Stephensons of Essex
Encyclopedia
Stephensons of Essex is a privately owned bus
company based in south Essex
, in England
, operating local bus and contract services in the same areas as Arriva Southend
, Ensignbus
, First Essex
, NIBS
, and Regal Busways
. It also runs private hire coaches, and has a bus and coach dealership and sales service. It is one of the largest independent bus operators in Essex and employs over 40 full and part-time staff.
in 1975, and has since expanded by gaining contracts for bus routes. In 2005, the company won the contract to operate the Dengie
Connections services from Arriva Southend
, which it will run for five years from April 1, 2007 at a cost of £407,300 per year. In 2008 it won the contract to run the Withamlink services 38 and 39. Stephensons have introduced an SMS Text Messaging service for their school bus services which provides updates on delays and cancellations.
Stephensons run a variety of services, including local services, some under contract to Essex County Council, and school contract bus services.
On October 30, 2008, Tesco stopped its funding for the free Stephensons-run bus service from Shotgate Post Office to its store in the Mayflower retail park.
from Regal Busways
. Profits were donated to the charities Essex
Air Ambulance, Macmillan Cancer Support
and the The Royal British Legion
.
They also ran an hourly route 61 service using Dennis Dart SLF
/Plaxton Pointer II
s 411 and 412, which were also used to run an hourly service 7 between Southend Travel Centre and Southend Hospital, on part of the route normally operated by Arriva Southend
's route 7.
decided to withdraw their route 721 service, Stephensons took over, providing the Green Line routes X1 and X10
coach services, branded as "London Link Express". X1 was the original number of the service when it was first launched in 1980. Stephensons withdrew the service on Friday July 11, 2008, blaming a number of factors. Replacement services by Swallow Coach Company started on August 4, 2008 but were withdrawn on May 29, 2009.
and Tesco
liveries which run the free bus services to these supermarket
s. The fleet consists 16 single-deckers, 40 double-deckers, and 3 coaches. A fleet of four new low-floor, 24-seat, 7.8m Optare Solo
Slimlines were purchased in April 2007 to replace the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
s used by Arriva on the Dengie
Connections services. Two more new low-floor, 28-seat, 8.8m Optare Solo Slimlines were purchased in October 2008 to run the Withamlink routes 38 and 39 under contract to Essex County Council.
from their bus depot on the Riverside Industrial Estate in Rochford on at least two occasions. On April 20, 2008, two thieves pumped 3,500 litres of fuel
from a diesel supply tank into containers in the back of a Ford Luton van, but were disturbed by a patrol and escaped, abandoning the van and the fuel in a park playground behind the depot. On June 24, 2009, thieves siphoned diesel from the fuel tanks of Stephensons coaches and loaded it into a Ford Luton and a Ford Transit
van. On both occasions Stephensons offered a reward for information leading to the identification and conviction of the thieves.
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
company based in south Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, operating local bus and contract services in the same areas as Arriva Southend
Arriva Southend
Arriva Southend is a division of Arriva Southern Counties, a subsidiary of transport group Arriva which operates bus services in and around the Southend-on-Sea, Rochford, Rayleigh, Basildon, and Thurrock areas of Essex...
, Ensignbus
Ensignbus
Ensignbus is a Purfleet-based bus and coach dealer, open top bus tour operator and bus service operator. Ensignbus has amassed 20 ex-London vehicles of various ages and conditions in a ....
, First Essex
First Essex
First Essex Buses Limited is owned by First Group. First Essex carries around 29 million passengers each year on a network of routes serving Essex and the surrounding areas. It arose from an amalgamation of Eastern National and Thamesway Buses, whose yellow/maroon livery has only recently disappeared...
, NIBS
NIBS
NIBS may refer to:*National Institute of Building Sciences*NIBS , British bus company*Cacao nibs, pieces of roasted cocoa beans, generally ground into powder, but also inserted into chocolate bars to give additional "crunch"...
, and Regal Busways
Regal Busways
Regal Busways Ltd is a small bus operator established in 2001 and based in Essex. Their services operate through 30 local communities including Chelmsford, Epping, The Hanningfields, Canvey Island, Harlow, Ongar, Pleshey, Toot Hill, Upshire, Waltham Abbey, Waltham Cross and Wickford.-History:Regal...
. It also runs private hire coaches, and has a bus and coach dealership and sales service. It is one of the largest independent bus operators in Essex and employs over 40 full and part-time staff.
History
Stephensons was founded in RochfordRochford
Rochford is a small town in the Rochford district of Essex in the East of England. It is sited about 43 miles from Central London and approximately 21 miles from the Essex county town, Chelmsford...
in 1975, and has since expanded by gaining contracts for bus routes. In 2005, the company won the contract to operate the Dengie
Dengie peninsula
Dengie is a peninsula in Essex, England, that once formed a hundred of the same name .The peninsula is formed by the River Crouch to the south, the Blackwater to the north, both of which are tidal, and the North Sea to the east...
Connections services from Arriva Southend
Arriva Southend
Arriva Southend is a division of Arriva Southern Counties, a subsidiary of transport group Arriva which operates bus services in and around the Southend-on-Sea, Rochford, Rayleigh, Basildon, and Thurrock areas of Essex...
