National Bus Company UK
Encyclopedia
The National Bus Company (NBC) was, from 1969 to 1988, a nationalised bus company in England and Wales
. NBC did not run buses itself, but was the owner of a number of regional subsidiary bus operating companies.
victory at the 1966 general election
, Barbara Castle
was appointed Minister for Transport
. Castle immediately ordered a review of public transport, with a view to formulating a new transport policy.
Among the issues to be tackled were the ownership and operation of bus services, which were rapidly losing patronage and profitablity due to increased prevalence of private motor cars. The state owned a considerable proportion of scheduled bus operators outside the major cities, having purchased the Tilling Group companies in 1949, subsequently placed under the ownership of the nationalised Transport Holding Company
(THC).
Castle originally proposed forming regional transport authorities, which would take over the THC subsidiaries and municipal transport undertakings in their area, and would also have the power to acquire private bus operators. However, in November 1967 British Electric Traction
(BET) unexpectedly offered to sell its bus operations to the government. BET, who had been the only major private bus operating group, received £35 million for its 25 provincial bus companies and 11,300 vehicles. The deal meant that the state or municipal bus operators now operated some 90% of scheduled bus services in England and Wales. Instead of forming the regional authorities, the government published a white paper
proposing the merger of the two THC and BET organisations into a single National Bus Company.
The recommendations of the white paper formed part of the Transport Act 1968
. The 1968 Act also nationalised bus operation in Scotland, where subsidiaries formed the Scottish Bus Group
.
In 1970 the company was enlarged when it acquired the former country area buses of London Transport
, the bus operations of the County Borough
s of Exeter
and Luton
and the Gosport & Fareham Omnibus Company.
Buses were operated by locally managed subsidiary companies with their own fleetnames and liveries. In the early years of the company there was some rationalisation, generally leading to the amalgamation of operators into larger units and the transfer of areas between them. One was the merging of Aldershot & District with Thames Valley
in 1972. Another example was the transfer of the 'land-locked' Trowbridge
operations from Western National
to Bristol Omnibus
in 1970.
and the plethora of other services provided by individual NBC subsidiaries. The coaches were managed by a small number of areas and included travel agent booking offices based at major bus stations. A hub and spoke system operated with the main hub at Cheltenham (though this did not serve the North of England very well).
Around the same time the company launched a wide number of UK holiday services under the banner NATIONAL HOLIDAYS.
This brand and its travel agent booking offices existed until the mid 1990s when the coach holiday division closed.
More recently the National Express overseas travel business has been relaunched recently under the name EUROLINES; this brand now operates services from the UK across Europe, booked through the main National Express website.
In the 1970s all local service buses adopted a uniform design, generally in either leaf green or poppy red, initially at any rate with white relief, and bearing the company fleetname in white with the new NBC "double-N" arrow logo. There were, however, exceptions: buses operating in the area of the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive
became yellow in a similar fashion to the PTE's own fleet but to the NBC design; and Jones (Aberbeeg) (taken over in 1969) and Midland General, both initially liveried in blue, until 1980; plus the Northern General
subsidiary, Sunderland District, where blue was retained for a short period.
, which provided services in Greater London
, and the fleets of the municipal bus companies
and passenger transport executive
s, some rural areas and a few small towns were served by independent operators.
and Eastern Coach Works
. In 1969 NBC formed a joint venture with British Leyland (the 25% owner of Bristol and ECW), by means of which British Leyland became a 50% owner of the NBC's manufacturing companies. The joint venture designed and built a new single-deck bus, the Leyland National
. The first bus was delivered in 1972, and it remained in production until 1986. The National was also available to other bus operators. In 1982 NBC sold its 50% interest in the joint venture (including Bristol and ECW) to BL.
as the Viable Network Project and subsequently more generally as the "Market Analysis Project" or MAP. Each company carefully considered its existing and potential new demands, surveyed both on and off bus, and recast local networks to reflect the results, indicating to local authorities those services requiring subsidy. As part of the MAP local area identities were invariably introduced, with new fleetnames applied to buses, bus stops, timetables and publicity. The process culminated in the splitting of several larger NBC subsidiaries.
and progressively privatised, and the remaining larger companies were forcibly broken up. The sales spawned a renewed interest in individual liveries, and the "double-N" logo disappeared, except on express services (becoming the property of National Express). Most local companies passed from state control to their managers. The independence of many, however, was short lived, as they were acquired by the emerging large private bus groups, represented today by:
‡ Bristol Omnibus Company also operated city services in Bristol
for Bristol Joint Services, a joint undertaking of the company and Bristol City Council. They also leased services from the county borough
of Gloucester
, buses in the city bearing a Gloucester fleetname and city coat of arms
.
† Keighley-West Yorkshire Services Limited, jointly owned by West Yorkshire and the borough
of Keighley
, operated by this company. They also provided municipal bus services for the county borough
of York
on behalf of the York-West Yorkshire Joint Committee.
. On 1 January 1972, North Western was split up: part going to the SELNEC PTE
, the remainder to Crosville and Trent. In 1973 the operations of Midland Red within the area of West Midlands PTE
passed to the executive.
By 1978 the following bus-operating companies existed:
Most of the National Travel companies were closed down in the mid 1980s, with coaches mainly going to local bus companies. Wessex National was formed from part of National Travel South West, and Pilgrim Coaches from part of National Travel West.
In preparation for the introduction of bus deregulation in 1986, and for privatisation soon after, many of the companies were broken up into smaller units. In some cases the names of earlier companies - such as Wilts & Dorset
or North Western - were revived, although often with quite different areas to their namesakes.
Two additional non-bus-operating subsidiaries were also disposed of in 1988:
The Scarborough operations of United
passed to East Yorkshire Motor Services
in September 1986.
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
. NBC did not run buses itself, but was the owner of a number of regional subsidiary bus operating companies.
