COUNTRYBUSbedford_wtb

A historic and nostalgic look at country buses mainly - but not only - 

in the county of Dorset

 
Welcome aboard the Country Bus ! 

 

When you have worked in the bus industry for most of your life, it gets in your blood in a way that is sometimes hard to explain.

 

There are many sites on the internet about buses but the interest for me has always been in the history, routes, timetables and service planning rather than the vehicles themselves.  That is not to say that the hardware, the buses and the coaches, are devoid of interest, but rather that I tend to look to the uses to which they are being put, and how well they (and their drivers and conductors) are being employed, utilised and scheduled.

 

Over the years, I have worked for several of the Dorset operators in the list below, and although I have always preferred the country bus to its urban counterpart,  I have not let the name of the web site preclude me from including some town services with which I have been acquainted.  Also included are some of the other interesting British and European operations that I have come across in my travels over the years.  

 

Many children of my generation dreamed of becoming an engine driver when they grew up, but as a child I dreamed instead of running my own bus company.  That ambition was realised in part as I was fortunate enough that my transport career led me to become manager for a time of  two of  my "favourite" operations (Rossmore and Stanbridge).

 

Before all is forgotten, why not click on a link or two and take a pleasant ride with me down and along the winding lanes of nostalgic memory?

 

 

Please note - this is a site of historical record.  We no longer own or operate any buses or coaches!

If you would like to write to me or have any further information about the operators featured

please do get in touch by e-mail.  Thank you.  Peter Roberts, Countrybus.


NOW IN OUR NINTH YEAR

 

Site last amended on 30th April 2008

 

Si les lecteurs français  pouvaient m’apporter des informations complémentaires à propos de ces sociétés, je leur en serais reconnaissant. 

 


book cover crichel

COMING SOON NOW (MID MAY)

 

Two new publications

VILLAGE BUSES OF EAST DORSET

and

BERE REGIS & DISTRICT MOTOR SERVICES

 

For further information please contact me by e-mail.  

Thank you.  Peter Roberts, Countrybus.

book cover bere regis


 

 

 

SOME OF THE COUNTRY BUSES OF DORSET

 

Bere Regis & District Motor Servicest  -  the ubiquitous brown buses and coaches that plied the roads of Dorset for nigh on seventy years

 

            List of operators acquired by Bere Regis & District

 

            Route development of Bere Regis & District bus services from 1949 to 1979

            1949 timetable booklet of Bere Regis & District

           bere regis logo

           

Mid Dorset Coaches - the buses run by the three brothers House from Hilton

 

A Pearce & Co. - the buses of Cattistock     

 

            Passenger with Pearce - reminiscences of some rural rides in 1972

 

            F Legg & Sons - the Evershot Bus Service

 

            J Crabb and A Lovell - the buses of Sydling St Nicholas

 

Ernie Toomer - the first buses that served Witchampton and  Crichel

 

Stanbridge & Crichel  -  later buses around Witchampton and  Crichel

 

            Saturday Driver - a 70's Saturday on the Crichel - Wimborne route 

 

Victory Tours - the Adams family and the buses of Sixpenny Handley  

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Wimborne and Cranborne - the other independent bus operators in days gone by in the rural east of the county

 

Dorset Queen - the buses to Winfrith, Chaldon and Lulworth Cove that were run by Percy Webb and his family 

 

Interbus  -  from Thomas Hardy's Casterbridge across the Dorset heaths through d'Urberville country

 

             Dorchester - a bit of serious history about the development of country bus routes to and from the county town

 

             Dorchester 1932 - a copy of a poster with a list of the routes of the Dorchester and District Carriers Association

 

             Can you help me? - you may have information of interest for this site

 

 

AN URBAN FORAY BUT STILL IN DORSET

 

Rossmore Bus  -  up Monkeys Hump and down Heavenly Bottom, the story of Miss Foott's buses

 

           Rossmore Relief - a hectic Saturday lunchtime in the sun

 

Roadliner - the Rossmore Flyer reborn, and back in private operator's hands again - and the route extended even more!

 

Routemaster Bournemouth  -  competitive operations on the streets of the south coast holiday resort in 1993 and 1994 

 

            Late turn 114 duty - or the joys of driving a Routemaster


Shamrock Buses - recalling the orange and cream livery of Shamrock & Rambler Coaches of days gone by

 

Poole Bay Services  -  an early entrant in the annals of bus deregulation back in 1986

 

 

WEYMOUTH HAPPENINGS

 

Dorset Transit  -  a newer operator with a most interesting raison d'etre, but now sadly no more

 

Weybus  -  Steve Oxbrow tells of competition in the Dorset seaside town of Weymouth from 1995 to 1998

 

Smiths of Portland - buses to Portland that were run by Portlanders a few years ago

 

Sureline - today's blue buses on the Portland route  -  and now further afield too in their 5th anniversary year

 

Weaverbus - the tale of Rory's buses and the Dorset Linkrider services

 