, which it will run for five years from April 1, 2007 at a cost of £407,300 per year. In 2008 it won the contract to run the Withamlink services 38 and 39. Stephensons have introduced an SMS Text Messaging service for their school bus services which provides updates on delays and cancellations.
Routes
For a list of all bus services in Essex, please see List of bus routes in Essex.Stephensons run a variety of services, including local services, some under contract to Essex County Council, and school contract bus services.
Southend, Basildon, and South Woodham area routes
- 1: BasildonBasildonBasildon is a town located in the Basildon District of the county of Essex, England.It lies east of Central London and south of the county town of Chelmsford...
- Fryerns - Ashlyns - PitseaPitseaPitsea is a small town in the east of the Basildon district of south Essex, England. It comprises five sub-districts: Eversley, Northlands Park Neighbourhood , Chalvedon, Pitsea Mount and Burnt Mills. Vange is located to the west of Pitsea, Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet to the east and Nevendon... - 1A: Basildon - Glebefields - Fryerns - Ashlyns - Pitsea
- 6: Southend Travel Centre stop F - SouthchurchSouthchurchSouthchurch is now part of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England. However, it was an independent parish until 1894 and has a documented history going back to the ninth century AD....
Road - White Horse public house - Hamstel Road - Garons ParkGarons ParkGarons Park is a cricket ground in Southend, England. The ground was first used by the Essex 1st XI in 2005. The ground will host two games in 2008, against Glamorgan in the County Championship and Northamptonshire in the Pro40 League....
roundabout. Sundays and bank holidays only, except December 25 and 26. Introduced on May 18, 2008. - 7 Southend Travel Centre - Rochford - Ashingdon - Hockley - Rayleigh (Mon - Sat Evenings ECC Contract)
- 14: Southend - BarlingBarling, EssexBarling is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located approximately northeast of Southend-on-Sea and is southeast from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the district of Rochford and in the parliamentary constituency of Rochford & Southend East...
- Great WakeringGreat WakeringGreat Wakering is a village in Essex, England. The nearest large town is Southend which is approximately four miles to the west of the village...
- Shoeburyness or FoulnessFoulnessFoulness is an island on the east coast of Essex in England, which is separated from the mainland by narrow creeks. The large island had a usually resident population of 212 people in the 2001 census, who live in the settlements of Churchend and Courtsend, at the north end of Foulness. The island... - 37 South Woodham Circular: South Woodham, Town Centre, ASDA - Collingham Road - Inchbonnie Road, Gandalfs Ride - Albert Road - Town Centre, ASDA - Inchbonnie Road, Leighlands Road - Rail Station - Inchbonnie Road, Leighlands Road - Town Centre, ASDA
- 60: CanewdonCanewdonCanewdon is a village in north Rochford District of Essex in England, approximately 4 miles northeast of the town of Rochford. Canewdon is situated on one of the highest hills of the Essex coastline from which St. Nicholas church affords wide views of the Crouch estuary. Canewdon parish extends...
- Rochford - Sutton Road - Southend Travel Centre - 61 Fossetts Park Clipper: - Southend Travel Centre - Chichester Road - Victoria Circus - Southchurch Road - Bournemouth Park Road - Eastern Avenue - Sutton Cemetery - Fossetts Park. Introduced on 23 July 2007.
Chelmsford, Maldon and Witham area routes
- 32 Chelmsford - Writtle - Highwood - Blackmore - Ongar
- 38 Withamlink: Witham Allectus Way - Town Centre - Rail Station - MorrisonsMorrisonsWm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
- Forest Drive - 39 Withamlink: Witham Collingwood Road - Powers Hall End - Morrisons - Rail Station - Collingwood Road (Circular)
- 71C Witham - Hatfield Peverel - Boreham - Chelmsford Town Centre (One journey Mon - Sat Witham to Chelmsford)
- 73A: MaldonMaldon, EssexMaldon is a town on the Blackwater estuary in Essex, England. It is the seat of the Maldon district and starting point of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation.Maldon is twinned with the Dutch town of Cuijk...
- LangfordLangford, EssexLangford is a village on the Dengie peninsula close to Maldon in the English county of Essex. It is part of the Wickham Bishops and Woodham ward of the Maldon district....
- ChelmsfordChelmsfordChelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester... - 90 Blackwater Link: Maldon Heybridge - Great Totham - Wickham BishopsWickham BishopsWickham Bishops is a village in Essex, England.The place-name 'Wickham Bishops' is first attested in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Wicham', meaning 'dwelling place with a farm'...
- WithamWithamWitham is a town in the county of Essex, in the south east of England with a population of 22,500. It is part of the District of Braintree and is twinned with the town of Waldbröl, Germany. Witham stands between the larger towns of Chelmsford and Colchester... - 91 Witham - Kelvedon - Tiptree - Tolleshunt Knights - Tollesbury
- 95 Tollesbury - Goldhanger - Maldon ((one jouney each way Mon - Fri evening)
Shopper Bus routes
- 200: BradwellBradwell, EssexBradwell Juxta Coggeshall is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located on the River Blackwater, approximately east of Braintree and is north-northeast from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the district and parliamentary constituency of Braintree...