History
Background
Following the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
victory at the 1966 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1966
The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964 had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs...
, Barbara Castle
Barbara Castle
Barbara Anne Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn , PC, GCOT was a British Labour Party politician....
was appointed Minister for Transport
Secretary of State for Transport
The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. The role has had a high turnover as new appointments are blamed for the failures of decades of their predecessors...
. Castle immediately ordered a review of public transport, with a view to formulating a new transport policy.
Among the issues to be tackled were the ownership and operation of bus services, which were rapidly losing patronage and profitablity due to increased prevalence of private motor cars. The state owned a considerable proportion of scheduled bus operators outside the major cities, having purchased the Tilling Group companies in 1949, subsequently placed under the ownership of the nationalised Transport Holding Company
Transport Holding Company
The Transport Holding Company was a British Government owned company created by the Transport Act 1962 to administer a range of state-owned transport, travel and engineering companies that were previously managed by the British Transport Commission ; it came into existence on 1 January...
(THC).
Castle originally proposed forming regional transport authorities, which would take over the THC subsidiaries and municipal transport undertakings in their area, and would also have the power to acquire private bus operators. However, in November 1967 British Electric Traction
British Electric Traction
British Electric Traction Company Limited, renamed BET plc in 1985, was a large British industrial conglomerate. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but was acquired by Rentokil in 1996, and the merged company is now known as Rentokil Initial.- Early history :The company was founded as...
(BET) unexpectedly offered to sell its bus operations to the government. BET, who had been the only major private bus operating group, received £35 million for its 25 provincial bus companies and 11,300 vehicles. The deal meant that the state or municipal bus operators now operated some 90% of scheduled bus services in England and Wales. Instead of forming the regional authorities, the government published a white paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
proposing the merger of the two THC and BET organisations into a single National Bus Company.
The recommendations of the white paper formed part of the Transport Act 1968
Transport Act 1968
The Transport Act 1968 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The main provisions made changes to the structure of nationally owned bus companies, created passenger transport authorities and executives to take over public transport in large conurbations.-National Bus Company:The Act...
. The 1968 Act also nationalised bus operation in Scotland, where subsidiaries formed the Scottish Bus Group
Scottish Bus Group
The Scottish Bus Group was a state-owned Scottish holding company that included a number of bus operators covering the whole of Scotland. The group was formed in 1961 as Scottish Omnibuses Group Ltd, to take control of the British Transport Commission's bus operating subsidiaries in Scotland...
.
Formation
The National Bus Company was formed on 1 January 1969.In 1970 the company was enlarged when it acquired the former country area buses of London Transport
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
, the bus operations of the County Borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
s of Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
and Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
and the Gosport & Fareham Omnibus Company.
Buses were operated by locally managed subsidiary companies with their own fleetnames and liveries. In the early years of the company there was some rationalisation, generally leading to the amalgamation of operators into larger units and the transfer of areas between them. One was the merging of Aldershot & District with Thames Valley
Thames Valley
The Thames Valley Region is a loose term for the English counties and towns roughly following the course of the River Thames as it flows from Oxfordshire in the west to London in the east. It includes parts of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, North Hampshire, Surrey and west London...
in 1972. Another example was the transfer of the 'land-locked' Trowbridge
Trowbridge
Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bath, Somerset....
operations from Western National
Western National
Western National was a bus operating company in South West England from 1929 to the 1990s.-Early history:Western National Omnibus Company Ltd started in 1929 as a joint venture between the Great Western Railway and the National Omnibus & Transport Company...
to Bristol Omnibus
Bristol Omnibus Company
The Bristol Omnibus Company is the former name of the dominant bus operator in Bristol, one of the oldest bus companies in the United Kingdom. The company once ran buses over a wide area of Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and neighbouring counties. The name was in operational use until 1985...
in 1970.
Corporate identity
In 1972 NBC introduced corporate images. Henceforward its coaches were branded as National Travel and painted in unrelieved white, with the NBC logo and the 'NATIONAL' name in alternate red & blue letters, being rebranded as National Express soon afterwards. The addition of blue and white stripes appeared first in 1978. National Travel was the country's first attempt at a uniformly marketable express network, which superseded both Associated MotorwaysAssociated Motorways
Associated Motorways was a consortium of motor coach operators in the south and Midlands of England, which was active from 1934 to 1974.- History :...
and the plethora of other services provided by individual NBC subsidiaries. The coaches were managed by a small number of areas and included travel agent booking offices based at major bus stations. A hub and spoke system operated with the main hub at Cheltenham (though this did not serve the North of England very well).
Around the same time the company launched a wide number of UK holiday services under the banner NATIONAL HOLIDAYS.
This brand and its travel agent booking offices existed until the mid 1990s when the coach holiday division closed.
More recently the National Express overseas travel business has been relaunched recently under the name EUROLINES; this brand now operates services from the UK across Europe, booked through the main National Express website.
In the 1970s all local service buses adopted a uniform design, generally in either leaf green or poppy red, initially at any rate with white relief, and bearing the company fleetname in white with the new NBC "double-N" arrow logo. There were, however, exceptions: buses operating in the area of the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive
Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive
The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive using the brandname of Nexus, is the Passenger Transport Executive for the Tyne and Wear region of North East England....
became yellow in a similar fashion to the PTE's own fleet but to the NBC design; and Jones (Aberbeeg) (taken over in 1969) and Midland General, both initially liveried in blue, until 1980; plus the Northern General
Go North East
Go North East is the largest operator of bus services in North East England, United Kingdom. Go North East operates services in the counties of Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland...
subsidiary, Sunderland District, where blue was retained for a short period.
Area of operation
Although NBC operated throughout England and Wales it was by no means in a monopoly position. As well as London TransportGreater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
, which provided services in Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, and the fleets of the municipal bus companies
Municipal bus companies
A municipal bus company is an operator of bus services owned by the local government authority. This article lists all current municipal bus companies in the United Kingdom....
and passenger transport executive
Passenger Transport Executive
In the United Kingdom, passenger transport executives are local government bodies which are responsible for public transport within large urban areas...
s, some rural areas and a few small towns were served by independent operators.
