Eastern National Omnibus Company
Encyclopedia
Eastern National was a bus operating company in south east England from 1929 to the 1990s.
, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
and the National Omnibus & Transport Company. The National company had originated in 1909 as the National Steam Car Company, started to run steam bus
services in London. The London services ceased in 1919, when the company was renamed National Omnibus and Transport Company. The company expanded outside London, first in Essex (1913), where the company bought the bus operations of the Great Eastern Railway
around Chelmsford
, and later in Bedfordshire (1919), Gloucestershire (1919), Somerset (1920), Dorset (1921) and Devon and Cornwall (1927). The National continued to expand in Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.
The railways developed networks of feeder bus services in the 1920s, but the legal powers of the railway companies (after 1922 the Big Four
) to run bus services were unclear and each promoted private legislation (the Road Powers Acts of 1928) to obtain clarity. One result was that the railways were in future to refrain from taking a controlling interest in bus undertakings. This led the companies to enter into partnerships with the bus companies, including the National. In 1929 the London and North Eastern Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the National formed Eastern National Omnibus Company, to which all three shareholders transferred their bus operations in Essex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire.
In 1931 a controlling interest in the National Omnibus was acquired by the Tilling Group. From then on Eastern National was run as a Tilling company, although the railways retained their shares until 1948.
.
The new regime resulted in rationalisation of the company's area of operations. In 1952 the company's operations in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, North Hertfordshire and Huntingdonshire were transferred to United Counties
, and also in 1952 control of Westcliff Motor Services was transferred to Eastern National.
In 1962 Eastern National was passed to the state-owned Transport Holding Company
, then in 1969 to the state-owned National Bus Company.
In 1964 it advertised the following Express Services:-
and privatisation of bus services. In 1986 Eastern National was sold to its management, who formed a new company, Eastern National Ltd.
Eastern National Ltd was acquired by Badgerline in 1990. Badgerline divided the company into two: Thamesway Buses in the south of Essex and Eastern National in the north. Both companies became part of First Bus, later First Group, formed when Badgerline merged with Grampian Regional Transport. First combined the two operations and renamed the company First Essex
.
Early history
Eastern National Omnibus Company Ltd started in 1929 as a joint venture between the London and North Eastern RailwayLondon and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
and the National Omnibus & Transport Company. The National company had originated in 1909 as the National Steam Car Company, started to run steam bus
Steam bus
A steam bus is a bus powered by a steam engine. Early steam-powered vehicles designed for carrying passengers were more usually known as steam carriages, although this term was sometimes used to describe other early experimental vehicles too.-History:...
services in London. The London services ceased in 1919, when the company was renamed National Omnibus and Transport Company. The company expanded outside London, first in Essex (1913), where the company bought the bus operations of the Great Eastern Railway
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
around Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
, and later in Bedfordshire (1919), Gloucestershire (1919), Somerset (1920), Dorset (1921) and Devon and Cornwall (1927). The National continued to expand in Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.
The railways developed networks of feeder bus services in the 1920s, but the legal powers of the railway companies (after 1922 the Big Four
Big Four British railway companies
The Big Four was a name used to describe the four largest railway companies in the United Kingdom in the period 1923-1947. The name was coined by the Railway Magazine in its issue of February 1923: "The Big Four of the New Railway Era".The Big Four were:...
) to run bus services were unclear and each promoted private legislation (the Road Powers Acts of 1928) to obtain clarity. One result was that the railways were in future to refrain from taking a controlling interest in bus undertakings. This led the companies to enter into partnerships with the bus companies, including the National. In 1929 the London and North Eastern Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the National formed Eastern National Omnibus Company, to which all three shareholders transferred their bus operations in Essex, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire.
In 1931 a controlling interest in the National Omnibus was acquired by the Tilling Group. From then on Eastern National was run as a Tilling company, although the railways retained their shares until 1948.
Nationalisation
In 1948 the railways were nationalised, and shortly after, the Tilling Group sold its bus interests to the government. Eastern National therefore became a state-owned company, under the control of the British Transport CommissionBritish Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
.
