THE

INDEPENDENT

BUS

GRENVILLE
MOTORS

SOA
SHROPSHIRE

READING
MAINLINE

BIRCH
BROS

SAFEGUARD
GUILDFORD

IMPERIAL
WINDSOR

CHAMBERS
OF BURES
KING
ALFRED

REDBRIDGE
& DISTRICT

GOLDEN
MILLER

BLAND
COTTESMORE

PROVINCIAL

THE INDEPENDENT BUS continues the historical theme that is at the heart of the COUNTRYBUS website.  Many people - both inside the passenger road transport industry and outwith - have demonstrated an ongoing interest in the operations of the independent transport operator.  It might be a large and successful firm or a far more modest enterprise, and perhaps with only one or two or a handful of vehicles. 

Here is and was to be found a certain freedom to choose a different way of doing things, often with a more personal touch closely attuned to the needs of both the passengers and the communities served. Those apparent differences might be in the choice of vehicles, the working practices, the routes operated, the ticketing or even the fares charged. The latter in many cases often proving to be relatively more affordable than those of the larger group companies. 

Some operators have a long history stretching back over the years,
others were more recent and short lived.  In these pages we set out to celebrate and record some of those firms and businesses who were recognisably independent in so many different ways.
birchbros

A colleague sent me this rhyme from the 1970s, found in the long defunct magazine Coaching Journal
The author does  seem to rather neatly sum up the epitome of independent bus operation!


it rather neatly sums up the epitome of independent bus operation


If you have any information that you can add to the story of the operators described in these pages, please email peterATcountrybusDOTcom


Latest updates to the site were made on 12th November 2024

THE

INDEPENDENT

BUS

GRENVILLE
MOTORS
PROVINCIAL
READING
MAINLINE

BIRCH
BROS

SAFEGUARD
GUILDFORD

IMPERIAL
WINDSOR

CHAMBERS
OF BURES
BLUE
SALOON
REDBRIDGE
& DISTRICT

LONDON:
98B and 235

GASH
NEWARK

COUNTRYBUS