The Great Western Railway road motor services operated from 1903 to 1933 by the Great Western Railway, both as a feeder to their train services, and as a cheaper alternative to building new railways in rural areas. They were the first successful bus services operated by a British railway company.
History
Faced with an estimate of £85,000 to build a light railway to serve the area south of Helston in Cornwall, the Great Western Railway (GWR) decided to test the market with bus services on the route. They learnt that the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway had been forced by local officialdom to cease using the two buses on their pioneering connection to Ilfracombe and so the GWR bought them to operate a Helston service. The service proved so popular and profitable that further routes were soon established at Penzance and Slough.
By the end of 1904, 36 buses were in operation, 10 more than were in service in London. When the Great Western Railway (Road Transport) Act was passed in 1928 the GWR had the largest railway bus fleet. This Act regularised the railway's operation of road services and also paved the way for them to be transferred out of the railway's control to bus companies, although the railway was to be a shareholder in these companies and there would still be an effort to co-ordinate to road and rail services.
Vehicles
The first vehicles were 16 hp Milnes-Daimler single-deck buses. They were soon supplemented by 20 hp, and later, 30 hp vehicles from the same company. Smaller numbers of vehicles were also supplied by Dennis, Dürkopp, Straker-Squire, and Wolseley, as well as a few Clarkson 20 hp steam buses. Later buses were obtained from AEC, Chevrolet, Daimler, Guy, Leyland, Maudslay, Thornycroft, and a few from Burford, Clement-Talbot, Crossley, Ford, Gilford, Graham Dodge, International, Lancia, Morris, Overland BMT and Vauxhall.
Buses for busier routes were double-deck, while some had luggage compartments for carrying mail bags. For tourist excursions, vehicles – known as "Jersey Cars" – were open, with seats arranged in tiers so that passengers sitting at the back could see over the heads of those in front. More familiar coach types were introduced later and were used on excursions and long-distance "Land Cruises".
Services in Devon and Cornwall
Routes in Devon and Cornwall were transferred to the new Western National Omnibus Company on 1 January 1929, which was half-owned by the Great Western Railway and half by the National Omnibus and Transport Company. Equivalent services are now operated First South West (in Cornwall) and Stagecoach Devon. In 1929 the railway also took 30% of the shares in the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company, while the Southern Railway took 20%. At the same time, Western National routes around Bovey Tracey and Moretonhampstead were transferred to Devon General which has since become Stagecoach Devon.
Helston and Penzance
The first service ran from Helston to The Lizard, connecting with trains at Helston railway station. The service commenced on 17 August 1903, a trial run having been made two days earlier. The service was operated by the railway until the formation of Western National. Other services were operated to Mullion, Ruan Minor, and Porthleven. A Falmouth to Penzance service via Helston was run from 11 July 1921.
A service from Penzance to Marazion had been introduced on 31 October 1903 and ran until 6 August 1916, running beyond Penzance to Newlyn for the first few months. Another service was introduced on 16 May 1904 to St Just which was often extended to Pendeen and Lands End. In 1922 services were introduced from Penzance through St Buryan to Lands End and various villages in the area. Two years later a short-lived service ran to St Ives. In 1925 new services were added from Helston to Redruth, Gweek, St Keverne, Manaccan.
Bus services today at Penzance continue to use a bus station adjacent to Penzance railway station.
Plymouth and the South Hams
A service from Plymouth to Modbury was introduced later in 1904, with several local services from Modbury to Aveton Gifford, Yealmpton, Bigbury-on-Sea, and Ivybridge. They also ran through Kingsbridge to Salcombe and Dartmouth. Further routes from Kingsbridge ran to Totnes, Newton Abbot, Thurlestone and Hope Cove.
A Plymouth to Roborough route ran from 12 September 1904 until 6 August 1916. Buses were kept underneath the viaduct upon which Plymouth Millbay railway station was built.