backontrack
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Are there any bus operators that have since folded or moved out of your area that you miss in particular?
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Which past bus operators do you miss?
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Batman
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Chase buses.
The depot was in Burntwood but they operated mainly in the Walsall area.
They went bust in about 2007 and most of their routes got taken over by Arriva.
The Layland Nationals they used on the Walsall - Cannock route were in very good conditions for their age.
The depot was in Burntwood but they operated mainly in the Walsall area.
They went bust in about 2007 and most of their routes got taken over by Arriva.
The Layland Nationals they used on the Walsall - Cannock route were in very good conditions for their age.
backontrack
Established Member
Rapsons & Orkney Coaches for me. Lots of nostalgia and memories for me. Since they ceased operations, Stagecoach have cut a lot of the routes too.
Star Line Travel of Knutsford. They operated modern Mercedes and Dennis buses in the early 1990s when many operators were using clapped out Leyland buses. They had operations in South Manchester as well as Cheshire with North Western (now Arriva North West) purchasing them primarily for the South Manchester operations - ironically one of the operators using clapped out Leyland buses! Initially the kept the Star Line brand for some routes and used modern buses on Star Line branded routes.
Star Line also had a coach division which traded as Star Line Travel but was a joint venture between Star Line and Bullocks. Consequently when Star Line was sold the coach division was split between Bullocks and North Western with North Western selling their share to Selwyns.
The former owner of Star Line Travel went on to set up Mistral leasing after selling Star Line Travel.
Star Line also had a coach division which traded as Star Line Travel but was a joint venture between Star Line and Bullocks. Consequently when Star Line was sold the coach division was split between Bullocks and North Western with North Western selling their share to Selwyns.
The former owner of Star Line Travel went on to set up Mistral leasing after selling Star Line Travel.
overthewater
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To be fair. Both Rapson and Stagecoach highlands were losing money, and Stagecoach cuts only come about because it lost tenders.
I do mist Mckindless a bit, there alot least keep First in Check, but most people will say Hutchison ( 11 years now)
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Chase didn’t go bust. They sold out to Arriva before that happened!
Statto
Established Member
Crosville, before it was split in 86, GM Buses, before that was split into North & South, loved the GM express network, which had dedicated buses with dual purpose seating, in different livery, although i did like the the standard Orange, White livery.
Ah, yes. Remember the GM Express 9s in Blackrod!
And the 32, 34, 90, 400, 401, 402 and various others. Those were the days!
Busaholic
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Western Greyhound, although their legacy has been a much improved First in Cornwall.
Taking the question literally, I would also include London Transport. I look forward to the day when TfL (or whatever the organisation is then called) takes back operation of,as well as responsibility for, London's buses. I'm not holding my breath - possibly, if I live to 100 I may see it.
Taking the question literally, I would also include London Transport. I look forward to the day when TfL (or whatever the organisation is then called) takes back operation of,as well as responsibility for, London's buses. I'm not holding my breath - possibly, if I live to 100 I may see it.
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randyrippley
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Lancaster City Transport
It was always interesting to see what Tommy Knowles' latest mad purchase of buses had been
During the two or three years of the "war" with Stagecoach, each second hand purchase became more exotic
It was always interesting to see what Tommy Knowles' latest mad purchase of buses had been
During the two or three years of the "war" with Stagecoach, each second hand purchase became more exotic
martinsh
Established Member
Second South Notts - should have guessed that from your user name !!
martinsh
Established Member
ALso
Green Bus, Cannock with their lowbridge Guy Arab
Blue Bus, Willington
Pooles, Alsagers Bank
Chester City Transport - Guy Arabs again
Purple Motors, Bethesda - ex Trent Tiger Cub
South Lancs
Gash of Newark - Daimler CVGs from 1940s running well into the 80s
Maynes of Manchester
Rhymney Valley DC
Soudley Valley - tiger Cubs and Harrington bodied coaches
Darlington CT
Rossie Motors, Rossington
South Yorkshire, Pontefract
Chesterfield CT
Booth & Fisher, Halfway - Albion Nimbuses !
I could go on forever ...
How could I forget Devon General ...
Green Bus, Cannock with their lowbridge Guy Arab
Blue Bus, Willington
Pooles, Alsagers Bank
Chester City Transport - Guy Arabs again
Purple Motors, Bethesda - ex Trent Tiger Cub
South Lancs
Gash of Newark - Daimler CVGs from 1940s running well into the 80s
Maynes of Manchester
Rhymney Valley DC
Soudley Valley - tiger Cubs and Harrington bodied coaches
Darlington CT
Rossie Motors, Rossington
South Yorkshire, Pontefract
Chesterfield CT
Booth & Fisher, Halfway - Albion Nimbuses !
I could go on forever ...
