THE attraction of Brighton compared to Worthing in early Georgian days is shown in two books: ‘Brighton and its coaches’ (1894) runs to 300 pages but ‘Worthing and its coaches (1943) manages just 60.

Despite that, Worthing had a busy service to London and was important as a posting stop for cross country routes. The posting inns were the Nelson, Sea House, New and the Steyne.

Routes in and out of Worthing started at the company’s offices and in 1811 there were two in South Street.

This was a time of great innovation for coaches and in 1822 a traveller to Worthing described how they boarded a ‘Newman’s Safety Coach’ by stepping over the front wheel.

Evidently there was a compartment between the body of the coach and the driver’s seat and between the front wheels. No passengers would then ride dangerously on the roof.

The river Adur was a barrier to the east but after the wooden trestle bridge was built at Old Shoreham in 1782, a coaching route to Brighton was established using the Upper Brighton Road.

One day, in 1810, Mr Coles was driving his coach to Brighton when a rival coach attempted to pass him. The driver of the coach had been told to get there first ‘even if it means losing a horse’!

Despite the cries of the passengers they raced neck and neck through Lancing to the Sussex Pad where Mr Coles took the lead but at Buckingham Farm he overturned the coach at a sharp corner and was killed.

Meanwhile, the coastal road was in a serious condition, prompting Worthing Commissioners in 1825 to appeal to Mr J MacAdam to build a new road.

This was done and became a turnpike road with a tollgate at about the Brooklands point today. The toll keeper also collected the coal duties on coal brought in from Shoreham.

The tollhouse was later demolished in 1896. There was now a good road to Brighton and a few years later, in 1833, the lovely suspension bridge (pictured below) was built at Shoreham.

It became the only route as it was shorter by two miles and far more picturesque. A few years on and the railways spread south, forcing coaching firms to close all over the country.

Shoreham station opened in 1840 and omnibuses now brought passengers to it from Worthing. More on the mail and Brighton coaches to follow.