Eastern National was a bus company operating in south-east England, primarily in Essex, from 1929 to the 1990s.

Eastern National Omnibus Company[1] commenced operating in 1929 as a joint venture between the London and North Eastern Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the National Omnibus & Transport Company.

The railways developed networks of feeder bus services in the 1920s, but the legal powers of the railway companies (after 1922 the Big Four) to run bus services were unclear and each promoted private legislation (the Road Powers Acts of 1928) to obtain clarity.

In 1929 the London and North Eastern Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the National formed Eastern National Omnibus Company, to which all three shareholders transferred their bus operations in Essex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire.

In 1948, the railways were nationalised and, shortly after, the Tilling Group sold its bus interests to the government.

[6][7] Badgerline divided the company into two: Thamesway Buses in the south of Essex and Eastern National in the north.

[8] Eastern National was included in the June 1995 merger of Badgerline with GRT Group to form FirstBus.

Fairfield Road had originally been used by Hicks Brothers, a bus operator which Eastern National took over in 1949.

Clacton depot had been sited at Telford Road, on the Gorse Lane industrial estate, since 1988 at premises previously occupied by Coastal Red, a one-time competitor on the Tendring peninsular who were later bought by Eastern National.

The predecessor of Walton garage was Warners Iron Foundry at Naze Park Road, a building stands to this day.

Colchester garage was located on Queen Street, which was on the site of the Theatre Royal that burned down circa 1917.

Southend depot was originally sited on London Road, but closed in 1987 and has now disappeared under a Sainsbury's store.