Red & White Services
Encyclopedia
Red & White Services was a bus company operating in south east Wales
and Gloucestershire
, England
between 1929 and 1978.
Red & White evolved into Red & White United Transport Ltd, formed in 1937, which owned bus and road freight companies in the United Kingdom and southern Africa. When the group's UK bus interests were nationalised in 1950, the group changed its name to United Transport Company.
, Gloucestershire, started two bus companies. One, Gloucestershire Transport, ran local bus services around Lydney. The other, The Valleys Motor Bus Services, ran buses around Tredegar
in South Wales. Both companies expanded rapidly by acquiring nearby operators. In 1926 the Lydney business adopted the name Gloster (Red & White) Services. By 1928, the companies were operating buses between Gloucester
, Hereford
and South Wales
.
In 1929 John Watts formed Red & White Services Ltd to bring together the various bus companies he had formed or acquired.
In 1929 Red & White entered the long distance coach market, initially from Gloucester and between London and South Wales. In the early 1930s coach operators were acquired further afield, with services between London, Liverpool and Glasgow and between Cardiff and Blackpool. In 1934 Red & White was one of the founder members of the Associated Motorways
consortium.
The company expanded rapidly during the 1930s, by now from new headquarters in Chepstow
. It acquired several bus companies in the Swansea area and elsewhere in South Wales. In 1933 Red & White acquired the business of Red Bus Services of Stroud
.
By 1937 Red & White and its subsidiaries were operating a fleet of over 400 buses and coaches. In that year Red & White United Transport Ltd was formed as a public company to hold the group's various interests. The group's operations in the Swansea area were brought together in 1939 in a new company, United Welsh Services Ltd. Later in 1939, the group bought Cheltenham District Traction Company, which ran town buses in Cheltenham
.
Expansion continued even during the Second World War. In early 1944 the group bought Newbury & District, which ran buses in west Berkshire, and in 1945 it bought Venture Ltd, the main bus operator in Basingstoke
, Hampshire. Also in 1945 it bought South Midland Motor Services of Oxford, which before the war had run express coach services between London, Oxford and Worcester.
. The group changed its name to United Transport Company, and continued to hold its interests in transport in Africa and in road freight transport in the UK. It was taken over by British Electric Traction
in 1971.
The British Transport Commission transferred most of the English bus operations of Red & White to other recently nationalised companies:
In return, the Forest of Dean services of Bristol Tramways were transferred to Red & White.
This left Red & White with its services in Monmouthshire
, the Forest of Dean
and the Glamorgan
valleys. United Welsh was managed separately within the BTC.
In 1962 Red & White was transferred to the state-owned Transport Holding Company
, and in 1969 to the National Bus Company
.
In 1978 the National Bus Company merged the operations of Red & White into the neighbouring NBC operator Western Welsh, which became National Welsh
. During the MAP revisions in the early 80's National Welsh's operations in Chepstow and the Wye Valley became rebranded as Wyedean. After a time this was rebranded as Red & White, and the Red & White name returned to the Eastern parts of Wales
. The name Stagecoach Red & White was used for a time, but Stagecoach subsequently split the operations: the Welsh operations became part of Stagecoach in South Wales, and the Forest of Dean operations became Stagecoach in Wye and Dean
, part of Stagecoach West
.
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
and Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
between 1929 and 1978.
Red & White evolved into Red & White United Transport Ltd, formed in 1937, which owned bus and road freight companies in the United Kingdom and southern Africa. When the group's UK bus interests were nationalised in 1950, the group changed its name to United Transport Company.
Early history
In 1922 John Watts of LydneyLydney
Lydney is a small town and civil parish in the English county of Gloucestershire. It is located on the west bank of the River Severn, close to the Forest of Dean. The town lies on the A48 road, next to the Lydney Park gardens with its Roman temple in honour of Nodens.-Transport:The Severn Railway...
, Gloucestershire, started two bus companies. One, Gloucestershire Transport, ran local bus services around Lydney. The other, The Valleys Motor Bus Services, ran buses around Tredegar
Tredegar
Tredegar is a town situated on the Sirhowy River in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, in south-east Wales. Located within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, it became an early centre of the Industrial Revolution in South Wales...
in South Wales. Both companies expanded rapidly by acquiring nearby operators. In 1926 the Lydney business adopted the name Gloster (Red & White) Services. By 1928, the companies were operating buses between Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
and South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
.
In 1929 John Watts formed Red & White Services Ltd to bring together the various bus companies he had formed or acquired.
In 1929 Red & White entered the long distance coach market, initially from Gloucester and between London and South Wales. In the early 1930s coach operators were acquired further afield, with services between London, Liverpool and Glasgow and between Cardiff and Blackpool. In 1934 Red & White was one of the founder members of the Associated Motorways
Associated Motorways
Associated Motorways was a consortium of motor coach operators in the south and Midlands of England, which was active from 1934 to 1974.- History :...
consortium.
