| In the golden age of bus operation, before private-car ownership and a predilection for watching television indoors instead of going to the cinema, Hants & Dorset Motor Services Ltd, based on Bournemouth, ran a compact network of services in those two counties, covering coastal towns and cities from Weymouth in the west to Fareham in the east, and inland from Shaftesbury through Fordingbridge to Andover, Winchester and Petersfield. From its inception in 1916 as The Bournemouth and District Motor Services Limited, the company had a fascinating history that led to its emergence after 1942 as one of the smaller, though in no way less interesting, of the Tilling operators. Much of its character was dictated by its vehicle fleet: in the prewar period Leyland chassis were favoured, but not exclusively, and there were AEC (including the Q), Daimler and Dennis chassis bought new alongside a remarkable array of second-hand acquisitions. Postwar Tilling policy brought Bristol and ECW products to the fleet and the company remained a source of fascination to the enthusiast until its disappearance in a restructuring in 1983. Contents
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Black and White Plates
Continent: Europe
Country: UK |