- SteepleSteeple, EssexSteeple is a small village in south Essex. It is situated just east of Maylandsea and Mayland, on the southern side of the River Blackwater estuary.A hamlet, within the village of Steeple, on the banks of the River Blackwater is called Stansgate....
- Mayland - AlthorneAlthorneAlthorne is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located east-southeast from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the district of Maldon district and in the parliamentary constituency of Maldon & East Chelmsford...
- South Woodham FerrersSouth Woodham FerrersSouth Woodham Ferrers is a town and civil parish in the borough of Chelmsford, Essex, England. It is approximately from London and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 16,629. The town is located east of Fenn Creek, and near where it meets the River Crouch... - 220: Burnham-on-CrouchBurnham-on-CrouchBurnham-on-Crouch is a town in the Maldon district of Essex in the East of England. It lies on the north bank of the River Crouch.-History:Historically, it has benefited from its location on the coast - first as a ferry port, later as a fishing port known for its oyster beds, and most recently as a...
- SouthminsterSouthminsterSouthminster is a town on the Dengie peninsula in the Maldon district of Essex in the East of England. It lies about three miles north of Burnham-on-Crouch and ten miles south-east of Maldon. To the north is the River Blackwater, which is tidal and since Roman times has been the gateway to trading...
- Althorne - South Woodham Ferrers -WickfordWickfordWickford is a town in the south of the English county of Essex, with a population of more than 32,500. Located approximately 30 miles east of London, it falls within the District of Basildon along with Basildon, Billericay, Laindon and Pitsea....
- Basildon - 250: South Woodham Ferrers - Rayleigh - Southend
- 260: South Woodham Ferrers - Bicknacre - Maldon
- 288: Maldon Tesco Store - High Street, Swan Hotel - Blackwater Leisure Centre, a free service
Dengie Connections routes
- D1: Maldon - Purleigh - Cold Norton - Maylandsea - Steeple - St. Lawrence - BradwellBradwell, EssexBradwell Juxta Coggeshall is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located on the River Blackwater, approximately east of Braintree and is north-northeast from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the district and parliamentary constituency of Braintree...
- D2: Maldon - Woodham MortimerWoodham MortimerWoodham Mortimer is a village on the Dengie peninsula about three miles west-south-west of Maldon in the English county of Essex. The village is part of the Wickham Bishops and Woodham ward of the Maldon district.-History:...
- Purleigh - Cold Norton - Maylandsea - Mayland - Steeple - Southminster - D3: Maldon - Woodham Mortimer - Purliegh - Cold Norton - Maylandsea - Althorne - Burnham - Southminster
- D4: Burnham-on-Crouch - Southminster - TillinghamTillinghamTillingham is a small village and civil parish with 1,015 inhabitants in 2001, located from Burnham-on-Crouch and from Bradwell-on-Sea, in Maldon District and the ceremonial county of Essex in England...
- Bradwell - D5: South Woodham - Cold Norton - Althorne - OstendOstend, EssexOstend is a hamlet in the English county of Essex.It is located about a mile north-west of the town of Burnham-on-Crouch....
- Burnham-on-Crouch - D6: Southminster - Tillingham - Mayland - Maylandsea - Latchingdon - Althorne
- D8: Maldon - Roundbush - MundonMundonMundon is a village and civil parish on the Dengie peninsula in the English county of Essex. It lies 3 miles south-east of Maldon. The manor of Munduna passed from the king's thegn Godwin to Eudo Dapifer at the Conquest...
- Maldon
School Contract Bus service routes
- 20X: Rochford - HullbridgeHullbridgeHullbridge is a village and civil parish in the Rochford district of Essex in east England. Bordered to the north by the River Crouch, and semi-isolated from the nearby towns of Hockley and Rayleigh, Hullbridge has a population of around 7,300 ....
- RayleighRayleigh, EssexRayleigh is a market town and civil parish in the District of Rochford in Essex, England, located between Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea. It lies to the east of central London. It has a population of 30,196, having expanded rapidly in the 1960s.-Toponymy:...
- Sweyne School - 201: CopfordCopfordCopford is a village and civil parish in Essex, England west of Colchester. The hamlet of Copford Green is found a short distance to the south. The poet Matthew Arnold noted he was struck by "the deeply rural character of the village and neighbourhood."...
- CoggeshallCoggeshallCoggeshall is a small market town of 3,919 residents in Essex, England, situated between Colchester and Braintree on the Roman road of Stane Street , and intersected by the River Blackwater. It is known for its almost 300 listed buildings and formerly extensive antique trade...
- Honywood School - 203: ChappelChappelChappel is a village in Essex which sits on the River Colne. It is famous for its Victorian viaduct that crosses the Colne valley.- Name and history :...
- Coggeshall - Honywood School - 204: KelvedonKelvedonKelvedon is a village and civil parish in the Braintree District of Essex in England, near to the town of Witham. It has a population of 3,485.-Origins:...
- London Road - Coggeshall - Honywood School - 205: Kelvedon - Railway Tavern - Coggeshall - Honywood School
- 206: Kelvedon - London Road - Coggeshall - Honywood School
- 229: Kelvedon - London Road - Coggeshall - Honywood School
- 503: Althorne - Burnham - Southminster - LatchingdonLatchingdonLatchingdon is a village situated in Essex, England. It is situated near the town of Chelmsford.Originally called Latchingdon & SnorehamEstablished: 1042AD as "Laecedune"...
