Buses - Great Britain: books - National Bus Company (69-88)

National Bus Company 1972-1986

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Between 1972 and 1986, bus services in England and Wales were operated by the National Bus Company (NBC), formed to unite around thirty-six regional operators under one brand and uniform livery. It became the largest bus company in the world during this period.

Although buses shared a standard colour scheme, the individual companies often kept their own identity, especially in local operations. Most towns still had their own bus station and garage. Fleet changes, company mergers, and adjustments to service areas drew the attention of transport enthusiasts.

In this illustrated book, Mike Hitchen reflects on a time when regional diversity in public transport was still visible despite central control. He covers the wide variety of vehicles in use and the distinct character of services across the country - from Cornwall to Kent and from Hampshire to Northumberland. The book recalls a time when red, green, and sometimes blue buses played a vital role in everyday life.

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The National Bus Company - The Middle Years

The National Bus Company was the creation of the 1968 Transport Act, which merged the bus operations of the Tilling Group and the British Electric Traction Company.
In 1970 it was enlarged to include the former country area of London Transport, and the new state-owned company thus provided most of the bus services in England and Wales outside major cities and large towns. Deregulation and privatisation in 1986 led to its dissolution.

This book gives a portrait of the company in its mature years and covers an interesting period when the industry was in steep decline. It was a time of virtually full employment and driver-only operation was rapidly being introduced to alleviate a shortage of staff and to reduce costs.
A corporate identity had been established and, although measures had been put in place to standardise the fleet, the company's subsidiaries still operated an interesting variety of older vehicles serving out their final years.

The author, who worked for an NBC subsidiary from shortly after the company's inception until after its demise, presents here a selection from his personal collection of photographs.

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Crosville: A National Bus Company

During the 1970s, the state-owned National Bus Company played a pivotal role in England and Wales, with Crosville Motor Services standing out as one of its largest constituent bus companies among thirty-six.
Beyond the initial semblance to other former BET companies within the NBC, Crosville distinguished itself with a vast operating area, spanning from the hills above Macclesfield to Biddulph in Staffordshire, rural Shropshire at Oswestry, Liverpool's city streets, and extending across North and mid-Wales to West Wales towns like New Quay, Newcastle Emlyn, and Lampeter.

Headquartered in Chester, Crosville's operations were marked by diversity, encompassing rural market routes, open-top holiday services, and intense inter-urban services, including those on innovative busways - a rarity at the time.
Authored by Michael Hitchen, this illustrated book reflects on a time characterized by variety and intrigue, featuring a wealth of captivating and previously unpublished photographs that offer a glimpse into Crosville's rich history.

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Hants & Dorset: A National Bus Company

Formerly under the National Bus Company, Hants & Dorset Motor Service operated across a vast and varied region, spanning from North Hampshire's remote chalk uplands to Salisbury Plain, rural East Dorset, and the coastal resorts of Swanage, Poole, and Bournemouth.
Their distinctive Poppy Red buses became a familiar presence on central southern England's roads during the 1970s and early 1980s.

In 1972, the National Bus Company underwent a corporate image change, merging the Hants & Dorset and Wilts & Dorset fleets. This consolidation established a unified identity, preserving the Hants & Dorset name and incorporating the red livery from Wilts & Dorset.
Renowned as one of the most intriguing NBC fleets, it featured vehicles in their original liveries, diverse non-standard coaches, connections with Gosport & Fareham (Provincial), and contributions from the former King Alfred Motor Services of Winchester. A significant organizational shift occurred in 1983, leading to the company's division into four operating units - Hampshire Bus, Wilts & Dorset, Provincial, and Shamrock and Rambler, marking a pivotal moment in its NBC history.
Here is a nostalgic look back on this popular bus company.

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