Express Motors
Encyclopedia
Express Motors is a bus and coach hire company based in Penygroes, Gwynedd. The company operates numerous public bus services in the Caernarfon, Porthmadog, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Bangor and Llandudno areas, as well as the long-distance TrawsCambria
service X32 between Bangor and Aberystwyth, though only on evenings and Sundays, alongside Lloyds Coaches
of Machynlleth. On weekdays and Saturdays, the X32 is operated by Arriva Cymru.
.
The run-up to bus deregulation
in October 1986 provided the company with an opportunity to reenter the local serice market. A local route in Caernarfon
was introduced in competition with National Bus Company
subsidiary Crosville Cymru May. Contracted work on route 1 (Caernarfon-Blaenau Ffestiniog
) was won at the same time as part of the Bws Gwynedd network. The operations of Maldwyn Jones were acquired in 1989. A competing route between Caernarfon and Bangor
was introduced in 1991 but withdrawn after four years.
In 2005 the company began a new route linking Llandudno
and Blaenau Ffestiniog. Two years later the Welsh Assembly Government
granted free rail travel to pensioners on the parallel Conwy Valley Line
, causing passenger numbers on the route to be lower than expected.
The four bus services operated Silver Star were taken over by Express Motors in November 2010 in a move which reversed the events of 1970. Four vehicles and some Silver Star staff members also joined the company.
, numerous Optare Solo
s, a MAN Enviro 300 and a Plaxton Centro
.
Some buses are painted in a 'Countryside Code/Côd Cefn Gwlad' livery, as many of the services operated are in and around the Snowdonia National Park.
A range of coaches, including Neoplans, Van Hools, Bovas and Mercedes are available for hire, and the company also operates a number of tours each year.
TrawsCambria
TrawsCambria is a brand name applied to a network of long and medium-distance express bus routes in Wales which are sponsored by the Welsh Assembly Government.-History:...
service X32 between Bangor and Aberystwyth, though only on evenings and Sundays, alongside Lloyds Coaches
Lloyds Coaches
Lloyds Coaches operates bus and coach services in mid Wales. It is a small family-run independent firm. The company is based at the old Crosville bus depot opposite Machynlleth railway station. It was established in 2001.-History:...
of Machynlleth. On weekdays and Saturdays, the X32 is operated by Arriva Cymru.
History
The company was established in 1908. It remains a family-owned business and is managed by Eric Jones. It operated a small number of local bus services alongside its main coach hire work until 1970, when the bus routes were sold to Silver StarSilver Star Holidays
Silver Star Holidays is a coach and local bus operating company based in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales. Founded in 1918, its primary operation was coach holiday tours. Local bus services in Gwynedd were run by Silver Star until November 2010, when they were sold to Express Motors. Silver Star also...
.
The run-up to bus deregulation
Bus 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...
in October 1986 provided the company with an opportunity to reenter the local serice market. A local route in Caernarfon
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
was introduced in competition with National Bus Company
National Bus Company
The National Bus Company, or NBC, was the Australian brand for National Express Group's mass transit bus services in Melbourne and Brisbane. Its sister companies were Westbus, Hillsbus, and Glenorie in Sydney, Southern Coast Transit in Perth.-Routes:...
subsidiary Crosville Cymru May. Contracted work on route 1 (Caernarfon-Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog is a town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It has a population of 5,000, including Llan Ffestiniog, which makes it the third largest town in Gwynedd, behind Caernarfon & Porthmadog. Although the population reached 12,000 at the peak of the slate industry, the population fell due to...
) was won at the same time as part of the Bws Gwynedd network. The operations of Maldwyn Jones were acquired in 1989. A competing route between Caernarfon and Bangor
Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
was introduced in 1991 but withdrawn after four years.
In 2005 the company began a new route linking Llandudno
Llandudno
Llandudno is a seaside resort and town in Conwy County Borough, Wales. In the 2001 UK census it had a population of 20,090 including that of Penrhyn Bay and Penrhynside, which are within the Llandudno Community...
and Blaenau Ffestiniog. Two years later the Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
granted free rail travel to pensioners on the parallel Conwy Valley Line
Conwy Valley Line
The Conwy Valley Line is a railway line in north Wales. It runs from Llandudno via Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog, and was originally part of the London and North Western Railway, being opened in stages to 1879...
, causing passenger numbers on the route to be lower than expected.
The four bus services operated Silver Star were taken over by Express Motors in November 2010 in a move which reversed the events of 1970. Four vehicles and some Silver Star staff members also joined the company.
Services
The main services currently (May 2011) operated, Monday - Saturday, are as follows:- 1: PorthmadogPorthmadogPorthmadog , known locally as "Port", and historically rendered into English as Portmadoc, is a small coastal town and community in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd, in Wales. Prior to the Local Government Act 1972 it was in the administrative county of Caernarfonshire. The town lies east of...
– BangorBangor- United Kingdom :* Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland** Bangor ** Bangor , until 1800* Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales, after which most of the ex-colonial Bangors are named....
- Via Tremadog (some services), CricciethCricciethCriccieth is a town and community on Cardigan Bay, in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd in Wales. The town lies west of Porthmadog, east of Pwllheli and south of Caernarfon. It has a population of 1,826....
