Conway Street

Bus Garage Fire in the 1970s
By Martin Nimmo

The West part of the Conway Street Garage of (then) Southdown company was the site of a major fire in the early 1970's. The inferno seems to have begun in one vehicle and destroyed  or partly destroyed a number of buses, including some which had originated with the Brighton Hhove and District Omnibus Company. This view was taken a few days later, and shows the remains of (predominantly) Leyland PD3 double-deckers.

Photo:The damaged buses after the fire

The damaged buses after the fire

From the private collection of Martin Nimmo

Audio transcripts

This page was added on 17/05/2007.

Comments:

How sad to see the destruction in the bus garage in Conway Street. In the 60s I worked there for about a year cleaning chassis's on Bristol Lodekkas when they came in for their 5 year overhaul. I learn't a lot about the workings of transport which gave me an insight into all things mechanical. The blokes were great and were always ready to answer my eager questions on the workings of gearboxes and all the rest of it. I have been a mechanic all my life as a result of Conway Street. A very enjoyable time.

Mick Peirson

By Mick Peirson (18/05/2007)

Does anyone remember the open top white or cream bus that used to run along the seafront to Rottingdean when I was small 1948-1955? Was it a Brighton and Hove bus or a Southdown?

By Sandie Waller (24/05/2007)

This was a Brighton Hove and District bus. Route 17 ran from Portslade Station to Rottingdean (White Horse). To begin with the company used to convert older buses to open top, then it began rebuilding them with removable roofs. With the introduction of the Bristol Lodekka in 1959, convertible open-toppers were delivered from new.

By Martin Nimmo (25/05/2007)

The actual date of the Conway Street fire was 14th April 1978, when the West Garage of Southdown's premises was found to be ablaze in the early hours. The "Brighton Hove & District" vehicles damaged or destroyed were Daimler Fleetlines - although they had actually been purchased new by Southdown and painted in BH&D fleet colours (Southdown took over BH&D on 1st January 1969 and the Daimlers were delivered after that date). The fire actually led to four Bristol Lodekkas which had been purchased by BH&D in 1960 remaining with Southdown to provide cover for destroyed vehicles, rather than being sold as was intended. The "seat" of the fire was a brand new Bristol VRT which had only 100 miles on the clock, according to a report in the Evening Argus at the time. It was completely destroyed.

By John Wilkin (01/06/2007)

In the 1950s the number 17 open top service used to run during the summer months only, and ran to Rottingdean from the bottom of Boundary Road, not from Portslade Station. The starting point was outside of what was then Spragens the newsagents. Until the re-organisation of this site, there used to be a photograph of a visiting Australian cyclist with a number 17 in the background, before the start of its journey. Behind the bus in the photo was Luff's the bakers, on the cerner of Seaford road and Boundary Road. I seem to recall that sometime later the number 17 service also ran up to the Devil's Dyke for a while.

By Alan Phillips (08/06/2007)

So pleased on comments about No. 17 to Rottingdean. We used to get it at Adelaide Crescent. I have been trying to find a model of it but no luck. Does anyone know where I can get one? Please email me at gswaller06@aol.com.

By Sandie Waller (11/06/2007)

My email address has changed as we are now living in France, but I am still enjoying looking on My Brighton and Hove. I would appreciate it if anyone knows where I can get model of the no.17 open top bus.

By Sandie Waller (19/08/2007)

Those ladder things seen in the middle of the picture are still there in the garage today.

By Alex (05/09/2007)

Sandie, try either of these suppliers: http://www.transportpostcards.co.uk/models.html or http://www.modelsandhobbies.co.uk/.  Good luck.

By John Wilkin (11/09/2007)

Thank you very much John for the information. I will try thse addresses and let you know on here if I am lucky. A bit busy just now as we are decorating our French home.

By Sandie Waller (04/10/2007)

Trust Alex to spot the ladders, nice observation. I am a Brighton bus driver and anyone can view my antics at www.brightonbusdriving.blogspot.com. I look forward to any comments.

By Leebus (05/12/2007)

Interested to read about the Conway St bus garage fire. The School I attended was in Ellen St, next street down from Conway St. I was evacuated to my Grandparents in Wales in 1941. Please can anyone tell me what happened to Ellen St school?

By Sidney Griffiths (24/01/2008)

Sidney, The school in Ellen Street I think you are referring to, is Goldstone Primary School. You can find several references on Google. I was there 1966-69.

By Jerry White (02/06/2008)

I was born at my grandparents' house 89 Ellen Street in 1936 and lived at 109 Conway Street from around 1940 to 1948 when we moved to a new council house at 28 Poynings Drive. I vividly remember having to get up every night and go accross the road to a neighbour who had an air raid shelter in their lounge. We eventually had one installed in our lounge. I started school at Colleridge Street and then to Ellen Street and later to Connaught Road. I remember the bus sheds very well. We used to nick the old bearings from their rubbish dump and smash them open to get the ball bearings out to play marbles. We also had a kids' football team called Conway Rovers. Can still remember my friends' names from that time. Have now lived in Australia since 1964. The best move I ever made. They were wonderful innocent days.

By Derek Tanner (12/08/2008)