Crosville (ATL) DVG361 (SMS 41H) at Rochdale – Circa 1987 (Photographer unknown)

I hope whoever took this photograph will not object to my using it as it covers a point in the sorry saga of the running down and eventual demise of Yelloway Motor Services Limited under the ownership of Carlton PSV Sales/ATL Holdings.

Yelloway had been reduced to a bus operating business using rather sub-standard and unreliable vehicles. Problems with maintenance resulted in the Rochdale base becoming the responsibility of another Carlton/ATL subsidiary, Crosville Motor Services Limited (a licence dodge I think to circumvent the system for a while).

This Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol VR looking every bit as though it was still owned by a National Bus Company subsidiary, was Crosville DVG361 (SMS 41H) and it was seen on the parking ground outside the Rochdale garage and coach station. It was originally new to Alexander (Midland) as their MRT11 in April 1970.

It is really ironic that Yelloway was replaced by Crosville as, for many, many years during Allen ownership, lots of people thought Yelloway would be acquired by, if it wasn’t already owned by, Ribble Motor Services. North Western Road Car Company was also a possible candidate to own the company. No one ever considered a connection would be with Crosville.

A Yelloway nameboard is displayed in the windscreen.