(some services), Garndolbenmaen, Pantglas, Llanllyfni, Penygroes, Groeslon, Bontnewydd, CaernarfonCaernarfonCaernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
and Gwynedd Hospital- 1A: Caernarfon - Nebo
- Via Gwynedd Hospital, Caernarfon, Bontnewydd, Penygroes, Llanllyfni and Nasareth
- 1B: Porthmadog – Blaenau Ffestiniog
- Via Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, Tan-y-Bwlch and Llan Ffestiniog (most services run through from service 1)
- 1N/1C: Caernarfon - Nantlle/Talysarn
- Via Penygroes and Bontnewydd
- 1F/1M: Caernarfon - Penygroes
- Via Cesarea, Rhosgadfan, Rhostryfan and Bontnewydd
- X1: LlandudnoLlandudnoLlandudno is a seaside resort and town in Conwy County Borough, Wales. In the 2001 UK census it had a population of 20,090 including that of Penrhyn Bay and Penrhynside, which are within the Llandudno Community...
– Blaenau FfestiniogBlaenau FfestiniogBlaenau Ffestiniog is a town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It has a population of 5,000, including Llan Ffestiniog, which makes it the third largest town in Gwynedd, behind Caernarfon & Porthmadog. Although the population reached 12,000 at the peak of the slate industry, the population fell due to...
- X1: Llandudno
- Via Deganwy, Llandudno Junction, Glan Conwy, LlanrwstLlanrwstLlanrwst is a small town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It takes its name from the 5th century to 6th century Saint Grwst, and the original parish church in Cae Llan was replaced by the 12th-century church....
, Betws-y-CoedBetws-y-CoedBetws-y-Coed is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It has a population of 534. The name Betws or Bettws is generally thought to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon Old English 'bed-hus' - i.e. a bead-house - a house of prayer, or oratory...
and Dolwyddelan- X32: BangorBangor- United Kingdom :* Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland** Bangor ** Bangor , until 1800* Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales, after which most of the ex-colonial Bangors are named....
– AberystwythAberystwythAberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
Evenings and Sunday
- X32: Bangor
- Via Ysbyty Gwynedd, CaernarfonCaernarfonCaernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
, PorthmadogPorthmadogPorthmadog , known locally as "Port", and historically rendered into English as Portmadoc, is a small coastal town and community in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd, in Wales. Prior to the Local Government Act 1972 it was in the administrative county of Caernarfonshire. The town lies east of...
, DolgellauDolgellauDolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...
, MachynllethMachynllethMachynlleth is a market town in Powys, Wales. It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads.Machynlleth was the seat of Owain Glyndŵr's Welsh Parliament in 1404, and as such claims to be the "ancient capital of Wales". However, it has never held any official...
, Operates alongside Lloyds CoachesLloyds CoachesLloyds Coaches operates bus and coach services in mid Wales. It is a small family-run independent firm. The company is based at the old Crosville bus depot opposite Machynlleth railway station. It was established in 2001.-History:...
and Arriva Buses WalesArriva Buses WalesArriva Buses Wales is a division of Arriva that operates bus services in north Wales. It has its origins in the former Crosville Motor Services. Arriva Buses Wales has approximately 700 employees. The company's official name is Arriva Cymru Ltd.-History:...
- 82: Caernarfon – Bethel - Llanrug (One Journey Only)
- Via Caernarfon Leisure Centre
- 87: Llanrug - Waunfawr - Caeathro - Caernarfon
- One Journey Only One Way
- 91: Caernarfon – Dinas Dinlle (Airport)
- Via Llanfaglan, Saron and Llandwrog
- 92/93: Caernarfon – Maesincla/Cae Gwyn/Maes Barcer/Hendre
- (with Padarn BusPadarn BusPadarn Bus is a bus company based in Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales. It operates a fleet of around 40 buses on 18 routes in North Wales. Many of its vehicles and routes were acquired when it merged with larger company KMP.-History:...
) Town Service- 98: Porthmadog – Garreg/Croesor
- (with Williams Ltd.) Via Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, Tremadog, Prenteg and Garreg
- 99: Porthmadog - Tremadog/Morfa Bychan
- Via Penamser Industrial Estate/Borth-y-Gest
- 197: Porthmadog - Croesor Open Top Service (Summer only)
- Via Tremadog and Morfa Bychan
Vehicles
The company has a range of public buses, including an Optare TempoOptare Tempo
The Optare Tempo is a full-size single-deck bus manufactured by Optare and was launched in late 2004. It is marketed and sold as the replacement for the Optare Excel.It is designed as a lightweight bus, to use less fuel than traditional heavy duty integrals....
, numerous Optare Solo
Optare Solo
The Optare Solo is a low-floor midibus manufactured by Optare in Leeds, UK since 1997. The name "Solo" is a play on the low-floor status of the bus, the manufacturer believing its vehicle having an entrance that is "so low" from the floor, namely 200 mm with kneeling suspension.The innovative...
s, a MAN Enviro 300 and a Plaxton Centro
Plaxton Centro
The Plaxton Centro is a bus body designed by Bluebird Vehicles and manufactured by Plaxton. It was launched on the VDL SB120 in February 2006. The Centro was also made available on the VDL SB200 chassis in 2006. In 2007 the Centro was made available on the MAN 12.240 and the Volvo B7RLE chassis....
.
Some buses are painted in a 'Countryside Code/Côd Cefn Gwlad' livery, as many of the services operated are in and around the Snowdonia National Park.
A range of coaches, including Neoplans, Van Hools, Bovas and Mercedes are available for hire, and the company also operates a number of tours each year.