Bullocks Coaches
Encyclopedia
Bullocks Coaches is a Stockport
bus company that formerly ran a popular service between Piccadilly Gardens
and Woodford
seven days a week. They are named after Ralph Bullock, a local entrepreneur, and founder of the business. The buses were traditionally red and white, although newer buses also included bronze; and the Oxford Road
Link is predominantly white. In August 2008, it was announced that the bus operations would be purchased by Stagecoach Group
and eventually integrated into their Stagecoach Manchester bus company; the merge was completed on 27 October 2008. However the 147 or "Oxford Road Link" continues to be operated by Bullocks.
s for trips to the seaside. By the mid-1930s, the fleet included trucks and proper coaches, but the trucks were nationalised under the Transport Act 1947
during Attlee's
Labour government
, leaving only the coaches in the business. Ralph was fond of Foden coaches, and the majority of the fleet throughout the 1940s to 1960s were Fodens, of which two still survive to this day, the oldest from 1949 is still roadworthy, and is currently on loan to the Museum of Transport in Manchester
.
of buses was introduced by Margaret Thatcher
's Conservative government
. The fleet now includes many buses as well as coaches, numbering around 75-80 vehicles in total. Bullocks acquired many bus routes, and introduced new ones, including the 42 service from Stockport to Manchester via Wilmslow Road, a very popular route that is operated now by Stagecoach Manchester. Over the years, the number of services declined having been lost to other operators. By 2008, it was operating seven routes and several school services, but all except one of the commercial routes were sold off, most to Stagecoach Manchester and a couple to Arriva North West
.
purchased most of the commercial bus operations of Bullocks. The 147 service which operates a circular route at the northern end of Oxford Road has remained a Bullocks service. Bullocks continue to operate several school bus services, as well as their coaches.
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...
bus company that formerly ran a popular service between Piccadilly Gardens
Manchester Piccadilly bus station
Manchester Piccadilly Gardens Bus Station, often abbreviated to Piccadilly or Piccadilly Gardens is one of two main bus stations in Manchester's city centre....
and Woodford
Woodford, Greater Manchester
Woodford is a suburban village at the southern extent of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies south of Stockport, north-northwest of Macclesfield, and south-southeast of Manchester...
seven days a week. They are named after Ralph Bullock, a local entrepreneur, and founder of the business. The buses were traditionally red and white, although newer buses also included bronze; and the Oxford Road
Wilmslow Road, Manchester
Wilmslow Road is a major thoroughfare in Manchester, England, running from Parrs Wood north into Manchester City Centre. Its name changes to Oxford Road at Whitworth Park, north of Rusholme, and changes again to Oxford Street, when it reaches the city centre.The road runs through the centres of...
Link is predominantly white. In August 2008, it was announced that the bus operations would be purchased by Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
and eventually integrated into their Stagecoach Manchester bus company; the merge was completed on 27 October 2008. However the 147 or "Oxford Road Link" continues to be operated by Bullocks.
Early days
The company was founded by Ralph Bullock initially as a haulage firm in 1928, with milk deliveries being the early focus. At the weekend, the trucks turned into cloth-top charabancCharabanc
A charabanc or "char-à-banc" is a type of horse-drawn vehicle or early motor coach, usually open-topped, common in Britain during the early part of the 20th century. It was especially popular for sight-seeing or "works outings" to the country or the seaside, organised by businesses once a year...
s for trips to the seaside. By the mid-1930s, the fleet included trucks and proper coaches, but the trucks were nationalised under the Transport Act 1947
Transport Act 1947
The Transport Act 1947 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Under it the railways, long-distance road haulage and various other types of transport were acquired by the state and handed over to a new British Transport Commission for operation...
during Attlee's
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
Labour government
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, leaving only the coaches in the business. Ralph was fond of Foden coaches, and the majority of the fleet throughout the 1940s to 1960s were Fodens, of which two still survive to this day, the oldest from 1949 is still roadworthy, and is currently on loan to the Museum of Transport in Manchester
Museum of Transport in Manchester
The Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester is a museum that aims to preserve and promote the public transport heritage of Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. Owned by Transport for Greater Manchester, the museum is located in the Cheetham Hill area of...
.
1986-2008
The firm remained small, with around 20 vehicles, until 1986, when deregulationBus deregulation
Bus deregulation in Great Britain came into force on 26 October 1986, as part of the Transport Act 1985.The 'Buses' White Paper was the basis of the Transport Act 1985, which provided for the deregulation of local bus services in the whole of the United Kingdom except for Northern Ireland and...
of buses was introduced by Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
's Conservative government
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. The fleet now includes many buses as well as coaches, numbering around 75-80 vehicles in total. Bullocks acquired many bus routes, and introduced new ones, including the 42 service from Stockport to Manchester via Wilmslow Road, a very popular route that is operated now by Stagecoach Manchester. Over the years, the number of services declined having been lost to other operators. By 2008, it was operating seven routes and several school services, but all except one of the commercial routes were sold off, most to Stagecoach Manchester and a couple to Arriva North West
Arriva North West
Arriva North West is a division of Arriva that operates bus services around North West England. It consists of two companies: Arriva North West Ltd and Arriva Merseyside Ltd....
.
2008 onwards
From 8 August 2008, Stagecoach GroupStagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
purchased most of the commercial bus operations of Bullocks. The 147 service which operates a circular route at the northern end of Oxford Road has remained a Bullocks service. Bullocks continue to operate several school bus services, as well as their coaches.
Vehicle types in use
- Leyland OlympianLeyland OlympianThe Leyland Olympian was a double-decker bus built by British Leyland/Leyland Bus in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1993. It was the last Leyland bus model in production before the demise of Leyland Bus.-Construction:...
/Alexander R-Type - Leyland Olympian/East Lancs E-TypeEast Lancs E TypeThe East Lancs E Type is a type of double-deck bus body built on different chassis by East Lancashire Coachbuilders.-Chassis:Types bodied include the following:* Dennis Dominator* Dennis Arrow* Leyland Olympian* Scania N113DRB* Volvo B10M...
- Leyland Olympian/Northern Counties
- Scania N113DRBScania N113The Scania N113 was a transverse-engined bus chassis built by Scania AB of Sweden between 1988 and 2000.Like its predecessor, the N112, the N113 had an 11-litre engine mounted at the rear, coupled to either a Scania or Voith gearbox...
/East Lancs CityzenEast Lancs CityzenThe East Lancs Cityzen was a double-decker bus body built on the Scania N113 chassis by East Lancashire Coachbuilders between 1995 and 2000. The name started East Lancs' long tradition of using 'misspelt' product names.-History:... - Scania N94UD/East Lancs OmniDekkaScania OmniDekkaThe Scania OmniDekka is a double-decker bus built for sale in the UK...
- Scania OmniCityScania OmniCityThe Scania OmniCity is an integrally-constructed transverse-engined low floor citybus available on the European market. The OmniCity is a complete product built in Poland by Scania AB, a company based in Sweden....
(Integral) - Volvo OlympianVolvo OlympianThe Volvo Olympian was a rear-engine double decker bus built by Volvo at Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. It was first built in 1992 and entered production in March 1993, replacing the Leyland Olympian....
/Northern Counties PalatineNorthern Counties PalatineThe Northern Counties Palatine is a step-entrance double-decker bus body built by Northern Counties of Wigan, UK. It was built mainly on Leyland Olympian and Volvo Olympian chassis, although some were also built on DAF, Volvo B10M Citybus and Scania chassis... - Volvo Olympian/East Lancs E-Type