Eric W. Bowers Coaches Limited trading as Bowers (formerly known as Bowers Coaches) is a bus operator based in the High Peak district of Derbyshire

Derbyshire

Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...

 in the United Kingdom. It is currently a subsidiary of the Centrebus Group

Centrebus

Centrebus is a privately owned company that operate a number of services around Leicester and Leicestershire, Grantham, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, mainly in areas where Arriva has scaled down its bus operations. Centrebus also competes with Arriva on some routes in Leicester, Luton and Stevenage...

, having been so since 2007, and prior to that an independent family business. It operates local bus services centered around the towns of Buxton

Buxton

Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...

, Glossop

Glossop

Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...

 and New Mills

New Mills

New Mills is a town in Derbyshire, England approximately south-east of Stockport and from Manchester. It is sited at the confluence of the rivers Goyt and Sett, on the border of Cheshire. The town stands above the Torrs, a deep gorge, cut through Woodhead Hill Sandstone of the Carboniferous period...

. The company specialises in local bus services and the service area covers the High Peak Borough and some surrounding areas such as the town of Marple

Marple, Greater Manchester

Marple is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Goyt southeast of Stockport.Historically part of Cheshire, Marple has a population of 23,480 .-Toponymy:...

 in Stockport and Ashbourne

Ashbourne, Derbyshire

Ashbourne is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales, England. It has a population of 10,302.The town advertises itself as 'The Gateway to Dovedale'.- Local customs :...

 in the Derbyshire Dales

Derbyshire Dales

Derbyshire Dales is a local government district in Derbyshire, England. Much of the district is situated in the Peak District, although most of its population lies along the River Derwent....

. Some time after the Centrebus purchase of the company in 2007, the company was rebranded to 'Bowers' from the previous name of 'Bowers Coaches'; however, the legal entity of the company is still 'Eric W. Bowers Coaches Limited'.

In addition, after the takeover, the majority of buses added to the fleet have been painted in the Centrebus corporate livery of orange and blue; however, they do contain the Bowers name. However, in early 2010 buses appearing on route 27 were repainted to say 'Cheshire Connect operated by Centrebus.'

The High Peak is a tourist area. During the summer, there is a large influx of visitors, and the Bowers bus network provides tourist links between the key towns of Buxton, Glossop and Ashbourne, and areas of specific tourist interest or beauty.

Bus route list

The table below summarizes the local bus routes in parts of Derbyshire, Cheshire, and Greater Manchester (both commercial routes and those operated under contract to local authorities).