- South Woodham Ferrers - Westcliff High Schools - Southend High School for BoysSouthend High School for BoysSouthend High School for Boys, also known by its acronym SHSB, is a selective secondary Academy Grammar school along Prittlewell Chase in Prittlewell, in the north-west of Southend-on-Sea, England, south-west of the roundabout of the A127 and A1159...
- Southend High School for GirlsSouthend High School for GirlsSouthend High School for Girls is a grammar school situated on Southchurch Boulevard in the east of Southend-on-Sea, England. It has students from the ages 11 through to 18 years old. The current headteacher is Mrs A.D. Clewlow.-Academics:... - 504: Wickham Bishops - Great Totham - Maldon - DanburyDanbury, EssexDanbury is a village in Essex, England. It is located northeast of Charing Cross, London and has a population of 6,500. It is situated on a hill above sea level.-Origins:The village was built on the site of a megalithic hill fort noted for its oval shape....
- BicknacreBicknacreBicknacre is a village in Essex, England. It is approximately north of South Woodham Ferrers and southeast of the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the borough of Chelmsford and in the parliamentary constituency of Maldon & East Chelmsford...
- Westcliff High Schools - Southend High School for Boys - Southend High School for Girls - 505: Great BaddowGreat BaddowGreat Baddow is an urban village in the Chelmsford borough of Essex, England. It is close to the county town, Chelmsford and, with a population of over 13,000, is one of the largest villages in the country....
- DanburyDanbury, EssexDanbury is a village in Essex, England. It is located northeast of Charing Cross, London and has a population of 6,500. It is situated on a hill above sea level.-Origins:The village was built on the site of a megalithic hill fort noted for its oval shape....
- Maldon - Great Totham - TiptreeTiptreeTiptree is a village in the English county of Essex, situated south-east of Colchester and around north-east of London. Surrounding villages include Messing, Tolleshunt Knights, Layer Marney, Inworth, Birch, Great Braxted, Great Totham and Little Totham....
- Inworth - ColchesterColchesterColchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the... - 509: Shoebury - Thorpe BayThorpe BayThorpe Bay is an affluent area within the Borough of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England, situated on the Thames Estuary.Thorpe Bay is situated within the Southend ward of Thorpe. It is around 4 miles to the east of Southend. Originally the area was called Thorpe, but was renamed Thorpe Bay after its...
- Southend Seafront - ChalkwellChalkwellChalkwell is an area in the Southend-on-Sea borough and unitary district in Essex, England. It forms part of the built-up area of Southend-on-Sea and is included in the Westcliff-on-Sea post town....
- St. Thomas More School - 510: Southminster - Burnham-on-Crouch - Althorne - LatchingdonLatchingdonLatchingdon is a village situated in Essex, England. It is situated near the town of Chelmsford.Originally called Latchingdon & SnorehamEstablished: 1042AD as "Laecedune"...
- Cold NortonCold NortonCold Norton is a village on the Dengie Peninsula in Essex, England. It is located in rural countryside 10 miles to the east of Chelmsford, and lies just over a mile to the north of the River Crouch, which can be seen from the village's main hill. Nearby villages include Purleigh and North Fambridge...
- Danbury - Chelmsford Schools - 513: ChelmsfordChelmsfordChelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
- Chelmer VillageChelmer villageChelmer Village is a suburb in the east of Chelmsford, Essex. Chelmsford Borough Council names it "Chelmer Village & Beaulieu Park". Chelmer Village is a ward in Chelmsford....
- Great Baddow - East HanningfieldEast HanningfieldEast Hanningfield is a small village in south Essex, England. It is situated to the southeast of Chelmsford and to the northwest of South Woodham Ferrers...
- Westcliff & Southend High Schools - 514: Hatfield PeverelHatfield PeverelHatfield Peverel is a large urban village and civil parish in the centre of Essex, England. Its population, including the hamlet of Nounsley, is approximately 5,500 . Hatfield means a 'heathery space in the forest'; Peverel refers to William Peverel, the Norman knight granted lands in the area by...
- Danbury - Woodham FerrersWoodham FerrersWoodham Ferrers is a small village about southeast of Chelmsford, located between South Woodham Ferrers and Bicknacre in the county of Essex, England. The village is often shortened to Woodham by those in the area...
- South Woodham Ferrers - Westcliff High Schools - 515: Rochford - Stambridge - CanewdonCanewdonCanewdon is a village in north Rochford District of Essex in England, approximately 4 miles northeast of the town of Rochford. Canewdon is situated on one of the highest hills of the Essex coastline from which St. Nicholas church affords wide views of the Crouch estuary. Canewdon parish extends...
- AshingdonAshingdonAshingdon is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located about north of Rochford and is southeast from the county town of Chelmsford...
- HullbridgeHullbridgeHullbridge is a village and civil parish in the Rochford district of Essex in east England. Bordered to the north by the River Crouch, and semi-isolated from the nearby towns of Hockley and Rayleigh, Hullbridge has a population of around 7,300 ....