The new regime resulted in rationalisation of the company's area of operations. In 1952 the company's operations in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, North Hertfordshire and Huntingdonshire were transferred to United Counties
United Counties Omnibus
United Counties Omnibus is an English bus company, operating in Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and parts of surrounding counties. It was established in 1921 as the United Counties Omnibus & Road Transport Co Ltd, and from 1933 has been named the United Counties Omnibus Company Ltd...
, and also in 1952 control of Westcliff Motor Services was transferred to Eastern National.
In 1962 Eastern National was passed to the state-owned Transport Holding Company
Transport Holding Company
The Transport Holding Company was a British Government owned company created by the Transport Act 1962 to administer a range of state-owned transport, travel and engineering companies that were previously managed by the British Transport Commission ; it came into existence on 1 January...
, then in 1969 to the state-owned National Bus Company.
In 1964 it advertised the following Express Services:-
- X1 London - Rayleigh - Southend-on-sea
- X10 London - Basildon - Southend-on-sea
- X11 Enfield - Basildon - Southend-on-sea
- X12 London - Colchester - Clacton - Jaywick Sands
- X14 London - Braintree - Halstead - Sudbury .. Hadleigh, Sudbury, Bury St Edmunds
- X20 Southend - Basildon - Wrotham - Tonbridge - Tunbridge Wells - Brighton - Worthing
- X21 Southend - Basildon - Wrotham - Tonbridge - Tunbridge Wells - Hailsham - Eastbourne
- X22 Southend - Basildon - Rochester - Faversham, Canterbury - Dover and Folkestone
- X23 Southend - Basildon - Maidstone - Battle - Hastings - Eastbourne
- X24 Southend - Basildon - Sittingbourne - Faversham - Canterbury - Margate - Ramsgate
- X25 Southend - Basildon - Colchester - Lowestoft - Gorleston - Great Yarmouth
- X26 Southend - Basildon - Romford - Southampton - Bournemouth / Isle of Wight (using Red FunnelRed FunnelThe Southampton Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Limited, which trades as Red Funnel, is a ferry company that carries passengers and vehicles on routes between the English mainland and the Isle of Wight...
SteamerSteamboatA steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
) - X27 Southend - Colchester - Jaywick Sands, Clacton-on-sea - Holland-on-sea - Frinton-on-sea - Walton-on-naze
- X28 Southend - Chelmsford - Dunmow - Cambridge (connections to Midland RedMidland RedMidland Red was a bus company which operated in the English Midlands from 1905 to 1981. It was the trading name used by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Company , which was renamed Midland Red Omnibus Company in 1974...
for Northampton, Rugby, Coventry and Birmingham) - X29 Southend - Basildon - Harlow - Hertford - Stamford - Oakham - Nottingham - Derby
- X30 Southsea - Portsmouth - Bognor-Regis - Crawley - Dartford - Basildon - Southend
- X32/X34 Clacton - Colchester - Chelmsford - Basildon - Sittingbourne, Faversham, Canterbury, Birchington, Margate .. Ramsgate - Dover - Folkestone
- X33 Walton - Clacton - Colchester - Chelmsford - Basildon - Dartford - Medway Towns - Maidstone - Hastings
- X40 Tilbury ferry- Basildon - Lowestoft - Gorlestone - Great Yarmouth
- ...
Privatisation
In 1980 the new Conservative government embarked on a programme of 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...
and privatisation of bus services. In 1986 Eastern National was sold to its management, who formed a new company, Eastern National Ltd.
Eastern National Ltd was acquired by Badgerline in 1990. Badgerline divided the company into two: Thamesway Buses in the south of Essex and Eastern National in the north. Both companies became part of First Bus, later First Group, formed when Badgerline merged with Grampian Regional Transport. First combined the two operations and renamed the company First Essex
First Essex
First Essex Buses Limited is owned by First Group. First Essex carries around 29 million passengers each year on a network of routes serving Essex and the surrounding areas. It arose from an amalgamation of Eastern National and Thamesway Buses, whose yellow/maroon livery has only recently disappeared...
.