 

MORE (AND NEWER) COUNTRY BUSES IN DORSET

 

Blandford Bus Company - a new starter in the deregulated 1980's, the story of John Cumming's buses 

 

Oakfield Travel - based in Blandford Forum - like Topsy, they just grew and grew and grew

 

Ray Cuff - thirty years service to the people of North Dorset

 

 

SOME OF THE COUNTRY BUSES OF SOMERSET 

 

Hutchings and Cornelius - one of the two independent operators that were once based in South Petherton

 

Safeway Services - the other South Petherton operator - the story of Miss Gunn's buses

 

Wakes Services - the Somerset operator on the Yeovil to Shepton Mallet road

 

Somervale Coaches - rail replacement services for the Somerset and Dorset line

 

Brutonian Bus Company - Michael Wadman tells the story of this interesting operator  -  a play in three acts


Air Camelot - when an airline ran a Somerset bus company

 

 

SOME OF THE COUNTRY BUSES OF WILTSHIRE

 

Silver Star - named after a waltz, the famous silver coloured buses that ran from the cathedral city of Salisbury  

 

Skylark Motor Services - another Wiltshire operator, blue buses running into Salisbury until 1951

 

Salisbury and District Coach and Bus Operators Timetable - as published in June 1949

 

Salisbury - 1939 and before - some earlier timetables of various local operators

 

  

AND SOME OF THE COUNTRY BUSES OF HAMPSHIRE

Beaulieu Motor Service - the blue buses of A C Marvin, running from the beautiful place in the New Forest

Greyfriars Coaches - running into the cathedral city of Winchester, the buses of the Matthews family

Amport and District - where Hampshire blurs into Wiltshire

 

NORTH OF THE BORDER TO BONNIE SCOTLAND, TO THE MISTY ISLE OF SKYE AND TO THE ISLE OF MULL

Skye Transport  (SCWS) - the buses that the Co-op used to run on the Misty Isle

 

Neil Beaton - the other principal operator on the Isle of Skye for many years

 

Some other Skye operators - both from years gone by and more recent times

 

        Over the sea to Skye - a quick look at the island ferries as they were in 1937

 

        Islands Area - the David Macbrayne bus timetable for the islands for 1955

 

Mull in the 1960's - a snapshot of the buses of yesteryear on the Isle of Mull

cross of st andrew

 

EVEN FURTHER NORTH TO THE FAROE ISLANDS  (FØROYAR)

 

Bussleiðin  -  the red town buses of the capital city Torshavn

 

Bygdaleiðir  -  the blue country bus network of the Faroe Islands

 

        All change! 2004 Faroe Islands transport update - Bussleiðin and Bygdaleiðir

 

        North with Atlantic – a busman's holiday in Faroe in 1998  

 

        Buses and Bridges - some recent Faroese transport history

 

faroese flag

AND SOUTH ACROSS THE CHANNEL TO NORMANDIE

 

Transports Schmidt, La Glacerie, Manche - the blue buses that ran from Cherbourg to Flamanville 

 

Société des Transports de Normandie - the interurban operator in the département of Manche

Buses of Cotentin 1934  -  a reprise of country and interurban services from 70 years ago

 

Buses of Cotentin 2004  -  later country bus routes in the département of Manche

Compagnie des Transports de Cherbourg - the town services in the Cherbourg urban community

 

Transports Pasquier, Octeville, near Cherbourg, Manche - up the hill to Octeville many years ago

 

Cars Arcangioli, Fécamp, Seine Maritime - grey buses  from Le Havre to Etretat and Fecamp

 

Cars Périer, Lillebonne, Seine Maritime - to and from the oil refineries of Port Jerome

 

Transports Citroën - a look back at this network of yesteryear, from 1931 to 1977

Autocars Renault -  the Paris network of the other great French manufacturer in 1934

 

Transports Verney - a brief historical reprise of the group, and timetable illustrations from 1969

 

Est-ce que vous pouvez m'aider?

 

french flag

 

INDULGENCES - SOME OTHER INTERESTING OPERATORS FONDLY RECALLED

 

Reading Mainline  -  competition (and Routemasters) again - but it all finished some years ago now on 22 July 2000 ..........

 

Shropshire Omnibus Association - one of the fascinating "rota" operations of days gone by    

 

Birch Bros Ltd - double deckers from London through Hertfordshire to Hitchin, Henlow, Bedford and Rushden   




FURTHER INDULGENCES - JUST A MISCELLANY OF OTHER TRANSPORT SOUVENIRS


British Memories - some items that don't fit neatly into the other categories above


French Memories - other items from my collection from past trips to France over the years

 

 

SOME LINCOLNSHIRE OPERATORS AND THEIR TIMETABLES REMEMBERED  -   courtesy of John Brogden

 

Hunts of Alford - a timetable for the Alford - Spilsby - Boston service

 

Holme Delight - with the 1963 timetable for the Boston - Donington - Spalding route