- Rayleigh - Sweyne School - 516: North FambridgeNorth FambridgeNorth Fambridge is a village and civil parish on the Dengie peninsula in the English county of Essex.North Fambridge is on the north bank of the River Crouch opposite South Fambridge and is served by North Fambridge railway station on the Crouch Valley Line...
- Ferry Road - South Woodham Ferrers - William De Ferrers School - 550: Heybridge - Hatfield Peverel - Terling - Witham, Maltings Academy
- 560: Temple Sutton - SouthchurchSouthchurchSouthchurch is now part of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England. However, it was an independent parish until 1894 and has a documented history going back to the ninth century AD....
- Southend - Westcliff railway stationWestcliff railway stationWestcliff railway station is on the main London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line between London Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness railway station. It is located on Station Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England, SS0 7SB, and was opened in 1895...
- St. Thomas More School - 602: Little BaddowLittle BaddowLittle Baddow is a large thriving village to the east of Chelmsford, Essex. The name Baddow comes from an Old English word meaning 'bad water', although this probably refers to the meadow area in Great Baddow as opposed to any water mass in Little Baddow...
- Jarvis Field - Great Baddow School - 603: Chelmer Village - Beeleigh Link - Great Baddow School
- 605: Great Baddow High School service
- 620: BraintreeBraintree, EssexBraintree is a town of about 42,000 people and the principal settlement of the Braintree district of Essex in the East of England. It is northeast of Chelmsford and west of Colchester on the River Blackwater, A120 road and a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line.Braintree has grown contiguous...
- St. John Payne School - 623: Witham - St. John Payne School
- 637: South Woodham Ferrers - St. John Payne School
- 665: Great Leighs - Aragon Road - Chelmer Valley High School
- 667: Hatfield Peverel - The Street - Chelmer Valley High School
- 676: Colchester County High & Colchester Royal Grammar Schools
- 698: John Payne School & Chelmer Valley High School
- 701: Harwich - Dovercourt - Ramsey - Little Oakley - Great Oakley - Wix - Colchester (operated by Network Colchester)
- 702: Frinton - Kirby Cross - Thorpe-le-Soken - Little Clacton - Frating - Elmstead - Colchester (operated by New Horizon)
- 703: Jaywick - Clacton - Bockings Elm - Point Clear - St Osyth - Alresford - Colchester (operated by Network Colchester)
- 704: Great Holland - Clacton - Bockings Elm - Aingers Green - Great Bentley - Colchester (operated by Network Colchester)
- 706: Tolleshunt Major - Tollesbury - Layer - Colchester (Operated by Five Sevens Taxis)
- 707: Silver End - Coggeshall - Marks Tey - Copford - Colchester
- 708: Lamarsh - Great Horkesley - Mile End - Colchester (Operated by Five Sevens Taxis)
- 709: Langham - Boxted - Mile End - Colchester (Operated by Five Sevens Taxis)
- 710: Walton-on-the Naze - Tendring - Colchester (Operated by Five Sevens Taxis)
- 716: Castle Hedingham - Sible Hedingham - Halstead - Earls Colne - Chappel - Eight Ash Green - Colchester (Operated by Florida Taxis & Coaches )
- 800: Southend - LeighLeigh-on-SeaLeigh-on-Sea , sometimes called Leigh, is a civil parish in Essex, England. It is part of Southend-on-Sea for administrative purposes. It became a civil parish in 1996. The council tax was increased to support it. A town council was formed. Leigh is the only parish in Southend...
- HadleighHadleigh, EssexHadleigh is a town in southeast Essex, England, on the A13 between Benfleet and Leigh-on-Sea with a population of about 18,300.-History:Hadleigh is known for its castle, and the country park that surrounds it. The castle has been a romantic ruin for a few hundred years, but parts of two towers are...
- CanveyCanvey IslandCanvey Island is a civil parish and reclaimed island in the Thames estuary in England. It is separated from the mainland of south Essex by a network of creeks...
- Thurrock College - 801: HockleyHockleyHockley is a large village and civil parish in Essex, England located between Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea. More specifically it lies between Rayleigh and Rochford. It came to prominence during the coming of the railway in the 1890s and at the 2001 census had a population of 13,616 people, many...
- Wickford - BillericayBillericayBillericay is a town and civil parish in the Basildon borough of Essex, England. It lies within the London Basin, has a population of 40,000, and constitutes a commuter town east of central London. The town has three secondary schools and a variety of open spaces...
- Basildon - Thurrock College - 806: Stambridge - Canewdon - Rochford - King Edmund School
- 807 - 813: Foulness - Landwick - Great WakeringGreat WakeringGreat Wakering is a village in Essex, England. The nearest large town is Southend which is approximately four miles to the west of the village...
- Little Wakering - North Shoebury - King Edmund School - 814: BarlingBarling, EssexBarling is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located approximately northeast of Southend-on-Sea and is southeast from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the district of Rochford and in the parliamentary constituency of Rochford & Southend East...
