THE DELAINE OF BOURNE
Well over a hundred years of service to Lincolnshire
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THE DELAINE OF BOURNE Well over a hundred years of service to Lincolnshire |
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| This well known operator is a family business based in the market town of Bourne in the south of the county of Lincolnshire. Bourne was also an important part of the British racing car scene in days gone by, and part of the Delaine garage premises incorporates the site of the former BRM Racing Works. |
The origins of the present business lie in 1890 when the horse and cart owned by William Smith was used to take Bourne folk to and from the market in Spalding. William died in 1913 and his son Thomas acquired the first motor bus in 1919, a 14-seat Ford model T. Four years later in 1923 routes had been established to Peterborough, Spalding, Grantham and Stamford. Over the years the business developed substantially and has passed down through several generations of the Delaine-Smith family. Today under the fifth generation of the family, the fleet numbers some twenty plus vehicles.
Principally a bus business (coaching activities ceased in 1996) their routes still radiate from Bourne to Stamford, Spalding and Peterborough, with the latter route the most important and still operated at a half hour frequency. Double deck vehicles were introduced to the route in 1948 and are still operating the busy 101 / 102 services today, albeit now one person operated (the last conductor retiring in 1987). An hourly frequency six days a week to Peterborough started in 1976, growing to half-hourly in 1996. Route numbers were introduced in 1992. The Peterborough route was extended northwards on an hourly basis to Morton in 1999. An earlier route northwards from Bourne to Sleaford is now but a truncated market day type operation running as far as Rippingale, and similarly atrophied is the previous route westwards to Grantham. Another route (201) links Peterborough with Stamford and was introduced in 1988 when Barton Transport withdrew from the area.
Our timetable illustration is for the Peterborough route and is believed to date from the 1960s.
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| On the occasion of the Delaine one hundredth anniversary in 1990 a book was published in celebration. 'The Delaine, history part two, 1983-1990', by Anthony Delaine-Smith. This followed the earlier volume 'The Delaine, history 1890-1982', written by A L Baker. Both include many photos and a full chronology of the company, its bus services and developments. | ||
| The Delaine website is here - with timetables, history, fleet list and gallery. | ||
with many thanks to John Brogden for the loan of timetables,
and incorporating information from articles and publications
by A L Baker and A Delaine-Smith found in the libraries of Lincolnshire
