PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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BETWEEN PLYMOUTH AND STOKE VILLAGE
It yet been established exactly when the first horse bus service to Stoke Village was started. It is clear that when the South Devon Railway reached its terminus at Millbay Station on Monday April 4th 1849, the service was amongst those listed as meeting the trains. It was at that time being operated by a Mr Reynold's. However, on the same date the proprietor of the Prince of Wales Hotel in Russell Street, Plymouth, a Mr R Mill, announced the commencement of his Plymouth, Stoke and Morice Town Omnibus, rather helpfully named "Stoke". This ran from Bedford Street, through George and Union Streets to the Exmouth Arms, up through Eldad to Stoke and thence down Navy Row to the bottom of Newpassage Hill, from where 'passengers by this 'Bus can proceed by the Ferry to Torpoint, without delay.' The times from Plymouth were 9.45am, 10.45am, 11.45am, 12.45pm, 2.45pm and then every hour until 5.45pm, while from Morice Town it ran at 10.15am, 11.15am, 12.15am, 1.15pm, 3.15pm and then every hour until 6.15pm. A half-hourly service was again being provided in 1868 but commencing at 10.30am and finishing at 7.30pm. The fares were 4d inside and 3d outside. Curiously just a year later the starting time was quoted as 1.30pm; the reason for what appears to be a drastic cutback is not yet clear. Its fortunes must have been restored somewhat because in 1882 it was advertised as starting from Chubb's Hotel in Old Town Street at 11.30am and running until the last bus left Albert Road at 8pm. In 1886 it was starting at 12.15pm, 12.45pm from Albert Road. The last bus left there at 8.45pm and Millbridge at 9pm. The journey from Plymouth to Millbridge cost 2d as did the section between Wyndham Square and Albert Road. The through fare was 3d. By April 1888 there were two operators running vehicles on this service. Mr H R Wills' bus started from the Noah's Ark Public House in Old Town Street at 10.15am and the Railway Inn in Albert Road at 10.55am, thence running every hour until 8.15pm, with the last bus from Albert Road at 8.55pm. Mr Ellis's bus started from Chubb's Hotel, Old Town Street, at 11.35am, with the first return service leaving the Railway Inn at 12.10pm. He also ran half-hourly until 8.05pm from Plymouth and 8.40pm from Stoke. It was not long (1889 in fact) before the frequency was increased to every 15 minutes and the first bus left at 8.45am, with the first from Stoke at 9.15am. Sources:
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