HUDSONS OF HORNCASTLE
Operating from Lincoln to Horncastle across the Witham at Bardney
An undated timetable from this Lincolnshire operator showing the main route from Lincoln to Horncastle, and also showing their supplementary market day services via Stainfield and Short Ferry (taken over from Elsom of Horncastle in 1932) as well as the summer seaside services to Skegness and Scarborough. The Lincoln route had started in 1928 and high capacity double deck vehicles were introduced from 1956/57. These catered in part for the increase in traffic after the withdrawal of Road Car's route 10E (Lincoln - Horncastle - Louth) and the cutting back of Road Car's route 8A (formerly Boston - Coningsby - Horsington - Lincoln) to operate only between Boston and Horsingon. Thus the connections mentioned in the timetable at Horsington for Woodhall Spa and Boston with the 8A route three times a day constituted an important means of travel across the county at that period.
One of the vehicles they operated was RFU 12, a Leyland Titan PD3/3 double decker seating 69 passengers (H37/32RD). It was new to Hudson in February 1958 and there is a picture of it here at Unity Square in Lincoln prior to working the main route to Horncastle via Bardney. There were depots at both Bardney and Horncastle. In later years one man operated single deckers would suffice.
The Hudson's business was taken over by Appleby's of Conisholme in 1973 and added to their existing routes in the Horncastle and Louth area. Applebys were operating the ex-Hudsons routes by 1974, with the Horsington 8A connections still advertised. By 1978 the bus connections between Lincoln and Boston had changed again with Road Car 8A from Boston connecting instead with Road Car 2C to Lincoln at Martin. Applebys now advertised a connection at Horncastle four times a day to their own service to and from Woodhall Spa. Applebys were to undergo their own changes in more recent years. And eventually over the years the Lincoln - Boston route evolved into a direct hourly service, now part of the InterConnect network of bus services.
The main Lincoln - Bardney - Horncastle route still operates 'independently' as service 10, once with PC Coaches of Lincoln and more recently with Veolia Dunn Line.
incorporating information from articles and publications
found in the libraries of Lincolnshire