No.	Route
19	Macclesfield Macclesfield Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...  – Prestbury
27	(Tatton Park Tatton Park Tatton Park is a historic estate in Cheshire, England, to the north of the town of Knutsford. It contains a mansion, Tatton Hall, a manor house dating from medieval times, Tatton Old Hall, gardens, a farm and a deer park of . It is a popular visitor attraction and hosts over 100 events annually...  –) Knutsford Knutsford Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...  – Chelford Chelford Chelford is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is near to the junction of the A537 and A535 roads, about six miles west of Macclesfield, and six miles south-east of Knutsford. It is served by a small railway...  – (Astra Zeneca, Alderley Park –) Macclesfield Macclesfield Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...  – Congleton Congleton Congleton is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Dane, to the west of the Macclesfield Canal and 21 miles south of Manchester. It has a population of 25,750.-History:The first settlements in...
42	Buxton Buxton Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...  – Ashbourne Ashbourne, Derbyshire Ashbourne is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales, England. It has a population of 10,302.The town advertises itself as 'The Gateway to Dovedale'.- Local customs :...  Direct
42A	Buxton Buxton Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...  – Ilam Ilam, Staffordshire Ilam is a village in the Staffordshire Peak District, lying on the River Manifold. This article describes some of the main features of the village and surroundings.- Ilam village :...  – Tissington Tissington Tissington is a village in Derbyshire, England. It is part of the estate of Tissington Hall, owned by the FitzHerbert family since 1465. It is regarded as one of the most picturesque English villages and is a popular tourist attraction, particularly during its well dressing week. It also gives its...
58	(Chatsworth House Chatsworth House Chatsworth House is a stately home in North Derbyshire, England, northeast of Bakewell and west of Chesterfield . It is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire, and has been home to his family, the Cavendish family, since Bess of Hardwick settled at Chatsworth in 1549.Standing on the east bank of the...  – Bakewell Bakewell Bakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding...  –) Buxton Buxton Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...  – Cat & Fiddle – Macclesfield Macclesfield Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
60	(New Mills New Mills New Mills is a town in Derbyshire, England approximately south-east of Stockport and from Manchester. It is sited at the confluence of the rivers Goyt and Sett, on the border of Cheshire. The town stands above the Torrs, a deep gorge, cut through Woodhead Hill Sandstone of the Carboniferous period...  –) Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge is a small town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England, situated on the River Goyt. Whaley Bridge is approximately south of Manchester, north of Buxton , east of Macclesfield and west of Sheffield, and had a population of 6,226 at the 2001 census. This...  – Rainow Rainow Rainow is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East, located, mostly, on the eastern side of the River Dean valley next to the B5470 road, between Macclesfield and Kettleshulme in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It straddles the eastern side of the Peak...  – Macclesfield Macclesfield Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
61	Glossop Glossop Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...  – Hayfield Hayfield Hayfield is a village and civil parish in the Borough of High Peak, in the county of Derbyshire, England. The village lies approximately east of New Mills, south of Glossop and north of Buxton by road....  – New Mills New Mills New Mills is a town in Derbyshire, England approximately south-east of Stockport and from Manchester. It is sited at the confluence of the rivers Goyt and Sett, on the border of Cheshire. The town stands above the Torrs, a deep gorge, cut through Woodhead Hill Sandstone of the Carboniferous period...  – Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge is a small town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England, situated on the River Goyt. Whaley Bridge is approximately south of Manchester, north of Buxton , east of Macclesfield and west of Sheffield, and had a population of 6,226 at the 2001 census. This...  – Buxton Buxton Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...
62	Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith is a small town in Derbyshire, England, on the edge of the Peak District near the border with Cheshire, from Manchester. Dubbed "The Capital of the Peak District", the settlement was established by the Normans in the 12th century, originally as a hunting lodge within the Forest...  – Hayfield Hayfield Hayfield is a village and civil parish in the Borough of High Peak, in the county of Derbyshire, England. The village lies approximately east of New Mills, south of Glossop and north of Buxton by road....  – New Mills New Mills New Mills is a town in Derbyshire, England approximately south-east of Stockport and from Manchester. It is sited at the confluence of the rivers Goyt and Sett, on the border of Cheshire. The town stands above the Torrs, a deep gorge, cut through Woodhead Hill Sandstone of the Carboniferous period...  – Marple Marple, Greater Manchester Marple is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Goyt southeast of Stockport.Historically part of Cheshire, Marple has a population of 23,480 .-Toponymy:...
62A	Hayfield Hayfield Hayfield is a village and civil parish in the Borough of High Peak, in the county of Derbyshire, England. The village lies approximately east of New Mills, south of Glossop and north of Buxton by road....  – Thornsett – New Mills New Mills New Mills is a town in Derbyshire, England approximately south-east of Stockport and from Manchester. It is sited at the confluence of the rivers Goyt and Sett, on the border of Cheshire. The town stands above the Torrs, a deep gorge, cut through Woodhead Hill Sandstone of the Carboniferous period...
63	Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge is a small town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England, situated on the River Goyt. Whaley Bridge is approximately south of Manchester, north of Buxton , east of Macclesfield and west of Sheffield, and had a population of 6,226 at the 2001 census. This...  – Stoneheads Circular
64	Glossop Glossop Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...  – Hayfield Hayfield Hayfield is a village and civil parish in the Borough of High Peak, in the county of Derbyshire, England. The village lies approximately east of New Mills, south of Glossop and north of Buxton by road....  – New Mills New Mills New Mills is a town in Derbyshire, England approximately south-east of Stockport and from Manchester. It is sited at the confluence of the rivers Goyt and Sett, on the border of Cheshire. The town stands above the Torrs, a deep gorge, cut through Woodhead Hill Sandstone of the Carboniferous period...  – Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge is a small town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England, situated on the River Goyt. Whaley Bridge is approximately south of Manchester, north of Buxton , east of Macclesfield and west of Sheffield, and had a population of 6,226 at the 2001 census. This...  – Rainow Rainow Rainow is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East, located, mostly, on the eastern side of the River Dean valley next to the B5470 road, between Macclesfield and Kettleshulme in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It straddles the eastern side of the Peak...  – Macclesfield Macclesfield Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