Bus manufacture
The NBC inherited from the THC 75% holdings in the bus manufacturers Bristol Commercial VehiclesBristol Commercial Vehicles
Bristol Commercial Vehicles was a vehicle manufacturer of in Bristol, England. Most production was of buses but trucks and railbus chassis were also built....
and Eastern Coach Works
Eastern Coach Works
Eastern Coach Works Ltd was a bus and railbus body building company based in Lowestoft, England.-History:The company can trace its roots back to 1912, when United Automobile Services was founded in the town to run bus services. United began a coach building business at the Lowestoft site in 1920...
. In 1969 NBC formed a joint venture with British Leyland (the 25% owner of Bristol and ECW), by means of which British Leyland became a 50% owner of the NBC's manufacturing companies. The joint venture designed and built a new single-deck bus, the Leyland National
Leyland National
The Leyland National is a British single-deck bus built in large quantities between 1972 and 1985. It was developed as a joint project between two UK nationalised industries - the National Bus Company and British Leyland. Buses were constructed at a specially built factory at the Lillyhall...
. The first bus was delivered in 1972, and it remained in production until 1986. The National was also available to other bus operators. In 1982 NBC sold its 50% interest in the joint venture (including Bristol and ECW) to BL.
Service reforms
In the late 1970s and early 1980s services were reviewed under a process known within instigator Midland RedMidland Red
Midland Red was a bus company which operated in the English Midlands from 1905 to 1981. It was the trading name used by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company , which was renamed Midland Red Omnibus Company in 1974...
as the Viable Network Project and subsequently more generally as the "Market Analysis Project" or MAP. Each company carefully considered its existing and potential new demands, surveyed both on and off bus, and recast local networks to reflect the results, indicating to local authorities those services requiring subsidy. As part of the MAP local area identities were invariably introduced, with new fleetnames applied to buses, bus stops, timetables and publicity. The process culminated in the splitting of several larger NBC subsidiaries.
Deregulation and privatisation
From October 1986 buses were deregulatedBus deregulation
Bus deregulation in Great Britain came into force on 26 October 1986, as part of the Transport Act 1985.The 'Buses' White Paper was the basis of the Transport Act 1985, which provided for the deregulation of local bus services in the whole of the United Kingdom except for Northern Ireland and...
and progressively privatised, and the remaining larger companies were forcibly broken up. The sales spawned a renewed interest in individual liveries, and the "double-N" logo disappeared, except on express services (becoming the property of National Express). Most local companies passed from state control to their managers. The independence of many, however, was short lived, as they were acquired by the emerging large private bus groups, represented today by:
- ArrivaArrivaArriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
- First Group
- Go-Ahead GroupGo-Ahead GroupThe Go-Ahead Group plc is a rail and bus operating company that was created following the privatisation of the UK's train and bus industries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-Early history:...
- National Express GroupNational Express GroupNational Express Group plc is a British transport group headquartered in Birmingham that operates bus, coach, rail and tram services in the UK, the US and Canada, Spain, Portugal and Morocco and long-distance coach routes across Europe...
- Stagecoach GroupStagecoach GroupStagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
- TransdevTransdevTransdev was a major international public transport group based in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France and operating in several countries. Originally created as Société centrale pour l'équipement du territoire in 1955 and developing transportation activities since 1973, Transdev was a subsidiary...
Original companies
The original bus-operating subsidiaries of the National Bus Company in 1969 and 1970 were:- Aldershot & DistrictAldershot and District TractionAldershot & District Traction Company Limited was a major bus company operating services in East Hampshire, West Surrey and parts of adjoining counties for sixty years during the 20th century, from 1912 until 1972 when it became part of Alder Valley....
- Bath Services - absorbed by Bristol Omnibus in December 1969. Buses continued to carry "Bath" fleetnames.
- Black and White Luxury Coaches
- Brighton, Hove & DistrictBrighton & Hove Bus and Coach CompanyBrighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company operates almost all bus services in the city of Brighton and Hove in southern England. The company was established in 1884 as Brighton, Hove and Preston United Omnibus Company and has been part of the Go-Ahead Group since 1993.The company currently operates a...
- became a subsidiary of Southdown in January 1969 - BristolBristol Omnibus CompanyThe Bristol Omnibus Company is the former name of the dominant bus operator in Bristol, one of the oldest bus companies in the United Kingdom. The company once ran buses over a wide area of Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and neighbouring counties. The name was in operational use until 1985...
‡ - Cheltenham District - a subsidiary of Bristol
- County Motors - absorbed by Yorkshire Traction 1969
- Crinage's - coach fleetname and livery used by Southern Vectis
- Crosville
- Cumberland
- Devon GeneralDevon GeneralDevon General was the brand name for the principal bus operator in south Devon from 1919. The name was first used by the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company which was created in 1919. In 1922 it was purchased by the National Electric Construction Company which merged with British Electric...
- absorbed Exeter Corporation buses 1 April 1970 - East KentEast Kent Road Car CompanyThe East Kent Road Car Company Ltd was a bus company formed in 1916 and based in Canterbury, Kent. The company operated bus and coach services in Kent...
- East Midland
- Eastern NationalEastern National Omnibus CompanyEastern National was a bus operating company in south east England from 1929 to the 1990s.-Early history:Eastern National Omnibus Company Ltd started in 1929 as a joint venture between the London and North Eastern Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the National Omnibus &...
- East YorkshireEast Yorkshire Motor ServicesEast Yorkshire Motor Services is a large bus and coach operator which operates throughout Kingston upon Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, the North Yorkshire coast and the North York Moors. In and around Scarborough, EYMS operates as Scarborough & District Motor Services...
