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Bygone Brighton: Transport and street scenes post WWII

The Jubilee Library have an event booked that will be a definite favourite with all those transport buffs on My Brighton and Hove.

On Saturday 20th February they are hosting a book launch of a new local history interest title, Bygone Brighton. The authors of the book, Glyn Kraemer-Johnson and John Bishop, will be attending and talking Brighton streetscapes and transport in the years following World War II.

Comments about this page

  • What a great photograph. Not only for the buses but for a view of Telephone House in the background where I worked for a short while. Have you noticed that the cyclist has stopped at the red light? No reverse traffic flows or bus lanes in sight.

    By Allan (29/01/2010)
  • Where is this photo taken from? On the one hand it looks like part of the Old Steyne somewhere around the bottom of North Street and St James’s Street, but there is no war memorial – just what looks like a 1960s Wolsley or Standard car, and stone monument.

    By Alan Phillips (29/01/2010)
  • Is it not the Steine nearly up to the King and Queen and just up from the ‘Astoria’?

    By diane (29/01/2010)
  • Alan, This is a view facing South from St Peter’s Church

    By Carol Homewood (29/01/2010)
  • Hi Alan, it is taken from the south end of St Peter’s Church looking south past Gloucester Road and the Astoria Cinema. The building in the distance is the old Telephone House, later demolished for TSB at the bottom of North Road.

    By Allan (29/01/2010)
  • Looks like the bottom of Gloucester Street. Some buses would continue along London Road and others along the Steine towards the Level. The various stops were by St Peter’s Church. Interesting to see the trolley lines in place.

    By Iris (30/01/2010)
  • Where can one purchase a copy online?

    By Martin White (31/01/2010)
  • Thanks to all. I can easily see where it is. Now you’ve pointed it out that is!

    By Alan Phillips (01/02/2010)
  • Great to see these three old Brighton Motor Buses from the 1950s. They all would, or soon be representing, the three different companies that made up Brighton area transport services (BATS). This agreement became effective from January 1st 1961. The Southdown Queen Mary dating from 1958, looks pretty new, still retaining (The Southdown Sparkle). However the BH&D Bristol K type is looking slightly long in the tooth and the ageing Brighton Corporation Regent would have its days numbered. Sadly the only thing missing to complete the scene is a real live trolley bus! Perhaps there might be one lurking just out of camera shot, or maybe the photo was taken after the trolley buses had been withdrawn in June 1961? I recall the poles and wires etc were left in place for some while after that date. Good luck to the authors of this new book.

    By Christopher Wrapson (01/02/2010)
  • This is the latest in a long-running series of books by Glyn and John on Brighton and Sussex buses featuring, of course, Southdown, BH&D and Brighton Corporation and other municipals but also the later concerns that replaced them following denationalisation. Trams, trolleybuses, Lodekkas and Queen Marys, they’re all there. All the books have been excellent both textually and pictorially, and I have no hesitation whatsoever in giving them a totally disinterested “plug” on MyBH. They are an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the public transport history of this area. I’m sure this latest offering will be up to standard!

    By Len Liechti (02/02/2010)
  • This is definetly by St Peter’s Church looking south. If you look between the buses you can see the Gloucester Club and the building down the far right is the Llyods TSB building.

    By Rich (18/02/2010)
  • Would any of the Authors have information on the first motorcycle shop in Brighton. I am exploring my family history and my Grandfather was supposedly the owner, a Mr George Curd.

    By Frank Curd (01/03/2010)

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