I was interested to read about the connection between Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company and Metrobus from Peter Arkell (Letters, March 22).

However, he refers to the "formation of Brighton and Hove bus company in 1986".

In fact, this was a reactivation of a company that had lain dormant since about 1968.

Brighton Hove and District Omnibus Co Ltd was formed on November 26, 1935, to operate the "Brighton and Hove Section" of Thomas Tilling Ltd, a company which can trace its origins back to 1847 when Thomas Tilling bought a grey mare and carriage.

From this insignificant beginning developed a bus empire which operated buses in London, Brighton and other English towns.

The London operation was lost to the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933 and the remain sold to the British Transport Commission in 1948.

The National Bus Company was formed in 1968 and acquired Southdown Motor Services.

Brighton buses were placed under the ownership of Southdown and painted green but the Brighton, Hove and District was not wound up.

When it was decided to privatise the National Bus Company in 1986, Southdown was split into three sections and ownership of the Brighton section transferred to Brighton, Hove and District.

From January 1, 1986, the Brighton section traded under the present name but the name of the company was not changed to coincide until several months later.

In May 1987, the management bought the Brighton Section from the National Bus Company and then, in November 1993, sold it to Go Ahead Northern Ltd, which later became the Go-Ahead Group.

-Peter E H Bailey, Beaconsfield Villas, Brighton