- Stonebridge - Westcliff - St. Thomas More School - 887: Southminster - Rain Station - Burnham-on-Crouch - St. Peters High School
- 888: Southminster - North End - Burnham-on-Crouch - St. Peters High School
Shoeburyness Asda routes
- SH1: Rayleigh - EastwoodEastwood, EssexEastwood is a town four miles west of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England. It is a suburb of Southend and part of the Southend-on-Sea unitary district. Eastwood is sometimes called Eastwood Park, such as for local elections....
- Fairfax Drive - Southchurch - Shoeburyness AsdaAsdaAsda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile... - SH2: Rayleigh - HullbridgeHullbridgeHullbridge is a village and civil parish in the Rochford district of Essex in east England. Bordered to the north by the River Crouch, and semi-isolated from the nearby towns of Hockley and Rayleigh, Hullbridge has a population of around 7,300 ....
- Hockley - Rochford - Southchurch - Shoeburyness Asda - SH3: BenfleetBenfleetSouth Benfleet is a town in the Castle Point district of Essex, 30 miles east of London. The Benfleet post town includes South Benfleet, Thundersley and Hadleigh. The Battle of Benfleet took place here between the Vikings and Saxons in 894....
- Hadleigh - Leigh - Westcliff - Southend - Shoebury - Shoeburyness Asda - SH4: Southchurch - Wakering - Shoebury - Shoeburyness Asda
- SH5: Canvey - Hadleigh - Leigh - Westcliff - Southend - Southchurch - Shoeburyness Asda
Tilbury Asda routes
- T1: South OckendonSouth OckendonSouth Ockendon is settlement and Church of England parish in the Thurrock borough and unitary district in Essex in the East of England, United Kingdom.-History:...
- Tilbury AsdaAsdaAsda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile... - T2: CorringhamCorringham, EssexCorringham is a small English town within the unitary authority of Thurrock and one of the traditional parishes. It is situated in the east of the borough of Thurrock and has over time come to be considered an area within the larger neighbouring town of Stanford-Le-Hope. The parish church...
- Tilbury Asda - T3: Chadwell St MaryChadwell St MaryChadwell-St-Mary is a dispersed settlement in the unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex, England. It is one of the traditional parishes in Thurrock and former civil parish. It is a few miles east of the town of Grays and is located north of the modern town of Tilbury which was part of the parish...
- Tilbury Asda - T4: Canvey Island - Tilbury Asda
- T5: Grays - Tilbury Asda
- T6: AveleyAveleyAveley is a place in the Thurrock unitary authority in Essex, England and one of the traditional parishes in Thurrock. It is a suburban development located 16.3 miles east of Charing Cross in London and within the eastern bounds of the M25 motorway.-Location:Aveley is roughly bounded to the north...
- Tilbury Asda
Free Tesco shopper bus routes
- Tesco service: Canvey, Leigh Beck - Admiral Jellicoe - Furtherwick Park School - Haystack Corner - William Read School - County School - Silver Jubilee - Benfleet, Church - Junior School - Cemetery Corner - Tarpots - PitseaPitseaPitsea is a small town in the east of the Basildon district of south Essex, England. It comprises five sub-districts: Eversley, Northlands Park Neighbourhood , Chalvedon, Pitsea Mount and Burnt Mills. Vange is located to the west of Pitsea, Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet to the east and Nevendon...
Tesco - Tesco service: BarkingBarkingBarking is a suburban town in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies east of Charing Cross. Barking was in the historic county of Essex until it was absorbed by Greater London. The area is...
Tesco
On October 30, 2008, Tesco stopped its funding for the free Stephensons-run bus service from Shotgate Post Office to its store in the Mayflower retail park.
Special New Year's Day Heritage services
On January 1, 2008 and 2009, Stephensons operated two special New Year's Day services in the Southend area in conjunction with other local operators using Heritage buses and a modern Optare TempoOptare Tempo
The Optare Tempo is a full-size single-deck bus manufactured by Optare and was launched in late 2004. It is marketed and sold as the replacement for the Optare Excel.It is designed as a lightweight bus, to use less fuel than traditional heavy duty integrals....
from Regal Busways
Regal Busways
Regal Busways Ltd is a small bus operator established in 2001 and based in Essex. Their services operate through 30 local communities including Chelmsford, Epping, The Hanningfields, Canvey Island, Harlow, Ongar, Pleshey, Toot Hill, Upshire, Waltham Abbey, Waltham Cross and Wickford.-History:Regal...
. Profits were donated to the charities Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
Air Ambulance, Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan Cancer Support is one of the largest British charities and provides specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer....
and the The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion , sometimes referred to as simply The Legion, is the United Kingdom's leading charity providing financial, social and emotional support to those who have served or who are currently serving in the British Armed Forces, and their dependants.-History:The British Legion was...
.
- 3: SouthendSouthend-on-SeaSouthend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
- Westcliff-on-SeaWestcliff-on-SeaWestcliff-on-Sea is a suburb of Southend-on-Sea, a seaside resort in the East of England and unitary authority in Essex. It is situated on the northern bank of the Thames Estuary and about 34 miles east of London.-Geography:...
- Leigh ElmsLeigh-on-SeaLeigh-on-Sea , sometimes called Leigh, is a civil parish in Essex, England. It is part of Southend-on-Sea for administrative purposes. It became a civil parish in 1996. The council tax was increased to support it. A town council was formed. Leigh is the only parish in Southend...
