Barton Transport
Encyclopedia
Barton Transport plc was a British bus and coach operator based in Chilwell
, Nottinghamshire
. It commenced its first service in 1908. Its fleet and operations were sold to Wellglade (the owner of Trent Buses) in 1989, and the combined operations later became Trent Barton
. The company still exists as Barton Holdings, a property developer with no bus interests.
) used a Durham Churchill charabanc
to start the company's first service, between Long Eaton
and the Nottingham Goose Fair
, in October 1908. (Many years later, in 1953, Barton built a replica of its original Durham Churchill vehicle, using a Daimler chassis dating from 1911.)
T. H. Barton had already had experience of operating a motorised bus, in Mablethorpe, some nine years earlier.
During World War I
, the fleet was used to transport workers to and from the National Shell Filling Factory, Chilwell. Also during the War, Barton pioneered the use of town gas as fuel, converting the whole fleet to run on it. The gas was stored in a large "bag" on the roof of the bus, and the company also manufactured these bags for sale to other operators.
The 1920s saw fierce competition in the British bus industry. Barton imported Lancia chassis from Italy, which were lengthened by Barton. The vehicles were known as "Bartons Gliders" and their speed and smooth riding provided a competitive advantage.
Barton scored a first by operating the first diesel-engined passenger-carrying road vehicle, a Lancia, in 1930. T. H. Barton had earlier been an engineer at Hornsbys where he had worked on the early development of "oil engines" (he always refused to use the term "diesel"). Leylands were purchased from the mid 1930s and made up a large part of the fleet by the beginning of the Second World War
. Starting in 1939, a fleet of Leyland Titan TD5 and PD1 double-deckers with stylish, front-entrance, lowbridge bodywork by Duple
was purchased, which appeared very modern by the standards of the day.
chassis, and was the lowest ever roofed British double-decker.
During the 1950s Barton had over 280 vehicles and 1000 employees. Numerous small companies were purchased, especially in the 1960s, including Hall Brothers of South Shields on Tyneside, and Robin Hood Coaches of Nottingham, whose emblem was retained and applied to the whole fleet.
From the early 1970s, Barton began to standardise on new coaches for all of its purchases. Most were either Leyland Leopard
s or Bedford Y-series, and the large majority had Plaxton Elite Express
or Supreme Express
bodywork, built with a wide doorway and other minor modifications making them eligible for a Government grant towards their purchase. The wide variety of older vehicles was eradicated within a few years. By this time Barton was Britain's largest independent bus operator, and it was very unusual for such a large operator to use coaches on all of its local services, as well as on tours and express work. In 1981 the company joined the British Coachways
consortium which competed with National Express on long-distance routes. The consortium was wound up in 1982.
In 1983, Barton bought five Leyland Tiger
s and five DAF MB200
s with Plaxton Paramount
bodywork, these being the company's first modern 12m coaches, although not its first 12m vehicles, since Barton had experimented with lengthening a Daimler bus to 40' before the First World War. From 1984 until the sale of the fleet in 1989, Barton standardised on the DAF MB with Plaxton Paramount bodywork, a further 26 being purchased.
to Nottingham's
Market Square, was recreated to mark the centenary of the company. Buses and coaches from each decade of service travelled along the route, becoming more modern in turn.
From 1929 until 1991, Barton owned 50% of the South Notts Bus Company
, based in nearby Gotham.
The Barton company still exists today, having dropped "transport" from its title, it is known as Barton Holdings, mainly involved in property ownership. The Chilwell depot site was the subject of an unsuccessful planning application in 2007, which would have seen the sprawling site redeveloped into housing and retail.
Barton's fleet livery was red, cream and maroon. The fleetname (rendered as BARTON) was placed within a flag motif on the vehicle sides, and, from the 1960s onwards, a detailed picture of Robin Hood was placed alongside.
. Others included:
Chilwell
Chilwell is a residential suburb of Greater Nottingham, in the Borough of Broxtowe of Nottinghamshire, west of Nottingham city. Until 1974 it was part of Beeston and Stapleford Urban District, having been in Stapleford Rural District until 1935.-History:...
