Non-LCT Buses that ran into Leeds

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 24 Mar, 2008 12:29 pm

Just a few points here to clarify some of the memories above - I hope these will be of help and interest.FARSLEY OMNIBUS (Greenwoods before WA took over) ran from Pudsey via Rodley and Farsley to Horsforth Old Ball (not Rawdon) and later some weekday peak journeys were extended over Horsforth station bridge to Tinshill. As the bridge was restricted a single decker was bought brand new for the purpose - this was a huge Leyland Leopard which arguably weighed more laden than the older double deckers !!KIPPAX and DISTRICT ran from Ledston Luck via Kippax, Garforth and Halton to Leeds. Later, a branch service was commenced on weekday daytimes via Ninelands Lane at Garforth instead of the normal A63 and Lidgett Lane.SAMUEL LEDGARD did not actually use route numbers, although West Yorkshire who shared some routes did display this information.The 33 was Leeds (Vicar Lane) via West Park and Horsforth to Rawdon (not Greengates) and the terminus was in Micklefield Lane behind the Rawdon Co-op building. This service was taken over from G.F.Tate in 1943 when the gentleman died and his widow opted to sell - it was jointly operated with WY although Ledgard did all the journeys on Sundays.The 34 was Leeds (Cookridge Street) via Bramhope and Otley to Ilkley. Also shared with WY on a long established mileage agreement, Ledgard did the greater proportion of the journeys.A GEM OF A MEMORY.There was a time when a most unusual journey took place on the busy WY/United service 36 Leeds - Ripon. Just after 5.00pm Mondays to Fridays the East Yorkshire blue/cream bus (one person operated) would arrive in Vicar Lane from Bridlington. A label was placed in the windscreen reading "ALWOODLEY X ROADS" and when a West Yorkshire conductor had boarded the vehicle used to operate a short duplicate to the 5.15pm Ripon "car" before returning to Bridlington a little later. I bet this economical but crafty little arrangement was far from popular with the EYMS lads from the East coast !!

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Mon 24 Mar, 2008 12:52 pm

BLAKEY wrote: Just a few points here to clarify some of the memories above - I hope these will be of help and interest.FARSLEY OMNIBUS (Greenwoods before WA took over) ran from Pudsey via Rodley and Farsley to Horsforth Old Ball (not Rawdon) and later some weekday peak journeys were extended over Horsforth station bridge to Tinshill. As the bridge was restricted a single decker was bought brand new for the purpose - this was a huge Leyland Leopard which arguably weighed more laden than the older double deckers !!KIPPAX and DISTRICT ran from Ledston Luck via Kippax, Garforth and Halton to Leeds. Later, a branch service was commenced on weekday daytimes via Ninelands Lane at Garforth instead of the normal A63 and Lidgett Lane.SAMUEL LEDGARD did not actually use route numbers, although West Yorkshire who shared some routes did display this information.The 33 was Leeds (Vicar Lane) via West Park and Horsforth to Rawdon (not Greengates) and the terminus was in Micklefield Lane behind the Rawdon Co-op building. This service was taken over from G.F.Tate in 1943 when the gentleman died and his widow opted to sell - it was jointly operated with WY although Ledgard did all the journeys on Sundays.The 34 was Leeds (Cookridge Street) via Bramhope and Otley to Ilkley. Also shared with WY on a long established mileage agreement, Ledgard did the greater proportion of the journeys.A GEM OF A MEMORY.There was a time when a most unusual journey took place on the busy WY/United service 36 Leeds - Ripon. Just after 5.00pm Mondays to Fridays the East Yorkshire blue/cream bus (one person operated) would arrive in Vicar Lane from Bridlington. A label was placed in the windscreen reading "ALWOODLEY X ROADS" and when a West Yorkshire conductor had boarded the vehicle used to operate a short duplicate to the 5.15pm Ripon "car" before returning to Bridlington a little later. I bet this economical but crafty little arrangement was far from popular with the EYMS lads from the East coast !! That's brilliant. I wonder why the EYMS bus had to go to Alwoodley?Ledgards also used to run into Pudsey from Otley I think.I also think that Ledgards are mentioned in Alan Benetts "Telling the Tale" when his mam and dad, he and his brother went off to Wharfedale on a Ledgards bus on 3-09-39 - the day the war started.