How could I forget Devon General ...
atraindriver
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atraindriver
Member
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TT-ONR-NRN
Established Member
Western Greyhound
I dont think Tfl will ever want to run the buses themselves.With the different driver rates across the network its a minefield.And another thing with their almost £1billion deficit they have other things on their tableat present.Western Greyhound, although their legacy has been a much improved First in Cornwall.
Taking the question literally, I would also include London Transport. I look forward to the day when TfL (or whatever the organisation is then called) takes back operation of,as well as responsibility for, London's buses. I'm not holding my breath - possibly, if I live to 100 I may see it.
Barton really dropped a clanger at deregulation by registering their whole network commercially with the exception of the already subsided services which they lost to other operators. They did seem to finally grasp the situation as the 1987 end of year Chairmans report (Source: Barton Part 3, Alan Oxley 1994) referred to unviable services being withdrawn to concentrate on city and urban routes, so what has happened under Wellglade is really a follow through of that objective. The list of operators that competed with them almost seems never ending; Camms, NCT, Midland Fox, Stevensons, Leicester City Transport/ Loughborough Bus & Coach , Dunn Line and Gagg (who Barton did buy out). Its noticeable that neither Kinch Line, who were presumably too obsessed screwing South Notts, and Trent, competed (in Trents case that is no more than pre deregulation); wonder how quickly Wellglade earmarked Barton as a potential purchase and did not want to appear as an aggressive buy out.
randyrippley
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Strangely, it wasn't unknown for Devon General red-liveried buses to get as far as Yeovil on the 264 from Taunton. Presumably temporary loans.
An operator that was even bigger than Barton in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire was Midland General which was taken over by Trent in 1972. It was part of the Balfour Beaty Group but operated a very extensive network of routes especially in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire coal mining areas. Towns along the border between the two counties like Eastwood, Heanor, Ilkeston, Ripley and Alfreton were all served by Midlands General. They also had many services into Nottinghamshire towns like Hucknall, Kirkby and Sutton in Ashfield and Mansfield. There was quite an extensive network of services serving urban areas in the west of the City of Nottingham especially in the Wollaton area. Just like Barton’s routes Trent were very quick to cut services after they took them over.
atraindriver
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There are a number of bus operators what I miss. However the main 2 I would say are
- Yorkshire Coastliner pre-Transdev - the service generally just seemed a lot better than it is nowadays, more customer friendly and better buses
- Connexions (York Country/County Buses) - run by Adam Askew I believe and operated routes such as C1 (Tadcaster - York Askham Bar via Appleton Roebuck) - today run as the 21 from Colton - York Foss Islands and C3 (Tadcaster - York via Askham Bryan) - today run as the 37. The service was run using a MB Vario/Plaxton Beaver before a few Darts came. Served the villages between Tadcaster and York providing a link to a number of villages to/from Tadcaster which has now been sadly lost. Used to run Sunday only services to Helmsley which I frequented quite often.
- Yorkshire Coastliner pre-Transdev - the service generally just seemed a lot better than it is nowadays, more customer friendly and better buses
- Connexions (York Country/County Buses) - run by Adam Askew I believe and operated routes such as C1 (Tadcaster - York Askham Bar via Appleton Roebuck) - today run as the 21 from Colton - York Foss Islands and C3 (Tadcaster - York via Askham Bryan) - today run as the 37. The service was run using a MB Vario/Plaxton Beaver before a few Darts came. Served the villages between Tadcaster and York providing a link to a number of villages to/from Tadcaster which has now been sadly lost. Used to run Sunday only services to Helmsley which I frequented quite often.
ChathillMan
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Northumbria Motor Services - Loved the livery and in its prime, virtually every bus had coach style seating - even town minibus services. I even remember the trial when thebput TVs onboard.
Network was huge, even Wooler was served. and the Town Minibus networks were very extensive.
It later morphed in to Arriva Northumbria after takeover, a number of depots, travelshops and routes were cut and its just not the same.
Network was huge, even Wooler was served. and the Town Minibus networks were very extensive.
It later morphed in to Arriva Northumbria after takeover, a number of depots, travelshops and routes were cut and its just not the same.
Just about everything from my bus spotting days in the mid 1960s
Simply for some of the "exotic" names the Welsh local authority fleets in the valleys found in my Ian Allen books. I don't think that I ever saw one of their vehicles but for an operator name it is difficult to beat "Bedwas and Machen Urban District Council".
Simply for some of the "exotic" names the Welsh local authority fleets in the valleys found in my Ian Allen books. I don't think that I ever saw one of their vehicles but for an operator name it is difficult to beat "Bedwas and Machen Urban District Council".
Busaholic
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I'll counter with the Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Electricity and Transport Board. No, I never saw any of their buses (in fact, I've never knowingly set foot in any of those towns) but I loved to see that entry in Buses Illustrated, although it was usually abbreviated to SHMD Board.
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