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
. It commenced its first service in 1908. Its fleet and operations were sold to Wellglade (the owner of Trent Buses) in 1989, and the combined operations later became Trent Barton
Trent Barton
Trent Barton is one of the very small number of significant independent bus operators in the United Kingdom. It was formed as the result of merging Derbyshire's Trent Buses with Nottinghamshire's Barton Transport....
. The company still exists as Barton Holdings, a property developer with no bus interests.
Early years
Thomas Henry Barton (later O.B.E.Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
) used a Durham Churchill charabanc
Charabanc
A charabanc or "char-à-banc" is a type of horse-drawn vehicle or early motor coach, usually open-topped, common in Britain during the early part of the 20th century. It was especially popular for sight-seeing or "works outings" to the country or the seaside, organised by businesses once a year...
to start the company's first service, between Long Eaton
Long Eaton
Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area...
and the Nottingham Goose Fair
Nottingham Goose Fair
The Nottingham Goose Fair is an annual fun fair held in Nottingham, England, during the first week of October. It is largely provided by travelling fair people...
, in October 1908. (Many years later, in 1953, Barton built a replica of its original Durham Churchill vehicle, using a Daimler chassis dating from 1911.)
T. H. Barton had already had experience of operating a motorised bus, in Mablethorpe, some nine years earlier.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the fleet was used to transport workers to and from the National Shell Filling Factory, Chilwell. Also during the War, Barton pioneered the use of town gas as fuel, converting the whole fleet to run on it. The gas was stored in a large "bag" on the roof of the bus, and the company also manufactured these bags for sale to other operators.
The 1920s saw fierce competition in the British bus industry. Barton imported Lancia chassis from Italy, which were lengthened by Barton. The vehicles were known as "Bartons Gliders" and their speed and smooth riding provided a competitive advantage.
Barton scored a first by operating the first diesel-engined passenger-carrying road vehicle, a Lancia, in 1930. T. H. Barton had earlier been an engineer at Hornsbys where he had worked on the early development of "oil engines" (he always refused to use the term "diesel"). Leylands were purchased from the mid 1930s and made up a large part of the fleet by the beginning of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Starting in 1939, a fleet of Leyland Titan TD5 and PD1 double-deckers with stylish, front-entrance, lowbridge bodywork by Duple
Duple Coachbuilders
Duple was best known as a British manufacturer of coach and bus bodywork from 1919 until 1989.-History:Duple Bodies & Motors Ltd was formed in 1919 by Herbert White in Hornsey, London...
was purchased, which appeared very modern by the standards of the day.
Postwar
Barton gained a reputation for having a varied fleet of vehicles during the 1950s and 1960s. Barton was a prolific rebuilder of buses, producing both coaches and double-deckers on rebuilt chassis. Ironically, the chassis of some of the BTS1 "Viewmaster" single-deck coaches had previously been double-deckers, whilst those of the BTD2 full-fronted double deckers were formerly single-deckers. Many new and secondhand buses also joined the fleet, and Barton kept up its modern double-deck image with Northern Counties-bodied AEC Regents which had wrap-around windscreens on both decks. Also built to the same style was a unique vehicle, no. 861, which had lowbridge bodywork on a lowheight Dennis LolineDennis Loline
The Dennis Loline is a double-decker bus built by Dennis between 1958 and 1967. It is essentially the same as the Bristol Lodekka but has an upgraded Dennis chassis.Aldershot and District Traction was the largest operator of the Dennis Loline....
chassis, and was the lowest ever roofed British double-decker.
During the 1950s Barton had over 280 vehicles and 1000 employees. Numerous small companies were purchased, especially in the 1960s, including Hall Brothers of South Shields on Tyneside, and Robin Hood Coaches of Nottingham, whose emblem was retained and applied to the whole fleet.
