West Riding Automobile Company
Encyclopedia
The West Riding Automobile Company, under the fleet name of West Riding, was a bus company that served the Wakefield
area of Yorkshire
, England
from 1923.
way services in the area. However, by the 1920s, there was a decline in the use of tramways, and the West Riding Automobile Company was created to operate bus services from its bases in Wakefield and Castleford
. 22 Bristol 4-ton vehicles were purchased at a cost of £30,000, and services began on Easter Monday 1922. The speed of changeover was rapid, with the Castleford tramway system being abandoned just three years later.
The company purchased its rival J Bullock and Sons Limited of Featherstone
in 1950 and therefore doubled the size of its fleet. In 1952 it funded the construction of a bus station
close to the Bull Ring in Wakefield at a cost of £60,000. By the mid-1950s, the company was the largest British operator to be in private hands.
In 1967 it was acquired by the Transport Holding Company
and became part of the National Bus Company
in 1969.
After local government reorganisation in 1974, the company worked with the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
which organised services in the area.
Following deregulation of public transport in 1986, West Riding once again became a private company under the business name of Caldaire Holdings. The company was taken over by British Bus plc in 1995, which was eventually purchased by the Cowie group in 1998, and now operates local services under the Arriva
logo.
During its period of operation, West Riding has also had financial interests in a variety of other local operators, including Yorkshire Woollen, Compass Bus and the South Yorkshire Road Transport Company.
, Bristol
, AEC and Daimler
, although in later years it tended to prefer those produced by Leyland. The company was involved in the development of the Guy Wulfrunian
from 1959 onwards, and purchased 132 of the 137 vehicles which were produced.
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
area of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, 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...
from 1923.
Company history
The company was created as a subsidiary of the Yorkshire (West Riding) Electric Tramways Company Limited, which was founded in 1904 to operate electric tramTram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way services in the area. However, by the 1920s, there was a decline in the use of tramways, and the West Riding Automobile Company was created to operate bus services from its bases in Wakefield and Castleford
Castleford
Castleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north...
. 22 Bristol 4-ton vehicles were purchased at a cost of £30,000, and services began on Easter Monday 1922. The speed of changeover was rapid, with the Castleford tramway system being abandoned just three years later.
The company purchased its rival J Bullock and Sons Limited of Featherstone
Featherstone
Featherstone is a town and civil parish in the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It lies south-west of Pontefract and has a population of 14,175.Featherstone railway station is on the Pontefract Line.-History:...
in 1950 and therefore doubled the size of its fleet. In 1952 it funded the construction of a bus station
Wakefield bus station
Wakefield bus station serves the city of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. The bus station is owned and operated by Arriva Yorkshire.The bus station is situated at next to Marsh Way A61 and the city's new market and can be accessed from both Marsh Way and Union Street.The bus station was rebuilt...
close to the Bull Ring in Wakefield at a cost of £60,000. By the mid-1950s, the company was the largest British operator to be in private hands.
In 1967 it was acquired by the 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 became part of the 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:...
in 1969.
After local government reorganisation in 1974, the company worked with the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive
The West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive is the Passenger Transport Executive for the county of West Yorkshire, England. It is the executive arm of the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority and was originally formed on 1 April 1974 as the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport...
which organised services in the area.
Following deregulation of public transport in 1986, West Riding once again became a private company under the business name of Caldaire Holdings. The company was taken over by British Bus plc in 1995, which was eventually purchased by the Cowie group in 1998, and now operates local services under the Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
logo.
During its period of operation, West Riding has also had financial interests in a variety of other local operators, including Yorkshire Woollen, Compass Bus and the South Yorkshire Road Transport Company.
Vehicles
The West Riding Company used a variety of vehicles, including those produced by GuyGuy Motors
Guy Motors was a British company based in Fallings Park, Wolverhampton that made cars, lorries, buses, and trolleybuses.-History:Guy Motors Ltd was founded in 1914 by Sydney Guy who had been the Works Manager of nearby Sunbeam. A factory was built on the site at Fallings Park, Wolverhampton...
, Bristol
Bristol Commercial Vehicles
Bristol Commercial Vehicles was a vehicle manufacturer of in Bristol, England. Most production was of buses but trucks and railbus chassis were also built....
, AEC and Daimler
Daimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...
, although in later years it tended to prefer those produced by Leyland. The company was involved in the development of the Guy Wulfrunian
Guy Wulfrunian
The Guy Wulfrunian was a front-engine double-decker bus chassis produced by Guy from 1959 to 1965.-History:The Wulfrunian was developed jointly by Guy and the West Riding Automobile Company, and, of 137 vehicles built, 126 went to West Riding...
from 1959 onwards, and purchased 132 of the 137 vehicles which were produced.