A BOYHOOD bus enthusiast who made a career out of his hobby is retiring after 45 years.

Ron Hayes, operations manager for Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company, developed a fascination with buses aged six.

While his school friends played on Southwick Green during the summer, Ron spent hours by the terminus watching buses, with drivers lifting him up so he could peer over the fence.

Ron, 63, has amassed a huge collection of photos and has an image of every vehicle that has passed through the company since he was eight-years-old.

He followed his passion and began his career at Southdown Motor Services in 1970.

Eight years later he became the youngest inspector in the country.

He got to know all the drivers so well that he has never paid a fare in his life.

After years of getting up at 3am every day, Ron will now have a relative lie-in. Although he has said he will not get up any later than 6am.

He said: “I’m really proud about what I’ve achieved. I started from the bottom with no education and worked my way up.

“I realised what I wanted to do and was always interested in buses and I was able to advance myself.

“I know my parents would be proud looking down on me.

“It’s going to be very hard on Friday, 45 years is a long time in one place.”

Ron transferred to Brighton and Hove in 1987 and was promoted to control inspector in 1990 before being made operations controller in 1998.

Ron said working life has much improved since the 1980s when staff were often spat at, attacked and robbed.

In 1999 Ron became acting staff manager at the Lewes Road base before being made operations officer in 2001 and senior operation controller in 2005.

He also won the Unsung Hero Award at the UK Bus Awards in 2012 – one of his proudest moments.

Ron appeared on the side of Brighton and Hove bus 875 in 2007, which is still in operation on route 2.

To celebrate his retirement and in acknowledgement his years of service, the 875 will carry Ron's name during his last week at the bus company.

‘We’ll miss him’

Martin Harris, managing director of Brighton and Hove Buses, said: “From my first meeting with Ron Hayes in back in 1980, it was clear what a passion he had for running bus services.

“To maintain that passion for 45 years is remarkable. He has given outstanding service to the company and to our customers for such a long time. Ron is a true bus man.

“I know he'll miss the job when he retires, and the job will certainly miss him.

“I can speak for hundreds of colleagues, now and back down the years, when I say it has been an honour to work with Ron. On behalf of them all, I wish Ron the very best of times in his retirement”.