Southdown sheep wool and cereals due to rising volumes of imports from the British Empire was accompanied by the Wet Years - a six-year period of cold, wet weather with little sun. In the Second World War, the South Downs were commandeered for military training, only fringe farms being left to produce milk for the towns. Sheep farming declined further after the war, although it is now being encouraged again through the designation of the downland as an environmentally sensitive area, and the restoration of arable land to sheepwalk. The Southdown has been placed on a watch list by the Rare Breeds
Southdown PSV operators. In addition to being a bus operator, Southdown was also a new and used bus dealer. In September 2016, the business was split with Southdown managing director Steve Swain taking over the dealership and renaming it Chartwell Bus & Coach Sales. Southdown PSV Southdown PSV is a medium-sized country bus operator with 18 various routes across East Surrey and West Sussex. Most of their routes are operated on behalf of Surrey County Council, other work includes Railway replacement services for emergencies and planned engineering work. Southdown PSV operates mainly in Oxted, Haywards Heath, Horley, Redhill, Westerham, Crawley, Lingfield, Caterham,