Plymouth, Motor Bus Services | Plymouth Joint Services

PLYMOUTH
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PLYMOUTH MOTOR BUS SERVICES | PLYMOUTH JOINT SERVICES

MOTOR BUS SERVICE No. 26

THEATRE - MILEHOUSE - BEACON PARK - HARTLEY - MUTLEY PLAIN - THEATRE

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 G2 was re-designated as number 26. [1]

When the Plymouth Joint Services commenced on Thursday October 1st 1942 the route was:

Theatre Royal (Athenaeum Place), Lockyer Street, Princess Square, Westwell Street, Bedford Street, Russell Street, York Street, Cobourg Street, Saltash Road, Pennycomequick, Alma Road, Milehouse, Wolseley Road, Beacon Park Road, Langstone Road, Camilla Terrace, Ham Lane, Chestnut Road, Tor Lane, Tavistock Road, Mutley Plain, Tavistock Road, Old Town Street, Basket Street, Westwell Street, Princess Square, Lockyer Street, Theatre Royal (Athenaeum Place). [2]

On weekdays in 1948 there was a 10-minute frequency on this service and the fares from the City Centre were: to Milehouse, 1½d; to Beacon Park, 2d; back to the City Centre, 4d. On Sunday mornings the first bus from the City Centre departed at 8.59am and ran every 20-minutes until 1.59pm and every 10-minutes thereafter. Four vehicles were apparently employed on the route. [3]

As from Wednesday May 30th 1951, when the service 25 was withdrawn, the 26 was altered to run from the City Centre to Beacon Park only, via Milehouse. [4]

The terminus was at the junction of Beacon Park Road with Recreation Road. [A]

Apparently it was intended to start a new service from the City Centre through Beacon Park, Peverell and Mutley Plain to relieve pressure on routes 30 and 31 and to enable the 36 and 37 to be withdrawn. [5]

Service 25 ceased entirely as from November 26th 1951. [6]

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] Western Evening Herald, Plymouth, October 5th 1951.

[6] Plymouth City Council minute number 2999 dated November 12th 1951.