- Eastern Counties
- Fountain Coaches - coach fleetname and livery used by Southern Vectis
- Gateshead & District - a subsidiary of Northern General
- Green Line - coach fleetname and livery used by London Country
- Greenslades Tours Limited - coaches only
- Grey Cars - coach fleetname and livery used by Devon General
- Hants & DorsetHants & Dorset Motor ServicesHants & Dorset Motor Services Ltd was a stage carriage bus service operator in southern England, between 1920 and 1983.-Early history:The Bournemouth & District Motor Services Ltd was incorporated in 1916. In 1920, a change of name to Hants & Dorset reflected the wider aspirations of its owners...
- Hebble - coaches only
- Jones - Independent operator acquired April 1969
- Lincolnshire
- London CountryLondon Country Bus ServicesLondon Country Bus Services was a bus company that operated in South East England from 1969 until split up and sold in 1986 under Margaret Thatcher's government's bus deregulation scheme.-Creation:...
- formed 1 January 1970 from the country area services of London TransportGreater London CouncilThe Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area... - Maidstone & DistrictMaidstone & District Motor Services LtdMaidstone & District Motor Services Ltd was a bus company based in Maidstone, Kent. The company operated bus and coach services in Mid and West Kent and East Sussex from 1911 until 1998. The company's surviving operations were absorbed into Arriva Southern Counties.-Early years:In 1908 a hired...
- Mansfield District
- Mexborough & Swinton - absorbed by Yorkshire Traction 1969
- Midland GeneralTrent BartonTrent 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....
- Midland RedMidland RedMidland Red was a bus company which operated in the English Midlands from 1905 to 1981. It was the trading name used by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company , which was renamed Midland Red Omnibus Company in 1974...
(Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company) - Neath and Cardiff Luxury Coaches
- Northern GeneralGo North EastGo North East is the largest operator of bus services in North East England, United Kingdom. Go North East operates services in the counties of Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland...
- North WesternNorth Western Road Car Company (1923)The North Western Road Car Company was a bus company located in Stockport, England. Formed in 1923 from the existing bus services of the British Automobile Traction Company Limited operations based in Macclesfield, the new company grew to operate bus services in five counties The North Western...
- Notts & Derby - fleetname used by Midland General, it had been a separate company until 1953.
- Oxford (City of Oxford Motor ServicesOxford Bus CompanyOxford Bus Company is a bus operator serving the city and surrounding area of Oxford, England and is the trading name of City of Oxford Motor Services Ltd. It is now a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group...
) - Potteries Motor Traction
- Provincial (Gosport and Fareham Omnibus Company) - acquired from the Swaine Group 1 January 1970
- Red & White
- Rhondda
- RibbleRibble Motor ServicesRibble Motor Services was a large regional bus operator in the North West of England, based in Preston. The company was started in 1919, and grew to be the largest operator in the region, with a territory stretching from Carlisle to south Lancashire...
- Royal BlueRoyal Blue Coach ServicesRoyal Blue Coach Services was a coach operator in the south and west of England from 1880 until 1986.-Origins:The Royal Blue business was started in 1880 by Thomas Elliott in Bournemouth. The business, at first known as Royal Blue and Branksome Mews, included the hire of every kind of horse-drawn...
- coach fleetname and livery used by Western National - Samuelson - coaches only
- Shamrock and Rambler - coach fleetname and livery used by Hants and Dorset
- Sheffield United Tours
- South Midland - coaches only
- South Wales
- SouthdownSouthdown Motor ServicesSouthdown Motor Services Ltd operates bus and coach services in East and West Sussex and parts of Hampshire, in southern England. It was formed in 1915 and had various owners throughout its history, being purchased by the National Bus Company in 1969...
- Southern National - absorbed by Western National in November 1969
- Southern VectisSouthern VectisThe Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. It was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 and is a part of the company's Go South Coast division. The firm employs 299 staff, with 105 single deck, double deck and open-top buses and coaches...
- Standerwick - coach operating subsidiary of Ribble
- Stratford Blue (Stratford-upon-Avon Blue Motors) - a subsidiary of Midland Red
- Sunderland District - a subsidiary of Northern General
- Thames Valley TractionThames Valley TractionThames Valley Traction Company Limited was a major bus company operating services to and from Reading, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Newbury, High Wycombe and Oxford and surrounding areas for over 50 years during the 20th century...
- Thomas Bros
- Tilling's Transport (NBC) Limited - coaches only
- Timpson (A. Timpson and Sons) - coaches only
- Trent Motor TractionTrent BartonTrent 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....
- Tynemouth and District Transport - a subsidiary of Northern General
- Tyneside Omnibus Company - a subsidiary of Northern General
- United Automobile ServicesUnited Automobile ServicesUnited Automobile Services or United, as it was commonly known, was a major provider of bus services across the North East and North Yorkshire for 80 years or more...
- United CountiesUnited Counties OmnibusUnited Counties Omnibus is an English bus company, operating in Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and parts of surrounding counties. It was established in 1921 as the United Counties Omnibus & Road Transport Co Ltd, and from 1933 has been named the United Counties Omnibus Company Ltd...
- acquired Luton Corporation buses January 1970 - United Welsh
- Venture TransportVenture TransportThe Venture Transport Company was a major operator of bus services in the Derwent Valley between Consett and Newcastle upon Tyne. The company was absorbed by The Northern General Transport Company in 1970.-Resurrection of the Venture name:...
- acquired April 1970 - Wakefield's - absorbed by Northern General 1969
- West RidingWest Riding Automobile CompanyThe West Riding Automobile Company, under the fleet name of West Riding, was a bus company that served the Wakefield area of Yorkshire, England from 1923.-Company history:...
- West Yorkshire †
- Western NationalWestern NationalWestern National was a bus operating company in South West England from 1929 to the 1990s.-Early history:Western National Omnibus Company Ltd started in 1929 as a joint venture between the Great Western Railway and the National Omnibus & Transport Company...