69	Hayfield Hayfield Hayfield is a village and civil parish in the Borough of High Peak, in the county of Derbyshire, England. The village lies approximately east of New Mills, south of Glossop and north of Buxton by road....  – New Mills New Mills New Mills is a town in Derbyshire, England approximately south-east of Stockport and from Manchester. It is sited at the confluence of the rivers Goyt and Sett, on the border of Cheshire. The town stands above the Torrs, a deep gorge, cut through Woodhead Hill Sandstone of the Carboniferous period...  – Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge is a small town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England, situated on the River Goyt. Whaley Bridge is approximately south of Manchester, north of Buxton , east of Macclesfield and west of Sheffield, and had a population of 6,226 at the 2001 census. This...  – Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith is a small town in Derbyshire, England, on the edge of the Peak District near the border with Cheshire, from Manchester. Dubbed "The Capital of the Peak District", the settlement was established by the Normans in the 12th century, originally as a hunting lodge within the Forest...
69A	Glossop Glossop Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...  – Hayfield Hayfield Hayfield is a village and civil parish in the Borough of High Peak, in the county of Derbyshire, England. The village lies approximately east of New Mills, south of Glossop and north of Buxton by road....  – Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith is a small town in Derbyshire, England, on the edge of the Peak District near the border with Cheshire, from Manchester. Dubbed "The Capital of the Peak District", the settlement was established by the Normans in the 12th century, originally as a hunting lodge within the Forest...
76	Buxton Buxton Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...  Town Service
189	Buxton Buxton Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...  – Dove Holes Dove Holes Dove Holes is a village in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England. It has a population of about 1,200. It straddles the A6 road and it lies three miles from Buxton and three miles from Chapel-en-le-Frith. Trains run from Dove Holes railway station into Manchester.Residents of the village...  – Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith is a small town in Derbyshire, England, on the edge of the Peak District near the border with Cheshire, from Manchester. Dubbed "The Capital of the Peak District", the settlement was established by the Normans in the 12th century, originally as a hunting lodge within the Forest...  – Chinley Chinley Chinley is a rural village in High Peak Borough, situated on the western edge of the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, England, with a population of around 2000. Before the railway, the area was economically dominated by agriculture and quarrying. Three textile mills were established in...  – Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge is a small town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England, situated on the River Goyt. Whaley Bridge is approximately south of Manchester, north of Buxton , east of Macclesfield and west of Sheffield, and had a population of 6,226 at the 2001 census. This...
190	Buxton Buxton Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...  – Peak Forest Peak Forest Peak Forest is a small village on the main road the from Chapel-en-le-Frith to Chesterfield in England.The village grew from the earlier settlement of Dam at the conjunction of Perrydale and Damdale. There is an inn, a village shop and a Primary School...  – Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith is a small town in Derbyshire, England, on the edge of the Peak District near the border with Cheshire, from Manchester. Dubbed "The Capital of the Peak District", the settlement was established by the Normans in the 12th century, originally as a hunting lodge within the Forest...  – Chinley Chinley Chinley is a rural village in High Peak Borough, situated on the western edge of the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, England, with a population of around 2000. Before the railway, the area was economically dominated by agriculture and quarrying. Three textile mills were established in...  – Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge is a small town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England, situated on the River Goyt. Whaley Bridge is approximately south of Manchester, north of Buxton , east of Macclesfield and west of Sheffield, and had a population of 6,226 at the 2001 census. This...
200	Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith is a small town in Derbyshire, England, on the edge of the Peak District near the border with Cheshire, from Manchester. Dubbed "The Capital of the Peak District", the settlement was established by the Normans in the 12th century, originally as a hunting lodge within the Forest...  – Edale Edale Edale is a small Derbyshire village and Civil parish in the Peak District, in the Midlands of England. The Parish of Edale,area ,is in the Borough of High Peak....  – Castleton
300	Knutsford Knutsford Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...  Town Circular
389	New Mills New Mills New Mills is a town in Derbyshire, England approximately south-east of Stockport and from Manchester. It is sited at the confluence of the rivers Goyt and Sett, on the border of Cheshire. The town stands above the Torrs, a deep gorge, cut through Woodhead Hill Sandstone of the Carboniferous period...  Town Service
393	Padfield – Glossop Glossop Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...  – Shirebrook Park (Circular)
411	Ashbourne Ashbourne, Derbyshire Ashbourne is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales, England. It has a population of 10,302.The town advertises itself as 'The Gateway to Dovedale'.- Local customs :...  – Carsington Carsington Carsington is a village in the middle of the Derbyshire Dales, England; it adjoins the hamlet of Hopton, close to the historic town of Wirksworth and village of Brassington.Population - 111-History:...  – Wirksworth Wirksworth Wirksworth is a small market town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of over 9,000.The population of the Wirksworth area including Cromford, Bolehill and Middleton-by-Wirksworth is about 12,000. Wirksworth is listed in the Domesday Book in 1086. Within it is the source of the River...  – Matlock
442	Ashbourne Ashbourne, Derbyshire Ashbourne is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales, England. It has a population of 10,302.The town advertises itself as 'The Gateway to Dovedale'.- Local customs :...  – Hartington Hartington Hartington is a village in the Derbyshire Peak District, England, lying on the River Dove close to the Staffordshire border. According to the 2001 census, the parish of Hartington Town Quarter, which also includes Pilsbury, had a population of 345...  – Warslow Warslow Warslow is a small village in Staffordshire, England. It is located in the Peak District National Park about north of Ashbourne.Although in the county of Staffordshire, the village lies close to the Derbyshire border, and in fact has a Derbyshire postal address, i.e...  – Longnor Longnor, Staffordshire Longnor is a village in the Staffordshire Peak District, England. The settlement dates from early times, the first recorded Church building being in the Middle Ages. The village was named Longenalre in the Domesday Book. Located on a major crossroads, Longnor was a significant market town in the...  – Buxton Buxton Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...
489	Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith Chapel-en-le-Frith is a small town in Derbyshire, England, on the edge of the Peak District near the border with Cheshire, from Manchester. Dubbed "The Capital of the Peak District", the settlement was established by the Normans in the 12th century, originally as a hunting lodge within the Forest...  – Combs Combs, Derbyshire Combs is a small village in Derbyshire, England within the Peak District National Park. 'Combs' is spoken to rhyme with 'looms'. There are some local residents who prefer the older pronunciation of Combs to rhyme with 'foams'....

