Plymouth, Motor Bus Services | Plymouth Joint Services

PLYMOUTH
DATA

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PLYMOUTH MOTOR BUS SERVICES | PLYMOUTH JOINT SERVICES

MOTOR BUS SERVICE No. 21

DURNFORD STREET - THEATRE - LAIRA - PLYMPTON

On Monday April 5th 1937 a major reorganisation and renumbering of all the tramway and motor bus services operated by the Plymouth City Transport Department. Route C1 was re-designated as number 21. [1]

When the Plymouth Joint Services commenced on Thursday October 1st 1942 the route was amalgamated with Western National's route 87 to Plympton and the new 20 thus became:

Durnford Street, Barrack Place, Caroline Place, Millbay Road, Theatre Royal, George Street, Bedford Street, Old Town Street, Tavistock Road, Mutley Plain, Alexandra Road, Lipson Vale, Old Laira Road, Plymouth Road, Ridgeway, George Lane, and terminated at Plympton St Maurice Church. Returned via Bedford Street, Westwell Street, Princess Square, Lockyer Street, Athenaeum Place, Millbay Road. [2]

On weekdays in 1948 there was a 20-minute frequency on this service and the fares from Durnford Street to City Centre, 1½d; to Laira, 3d; and to Plympton, 4d. On Sunday mornings the first bus from Durnford Street departed at 9.30am and ran every 40-minutes until 2pm and every 20-minutes thereafter. Four vehicles were apparently employed on the route. [3]

As from Sunday January 17th 1954 the section from Durnford Street to the City Centre was withdrawn. [4]

From Sunday May 28th 1961 the route was extended from George Lane along Longcause and into St Maurice Road, terminating outside the Post Office. [4]

Limited Stop journeys were introduced on this service on Mondays to Fridays from Monday March 8th 1965. They were withdrawn from Monday September 23rd 1968. [4]

By or from Monday October 23rd 1972, when a new Time Table came into force, the route had been extended along St Maurice Road as far as the junction with Yeomans Way. [5]

On Monday April 1st 1974 "Pay-as-you-enter- buses were introduced on the service. [6]

A new route came into operation as from Sunday September 30th 1979: from Plympton Ridgeway to Mudge Way, Moorland Road, Glen Road, Hillcrest Drive, Ridgeway, Wolverwood Lane, Cherry Tree Lane, to Yeomans Way. [7]

Sources:

[1] "Alterations to Route Letters and Numbers", City of Plymouth Tramways and Transport Committee, minute number 1199 dated February 2nd 1937; and "New City Penny 'Bus Stages to Start on Monday: Route Designations Alterations", Western Evening Herald, Plymouth, April 1st 1937.

[2] "City of Plymouth Tramways & Transport Services Map of Bus & Tram Routes: Official Time Table: April 1940", Plymouth City Council, 1940; and also "New 'Bus Services Tomorrow: City and Company Partnership", Evening Herald, Plymouth, September 30th 1942.

[3] Plymouth Joint Services supplement to the Western National Omnibus Company Ltd Official Time Tables, South Devon & East Cornwall Area, 27th September 1948 and until further notice, Western National Omnibus Company Ltd, Exeter, 1948.

[4] Crawley, R J and Simpson, F D, "The Years Between 1909 - 1969: Volume 3: The Story of Western National and Southern National from 1929", Calton Promotions, Exeter, 1990, ISBN 0-9515947-0-2.

[5] Plymouth Joint Services Official Time Table from October 23rd 1972 until further notice.

[6] Plymouth Joint Services Official Time Table from April 1st 1974 until further notice.

[7] Plymouth Joint Service Official Time Table from September 30th 1979 until further notice.