PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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EMBANKMENT MOTOR COMPANY (PLYMOUTH) Ltd
The Embankment Motor Company (Plymouth) Ltd had been founded in 1920 by Mr James Henry Williams and during its first couple of years concentrated on excursion work. More information about the founding and early years of the Company will be found by following the link above. However, following the commencement of the Devon Motor Transport Company's operations in Plymouth in 1922, Embankment started a bus service to Buckland Monachorum and Dousland in competition. Mr Williams drove the bus himself [2] and there were some 'sharp skirmishes' between the two companies before they signed an agreement to run a hourly co-ordinated service. This agreement was honoured by the National Omnibus & Transport Company when they took over the DMT and subsequently by the Western National Omnibus Company. [1] A personal tragedy was to lead to a change of direction, however. At about 10.30am on Friday November 25th 1932 the eldest son, 'Harry', Mr George Henry Williams, fell 12 feet off a ladder while trying to access the loft at their garage in West Hoe Road. He sustained severe head injuries and died later at the Central Hospital. He was just 39-years-old and left a widow, Constance, and two children, James and Maud. [3] It would appear that this may have had a bearing on the acceptance of an offer from the Western National Omnibus Company, made on April 5th 1933, to purchase the five buses and the two routes, which from Thursday April 6th 1933 became services 84 to Buckland Monachorum and 86 to Dousland. From then on the Company concentrated on excursions. [4] The five buses were a 20-seat Bedford WLB, registration number DR9474; a Maudslay ML4 with 32-seat body by Duple, DR4290; two Maudslay ML6 with Messrs Hall, Lewis and Company Ltd 30 and 32 bodies respectively, DR1599 and DR3421; and a mysterious Guy, DR4248, of which nothing more is known. They took fleet numbers 3425 to 3429 in the Western National Omnibus Company's fleet. [1] Sources:
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