The company expanded rapidly during the 1930s, by now from new headquarters in Chepstow
Chepstow
Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...
. It acquired several bus companies in the Swansea area and elsewhere in South Wales. In 1933 Red & White acquired the business of Red Bus Services of Stroud
Stroud
Stroud a town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England.Stroud may also refer to:*Stroud, New South Wales, Australia*Stroud, Ontario, Canada*Stroud , Gloucestershire, UK*Stroud...
.
By 1937 Red & White and its subsidiaries were operating a fleet of over 400 buses and coaches. In that year Red & White United Transport Ltd was formed as a public company to hold the group's various interests. The group's operations in the Swansea area were brought together in 1939 in a new company, United Welsh Services Ltd. Later in 1939, the group bought Cheltenham District Traction Company, which ran town buses in Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
.
Expansion continued even during the Second World War. In early 1944 the group bought Newbury & District, which ran buses in west Berkshire, and in 1945 it bought Venture Ltd, the main bus operator in Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
, Hampshire. Also in 1945 it bought South Midland Motor Services of Oxford, which before the war had run express coach services between London, Oxford and Worcester.
Nationalisation
In 1950, to forestall compulsory acquisition by the post war Labour government, Red & White sold its UK bus and coach operations to 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 group changed its name to United Transport Company, and continued to hold its interests in transport in Africa and in road freight transport in the UK. It was taken over by British Electric Traction
British Electric Traction
British Electric Traction Company Limited, renamed BET plc in 1985, was a large British industrial conglomerate. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but was acquired by Rentokil in 1996, and the merged company is now known as Rentokil Initial.- Early history :The company was founded as...
in 1971.
The British Transport Commission transferred most of the English bus operations of Red & White to other recently nationalised companies:
- Venture Ltd was transferred to Wilts & DorsetWilts & DorsetWilts & Dorset is a bus company in England covering Poole, Bournemouth, East Dorset, South Wiltshire and West Hampshire. Its local headquarters is in Poole, but it is owned by the Go-Ahead Group, a major UK transport group....
- Newbury & District was transferred to Thames Valley TractionThames Valley TractionThames Valley Traction Company Limited was a major bus company operating services to and from Reading, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Newbury, High Wycombe and Oxford and surrounding areas for over 50 years during the 20th century...
- The management of South Midland was also transferred to Thames Valley Traction
- The operations in the Stroud area were transferred to Bristol TramwaysBristol Omnibus CompanyThe Bristol Omnibus Company is the former name of the dominant bus operator in Bristol, one of the oldest bus companies in the United Kingdom. The company once ran buses over a wide area of Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire and neighbouring counties. The name was in operational use until 1985...
- Cheltenham District Traction Company was also transferred to Bristol Tramways
In return, the Forest of Dean services of Bristol Tramways were transferred to Red & White.
This left Red & White with its services in Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
, the Forest of Dean
Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The forest is a roughly triangular plateau bounded by the River Wye to the west and north, the River Severn to the south, and the City of Gloucester to the east.The...
and the Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
valleys. United Welsh was managed separately within the BTC.
In 1962 Red & White was transferred 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...
, and in 1969 to the National Bus Company
National Bus Company UK
The National Bus Company was, from 1969 to 1988, a nationalised bus company in England and Wales. NBC did not run buses itself, but was the owner of a number of regional subsidiary bus operating companies.-History:-Background:...
.
In 1978 the National Bus Company merged the operations of Red & White into the neighbouring NBC operator Western Welsh, which became National Welsh
National Welsh Omnibus Services Ltd.
National Welsh Omnibus Services was a bus company which operated in south-east Wales and in the Forest of Dean area of Gloucestershire from 1978 to 1992...
. During the MAP revisions in the early 80's National Welsh's operations in Chepstow and the Wye Valley became rebranded as Wyedean. After a time this was rebranded as Red & White, and the Red & White name returned to the Eastern parts of Wales
Privatisation
National Welsh was privatised in 1988. The company struggled financially and went into receivership in 1992 - the main example of the failure of a privatised bus company. National Welsh was broken up. Most of the National Welsh services were eventually acquired by StagecoachStagecoach 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...
. The name Stagecoach Red & White was used for a time, but Stagecoach subsequently split the operations: the Welsh operations became part of Stagecoach in South Wales, and the Forest of Dean operations became Stagecoach in Wye and Dean
Stagecoach in Wye and Dean
Stagecoach in Wye And Dean is a subsidiary of Stagecoach West, itself a sector of the larger Stagecoach Group, that operates buses in Gloucester.- History :...
, part of Stagecoach West
Stagecoach West
Stagecoach West is an operating division of the Stagecoach Group. Based in Gloucester, it operates bus services in Cheltenham , Gloucester , the Cotswolds , the Wye Valley, the Forest of Dean and Swindon .- History :Stagecoach West...
.