For a coach operator fulfilling the ambition of running his own business, Graeme Farrington found himself with a dilemma: grow the business but maintain quality and standards. Fortunately, the solution brought added success
We often hear of successful coach operators who trace their enthusiasm for the industry back to childhood, cleaning coaches for their parents, grandparents, or a neighbouring coach operator. For Graeme Farrington, Managing Director of Essex-based South East Coaches, it goes back even further.
“I was four years old,” he says, “and my mother taught gymnastics to the daughter of the owner of a local coach operator, Jacksons Coaches, near Chelmsford. I remember we used to go to the yard and I loved being around the vehicles and being inspired by the story of how the business started. That interest never left me. When work experience came around, I turned down every option my teachers suggested. There was only one place I wanted to go and I ended up spending a fortnight with Jacksons, in the office and out on the road with drivers. Those two weeks sealed my fate. Being a coach driver was appealing, but I had loftier ambitions. I wanted to run my own coach company.”
Today, 20 years later, Graeme’s ambition has come to fruition. South East Coaches is a profitable business operating nine full-size coaches and one minibus on a mix of private hire, incoming tour and rail replacement work.
An inheritance paves the way
The path from work experience to business owner took Graeme first to the Docklands Light Railway in London, working in the control room at Greenwich, before a Transport for London reorganisation brought redundancy .
“The coaching interest saw me driving for Amber Coaches in Rayleigh,” he says. “I took the opportunity to take my Transport Manager CPC. Six months later I was granted an Operator’s Licence. I started looking around for a coach.”
Money was tight but an inheritance from his grandmother proved exceptionally timely. In 2011 he bought a DAF Bova Futura from Jacksons Coaches, one of the vehicles he’d enjoyed his work experience on.
“Finding work for the coach was difficult,” notes Graeme, “but my relationships with Jackson’s and Amber resulted in me covering schools and private hire work for both operators. I was able to park the coach in Jacksons’ yard.”
But as the work grew, so did the anxiety.
“The thought of taking on a second driver was terrifying,” says Graeme. “I’d built the business around my own standards. Letting go of that control would be difficult. I really didn’t like the idea of that at all.”
But it worked, and a third vehicle was soon needed.
“At this point I’d outgrown Jackson’s yard and managed to find a suitable site in Wickford where we have been based ever since,” says Graeme. “I purchased an office in a Portakabin that was placed in the yard and moved out of my bedroom office!”
The benefit of support
For 10 years Graeme ran everything himself, but by 2022 the strain was showing.
“I needed support,” he says,“ and for the second time the worry about letting go of control came to the fore.”
The solution came in the form of Ashley Gamon. Ashley had driven part-time for the company and was looking for a management role. Graeme recruited him to the position of Operations Manager and, in time, Transport Manager.
“In hindsight I needn’t have worried about bringing someone else on board,” says Graeme. “My workload is now much more managed. Ashley’s progression and input to the business has been nothing short of exceptional. The company wouldn’t be where it is today without him. In January 2024, he passed his International Transport Manager CPC so he could develop our continental work and compliance. My wife Meg has also supported me within our relationship from the outset. I am very grateful for her being there for me over the years. I am sure she would undoubtedly agree I now have a much better work life balance.”
Benefiting from Earned Recognition
The working partnership is clearly a strong one, nowhere more so than in their shared commitment to quality standards. In 2025, Ashley led the business to achieving DVSA Earned Recognition (ER) status.
“Some clients would rather use ER-compliant operators,” says Graeme, “so there’s a clear commercial benefit. But really ER just reflects what we’ve always tried to do. However, I do wish it had wider public awareness. We have a named contact at DVSA who we can turn to with any questions, not only about compliance, but also about other industry and legislative matters. That conduit means we see DVSA as a quasi-trade body which is why, currently, we don’t belong to any of the others.
“There’s a monthly Microsoft Teams online seminar for PSV and HGV-accredited operators that provides industry-related updates and allows us to ask questions. However, the accreditation process, which we achieved first time, highlighted other areas for improvement. As an example, we’ve introduced the Wheely-Safe wheel and tyre monitoring technology. We’re not content with the minimum; we’re trying to be the best.”
Technical applications include Distinctive Systems’ Coach Manager and Vehicle Maintenance System. Verizon vehicle tracking software integrates with Coach Manager, generating a link to Distinctive Systems’ whereismycoach.com online portal to give customers timely updates on vehicle location.
Temsas join an Irizar fleet
“We have seven Irizar coaches,” explains Graeme. “The newest are two 74-plate Irizar i6s Efficient 57-seaters to full PSVAR specification. Our oldest Irizar is a 14-plate i6. It’s had a lot of replacement parts and is in really good condition. In January we took delivery of two Temsa HD13, 57-seat DAF MX11-powered coaches with ZF auto gearboxes. We’d spotted the Temsa range at Euro Bus Expo 2024 at the NEC. The revised styling, the price point, and, crucially, a promised six-month delivery really caught our attention.
“Steve Peck, Southern Accounts Manager with Temsa Sales UK was very helpful throughout and we finalised the deal in August 2025. The vehicles have exceeded expectations. Build quality is good, the recent facelift has improved the product and our drivers and customers like them. Temsa’s aftersales support is also excellent and very refreshing.
“As for being an Irizar customer? Will we go back to the brand again in the future. We’ll have to wait and see. But all the full-size coaches are DAF. As a company we know the product which is tried and tested. We also hold a great relationship with Harris DAF in Grays for support and specialist parts.”
Quality maintenance partners
Graeme and Ashley manage seven full-time and 16 part-time drivers.
“We’re fortunate in attracting and retaining drivers,” notes Graeme. “Our reputation is strong and we’re one of the highest-paying operators in the area.”
Engineering is mostly carried out offsite by Fiveways Group at nearby Basildon, a relationship that’s been in place for two years. Minor defects and maintenance are dealt with onsite.
“Vehicle presentation is a key element of the business,” says Graeme. “We rent our yard so a permanent washing facility wasn’t an option. We bought a mobile Bitimec Speedy Wash. It wasn’t cheap but we can walk the unit round a coach and have a clean body in around five minutes. It’s a fantastic tool and saves a lot of time.”
Several eggs in the basket
South East Coaches’ business portfolio is around 50% education and school private hires, 20% other private hire including inbound tour operators, 15% rail replacement, and 15% other work including airport transfers and other contracts.
The operator works with Big Green Coach, an event transport management company, providing two coaches for Tottenham Hotspur supporters travelling from Essex to home games in north London.
“We also work with Quality Coach Travel (QCT), a coach broker,” says Graeme. “We’re cautious of brokers, but QCT only works with selected operators and reviews vehicle quality in advance, an attention to detail that echoes our own approach.”
One issue Graeme and Ashley are acutely aware of is driver accommodation on school trips, particularly abroad.
“We don’t provide tour packages,” says Ashley. “We simply provide the coach. This takes us outside the Package Travel Regulations and means we can focus on what we do best. However, we do stipulate in our hire agreements that our drivers cannot share a room while on tour. Most education clients accept this now, but we have lost work as a result. Room sharing just isn’t acceptable!”
Looking ahead, where do Graeme and Ashley see the business going?
“I’m always looking for new opportunities, but not at the expense of our standards,” says Graeme. “For that reason we’re focusing on renewing and improving what we already have. Our current workload is comfortable and sustainable. Despite the challenges and stress I can look at the fleet and feel huge pride. Both Ashley and I enjoy what we do. But there are days when I have to pinch myself. How has this all happened? The four-year-old me would never have thought it possible – or perhaps I did!”