- Western Welsh
- Wilts & DorsetWilts & DorsetWilts & Dorset is a bus company in England covering Poole, Bournemouth, East Dorset, South Wiltshire and West Hampshire. Its local headquarters is in Poole, but it is owned by the Go-Ahead Group, a major UK transport group....
- Yorkshire TractionYorkshire TractionYorkshire Traction was a bus operator in South Yorkshire. Between 1986 and 2005 it was a key part of the Traction Group. In December 2005 it was sold to the Stagecoach Group.-History:...
- Yorkshire Woollen
‡ Bristol Omnibus Company also operated city services in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
for Bristol Joint Services, a joint undertaking of the company and Bristol City Council. They also leased services from the county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, buses in the city bearing a Gloucester fleetname and city coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
.
† Keighley-West Yorkshire Services Limited, jointly owned by West Yorkshire and the borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Keighley
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
, operated by this company. They also provided municipal bus services for the county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
of York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
on behalf of the York-West Yorkshire Joint Committee.
Consolidation
NBC pursued a policy of merging subsidiaries to form larger regional companies. At the same time some of its operations and depots passed to passenger transport executivesPassenger Transport Executive
In the United Kingdom, passenger transport executives are local government bodies which are responsible for public transport within large urban areas...
. On 1 January 1972, North Western was split up: part going to the SELNEC PTE
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
Transport for Greater Manchester is the public body responsible for co-ordinating public transport services throughout Greater Manchester, in North West England. The organisation traces its origins to the Transport Act 1968, when the SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive was established to...
, the remainder to Crosville and Trent. In 1973 the operations of Midland Red within the area of West Midlands PTE
West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive
The West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive , sometimes known as Centro, is a local government organisation responsible for certain transport services in the West Midlands county in England....
passed to the executive.
| NBC bus-operating subsidiaries in 1981 | ||
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|  |
By 1978 the following bus-operating companies existed:
- Alder Valley - formed 1 January 1972 from Aldershot & District and Thames Valley
- BristolBristol Omnibus CompanyThe Bristol Omnibus Company is the former name of the dominant bus operator in Bristol, one of the oldest bus companies in the United Kingdom. The company once ran buses over a wide area of Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and neighbouring counties. The name was in operational use until 1985...
- absorbed Cheltenham District Traction in 1975, separate "Cheltenham" fleetname retained - CrosvilleCrosville Motor ServicesCrosville Motor Services was a bus operator running within the north west of England and north and mid Wales.-History:The company was formed as Crosville Motor Company Limited on 27 October 1906 in Chester, by George Crosland Taylor and his French business associate Georges de Ville, with the...
- Cumberland
- Devon General became subsidiary of Western National in 1971
- East KentEast Kent Road Car CompanyThe East Kent Road Car Company Ltd was a bus company formed in 1916 and based in Canterbury, Kent. The company operated bus and coach services in Kent...
- East Midland - absorbed Mansfield District in 1975, separate "Mansfield" fleetname retained
- East YorkshireEast Yorkshire Motor ServicesEast Yorkshire Motor Services is a large bus and coach operator which operates throughout Kingston upon Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, the North Yorkshire coast and the North York Moors. In and around Scarborough, EYMS operates as Scarborough & District Motor Services...
- Eastern Counties
- Eastern NationalEastern National Omnibus CompanyEastern National was a bus operating company in south east England from 1929 to the 1990s.-Early history:Eastern National Omnibus Company Ltd started in 1929 as a joint venture between the London and North Eastern Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the National Omnibus &...
- Hants & DorsetHants & Dorset Motor ServicesHants & Dorset Motor Services Ltd was a stage carriage bus service operator in southern England, between 1920 and 1983.-Early history:The Bournemouth & District Motor Services Ltd was incorporated in 1916. In 1920, a change of name to Hants & Dorset reflected the wider aspirations of its owners...
- absorbed Wilts & Dorset 1972 - Jones (finally absorbed by National Welsh 1980)
- Lincolnshire
- London CountryLondon Country Bus ServicesLondon Country Bus Services was a bus company that operated in South East England from 1969 until split up and sold in 1986 under Margaret Thatcher's government's bus deregulation scheme.-Creation:...
- Maidstone & DistrictMaidstone & District Motor Services LtdMaidstone & District Motor Services Ltd was a bus company based in Maidstone, Kent. The company operated bus and coach services in Mid and West Kent and East Sussex from 1911 until 1998. The company's surviving operations were absorbed into Arriva Southern Counties.-Early years:In 1908 a hired...
- Midland RedMidland RedMidland Red was a bus company which operated in the English Midlands from 1905 to 1981. It was the trading name used by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company , which was renamed Midland Red Omnibus Company in 1974...
(Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company) - absorbed Stratford Blue 1971 - National Travel London - formed 1974 from Samuelson, Timpson's and Tillings (as National Travel South East), renamed 1978
- National Travel East - formed 1973 (as National Travel North East) from Hebble, Sheffield United Tours. Renamed 1977
- National Travel South West - formed 1973 from Black & White, Greenslades, Grey Cars
- National Travel West formed 1977 from National Travel North West (formed 1974 from Standerwick) and National Travel Midlands (formed 1973 from part of former South Midland)
- National WelshNational Welsh Omnibus Services Ltd.National Welsh Omnibus Services was a bus company which operated in south-east Wales and in the Forest of Dean area of Gloucestershire from 1978 to 1992...
- formed 1978 from Western Welsh (which had absorbed Rhondda in 1971 and Red and White - Northern GeneralGo North EastGo North East is the largest operator of bus services in North East England, United Kingdom. Go North East operates services in the counties of Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland...
- absorbed Sunderland District, Tynemouth & District, Venture 1975; absorbed Tyneside, Gateshead & District 1976 - Oxford (City of Oxford Motor ServicesOxford Bus CompanyOxford Bus Company is a bus operator serving the city and surrounding area of Oxford, England and is the trading name of City of Oxford Motor Services Ltd. It is now a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group...
