Ebor Bus Company
The Ebor bus depot, on Nottingham Road, is the building with a curved roof in the background of the image taken from the site of the eventual new Boneham & Turner’s factory in 1936.
I have been able to find some information about the Ebor Bus Company. Also I came across the name of one not previously mentioned – The Supreme Bus Company.
In 1931 the Ebor Bus Company had 26 Omnibuses – Arthur N. Annison was the managing director. Its Ripley route had started in 1927. In the previous year they had spent £16,000 on new omnibuses. In May, that year, they applied for a licence to run omnibuses between Mansfield and Alfreton, Ripley, Langwith, Ollerton, and Woodhouse. Objections had been lodged by the Notts. and Derby Traction Co., and the Midland General Co., but this had been withdrawn. Tram companies wanted protection in the event of their services being converted from tram to buses.
In the previous month a passenger bus belonging to the them was totally destroyed by fire near Ollerton one evening. A petrol tank had come adrift which was then dragged on the road for about 150 yards when it caught fire. The bus dragged the blazing tank for a further 50 yards before the flames reached the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle which was purchased new at Christmas, was completely burnt out. The six passengers avoided injury.
In July, of that year, they made an application to the East Midland Traffic Commissioners for a day trip to Blackpool. This was denied on the grounds that the journey was too far to go there and back in a day. Whereas the Traffic Commissioners “On an undertaking being given that two drivers would operate the trip, a licence was granted to the Supreme Bus Company, Mansfield, for an excursion to Blackpool.”
By 1919 Mansfield trams had carried seven and a half million passengers. By 1932 it an dropped to five and a half millions. In 1932 30 buses replaced 28 trams.
In January, 1950, it was announced that the Ebor company was selling out to the British Transport Commission which owned the Mansfield District Traction Co. Ltd. From March 25 1950 the existing time-tables, route numbers and fares remained unaltered.
John Vanags – Old Mansfield Society
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Thanks for that one. Reminds me when my Dad worked for a local bus company Ebor, (it was 1947 and before regulation, he got the job immediately after leaving the RAF after the war).
That winter Dad did a round trip which included many rural country lanes. He returned to the depot and told the inspector that it was snowing heavily and closing in fast, he didn’t think they’d get round a second time, Inspector insisted they get on with it. Bus was just scraping through the rapidly decreasing width, eventually they got stuck fast, no amount of coaxing could move it either way. They abandoned the vehicle via the only egress available which was the emergency exit at the rear, they walked back to the depot. Inspector wasn’t happy and they didn’t get paid. The bus was there for several weeks before being dug out when conditions improved.
Could anybody tell me what the livery was on Ebor buses please for my model making purposes. Many thanks
To Pat Shannon. If your Mothers name was Lucy I remember her well as my Dad was a driver on the Traction but changed over to the Ebor routes approx 1962.He left in 65 after 33 yrs on the buses. Mike Ford
Hi Jamie, it would be nice to see the old photo’s you have if its possible for you to post them.
My Great-Grandad and Grandma owned The Supreme Bus Company. My Grandad used to tell me stories of him driving the buses when he was young and we still have a few photos of the drivers and fleet today.
Hi. I am seeking old photos of Ebor Vehicles I can recall the day MDT took over just pasting a paper notice denoting Mansfield District on the Ebor buses. I drove some of the Ex Ebor buses for Mansfield District. best regards John H
For those interested in early transport history it seems that before becoming the Ebor Bus Co. it had operated as the Gladwin Parlour Car Co.
As a child I grew up in Murray Street off Nottingham Road, and I can remember a little girl being run over and killed by an Ebor bus driving out of the garage which was situated at the beginning of Stanley Road on the right hand side. I can’t remember what year this happened but I was very young at the time.
Shirley Blythe
I was told lots of stories by my late mother about her years working on Ebor buses she even met my dad on one of the buses on his way to work at Sherwood Pit
In the Late Fifties I only recall and used an Ebor Servbice that ran from Mansfield to Alfreton and return. It was very handy as it travelled from Sutton and the route came down Abbot Road to Bull Farm then Chesterfield Road to Mansfield very late, around midnight.
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