1970s and 1980s
Leyland Leopard
The Leyland Leopard was a mid-engined single-deck bus and coach chassis built by Leyland between 1959 and 1982. It was popular with bus and coach operators throughout the British Isles...
s or Bedford Y-series, and the large majority had Plaxton Elite Express
Plaxton Panorama Elite
The Plaxton Panorama Elite was a successful design of coach bodywork built between 1968-1975 by Plaxton of Scarborough, Yorkshire, England. A wide-doorway variant called the Plaxton Elite Express was also built. Collectively, they are commonly referred to as the Plaxton Elite.It was preceded by the...
or Supreme Express
Plaxton Supreme
The Plaxton Supreme was a design of coach bodywork built by Plaxton. It was first built, on small chassis only, in 1974, replacing the Panorama. On full-sized chassis, it replaced the Panorama Elite in 1975, and was superseded by the Paramount in 1982/3...
bodywork, built with a wide doorway and other minor modifications making them eligible for a Government grant towards their purchase. The wide variety of older vehicles was eradicated within a few years. By this time Barton was Britain's largest independent bus operator, and it was very unusual for such a large operator to use coaches on all of its local services, as well as on tours and express work. In 1981 the company joined the British Coachways
British Coachways
British Coachways was a consortium of independent coach operating companies in the United Kingdom. Formed immediately after the deregulation of coach services in October 1980, it competed with the state-owned National Express Coaches and Scottish Bus Group on a range of long-distance routes...
consortium which competed with National Express on long-distance routes. The consortium was wound up in 1982.
In 1983, Barton bought five Leyland Tiger
Leyland Tiger
The Leyland Tiger, also known as the B43, was a mid-engined bus and coach chassis which was built between 1981 and 1993. This name had previously been used for a front-engined bus built between 1920s and 1950s. It replaced the Leyland Leopard, which had been in production for over 20 years...
s and five DAF MB200
DAF MB200
The DAF MB200 was a mid-underfloor-engined coach/bus chassis produced by DAF in Eindhoven, the Netherlands during the 1970s and 1980s. It was fitted with a DAF 11.6 litre diesel engine and ZF transmission, in either manual or automatic styles....
s with Plaxton Paramount
Plaxton Paramount
The Plaxton Paramount was a design of coach bodywork built by Plaxton. It first appeared at the 1982 British Motor Show and was built until 1991....
bodywork, these being the company's first modern 12m coaches, although not its first 12m vehicles, since Barton had experimented with lengthening a Daimler bus to 40' before the First World War. From 1984 until the sale of the fleet in 1989, Barton standardised on the DAF MB with Plaxton Paramount bodywork, a further 26 being purchased.
Centenary
On October 1, 2008, the journey of the first Barton bus, from Long EatonLong Eaton
Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area...
to Nottingham's
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
Market Square, was recreated to mark the centenary of the company. Buses and coaches from each decade of service travelled along the route, becoming more modern in turn.
Other operations
Barton also had a road freight haulage operation for a number of years.From 1929 until 1991, Barton owned 50% of the South Notts Bus Company
South Notts Bus Company
The South Notts Bus Company Ltd was a British bus operator based in Gotham, Nottinghamshire. It commenced service in 1926 and became a limited company in 1929...
, based in nearby Gotham.
The Barton company still exists today, having dropped "transport" from its title, it is known as Barton Holdings, mainly involved in property ownership. The Chilwell depot site was the subject of an unsuccessful planning application in 2007, which would have seen the sprawling site redeveloped into housing and retail.
Livery
Depots
Barton operated from many depots and outstations over the years. The largest depot was at the company's headquarters in ChilwellChilwell
Chilwell is a residential suburb of Greater Nottingham, in the Borough of Broxtowe of Nottinghamshire, west of Nottingham city. Until 1974 it was part of Beeston and Stapleford Urban District, having been in Stapleford Rural District until 1935.-History:...
. Others included:
- Long Eaton
- Ilkeston
- Melton Mowbray
- Leicester
- Stamford
- Kegworth
- South Shields
- Castle Donington