 

Sharp - from Boston out to Freiston Shore on the banks of The Wash

 

Elseys of Gosberton - along the fenland lanes of South Holland from Quadring to Spalding

Fowlers of Holbeach Drove - still serving South Holland after almost sixty years

The Delaine of Bourne - over a hundred years of service to south Lincolnshire

Gash of Newark - actually In Nottinghamshire but only just across the county boundary

 

       

LINKS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

Links to other interesting transport sites and books

 

 

 

ALONG THE DUSTY ROAD  -  MOTOR BUSES AND CARRIERS FROM DORCHESTER

My friend and colleague Roger Grimley has researched and written an informative set of operator histories for the county of Dorset.  This is a series of  ten parts all of which have now been published - Part One - The Piddle Valley; Part Two - Around Bulbarrow; Part Three - The Blandford Road;  Part Four - The Cerne Valley; Part Five - Sydling St Nicholas; Part Six - Frank Legg of Evershot; Part Seven - A Pearce & Co of Cattistock; Part Eight - The Bridport Road; Part Nine - The Wareham Road and Part Ten - The Poole Road.  Follow this link if you would like details of how to contact Roger to enquire about these books and to obtain a copy of his catalogue of other (Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Wiltshire) operator histories.

CHALK IN THE RADIATOR - EARLY MOTOR BUSES FROM SALISBURY

Another series of books from Roger describes the early motor buses which served both Salisbury Plain and the five river valleys that radiate from the cathedral city.  Two volumes have been published to date - Part One - the Upper Avon Valley and Part Two - the Nadder Valley.

BEDFORD  JT8077

returnpic

We are often asked about this picture of JT8077. She is a Bedford WTB / Duple bodied 25-seater, new to Sheasbys of Corfe Castle in 1937.  The picture was taken on a private hire trip in Milton Abbas, Dorset, when operated by Pearce Comfy Lux of Cattistock. Once owned by singer Adge Cutler, she was used by Pearce on summer seaside routes in Weymouth in 1987/88.  Even in 2007 we find JT8077 still in use on the Isle of Wight, run by John Woodham of Ryde, on vintage coach tours of the island.

 

 


If you would like to write to me or have any further information about the 

operators featured please e-mail peterATcountrybusDOTcom

 

The last update was on 30 April to the Bere RegisStanbridge, Sharp's, Cars RenaultBlandford Bus, Beaulieu, ToomerSureline and Shamrock  pages.

 

 

 

Can you help me?

I would particularly like to obtain copies of any timetables from pre-1960 Dorset bus operators, also Skye Transport, David Macbrayne, Silver Star, Shropshire Omnibus Association, Cars Périer, Cars Gris Arcangioli, Transports Schmidt, STN, CTC, SATOS, Transports Citroën, Autocars Renault or Transports Pasquier.  Thanks.

 

Est-ce que vous pouvez m'aider?

Je voudrais obtenir des exemplaires des horaires anciens des Autocars Gris Arcangioli, Cars Périer, Transports Schmidt, Transports Pasquier, Transports Citroën, Autocars Renault, Compagnie des Transports de Cherbourg (CTC), Société des Transports de Normandie (STN), SATOS, ATLAS, SGTD (Réseau de la Manche), Tramways Normands (TN)  ou Chemins de Fer Normands (CFN).  Merci.

 

 

All copyrights and trade marks freely and gratefully acknowledged.   Information compiled with thanks from a miscellany

of sources including mainly my own recollections and experience.  Any errors are mine alone. 

 

Grateful thanks for all the help and encouragement from Roger Grimley, Henry Frier, Derek Persson, Mervyn House,

Geoff Toomer, John Pitfield, Michael Wadman, David Grimmett, Simon Brown, Dave Crowter, Allan Frost, Jon Stagg, Chris Warn,

ParisLJM, Eric Steil, Martial Leroux, Jean-Louis Wahart, Clive D'eath, John Carman, Richard Burton, David Gillard, Jeff Grayer, 

Maurice Norman, Pierre-Alain Menant, Sylvain Gardie, Andrew Waller, Colin Miller, Valerie Woodcraft, Michael Marshall,

John Cummings, Margaret Beards, Barrie Edwards, John Brogden, Laurie James, Andrew Tucker, Trevor Kenward,

Nick Webster, Mike Watts, Gordon Sharp, Steve Oxbrow, Peter Brown, Peter Messer and Kenneth Marvin.

 

Further  information is welcomed on any of the operators, routes and  services featured on the web site,

or indeed any other similar interesting bus operations in the areas described!  Peter Roberts, Countrybus.



Are you planning a career in transport, studying for qualifications?

Or just interested in the development of British inland transport in the 20th century and what we can learn from it?  Then read

INTEGRATED TRANSPORT - A WILL O' THE WISP?

written by my colleague John Wylde, published June 2007

and available online from the author



For an ongoing topical discussion about the bus business you might like to read and contribute to Omnibuses 2.0