TWH Bus & Coach

TWH Bus & Coach (a.k.a. Travel With Hunny) is a small bus and coach company located in Loughton, Essex, who operate bus and coach services services in Essex, Hertfordshire and Greater London.

History
TWH Bus & Coach (Travel with Hunny) was originally located in Stowmarket as Classic Bus Anglia, until they moved to Rainham and then to Collier Row, Romford. They were briefly involved with Imperial Buses of Rainham. Imperial Buses purchased TWH during September 2007, however the two companies divided again in January 2008. Both companies are now separate, and are in no way connected. They 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 eventually giving up. Imperial Buses withdrew the H1 in December 2009, resulting in TWH's 55 returning on 21 December 2009.

After Stansted Transit went into liquidation, Excel Coaches temporarily took over route 392 (Harlow-Hoddesdon via Nazeing, 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.

From 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 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. Previously unserved roads were served, including Farthingale Lane in Waltham Abbey. The Farthingale Lane section was withdrawn within days of the first week of operation, after residents blocked the road in protest against the buses running down the road. TWH moved their base to Waltham Abbey in 2010, soon after the new 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. A substantial new route was introduced on 14 February 2011, operating a missing link between Harlow and Romford. The service is an express service numbered X5, also 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-Waltham Cross) and 555 (Debden-Harlow). In March 2011, TWH relocated their depot from Waltham Abbey to Langston Road in Loughton.

In August 2012, TWH lost both of their school routes (33/53) to other operators, but instead gained 4 routes, 1 new. 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) During the Olympic and Paralympic games, route E20 will run from Harlow to Loughton only.

Current routes
As of 24th April 2013, TWH operate routes 31 (Maylandsea to Chelmsford), 268 and 269 (Grays to Brentwood; 268 continues to Blackmore) and 555 (Harlow to Waltham Abbey).

Previous routes

 * For approximately five months between September 2008 and January 2009, TWH operated route 55 (Loughton to Harlow via Debden, Epping and North Weald) in direct competition with Imperial Buses' route H1, providing a better service than Imperial Buses. Imperial Buses competed with "unnecessary tactics", so eventually route 55 had to be withdrawn.


 * Along with route 55, TWH operated the L55 and the N55 variants. The N55 followed the same route as the 55 but ran on Friday and Saturday nights providing a night bus from Loughton to Harlow for the first time. The L55 also followed the 55 route, running from Harlow to Debden and then on to Lakeside shopping centre. Both the L55 and N55 lasted about as long as the 55, although the N55 started operations later on in November 2008.


 * After the unsuccessful first version of route 55, TWH began operating route NWF (North Weald Flyer) between North Weald and Epping, with an extension to Harlow during non-peaks and Saturdays. This lasted until September 2009 when it was withdrawn due to low patronage. Towards the end of its operation, the route was operated by a wide variety of buses, including Routemasters and open top buses.


 * From 29 September 2009, TWH began operating new routes 55 and X55. Route 55 operated between Ongar and Epping (with one non-return journey to Harlow) on Mondays to Saturdays, and route X55 operated a few return journeys on the Loughton-Harlow corridor on school and college days. These infrequent services were withdrawn in December 2009.


 * Following the withdrawal of route H1, the 55 (Loughton to Harlow) returned again on Mondays to Fridays from 21 December 2009 (with the Saturday service being replaced by a new Saturday-only H1 operated under contract to Essex County Council by Regal Busways). The first few weeks of the re-introduced 55 was funded by Essex County Council until 4 January 2010 where it was operated commercially. The re-introduced 55 lasted only a few months until its withdrawal on 2 April 2010 where it has been replaced by the 555 operating a more lengthy route between Loughton and Harlow through Waltham Abbey and Waltham Cross.


 * TWH expanded route 555, meaning there was a shortage of buses and drivers for the 392, so the route passed to Roadrunner Coaches of Harlow on 1 September 2010. Part of the rota for route 392 is route 14, which operators have to take over when taking over the 392. It operated one non-return Mon-Fri morning peak hour journey in Harlow between Staple Tye and Templefields Industrial Area. TWH took over the 14 and 392 routes on 1 September 2009 and gave them up to Roadrunner Coaches on 1 September 2010.


 * In February 2011, the 255 and 555 routes were sold to newly formed Lea Valley Buses. Service 355 (Waltham Cross to Harlow) was also sold to Lea Valley Buses, but the service never ran due to Transport for London not allowing the service to enter Waltham Cross Bus Station. In July 2011, Lea Valley Buses went into administration, meaning the 255 passed to Roadrunner Coaches and the 555 passed back to TWH.

Bus types in use
Travel With Hunny's current livery is red with a gold skirt. The previous livery was blue with gold skirt, but this changed to a red livery after route NWF stopped operating. The livery has since reverted back to blue and gold. The fleet has a wide variety of vehicles and is ever-changing.

Current vehicles in the fleet:


 * 3 Dennis Dart MPD - One is ex-Go North East. One is in Mecca Bingo livery.
 * 2 Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 2 - Both are ex-Yourbus.
 * 2 Dennis Dart SLF/Marshall Capital - Ex Metroline / Ensignbus. Blue and gold livery.
 * 1 Dennis Dart SLF/Caetano Nimbus - Ex-SM Coaches and Mitchell of Plean.
 * 1 Dennis Dart SLF/Caetano Compass - Ex-Go North East. On loan.