Bournemouth
Corporation Transport |
Bournemouth
was a very early motor bus user, putting its first example into service in 1906,
much in the way of an experiment. It was 1914 before the motor bus became established
in this
expanding Victorian "watering town"; initially they were used mainly
as an extension of the tramway system,
opened in 1902.
The motor bus fleet increased steadily, early buses were
Tilling-Stevens,
Guy, Shelvoke & Drewry, W. & G. du Cros, Karrier Thornycroft and AEC
before
moving onto Bedfords and of
Leylands. In 1930 it was decided to replace the trams by
trolleybuses,
which began in 1933. The last teams ran in 1936. At their peak there were 125
trolleybuses, which all had two staircases and two doors, this was specified by
the Corporation for
almost all buses until 1962, including motor buses.
After the war the trolley bus system was
extended
and new vehicles were delivered up to 1962 (and some second hand). Most
motor
buses
were Leylands,
both double and single deckers. The Open-top fleet was revitalised with
Leyland,
Guy and even wartime Bedford conversions (and in the 1960s Atlanteans and
Fleetlines).The
first replacement vehicles, which arrived in 1964 and 1965, were Leyland
Atlanteans
and Daimler Fleetlines and these continued to be purchased for many years. The last
trolleybuses
ran in April 1969. For more rural and special services, a small fleet of mini
and
midibuses
was operated for over ten years whilst, since 1970, a few Leyland coaches have
been
purchased for private hire duties, this aspect forming an expanding area of the
undertaking's
activities
which is now known as “Yellow Coaches”
Fleet
livery was traditionally primrose and deep red until 1973, when blue replaced
the red relief, itself to he replaced by brown in mid 1982, and today the livery is
predominately yellow with larger areas of blue. The operation whilst still council owned is now known as
“Yellow Buses”
which is the fleetname.
Click
here for details of preserved Bournemouth buses....
In 1964 a strike at Weymann caused Bournemouth to take two Daimler
Fleetlines with MH Coachworks (Belfast) bodies. These were originally intended
for Belfast Corporation. Not only were they the first rear engined Bournemouth
buses but the only MH bodies for an english operator.
1965
deliveries were convertible Daimler Fleetlines with Weymann bodies. No 185 (CRU
185C) which later worked for London Transport is seen at Alum Chine
114
(DLJ 114L) is a 1973 Leyland engined Fleetline with an Alexander body. It is
carrying the Yellow Buses fleet name introduced in 1982
The
Daimler Roadliner was generally something of a disaster, but Bournemouth
purchased 11 in 1967. They has short lives, this example 58 (KRU 58F) was
withdrawn in 1972
Click
here for more Bournemouth photos....