ALL-BRITISH LINE COACHES - George Taylor, Market Square, Chester - 1931 advert. Gilford 1680T This is an advert which a late friend gave me in my youth many moons ago and which appeared in the Chester Handbook for 1931. The coach pictured is a Gilford 1680T of which George Taylor brought three of in February, 1929 - registered FM 5385/6/7 and a further two in 1930 - FM 6008 in April and FM 6120 the following month - all of C32F layout, although the latter two had more modern looking bodies to the one on the above picture. At the moment I have been unable to ascertain what make of coachwork they carried one possibility is Wycombe Motor Bodies which was a subsidiary of Gilford Motor Co. Ltd. A two-tone blue livery was used. The two cylindrical shaped objects either side of the radiator grill are Gruss air-springs - a form of shock absorber, no doubt improving the ride quality. “All-British Line” was the fleet-name of All-British Travels Ltd, a London based company formed in 1930, by George Taylor of Chester, Alfred Harding of Birkenhead and J.W. Scott of Edinburgh who were all established coach operators in their respective towns and cities. In addition to Taylor, Harding and Scot, a further partner was Evan R. Davies a solicitor from Pwllheli. The intention of the venture was to run express coach services to and from London and also a to operate a central London travel agency from where excursions and tours would operate. George Taylor had established his garage, taxi and motor coach business in Chester operating on day excursion and private hire work in the early 1920s. Alfred Hardings business in Birkenhead dated back to 1890 when he operated a fleet of horse-drawn wagons before moving into passenger transport. The Hardings name continues in the coaching business in 2013 as part of the Selwyns Travel of Runcorn. J.W. Scott ran a two day Edinburgh - London express motor coach service using the fleet-name “Azure Blue”, one coach stayed overnight at Chester where facilities were provided by George Taylor a second coach had an overnight stop in York. By 1933 Scott sold his business to Scottish Motor Traction and became a sleeping partner in All-British Travels it would also seem that Evan R. Davies was also a sleeping partner in the venture. George Taylor and Alfred Harding had their respective coaches for their express services lettered with the fleet-name “All-British Line” and operations commenced on 14th April, 1930. George Taylor initially ran the service from Llandudno to London, later extending the service to Caernarvon, whilst Alfred Harding ran between Liverpool and London. In addition to the above mentioned Gilford 1680T coaches, it is known that George Taylor also operated some AEC Regals on his All-British Line Coach service, one of which was registered FM 7260 which carried a C30F body by Duple Motor Bodies Ltd of Hendon and new in April 1932. Later in 1932 Alfred Harding decided to withdraw from the venture leaving George Taylor as the sole operator of the services. By 1933 George Taylor and Crosville Motor Services also based in Chester and who also operated a Liverpool - London express attempted to enter into a joint operating agreement following a decree from the Traffic Commissioners who were determined to reduce the duplication of express coach services between Liverpool and London, in the event, a working agreement on time-table scheduling proved impossible between the two parties. During 1933, All-British Travels Ltd was sold to the Red & White Services Ltd of Chepstow, who had transport interests in South Wales and Gloucestershire, with an option of buying the “All-British Line” coach services which was taken up in September 1933 when the sum of £850 was paid by Red & White to George Taylor for the goodwill of the service. George Taylor retained the coaches he used on the express service and utilised them in his day excursion and private hire business in Market Square Chester which he continued to operate until the late 1960s - early 1970s when the business was acquired by Loftys Tours of Bridge Trafford, Chester.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 21:38:28 +0000
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