Southdown Motor Services, renowned for their impressive fleet of green and cream buses and coaches, also operated an impressive fleet of ancillary vehicles. In this book, Simon Stanford shares some of the great variety of vehicles between the 1960s and the company's acquisition by Stagecoach in 1989. This includes training buses, tree-loppers, lorries, vans and more.

The first diecast model buses date back more than sixty years, manufactured by well-known names like Lesney, Corgi and Dinky. Few buses and coaches were initially produced, and early models were treated primarily as simple toys for children. The idea of collecting and preserving these models became more popular in the 1980s as Exclusive First Editions began to enter the market, and early models are today highly sought-after. Today, many magazines, clubs and events exist as the hobby is thriving. Here, Simon Stanford takes a look at model bus collecting over the years and shows the wide variety of models on offer.

Southdown Motor Services formed in 1915 was the well-known and highly respected operator of green and cream buses and coaches seen along the south coast of Sussex and Hampshire. Fast forward to today and there are over a hundred former Southdown buses and coaches surviving in preservation – quite remarkable, and possibly the highest amount of preserved single operator vehicles outside of London. Most of these examples preserved are restored to a very high standard, with some licensed to carry passengers for hire and see service on a regular basis. Others attend rallies and shows for us all to enjoy and rekindle those memories from the past. Some not so fortunate languish in storage waiting for restoration, or have been dismantled to provide parts allowing sister vehicles to survive. This book contains a varied selection of Southdown buses and coaches lovingly restored and preserved, including a small number from other operators such as Brighton Hove & District – some of their fleet passing to Southdown in 1969.

Southdown Motor Services, the well-known and respected bus and coach operator based on the south coast, ran buses and coaches in a delightful green and cream livery that is still fondly remembered today. Here, Simon Stanford looks at Southdown from the sixties up to their purchase by Stagecoach in 1989, with a variety of different brandings on show, exhibiting a variety of rare looks for the company’s fleet. With a wealth of previously unpublished images, Stanford’s collection of images is both nostalgic and enlightening and will appeal to any fan of Southdown buses or the history of independent British buses.