) - absorbed South Midland January 1971 - Potteries Motor Traction
- Provincial (Gosport and Fareham Omnibus Company)
- RibbleRibble Motor ServicesRibble Motor Services was a large regional bus operator in the North West of England, based in Preston. The company was started in 1919, and grew to be the largest operator in the region, with a territory stretching from Carlisle to south Lancashire...
- South Wales - absorbed Neath & Cardiff, Thomas Bros, United Welsh 1971
- SouthdownSouthdown Motor ServicesSouthdown Motor Services Ltd operates bus and coach services in East and West Sussex and parts of Hampshire, in southern England. It was formed in 1915 and had various owners throughout its history, being purchased by the National Bus Company in 1969...
- absorbed Brighton, Hove & District, March 1974 - Southern Vectis
- Trent Motor Traction, absorbed Midland General 1971
- United Automobile ServicesUnited Automobile ServicesUnited Automobile Services or United, as it was commonly known, was a major provider of bus services across the North East and North Yorkshire for 80 years or more...
- United CountiesUnited Counties OmnibusUnited Counties Omnibus is an English bus company, operating in Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and parts of surrounding counties. It was established in 1921 as the United Counties Omnibus & Road Transport Co Ltd, and from 1933 has been named the United Counties Omnibus Company Ltd...
- West RidingWest Riding Automobile CompanyThe West Riding Automobile Company, under the fleet name of West Riding, was a bus company that served the Wakefield area of Yorkshire, England from 1923.-Company history:...
- West Yorkshire
- Western NationalWestern NationalWestern National was a bus operating company in South West England from 1929 to the 1990s.-Early history:Western National Omnibus Company Ltd started in 1929 as a joint venture between the Great Western Railway and the National Omnibus & Transport Company...
- Yorkshire TractionYorkshire TractionYorkshire Traction was a bus operator in South Yorkshire. Between 1986 and 2005 it was a key part of the Traction Group. In December 2005 it was sold to the Stagecoach Group.-History:...
- Yorkshire Woollen - under West Riding management
Break-up and privatisation
In 1981 Midland Red, which had lost its core area, was broken into smaller operating companies.Most of the National Travel companies were closed down in the mid 1980s, with coaches mainly going to local bus companies. Wessex National was formed from part of National Travel South West, and Pilgrim Coaches from part of National Travel West.
In preparation for the introduction of bus deregulation in 1986, and for privatisation soon after, many of the companies were broken up into smaller units. In some cases the names of earlier companies - such as Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset
Wilts & Dorset is a bus company in England covering Poole, Bournemouth, East Dorset, South Wiltshire and West Hampshire. Its local headquarters is in Poole, but it is owned by the Go-Ahead Group, a major UK transport group....
or North Western - were revived, although often with quite different areas to their namesakes.
| NBC bus-operating subsidiaries at privatisation | ||
|
|  |
| Original company | Year of split | Companies formed | Privatisation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alder Valley | 1986 | Alder Valley North - renamed The Beeline First Berkshire & The Thames Valley First Berkshire & The Thames Valley is a bus operator serving Bracknell, Slough and Wokingham, in England. It is part of First Group, a major bus and train operator with a turnover of nearly £2.5 billion a year and 62,000 employees across the UK and North America... |
1987 |
| Alder Valley | 1986 | Alder Valley South Alder Valley The Thames Valley and Aldershot Omnibus Company, trading as Alder Valley, was a former bus operator in England.-The NBC era:The Thames Valley and Aldershot Omnibus Company was formed by the merger of two National Bus Company subsidiaries, Aldershot and District Traction and Thames Valley Traction... |
1987 |
| Bristol | 1983 | Bristol Bristol Omnibus Company The Bristol Omnibus Company is the former name of the dominant bus operator in Bristol, one of the oldest bus companies in the United Kingdom. The company once ran buses over a wide area of Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and neighbouring counties. The name was in operational use until 1985... (Cityline) |
1987 |
| Bristol | 1983 | Badgerline | 1986 |
| Bristol | 1983 | Cheltenham & Gloucester Stagecoach West Stagecoach West is an operating division of the Stagecoach Group. Based in Gloucester, it operates bus services in Cheltenham , Gloucester , the Cotswolds , the Wye Valley, the Forest of Dean and Swindon .- History :Stagecoach West... |
1986 |
| Crosville | 1986 | Crosville Crosville Motor Services Crosville Motor Services was a bus operator running within the north west of England and north and mid Wales.-History:The company was formed as Crosville Motor Company Limited on 27 October 1906 in Chester, by George Crosland Taylor and his French business associate Georges de Ville, with the... |
1988 |
| Crosville | 1986 | Crosville Wales Arriva North-West & Wales Arriva North West and Wales was a division of Arriva that operated bus services around North West England and Wales. It was made up from several previous bus operators including North Western , most of MTL North , the Bee Line Buzz Company , and most of what was once Crosville Motor Services Arriva... |
1987 |
| Cumberland | Gained Ribble's North Cumbrian operations in 1986 | Cumberland Stagecoach North West Stagecoach North West is a major operator of bus services in North West England. It is a subsidiary of the Stagecoach Group, and has its origins in the purchase of Cumberland in 1987 and Ribble in 1988 from the National Bus Company. The head office of Stagecoach North West is in Carlisle... |
1987 |
| East Kent | n/a | East Kent Stagecoach South East Stagecoach South East is an operating division of the Stagecoach Group. The headquarters of the division are situated in Canterbury, England.... |
1987 |
| East Midland | n/a | East Midland Stagecoach East Midlands Stagecoach East Midlands is a bus company, part of the Stagecoach Group.Its headquarters are in Lincoln, England, and it operates services under the following brand names:*Stagecoach in Bassetlaw*Stagecoach in Mansfield*Stagecoach Grimsby-Cleethorpes... |
1988 |