- HadleighHadleigh, EssexHadleigh is a town in southeast Essex, England, on the A13 between Benfleet and Leigh-on-Sea with a population of about 18,300.-History:Hadleigh is known for its castle, and the country park that surrounds it. The castle has been a romantic ruin for a few hundred years, but parts of two towers are...
- Tarpots - Benfleet railway stationBenfleet railway stationBenfleet railway station, or Benfleet railway station for Canvey Island, serves the towns of South Benfleet and Canvey Island in Essex, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by c2c. The station opened in 1855.- Facilities :...
- CanveyCanvey IslandCanvey Island is a civil parish and reclaimed island in the Thames estuary in England. It is separated from the mainland of south Essex by a network of creeks...
Haystack - 7: Southend - Thorpe BayThorpe BayThorpe Bay is an affluent area within the Borough of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England, situated on the Thames Estuary.Thorpe Bay is situated within the Southend ward of Thorpe. It is around 4 miles to the east of Southend. Originally the area was called Thorpe, but was renamed Thorpe Bay after its...
- Shoebury, RenownShoeburynessShoeburyness is a town in southeast Essex, England, situated at the mouth of the river Thames Estuary. It is within the borough of Southend-on-Sea, and is situated at the far east of the borough, around east of Southend town centre...
They also ran an hourly route 61 service using Dennis Dart SLF
Dennis Dart
The Dennis Dart is a rear-engined midibus built by Dennis in the United Kingdom. More than 11,000 were built during 18 years of production....
/Plaxton Pointer II
Plaxton Pointer
The Plaxton Pointer is a successful single-decker bus body manufactured during the 1990s by Plaxton and latterly built by Alexander Dennis.With the launch of the Dennis Dart in 1989, Plaxton's subsidiary Reeve Burgess made the Pointer body on the short 8.5 m...
s 411 and 412, which were also used to run an hourly service 7 between Southend Travel Centre and Southend Hospital, on part of the route normally operated by Arriva Southend
Arriva Southend
Arriva Southend is a division of Arriva Southern Counties, a subsidiary of transport group Arriva which operates bus services in and around the Southend-on-Sea, Rochford, Rayleigh, Basildon, and Thurrock areas of Essex...
's route 7.
London Link Express
The London Link Express coach service has had a long history with various operators, starting in 1980. In 2001, after Arriva SouthendArriva Southend
Arriva Southend is a division of Arriva Southern Counties, a subsidiary of transport group Arriva which operates bus services in and around the Southend-on-Sea, Rochford, Rayleigh, Basildon, and Thurrock areas of Essex...
decided to withdraw their route 721 service, Stephensons took over, providing the Green Line routes X1 and X10
Green Line routes X1 and X10
Green Line routes X1 and X10 were limited-stop express coach services which were operated by Stephensons of Essex as part of the large Green Line Coaches network. The services operated between Rochford, Southend and London...
coach services, branded as "London Link Express". X1 was the original number of the service when it was first launched in 1980. Stephensons withdrew the service on Friday July 11, 2008, blaming a number of factors. Replacement services by Swallow Coach Company started on August 4, 2008 but were withdrawn on May 29, 2009.
Bus fleet
Stephensons currently has a fleet of 59 vehicles, mostly painted in their white and light green livery, but with a few in AsdaAsda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
and Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
liveries which run the free bus services to these supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
s. The fleet consists 16 single-deckers, 40 double-deckers, and 3 coaches. A fleet of four new low-floor, 24-seat, 7.8m Optare Solo
Optare Solo
The Optare Solo is a low-floor midibus manufactured by Optare in Leeds, UK since 1997. The name "Solo" is a play on the low-floor status of the bus, the manufacturer believing its vehicle having an entrance that is "so low" from the floor, namely 200 mm with kneeling suspension.The innovative...
Slimlines were purchased in April 2007 to replace the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light and heavy commercial vehicle, built by Daimler AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a van, chassis cab and minibus, and sold as a Mercedes model, except in the U.S. where it is built from complete knock down kits and was sold by Freightliner until 2010 when Mercedes...
s used by Arriva on the Dengie
Dengie peninsula
Dengie is a peninsula in Essex, England, that once formed a hundred of the same name .The peninsula is formed by the River Crouch to the south, the Blackwater to the north, both of which are tidal, and the North Sea to the east...
Connections services. Two more new low-floor, 28-seat, 8.8m Optare Solo Slimlines were purchased in October 2008 to run the Withamlink routes 38 and 39 under contract to Essex County Council.
Single-deckers
- 2 Volvo B10MVolvo B10MThe Volvo B10M is a popular mid-engined bus and coach chassis built by Volvo between 1978 and 2001. It was built as the successor of the B58 and was equipped with a 9.6-litre horizontally-mounted Volvo THD100/THD101/THD102/THD103/THD104/DH10A diesel engine mounted under the floor, near the middle...
