In the course of rationalising my computer files I came across this essay I wrote in 2011 - if you read it bear in mind it was written practically three years ago and things have changed already:- Golden Age vs. Modern Age of Coach Travel on the I. W. The recent mini-series of programmes on BBC Four prompted me to think about how the shift brought about by changing economic circumstances and political influence (I’m tempted to say interference) has affected the coaching scene here on the Island over the past sixty years. For many years, reaching back to the 1930s and beyond, the motor coach business on the Isle of Wight consisted predominately of day excursions within the Island and private hire. The road service licensing system introduced in 1931 offered protection to established operators and produced what amounted to a cartel for the local firms. A combination of high ferry costs and a rigorous opposition to the grant of licences to mainland operators kept them mostly at bay. Those companies, such as several firms from ‘up North’ ,who had been granted licences for extended tours which included an Isle of Wight portion, generally subcontracted the latter to Island firms. Thus it was a rare thing to see mainland coaches on the Island and, likewise, our own vehicles seldom ventured across the water. An exception was Royal Blue, from Bournemouth, later taken over by Hants & Dorset, who used their own coaches until the early 1950s, even having a proper depot at Yarmouth. That really was a ‘golden age’, each firm being recognisable by its own distinctive livery, operating coaches which were invariably well maintained and clean – nay, immaculate in most cases. The problems for them began to emerge in the mid-1950s as car ownership began to increase. Some local proprietors were also reaching retirement age, with no family members eligible for succession. Hence we saw Nash’s from Ventnor and Bernard Groves from Cowes selling out to Southern Vectis, giving the latter a licensed presence in those towns. W. Groves & Sons of East Cowes also sold out to Fountain Garage from ‘over West’. Lower ferry charges for coaches were introduced from Southampton by Red Funnel in the early 1960s with the opening of their terminal at East Cowes, soon followed by Sealink on their routes from Portsmouth and Lymington. This made it economic for mainland tour operators who held licences including tours on the Island to bring their own coaches across, not to speak of private parties coming over. This inevitably led to a drop in income for the local firms and in the early 1960s we saw, for example, Pearce’s White Heather selling to Moss Motors, and Read’s to Seaview Services, both being licensed to run from Ryde Esplanade. Later, in 1967, a major happening was the sale of Fountain/Holmes of Cowes, and Crinages and Randalls of Ventnor to Bournemouth-based Shamrock & Rambler. The operation of these latter firms later came under the wing of Southern Vectis, although run separately for many years. Later there was the rebranding of the Southern Vectis coaches as National in the all-over white scheme, which was loved by only a few (mainly high level management who were probably congratulating themselves over how clever they’d been). In the early 1970s Shotters, whose managing director was forced to retire through serious illness, were unwilling to sell to Southern Vectis and agreed terms with their major competitor Moss Motors. The real crunch came with the deregulation of the industry in the 1980s, as the remnant of the ‘traditional’ Island coach firms found themselves competing with other, smaller, coach firms, some just owner-drivers, which had lower overheads. This was, of course, exacerbated by the massive influx of mainland coaches, including Smith Shearings and Wallace Arnold, who both purchased their own hotels on the Island. West Wight Motor Bus Co., by then running only coaches, had soldiered on for many years with an immaculately maintained, albeit aging, fleet, but were ultimately defeated by the demise of the local holiday camps in the West Wight, which had provided their bread and butter for many seasons. They sold to Southern Vectis in 1987. Meanwhile National Express introduced some services directly to and from the Island, and Southern Vectis coaches were regular visitors to Victoria Coach Station in London, as well as other far flung mainland destinations. Also, a programme of extended tours, which had started in the 1960s, was developed further, helping to keep Southern Vectis vehicles utilised in roles other than the local excursion work. Of the old firms, this just left Moss Motor Tours and Seaview Services, both of whom turned to competing with Southern Vectis on bus routes under deregulation. They were in company with several other firms engaging in the local bus service market, ranging from Grand Tours to taxi firms such as Gange’s and Wiltax. This was almost another mini ‘golden age’, but of bus services as many different colours were to be seen, although vehicles often looked unkempt. Moss, who also by then owned Pauls Tours, at last capitulated to Southern Vectis in 1994, after a glorious swan song of a final season with gleaming coaches under the supervision of former managing director Kenneth Guy, who made a ‘come back’ in an effort to save the firm. He is sadly no longer with us. Today, of the traditional Island excursion operators, only Seaview Services remains, although few, if any, of their coaches sport the original two-tone green and red livery which graced them for many years. They have successfully adapted and survived, alongside such ‘new era’ companies such as Wightrollers and ALS Travel. Kardan Travel, of Newport, seems to be holding its own with its smart fleet of yellow/white coaches, specialising in British and Continental tours. There are also still a few small outfits running one or two coaches, such as Brading Coaches, and some private hire firms such as Alpha Travel. Last but not least we have a revived Southern Vectis coaching unit, displaying new verions of old identities, namely Fountain Coaches, Moss Motor Tours and West Wight – will they evoke future fond memories in the minds of the schoolchildren who are now transported in them? I hope so. Patrick Hall 2011 DIDYA LIKE THAT?
Posted on: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 12:02:34 +0000
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