| East Yorkshire | n/a | East Yorkshire East Yorkshire Motor Services East Yorkshire Motor Services is a large bus and coach operator which operates throughout Kingston upon Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, the North Yorkshire coast and the North York Moors. In and around Scarborough, EYMS operates as Scarborough & District Motor Services... |
1987 |
| Eastern Counties | 1984 | Ambassador Coaches | 1987 |
| Eastern Counties | 1984 | Cambus Stagecoach in Cambridge Stagecoach in Cambridge is a bus company, which runs services throughout Cambridgeshire and the surrounding areas. It is part of Stagecoach East.... |
1986 |
| Eastern Counties | 1984 | Eastern Counties | 1986 |
| Eastern National | 1986 | Eastern National/Thamesway Eastern National Omnibus Company Eastern National was a bus operating company in south east England from 1929 to the 1990s.-Early history:Eastern National Omnibus Company Ltd started in 1929 as a joint venture between the London and North Eastern Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the National Omnibus &... |
1986 |
| Hants & Dorset | 1983 | Hampshire Bus Stagecoach South East Stagecoach South East is an operating division of the Stagecoach Group. The headquarters of the division are situated in Canterbury, England.... |
1987 |
| Hants & Dorset | 1983 | Shamrock and Rambler | 1987 |
| Hants & Dorset | 1983 | Wilts & Dorset Wilts & Dorset Wilts & Dorset is a bus company in England covering Poole, Bournemouth, East Dorset, South Wiltshire and West Hampshire. Its local headquarters is in Poole, but it is owned by the Go-Ahead Group, a major UK transport group.... |
1987 |
| Lincolnshire | n/a | Lincolnshire | 1988 |
| London Country | 1987 | London Country North East Arriva Shires & Essex Arriva Shires & Essex is a division of Arriva, with operations in Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London. It is one of many private operators of London Buses. Until 2002 its operations included Colchester... |
1988 |
| London Country | 1987 | London Country North West Arriva Shires & Essex Arriva Shires & Essex is a division of Arriva, with operations in Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London. It is one of many private operators of London Buses. Until 2002 its operations included Colchester... |
1988 |
| London Country | 1987 | London Country South East - renamed Kentish Bus Arriva Southern Counties Arriva Southern Counties is a bus operator in London, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent and Essex in England. It is a regional division of Arriva.- History :... |
1988 |
| London Country | 1987 | London Country South West London Country South West London Country South West was a former bus operator which existed between 1986 and 1997. It was formed from a part of London Country Bus Services. The company was privatised in 1988 and sold to Drawlane, who adopted the trading name London & Country... |
1988 |
| Maidstone & District | 1986 | Hastings & District Stagecoach South East Stagecoach South East is an operating division of the Stagecoach Group. The headquarters of the division are situated in Canterbury, England.... |
1987 |
| Maidstone & District | 1986 | Maidstone & District Arriva Southern Counties Arriva Southern Counties is a bus operator in London, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent and Essex in England. It is a regional division of Arriva.- History :... |
1987 |
| Midland Red | 1981 | Midland Red East renamed Midland Fox | 1987 |
| Midland Red | 1981 | Midland Red Express - renamed Midland Red Coaches First Midland Red First Midland Red is a bus company operating in Herefordshire and Worcestershire in the English Midlands. The company was formed in 1981, and until 1999 was known as Midland Red West... |
1986 |
| Midland Red | 1981 | Midland Red North Arriva Midlands Arriva Midlands is a division of Arriva. It operates bus services around the Midlands area of England and is made up of various previous bus operators.-Arriva Midlands North:... |
1988 |
| Midland Red | 1981 | Midland Red South Stagecoach South Midlands Stagecoach in Oxfordshire is the name given to Stagecoach Group bus operations in the county of Oxfordshire, England. It used to be part of Stagecoach South Midlands along with Stagecoach in Warwickshire until March 2004.-History:... |
1987 |
| Midland Red | 1981 | Midland Red West | 1986 |
| National Travel East | n/a | National Travel East | 1987 |
| National Welsh | n/a | National Welsh National Welsh Omnibus Services Ltd. National Welsh Omnibus Services was a bus company which operated in south-east Wales and in the Forest of Dean area of Gloucestershire from 1978 to 1992... |
1987 |
| Northern General | n/a | Northern General | 1987 |
| Oxford | 1986 | Oxford Bus Company Oxford Bus Company Oxford Bus Company is a bus operator serving the city and surrounding area of Oxford, England and is the trading name of City of Oxford Motor Services Ltd. It is now a subsidiary of the Go-Ahead Group... |
1987 |
| Oxford | 1986 | South Midland Stagecoach South Midlands Stagecoach in Oxfordshire is the name given to Stagecoach Group bus operations in the county of Oxfordshire, England. It used to be part of Stagecoach South Midlands along with Stagecoach in Warwickshire until March 2004.-History:... |
1986 |
| Pilgrim Coaches | n/a | Pilgrim Coaches Limited | 1987 |
| Potteries | n/a | PMT Limited | 1986 |
| Provincial | Gained part of Hants & Dorset 1983 | Provincial Bus Company | 1987 |
| Ribble | 1986 Transfer of North Cumbrian operations | Cumberland Stagecoach North West Stagecoach North West is a major operator of bus services in North West England. It is a subsidiary of the Stagecoach Group, and has its origins in the purchase of Cumberland in 1987 and Ribble in 1988 from the National Bus Company. The head office of Stagecoach North West is in Carlisle... |
1988 |
| Ribble | 1986 | North Western North Western Road Car Company (1986) The North Western Road Car Company Ltd was a former bus operator based in Liverpool, England. The company operated between 1986 and 1998.- History :... |
1988 |
| Ribble | 1986 | Ribble Stagecoach North West Stagecoach North West is a major operator of bus services in North West England. It is a subsidiary of the Stagecoach Group, and has its origins in the purchase of Cumberland in 1987 and Ribble in 1988 from the National Bus Company. The head office of Stagecoach North West is in Carlisle... |
1988 |
| South Wales | n/a | SWT First Cymru First Cymru Buses Ltd. is a provider of public transport bus services in South Wales. First Cymru was formed from a number of privatised former bus companies, including South Wales Transport. Its headquarters are in Penlan, Swansea... |
