TWH Bus & Coach

TWH Bus & Coach
Travel with Hunny

Duple Dartline bodied Dennis Dart in April 2009
Parent	Chris Hunn
Founded	2008
Ceased operation	2014
Service area	Essex East London Greater London
Service type	Bus & coach services
Depots	1

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.^{[ citation needed ]}

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 The Farthingale Lane section was withdrawn within days of the first week of operation, after residents blocked the road in protest against the buses running down the road.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.^{[ citation needed ]}

References

1. TWH Bus and Coach 55 service will replace Imperial Bus Company Ltd's H1 route East London & West Essex Guardian 15 December 2009
2. Campaigners win bus fight with street blockade The Guardian 8 April 2010
3. "TWH ceases trading". 4 February 2014.