SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

majorhoundii wrote: j.c.d. wrote: Sorry have probably got it the wrong way round. the name Barr does ring a bell but this coach firm was certainly on Elland Rd where the Garage was (Now Subway) i do know that W.A. coaches were there at one time. Sorry for being so vauge. I remember them being there but not their name. Did they run the National Express service at one time? It looks they could have Major...http://www.flickr.com/groups/2153394@N2 ... 67585@N03/ Do the copy and past thing into the address bar and delete the extra " - See more at: http://www.secretleeds.co.uk/forum/Mess ... essage=125??" it seems to tag on the end, at least that what happens when I copy and past the address.

TABBYCAT wrote: majorhoundii wrote: j.c.d. wrote: Sorry have probably got it the wrong way round. the name Barr does ring a bell but this coach firm was certainly on Elland Rd where the Garage was (Now Subway) i do know that W.A. coaches were there at one time. Sorry for being so vauge. I remember them being there but not their name. Did they run the National Express service at one time? It looks they could have Major...http://www.flickr.com/groups/2153394@N2 ... 67585@N03/ Do the copy and past thing into the address bar and delete the extra " - See more at: http://www.secretleeds.co.uk/forum/Mess ... essage=125??" it seems to tag on the end, at least that what happens when I copy and past the address. Can't get that link to work, but I think the firm is Fallas

Fallas, or was it perhaps Phallus. Posted by Lirpa Loof.

[What I also didn't appreciate, and I suppose most people wouldn't was that they ran special narrow buses for the narrow lanes in Devon and Cornwall - these buses lived there, also shorter buses for the winding roads in Scotland. Opens your eyes to the intricacies of coaching. WA also owned Evan Evans Tours, which I believe was based in Devon, altho' I used to see EE coaches regularly in London. By rights, with a name like that, they should have been based in Tonypandy or somesuch.Just to make sure that EE hadn't been mentioned before, I just read through this entire thread - fascinating stuff!Blakey: In your list of Leeds bus stations you make no mention of Rockingham Street. Knowing you, you'll no doubt have some comments about the facilities there

Hello again Uno Hoo - I had to chuckle when you raised the question of faclilities at Rockingham Street - the answer is pretty simple, NONE !! Well, to be fair, there was for a time a very basic but nevertheless welcome cafe - other than that just barriers and bus stops, and the very sad sight for we traditionialists of the demolition of an old and fascinating quarter of North Leeds.As far as I recall, Evan Evans were based in London and were taken over during my spell at WA, and didn't we know it when what seemed like hoardes of their ghastly black "contract" Fords arrived here with their spartan Strachans bodies, unwelcoming black leather seat, and razor sharp tin handbrake ratchets

BLAKEY wrote: Hello again Uno Hoo - I had to chuckle when you raised the question of faclilities at Rockingham Street - the answer is pretty simple, NONE !! Well, to be fair, there was for a time a very basic but nevertheless welcome cafe - other than that just barriers and bus stops, and the very sad sight for we traditionialists of the demolition of an old and fascinating quarter of North Leeds.As far as I recall, Evan Evans were based in London and were taken over during my spell at WA, and didn't we know it when what seemed like hoardes of their ghastly black "contract" Fords arrived here with their spartan Strachans bodies, unwelcoming black leather seat, and razor sharp tin handbrake ratchets According to the book I've just quoted, Evan Evans were more accustomed to arranging tours in and around London by "arrangement" with hotel doormen. "ahem, I'll be leaving you now sir, will there be anything else?"

Anyone ever travel with 'Roy's of Morley' or 'Muffett & Taylor' coaches?    

jonleeds wrote: Anyone ever travel with 'Roy's of Morley' or 'Muffett & Taylor' coaches? Occasionally John, on the stage carriage services that both ran for a while. M & T ran from Leeds to Morley, and Roy's began a circular service, 29 and 30 I believe, around the Headingley/Cardigan Road area the latter - a hopeless venture as the routes were adequately "flooded" with the vehicles of major established operators.While on private hire to Lotherton Hall one afternoon (for South Yorkshire Road Transport) I spent a pleasant hour chatting with Roy himself - he was there with one of his own coaches.

jonleeds wrote: Anyone ever travel with 'Roy's of Morley' or 'Muffett & Taylor' coaches?     I went to school with David Taylor. His father was also a coach driver, for M A Hargreaves who operated out of the yard that latterly Black Prince used. They ran quite a lot of coaches. 10 or 11 I'd guess, they were also coal merchants and removal specialists.

BLAKEY wrote: jdbythesea wrote: [There was a coach firm on Elland Road opp. the ground that was bought out by W.A. but can't remember the name, this was in the late 50s i think. R. Barr rings a bell JCD. Dunno if they were on Elland Rd though. R. Barr (Robert) was the very early founder of the Wallace Arnold Empire so was not bought out from Elland Road in the 1950s.I can only think of Midgleys of Meadow Lane about that time - the proprietors of that firm had some connection by marriage with the Barr family. The coaches were a rich red with nice gold name lettering.    I seem to remember barr was the name on the small painted on owner panel on farsley omnibus.