Plymouth, Motor Bus Services | Plymouth Corporation Tramways Department

PLYMOUTH
DATA

The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History

PLYMOUTH MOTOR BUS SERVICES | PLYMOUTH CORPORATION TRAMWAYS DEPARTMENT

MOTOR BUS SERVICE "F"

The introduction by Plymouth Corporation Tramways Department of its motor bus service "F" brought much consternation to the business people of Torpoint, the other side of the Hamoaze. They complained bitterly to the local press that it was taking their customers away from Torpoint and right into the centre of Plymouth to do their shopping.

After a short wait for new vehicles to be delivered, the service was started on Thursday December 3rd 1925. It started at the Torpoint Ferry and passed through Fore Street, Paradise Road, Trafalgar Place, Millbridge, Eldad Hill, King Street, Cornwall Street and terminated in East Street, right outside the Market.

This route was amended slightly by 1928 when it left Devonport via Tamar Terrace, Portland Road and Molesworth Road before regaining the original route at Millbridge.

A further amendment in 1929 saw the "F" extended to the Barbican as an experiment to re-establish a service there.

Under the new route licensing regulations that came into force on Wednesday July 8th 1931, route F was officially known as H.1300 and was licensed to run from the Barbican via Bedford Street, Molesworth Road, Paradise Road, Fore Street and Ferry Road to the Torpoint Ferry. Three variations were also licensed, for the benefit of Royal Dockyard and Royal William Yard workers: the F1 (H.1337) ran from Eldad Hill to North Keyham via Paradise Road and King Street, Devonport; the F2 (H.1338) ran from the Torpoint Ferry and Devonport Hill to St Paul's Church in Durnford Street, Stonehouse; and the F3 (H.1339) ran from St Paul's Church to North Keyham.

The route must have been cut back again because in 1931 it was once again extended through St Andrew's Street to the Barbican in lieu of service N.

At about 6.25pm on September 21st 1935, bus 63 on the Torpoint Ferry to Barbican service overturned at the bottom of Mount Edgcumbe Terrace in Molesworth Road, Stoke. Of the 40 passengers on board, 29 were injured. The vehicle was later driven back to Milehouse Depot and inspected by the Ministry of Transport on 23 September when it was found to be 'mechanically sound'.