Names on the buses

839 William Wheeler

Connections with Brighton and Hove : Rocking Billy (William Wheeler) was a much-loved DJ in the Brighton area playing 1950s and 1960s music. He was well known in Brighton and there are many local pubs where he played. He started on Brighton seafront in 1962 when he used to work on the dodgems near Volks Railway, close to where the crazy golf is now, playing music on an old record player. He had loved music from his earliest years. People would gather round to listen mainly to Elvis Presley songs. As a committed rocker, Billy had many scrapes with the Mods in the 1960s when rival gangs used to do battle on Brighton seafront. He played on with regular slots in pubs and died in 2014. Aged 68. After the funeral so many people wished to pay tribute that two wakes were held at the same time. One was at the Bat and Ball pub near The Level and the other was at Brighton Labour Club.

839 Mercedes Streetdeck on Route 7 - carried name from December 2017.