The majority of the bus services above are operated under contract to Derbyshire County Council and other local authorities; however, a number of services such as the 61 between Glossop and Buxton are operated commercially. Until September 2007 the company operated an hourly service between Hayfield

Hayfield

Hayfield is a village and civil parish in the Borough of High Peak, in the county of Derbyshire, England. The village lies approximately east of New Mills, south of Glossop and north of Buxton by road....

 and Stockport

Stockport

Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...

, Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...

 as service 62/62A; however, this service was withdrawn to run only as far as Marple due to falling revenues.

Operations

In 2009 two new low-floor buses were bought, with extra seating capacity to meet customer demand. These operate in the "Go Green" livery, promoting environmental credentials of bus travel, and these Euro 5 specification low emission buses in particular.

In Cheshire, Bowers works in partnership with the East Cheshire Council to deliver a number of key bus services, including the important Knutsford to Macclesfield route, serving the busy Astra Zeneca facility, and one of the first bus routes in Cheshire to offer real-time passenger information through satellite tracking.

Coach operations

The company began life known as Bowers Coaches and used this name up until some time after the Centrebus takeover, this is because the original company set up in 1952 was a coach company, and afterwards it expanded into bus routes, particularly after bus de-regulation in 1986. Throughout its history as a coach company it provided excursions from places around the High Peak and it provided coaches for schools and other uses. However the decision was taken by Centrebus that coaches were no longer viable and did not fit into the scope of the Centrebus Group so they ought to be disbanded and this occurred, so afterwards the decision was taken to drop the 'coaches' from the company name, as this could be misleading.
The company still do private hire however, and cater for schools and groups on short trips.

High Peak

In summer or autumn 2011, Bowers will merge with the Buxton division of Trent Barton

Trent Barton

Trent Barton is one of the very small number of significant independent bus operators in the United Kingdom. It was formed as the result of merging Derbyshire's Trent Buses with Nottinghamshire's Barton Transport....

, to form a new company called High Peak

High Peak (bus company)

High Peak is a bus company in Derbyshire, England, which is due to be formed in summer or autumn 2011. It will be a merger between Bowers Coaches and the Buxton division of Trent Barton....

. The new company will run all services previously run by Bowers and the Buxton division of Trent Barton, such as the Skyline 199, and 61.

The new operator will operate from Dove Holes

Dove Holes

Dove Holes is a village in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England. It has a population of about 1,200. It straddles the A6 road and it lies three miles from Buxton and three miles from Chapel-en-le-Frith. Trains run from Dove Holes railway station into Manchester.Residents of the village...

and will have a combined fleet of 50 buses and around 100 employees. All the staff currently employed by the two operators will transfer to the new operation and no jobs will be lost. It is expected that High Peak will start operating in the late summer or early autumn as soon as the necessary Operating Licences have been granted by the Traffic Commissioner..

External links