/AlexanderWalter Alexander CoachbuildersWalter Alexander Coachbuilders was a Scottish bus coachbuilder and operater based in Falkirk.-History:Walter Alexander, notice a lack expasion by the Falkirk and District Tramways Company's especially in to Grangemouth which never hdd a tram line. In 1913 Alexander's Motor Service was created to... - 6 Optare SoloOptare SoloThe Optare Solo is a low-floor midibus manufactured by Optare in Leeds, UK since 1997. The name "Solo" is a play on the low-floor status of the bus, the manufacturer believing its vehicle having an entrance that is "so low" from the floor, namely 200 mm with kneeling suspension.The innovative...
Slimlines - 1 Dennis Dart SLFDennis DartThe Dennis Dart is a rear-engined midibus built by Dennis in the United Kingdom. More than 11,000 were built during 18 years of production....
/Plaxton PointerPlaxton PointerThe Plaxton Pointer is a successful single-decker bus body manufactured during the 1990s by Plaxton and latterly built by Alexander Dennis.With the launch of the Dennis Dart in 1989, Plaxton's subsidiary Reeve Burgess made the Pointer body on the short 8.5 m... - 7 Dennis Dart SLF/Plaxton Pointer 2
- 1 Alexander Dennis Enviro200
Double-deckers
- 19 Leyland OlympianLeyland OlympianThe Leyland Olympian was a double-decker bus built by British Leyland/Leyland Bus in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1993. It was the last Leyland bus model in production before the demise of Leyland Bus.-Construction:...
/Northern Counties - 11 Leyland Olympian/Alexander
- 4 Leyland Olympian/Eastern Coach WorksEastern Coach WorksEastern Coach Works Ltd was a bus and railbus body building company based in Lowestoft, England.-History:The company can trace its roots back to 1912, when United Automobile Services was founded in the town to run bus services. United began a coach building business at the Lowestoft site in 1920...
- 2 Scania N230UDScania N-seriesScania N-series is a series of city bus with straight-up, transversely mounted Euro IV/Euro V engine at the rear.It is available as N230UB, N270UB as well as the N230UD and N270UD...
/Optare OlympusOptare OlympusThe Optare Olympus is a double-decker bus built by Optare...
- the first brand-new double deckers bought by Stephensons - 2 Dennis CondorDennis DragonThe Dennis Dragon is a 3-axle double decker bus built by Dennis of the United Kingdom in the 1980s and 1990s....
/Duple MetsecDuple MetsecDuple Metsec is a former bus bodywork builder based in West Midlands of the United Kingdom, which usually supplied body kits for assembly overseas.... - 1 Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2Dennis Trident 2 is a 2-axle low-floor double-decker bus chassis originally built by Dennis in the United Kingdom, which was unveiled in 1997 and replaced the Dennis Arrow...
/East Lancashire CoachbuildersEast Lancashire CoachbuildersEast Lancashire Coachbuilders Limited was a manufacturer of bus bodies and carriages founded in 1934 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England.In 1994 the company expanded in to new premises and commenced a programme of development that resulted in a range of single and double deck buses which was the... - 1 Leyland PD3: 424 - originally with Southdown Motor ServicesSouthdown Motor ServicesSouthdown Motor Services Ltd operates bus and coach services in East and West Sussex and parts of Hampshire, in southern England. It was formed in 1915 and had various owners throughout its history, being purchased by the National Bus Company in 1969...
, part of Heritage fleet
Coaches
- 1 Volvo B10M/Van HoolVan HoolVan Hool NV is a Belgian coachbuilder and manufacturer of buses, coaches, trolleybuses, and trailers.The company was founded in 1947 by Bernard van Hool in Koningshooikt, nearby Lier, Belgium. In the early years, the company introduced serial production and exported their products all over Europe...
Alizée - 1 Volvo B10M/PlaxtonPlaxtonPlaxton is a builder of bus and coach vehicle bodies based in Scarborough, England.-History:The Plaxton of today is the successor to a business founded in Scarborough in 1907 by Frederick William Plaxton.-Beginnings:...
PremierePlaxton PremiereThe Plaxton Premiere, Plaxton Excalibur and Plaxton Prima were closely related designs of coach bodywork built by Plaxton.The Premiere and Excalibur were introduced in 1991 as replacements for the Paramount. The Premiere was the mainstream design, available in the same two heights as its predecessor... - 1 Volvo B10M/Plaxton ParamountPlaxton ParamountThe Plaxton Paramount was a design of coach bodywork built by Plaxton. It first appeared at the 1982 British Motor Show and was built until 1991....
Fuel theft
Stephensons has been the victim of diesel fuel theftTheft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
from their bus depot on the Riverside Industrial Estate in Rochford on at least two occasions. On April 20, 2008, two thieves pumped 3,500 litres of fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. Most fuels used by humans undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air...
from a diesel supply tank into containers in the back of a Ford Luton van, but were disturbed by a patrol and escaped, abandoning the van and the fuel in a park playground behind the depot. On June 24, 2009, thieves siphoned diesel from the fuel tanks of Stephensons coaches and loaded it into a Ford Luton and a Ford Transit
Ford Transit
The Ford Transit is a range of panel vans, minibuses, and pickup trucks, produced by the Ford Motor Company in Europe.The Transit has been the best-selling light commercial vehicle in Europe for 40 years, and in some countries the term "Transit" has passed into common usage as a generic term...
van. On both occasions Stephensons offered a reward for information leading to the identification and conviction of the thieves.