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As stated on the London Country page, Grays garage became part of London Country
North East which was then sold in 1987 to AJS Holdings. AJS Holdings set up County
Bus & Coach Company and Sovereign Bus, and divided the garages between the two
new companies. Grays Garage, along with Harlow and Ware, ended up forming County.
The vehicles were painted Green & Cream with the garages gaining local names that
featured on all publicity as well as on the vehicles themselves. Grays garage thus
became known as ThameSide, Harlow was TownLink and Ware gained LeaValley.
Despite now being in the cut throat world of commercial operation - the buses were now
a privately run affair and had to make a viable profit - the outlook looked good for County,
though local independent Harris Bus would provide healthy competition ensuring County
was kept on it’s toes!!
Lakeside shopping centre, the biggest in Europe it was claimed at the time, came along in
1990 and caused all the local bus operators to review their services. Minibuses were the
current ‘in thing’ and County was quite willing to pursue the rest by introducing a fleet of
Mercedes minibuses. There were no frequency increases to match the smaller vehicles,
and despite many complaints, County continued to pursue minibus use in spite of the
obvious loss of passengers it caused.
Also around 1990, Grays garage gained work for London Buses in the shape of routes
256 (Hornchurch - Noak Hill) and 346 (Upminster Station - Upminster Park Estate). Being
the ‘in thing’, more Mercedes mini buses were used. It should be noted that Grays garage
still operates the 256 & 346 today - quite a feat in the fickle world of London Bus work
(and just look at County’s local rival, Harris Bus for proof that it can go horribly wrong...).
1997 saw a new owner for County Bus in the shape of the British Bus Group, which went
on to be taken over by Cowie group. The local Thameside name remained during this
time. In 1998 Cowie was renamed Arriva and the national company we now know was
born. It took a little while, but in the end the Green & Cream livery gave way to the Arriva
Aquamarine Blue & Cotswold stone corporate livery - Thurrock’s largest bus company
was nationalised again.
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