PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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MOTOR BUS SERVICE "A" Surprisingly it was not route A that was the first to start running in Plymouth but route B in July 1920. Exactly when route A started is unclear but it was probably in October 1920 when the number of vehicles in the fleet reached nine and there was therefore enough to cover two services. However, it did not get its first mention in the traffic returns until May 1921. Although announced in August 1920 as running to Saltash Passage, the original route was from the Theatre Royal via George Street, Russell Street, York Street, Cobourg Street, Saltash Road, Pennycomequick, Alma Road, Milehouse, Wolseley Road, St Budeaux Square, Victoria Road and Crownhill Road, terminating outside the St Budeaux Inn at Higher St Budeaux. The Inn later became the Blue Monkey. Some services probably ran to the Saltash ferry, just as they did many years later. The traffic return for the three weeks ended June 4th 1921 shew that it was not as popular as route B. Although there were 8,042 fares taken, they only totalled £125 4s 2d and worked out at an average of 18.08 pence per bus mile. Only 1,662 miles were covered so there were clearly fewer journeys made. By April 1922 it was known as route 1 and from July 1st the penny stages were to be: Theatre Royal to the top of York Street; Bedford Street to Pennycomequick; Pennycomequick to Milehouse; De La Hay Avenue to Ford House; Milehouse to Wolseley Road Junction (i.e. Camel's Head); Wolseley Road Junction to St Budeaux Station; St Budeaux Station to Chard Road; Chard Road to Higher St Budeaux. The fares from the Theatre Royal were 3d as far as Wolseley Road, 4d to Chard Road and 5d the whole way. A return ticket was 9d. Circa 1924/25 the first bus from the Theatre and Higher St Budeaux was not until 12.30pm, meaning that the morning services were left to trams on routes 8 and 14. The last bus left the Theatre at 10.30pm (ten minutes after the last tram) although there was a bus to Milehouse Depot only at 11pm. Likewsie the last bus from St Budeaux was at 11pm and ran to Milehouse only. The printed timeatble makes no mention of services to Saltash Passage only they are indicated on the accomanying map. On Sundays the buses ran from 2 until 10pm only. Route letters first appeared on Sunday December 6th 1925, when this became route A. The income for the five weeks from then until January 9th 1926, when 86,657 passengers were carried, was £865 16s 7d. This worked out at an average of 12.99 pence per bus mile, the vehicles having covered some 15,994 miles. The fares at that time were: Theatre to Top of York Street, 1d; Theatre to Pennycomequick, 1½d; Theatre to North Down Crescent, 2d; Theatre to Harbour Avenue, 3d; Theatre to St Budeaux Station, 4d; Theatre to Higher St Budeaux, 5d single or 9d return. From Higher St Budeaux the fares were: to Chard Road, 1d; to St Budeaux Station, 1½d; to Wolseley Road Junction, 2d; to Milehouse, 3d; to the Top of York Street, 4d; to the Theatre, 5d, or 9d return. By 1928 the St Budeaux Inn had been renamed the Blue Monkey and some peak-hour journeys ran on to West Park. Likewise, some journeys were diverted from St Budeaux Square to Saltash Passage and these were known as route A1. It was reported in the Western Morning News on November 22nd 1930 that the new double-deck buses (120-125 DR7401 etc) had been used on this route but because York Street was found to be too narrow for them, they had been transferred to route 8, Fore Street to St Budeaux. Under the new route licensing regulations that came into force on Wednesday July 8th 1931, route A was officially known as H.1292 and was licensed to run from the Piers via George Street, York Street, Alma Road, Wolseley Road, and Saltash Road to Higher St Budeaux. During the summer of 1934 the servive was augmented by the A1 from the Hoe and Piers to Saltash Passage but low demand meant ir was not run the following summer. Instead the A1 was licensed in 1931 as H.1355, Theatre, Citadel Road, Clarendon Terrace and back to the Theatre. When the whole network was renumbered on Monday April 5th 1937 route A became the 17. RETURN TO Motor Bus Services, Plymouth Corporation Tramways Department
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