Names on the buses

653 James Osborne

Connections with Brighton and Hove : Born in Brighton, Osborne went to school in Moulescoomb and left at 14 barely able to write. But he had an artistic talent and started carving or painting, using soap taken from his mother’s kitchen or chalk from the beach. Rejected by the art college in Brighton for having no academic qualifications, Osborne undertook apprenticeships and worked on fine buildings such as the Royal Pavilion. He also became a good amateur boxer and only lost one fight after which he retired. It left him with a broken nose and many friends. Osborne travelled widely in the Sixties and during those years gave up painting to concentrate on sculpture. He started a foundry in Hove and helped other artists as well as producing his own work. Later he opened a gallery at Covent Garden in London.Osborne was commissioned in 1988 to sculpt a half-size bronze of the Queen’s horse Burmese which was placed at Windsor. He then produced a sculpture of the famous racehorse Eclipse which went to Newmarket.He produced Boy on a Magic Rocking Horse for Kensington Gardens and a representation of Ballyregan Bob, the greyhound for Corals Stadium in Hove. One of his best known works is the charming dolphin statue in the centre of Brighton Square. Osborne raised huge amounts of money for charities including the Variety Club, Born Free and Save the Children. He worked closely for much of his career with his brother, Fred. He died in 1992 aged only 52 leaving a wife and two young children.

653 - Scania Omnidekka carried name since March 2005 on Metro 49. Metro 49 branding removed September 2012. Bus sold in July 2017.