Thurrock Transport - Eastern National

In this section:
Capital Citybus
Eastern National
Green Line
Harris Bus
London Country
Southend Transport
Thameside
Thamesway
Town & Country
Other Operators

Also in this section:
Current Bus Firms
Miscellaneous Bus Stuff






	Eastern National became part of the National Bus Company, owned by the Government following the Transport Act 1969. Services in Thurrock were operated from Eastern National’s Basildon, Chelmsford and Southend garage’s, and mainly concentrated on the East of the borough, up to Grays. Places served included Fobbing, Corringham, Stanford le Hope, Orsett (Hospital) and Stifford Clays using route numbers 152, 153, 154, 155, 156 and 157. Eastern National also operated express services to Dartford via Grays and West Thurrock (route 400/2) as well as the 2 (Grays to Southend). Eastern National also operated some journeys jointly with Green Line on route 722.

Upon privatisation in 1986, Eastern National was bought out by it’s management and continued to operate under the Eastern National name.

In 1990, Eastern National was acquired by the Badgerline group and the garages in South Essex formed a new
company - Thamesway. Garages in North Essex continued under the Eastern National name, though both companies
were still ultimately under the same common ownership/management structure.

In 1995 Badgerline group merged with GRT LTD (Grampian Regional Transport) and from 1998 this company was
known as First group. First, like Arriva, started to adopt local company identities though they never carried on the
vehicles - Thamesway thus became First Essex, along with Eastern National.........and so the story goes full circle!