Greyhound Motors

{{Short description|Bus and coach company based in Bristol, England}}{{About|the English bus and coach company operating between 1921 and 1972|other Greyhound bus and coach companies|Greyhound (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox Bus transit

|name = Greyhound Motors

|logo =

|logo_size =

|image = Bristol_Greyhound_bus_2150_(FHW_156D),_2011_Bristol_Vintage_Bus_Group_open_day.jpg

|image_size = 280

|image_caption = Preserved Bristol MW6G in Bristol in August 2011

|company_slogan =

|parent = Bristol Omnibus Company

|founded = 1921

|ceased = 1972

|headquarters = Bristol

|locale =

|service_area = Bristol
London
Bournemouth
Paignton

|service_type = Bus and long-distance coach operator

|hubs = Prince Street (until 1958)
Bristol bus station (from 1958)

|stations =

|depots =

|routes =

|fleet =

|ridership =

|fuel_type =

|operator =

|ceo = }}

Greyhound Motors, later known as Bristol Greyhound, was an English bus and coach company based in Bristol.

History

Greyhound Motors was formed in February 1921 by Sydney Tom Toogood{{cite web|title=Inaugurating the Longest Bus Service|url=http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/17th-february-1925/12/inaugurating-the-longest-bus-service|publisher=Commercial Motor|access-date=3 December 2015}} to operate motor buses in Bristol.

In February 1925, it commenced a long-distance coach service between Bristol and London, which has been claimed to be the first long-distance coach service with scheduled stops en route to pick up and set down passengers.Hibbs, J (1986) The Country Bus David & Charles, p.100[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/16th-december-1932/99/clever-organization-of-longdistance-operation Clever Organisation of Long-Distance Operation] Commercial Motor 16 December 1932 page 99 The journey time was eight hours.[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/17th-february-1925/12/inaugurating-the-longest-bus-service Inaugurating the Longest Bus Service] Commercial Motor 17 February 1925 page 12[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/6th-april-1926/26/improving-a-long-distance-bus-service Improving a Long-Distance Bus Service] Commercial Motor 6 April 1926 page 6 It later began services from Bristol to Bournemouth and Paignton, and from London to Bournemouth.[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/17th-march-1931/131/the-new-competition-on-the-london-bournemouth-rout The New Competition on the London-Bournemouth Route] Commercial Motor 17 March 1931 page 131 It also continued to run local bus services in Bristol, competing fiercely with Bristol Tramways.

In 1928, the company was acquired by Bristol Tramways. Greyhound continued to operate as a separate business, including its bus routes in Bristol until 1936.[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/10th-january-1936/61/greyhound-motors-liquidated Greyhound Motors Liquidated] Commercial Motor 10 January 1936 page 61{{cite web|url=http://www.bvbg.org.uk/Routes%201933.htm|publisher=Bristol Vintage Bus Group|title=Bus and tram routes in 1933|access-date=12 July 2014}} The new owners expanded the Greyhound coach operations. In 1934 it was one of the founder members of the Associated Motorways consortium of long-distance coach operators, but continued the London service outside the consortium.

At the beginning of 1936, the company's business was absorbed into Bristol Tramways.{{cite web|title=History of Bristol's buses|url=http://bvbg.org.uk/BT&CC%20history.htm|publisher=Bristol Vintage Bus Group|access-date=3 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906013704/http://bvbg.org.uk/BT%26CC%20history.htm|archive-date=6 September 2015|url-status=dead}} Bristol Omnibus Company continued to use the Greyhound name for its long-distance coach services until 1972, when the National Bus Company required Bristol to adopt the new National Express brand.Curtis, C and Walker, M (2007) Bristol Omnibus Services: The Green Years Millstream Books {{ISBN|978-0-948975-80-6}} p.156

Shortly before its demise, on 9 January 1972 Greyhound Motors commenced operating an express Bristol to London service via the new M4 motorway.[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/7th-january-1972/15/non-stop-motorway-express-by-greyhound Non-stop motorway express by Greyhound] Commercial Motor 7 January 1972 page 15

Revival of the name

In August 2009, FirstGroup who had owned the former Bristol Omnibus Company since April 1988, announced the reintroduction of the Greyhound brand in the United Kingdom.[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/aug/19/firstgroup-launch-greyhound-bus-service FirstGroup launch Greyhound bus service] The Guardian 19 August 2009 The new Greyhound UK was a byproduct of FirstGroup purchasing the Greyhound Lines business in the United States in February 2007.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6345627.stm FirstGroup buys Greyhound buses] BBC News 9 February 2007 Greyhound UK also connected Bristol with Swansea and Bristol Airport until March 2015.[http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=8398&categoryid=0 Greyhound speeds airport link to Bristol] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512221218/http://www.busandcoach.com/newspage.aspx?id=8398&categoryid=0 |date=12 May 2014 }} Bus & Coach 6 May 2014[http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/greyhound-halts-bus-service-between-8571845 Greyhound halts bus service between Cardiff and Bristol Airport] Wales Online 3 February 2015 This was the last Greyhound service operated.

Greyhound Motors

History

Revival of the name

References

External links

Further reading