The competition lasted about 6 months until February 2009, with TWH withdrawing their service. Imperial Buses withdrew from route H1 in December 2009, resulting in TWH recommencing route 55 on 21 December 2009.^[1]

After Stansted Transit went into liquidation, Excel Coaches temporarily took over route 392 (Harlow to Hoddesdon via Nazeing and Broxbourne) until a permanent operator could be found. TWH took over the route on 1 September 2009 becoming TWH's first route to enter Hertfordshire, and the first route to receive financial assistance from Essex County Council.

On 3 April 2010 new route 555 began, replacing the 55. The 555 operated between Loughton and Harlow via Waltham Abbey and Waltham Cross. It operated in competition with Arriva Shires & Essex routes 250 and 505. New links had been made with Debden Estate which has not had a direct link to Waltham Abbey and Waltham Cross before. The Farthingale Lane section was withdrawn within days of the first week of operation, after residents blocked the road in protest against the buses running down the road.^[2] TWH moved their base to Waltham Abbey in 2010, soon after route 555 began.

On 24 January 2011, TWH further expanded their routes. Route 555 was altered so that it no longer served Waltham Cross at most times of the day and also served the Ninefields area of Waltham Abbey instead of Shernbroke Road. At the same time, route 255 was introduced operating to the original route 555 between Waltham Cross and Debden (partly replacing some parts of the original 555). The changes to route 555 also meant Waltham Cross no longer had a fast service to Harlow, so new route 355 was introduced between these two places, via Waltham Abbey and Lower Nazeing.

On 14 February 2011, express route X5 was introduced filling a missing link between Harlow and Romford with stops at Epping, Debden and Chigwell Row. On 1 February 2011, part of the TWH business was sold to newly formed Lea Valley Buses. This included routes 255 (Debden to Waltham Cross) and 555 (Debden to Harlow). In March 2011, TWH relocated their depot from Waltham Abbey to Loughton.

In August 2012, TWH lost both of their school routes (33/53) to other operators, but gained 4 routes. From 26 August 2012 TWH will operate the ECC Contract 31 (Chelmsford to Maldon), 268 (Brentwood to Grays, running on schooldays only), 269 (Brentwood to Grays) and new route E20 (Stratford to Harlow).

In January 2014, TWH discontinued all of their routes and ceased trading for unknown reasons.^[3]

Bus types in use

TWH's last known livery was blue with a gold skirt. As at October 2013 TWH operated a fleet of 9 buses.

References

Former bus companies operating in England North West England Birkenhead Transport Blackburn Transport Blue Bus and Coach Services Bluebird Bus and Coach Bu-Val Buses ChesterBus Citibus Tours Crosville Motor Services Finglands Coachways First Chester & The Wirral Glenvale Transport GM Buses Lancashire United Transport JPT Maynes Bus Maytree Travel MTL North Western Road Car Company (1923) North Western Road Car Company (1986) Pennine Blue Red & White Services Ribble Motor Services Speedwellbus Transdev Northern Blue UK North Yelloway Motor Services North East England Black Prince Buses Busways Travel Services Durham Travel Services Geldards Coaches Jolly Bus Leon Motors Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company Northern General Transport Company OK Motor Services Samuel Ledgard South Yorkshire Transport United Automobile Services Venture Transport West Riding Automobile Company West Yorkshire Road Car Yorkshire Rider Yorkshire Terrier Yorkshire Traction Midlands A2Z Travel Barton Transport Birmingham City Transport Birmingham Motor Traction Chase Coaches First Northampton Glossopdale Bus Company Go West Midlands Ludlows North Birmingham Busways People's Express Premiere Travel Probus Management South Notts Bus Company Stevensons of Uttoxeter Travel Merry Hill Travel Your Bus Wesley Coaches Zak's Buses Eastern England Eastern National Omnibus Company MK Metro TWH Bus & Coach South West England Badgerline Bristol Omnibus Company Devon General Greyhound Motors Great Western Railway Hants & Dorset Motor Services Shamrock Buses Southern National Sureline Truronian Western Greyhound Western National South East England Alder Valley Aldershot & District Traction Badger Vectis Boro'line Maidstone Brijan Tours Bygone Buses Cavendish Motor Services Centra City Clipper Countryliner East Kent Road Car Company Invictaway Kent Top Travel Maidstone & District Maidstone Corporation Transport Marchwood Motorways Moss Motor Tours Portsmouth Corporation Transport Shamrock Buses Southampton Citybus Southdown Motor Services Thames Transit Thames Valley Traction Tillingbourne Bus Company Velvet Yellow Bus Services Greater London Bexleybus Birch Brothers Boro'line London Capital Citybus Capital Logistics Connex East Thames Buses First London Grey-Green Harris Bus Imperial Buses London Buslines London Country Bus Services London Country North East London Country North West London Country South East London Country South West London Easylink London Electrobus Company London Forest London Pride Sightseeing London Traveller MTL NSL Buses Thorpes Travel London Travel Surrey Westlink