Names on the buses

 612 Ray Noble

Connections with Brighton and Hove : The great bandleader was born in Brighton in 1903 and studied at Cambridge before attending the Royal College of Music. His first hit song was Goodnight Sweetheart which he followed with By the Fireside, I Found You, What More Can I Ask? and Love is the Sweetest Thing. He became the first British bandleader to score a success in the USA and the young Glenn Miller played trombone in the band. During this time, Noble wrote The Very Thought of You, Love Locked Our and The Touch of Your Lips. His band broke up in 1936 he then went to Hollywood to star in The Big Broadcast with Bing Crosby and Ethel Merman. Later he appeared with Fred Astaire in Damsel in Distress. Noble returned to England in 1938 to appear in variety but went back to America shortly to play musical and comedy roles on the Burns and Allen show. He continued his radio career after the war and retired to Santa Barbara, also spending time in Jersey. He died in 1978 aged 75. Noble will be best remembered for the songs he composed, and for his band, especially the numbers in which Al Bowlly sang.

612 Scania Omnidekka carried name since delivery in June 2003, repainted in new Metro 1 livery May 2007. Repainted into standard livery February 2012. Bus sold in April 2015.