fevlad · Post by **fevlad** » Mon 24 Mar, 2008 1:16 pm

Trojan wrote: Barwicker wrote: Nobody seems to have mentioned Yorkshire Traction, T Burrows & Son and J Bullock & Sons all of which operated into Leeds from the south of the West Riding. I am also sure that I remember seeing "United" buses in Leeds from the north, very similar in all ways to West Yorkshire buses.Finally did not Sheffield JOC , Yorkshire Traction and possibly West Riding share a Leeds/Barnsley/Sheffield service at one time? I can't really remember "Bullock and Son" - B&S their garage in Wakey was behind the old (new in my youth) bus station - probably where the new one stands now - but they were taken over by the West Riding in the early fifties. I know that West Riding ran quite a lot of services out of Eastgate - to Selby, to Hemsworth via Wakey and to Sheffield and Barnsley probably as part of a joint service. I think United ran into Vicar Lane from Ripon. West Riding no 10 bus from Crigglestone via Wakefield to Leeds had it's own mini bus station opposite the open market. The buses were AEC Regent, had central entrances, two sets of stairs and were normally red as opposed to the normal West Riding green. I believe they were replacements for West Riding trams that used to run into Leeds. the B&S was in fact a Featherstone company founded by Abe Bullock, who's descendants still live in the Town. The famous 'Bullock Shed' was financed by him. Without him Featherstone Rovers wouldn't have been the great club they were.The bus depot was on Wilson street behind the parade of shops that forms one side of the square on Station Road.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 24 Mar, 2008 1:23 pm

FEVLAD WROTE :-"the B&S was in fact a Featherstone company founded by Abe Bullock, who's descendants still live in the Town. The famous 'Bullock Shed' was financed by him. Without him Featherstone Rovers wouldn't have been the great club they were."Not many folk know that B & S also had a depot on this end of the North Bridge in DONCASTER - and right up to the late 1990s their depot at Chimes Road, SELBY was still in use by Arriva - I've done quite a lot of "on loan" driving from there, and could almost "feel" the atmosphere of the old firm right to the end. Happy Days

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 24 Mar, 2008 1:23 pm

FEVLAD WROTE :-"the B&S was in fact a Featherstone company founded by Abe Bullock, who's descendants still live in the Town. The famous 'Bullock Shed' was financed by him. Without him Featherstone Rovers wouldn't have been the great club they were."Not many folk know that B & S also had a depot on this end of the North Bridge in DONCASTER - and right up to the late 1990s their depot at Chimes Road, SELBY was still in use by Arriva - I've done quite a lot of "on loan" driving from there, and could almost "feel" the atmosphere of the old firm right to the end. Happy Days

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 24 Mar, 2008 1:29 pm

TROJAN WROTE :- "That's brilliant. I wonder why the EYMS bus had to go to Alwoodley?"Simple crafty economics Trojan - at such a busy time WY will have had no spare vehicle (and driver possibly) to operate this necessary duplicate - the EYMS Bridlington bus probably had enough layover time in Leeds to fit the journey in without encroaching on the driver's legal rest period.

fevlad · Post by **fevlad** » Mon 24 Mar, 2008 2:53 pm

interesting stuff

fevlad · Post by **fevlad** » Mon 24 Mar, 2008 2:53 pm

the Black Prince Buses were a bit lairyyou coulkd always tell one was coming when the sky went black.

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Mon 24 Mar, 2008 4:19 pm

fevlad wrote: the Black Prince Buses were a bit lairyyou coulkd always tell one was coming when the sky went black. Black Prince were a Morley company. The guy who founded it Brian Crowther died recently.They were seriously into buses and operated a former London Transport Routemaster and several buses in the former liveries of the Yorkshire Woollen and LCT.

Terrym · Post by **Terrym** » Mon 24 Mar, 2008 4:35 pm

Hi,For those interested in Samuel Ledgard can I recommend a book called Beer And Blue Buses. This book is a full history of the whole Samuel Ledgard family and set up including operations after his death right up to the take over by West Yorkshire.It is worth every penny.Another book which is worth it's weight in gold is Leeds Transport Vol 4, which covers the years 1953 - 1974. Besides having details of LCT it also has a small section on both Farsley Omnibus and Kippax Motors.Both books do not come cheap at over £25 each but they really are a good read and worth every penny.Just hide how much you paid from your wife and you will be safe !!