1987 |
| Southdown | 1986 | Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company operates almost all bus services in the city of Brighton and Hove in southern England. The company was established in 1884 as Brighton, Hove and Preston United Omnibus Company and has been part of the Go-Ahead Group since 1993.The company currently operates a... |
1987 |
| Southdown | 1986 | Southdown Stagecoach South East Stagecoach South East is an operating division of the Stagecoach Group. The headquarters of the division are situated in Canterbury, England.... |
1987 |
| Southern Vectis | n/a | Southern Vectis Southern Vectis The Southern Vectis Omnibus Company Limited is the dominant bus operator on the Isle of Wight. It was purchased by the Go-Ahead Group in 2005 and is a part of the company's Go South Coast division. The firm employs 299 staff, with 105 single deck, double deck and open-top buses and coaches... |
1986 |
| Trent | n/a | Trent Motor Traction 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.... |
1986 |
| United | 1986 | Northumbria Arriva Northumbria Arriva Northumbria operates in Northumbria, using the "Arriva serving Northumbria" name. They are considered now to have merged with Arriva North East,-Brief history:*1986: United Automobile Services split into two parts, ready for privatisation.... |
1987 |
| United | 1986 | United Arriva North East Arriva North East is a division of the transport group Arriva. It is a major provider of bus services around north east England, alongside Stagecoach North East, and Go North East... |
1987 |
| United Counties | 1986 | Luton & District Arriva Shires & Essex Arriva Shires & Essex is a division of Arriva, with operations in Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London. It is one of many private operators of London Buses. Until 2002 its operations included Colchester... |
1987 |
| United Counties | 1986 | Milton Keynes City Bus MK Metro MK Metro was the main bus operator in Milton Keynes in the English county of Buckinghamshire. In February 2006, it was purchased by Arriva Shires & Essex... |
1987 |
| United Counties | 1986 | United Counties United Counties Omnibus United Counties Omnibus is an English bus company, operating in Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and parts of surrounding counties. It was established in 1921 as the United Counties Omnibus & Road Transport Co Ltd, and from 1933 has been named the United Counties Omnibus Company Ltd... |
1987 |
| Wessex National | n/a | Wessex National Limited | 1987 |
| West Riding / Yorkshire Woollen | n/a | West Riding West Riding Automobile Company The West Riding Automobile Company, under the fleet name of West Riding, was a bus company that served the Wakefield area of Yorkshire, England from 1923.-Company history:... |
1987 |
| West Yorkshire | n/a | West Yorkshire | 1987 |
| Western National / Devon General | 1983 | Devon General Devon General Devon General was the brand name for the principal bus operator in south Devon from 1919. The name was first used by the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company which was created in 1919. In 1922 it was purchased by the National Electric Construction Company which merged with British Electric... |
1986 |
| Western National / Devon General | 1983 | North Devon (Red Bus) | 1988 |
| Western National / Devon General | 1983 | Southern National Southern National Southern National was a bus company operating in South West England from 1929 to 1969, and again from 1983 to 1999.-Original company :... |
1988 |
| Western National / Devon General | 1983 | Western National Western National Western National was a bus operating company in South West England from 1929 to the 1990s.-Early history:Western National Omnibus Company Ltd started in 1929 as a joint venture between the Great Western Railway and the National Omnibus & Transport Company... |
1987 |
| Yorkshire Traction | n/a | Yorkshire Traction Yorkshire Traction Yorkshire Traction was a bus operator in South Yorkshire. Between 1986 and 2005 it was a key part of the Traction Group. In December 2005 it was sold to the Stagecoach Group.-History:... |
1987 |
Two additional non-bus-operating subsidiaries were also disposed of in 1988:
- National ExpressNational ExpressNational Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
Limited was sold to its management. - Victoria Coach StationVictoria Coach StationVictoria Coach Station is the largest and most significant coach station in London. It serves long distance coach services and is also the departure point for many countryside coach tours originating from London. It should not be confused with the nearby Green Line Coach Station serving Green Line...
Limited passed to the state-owned London TransportLondon Regional TransportLondon Regional Transport was the organisation responsible for the public transport network in Greater London, UK from 1984-2000. In common with all London transport authorities from 1933 to 2000, the public name and operational brand of the organisation was London Transport.The organisation was...
.
The Scarborough operations of United
United
-Travel:* United Airlines* United Automobile Services, a bus operator in England, now merged with the Arriva Group* United Bus, a bus manufacturing group-Sports:...
passed to East Yorkshire Motor Services
East Yorkshire Motor Services
East Yorkshire Motor Services is a large bus and coach operator which operates throughout Kingston upon Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, the North Yorkshire coast and the North York Moors. In and around Scarborough, EYMS operates as Scarborough & District Motor Services...
in September 1986.
Sources
- Stewart J Brown, NBC: antecedents and formation, SheppertonSheppertonShepperton is a town in the borough of Spelthorne, Surrey, England. To the south it is bounded by the river Thames at Desborough Island and is bisected by the M3 motorway...
, 1983 - D R Kennedy and A Kennedy, National Bus Company 1981, OxfordOxfordThe city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, 1982 - Ray Stenning, A National Bus Company Album, WiveliscombeWiveliscombeWiveliscombe is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated west of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The town has a population of 2,670. The parish includes the nearby hamlet of Maundown.-History:...
, 1979 - Ray Stenning, The Years before National 1948 - 1968, SwindonSwindonSwindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
, 1982