Morley's Grey Coaches, West Row

The next three documents relate to a private hire job carried out by Morley’s Grey for a pre-Christmas outing for the staff of Mildenhall based Kirby-Warrick Pharmaceuticals. First there is the quotation, then the invoice and finally the statement of account with payment receipt attached.

Second of three documents, the invoice, relating to a private hire job carried out by Morley’s Grey for a pre-Christmas outing for the staff of Mildenhall based Kirby Pharmaceuticals. The set includes the quotation, then the invoice and finally the statement of account with payment receipt attached.

The third of the three documents relating to a private hire job carried out by Morley’s Grey for a pre-Christmas outing for the staff of Mildenhall based Kirby Pharmaceuticals. The set includes the quotation, then the invoice and finally the statement of account with payment receipt attached.

September 1985 – A line up of mini-buses and ancillary vehicles at the Morley's Grey West Row garage. The site was where Blenheim Close was subsequently built. The buildings in the background (left to centre) can still be identified today. The building with the clock, which was Morley’s office was demolished when the site was redeveloped.

September 1985 – Sign on the offices of Morley's Grey Coaches, West Row garage. The site was where Blenheim Close was subsequently built.

Thursday 14 May 1998 – It was good to see EBY 580, a 1973 Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Bedford YRQ, now operated by Paradise Garage of Buggiba. It was no less than former Morley’s Grey Coaches XWW 791L. Morley’s Grey was based in West Row near Mildenhall, Suffolk just a few miles away from where I live and had been our most prominent coach operator in the area until the business closed in 1985. It was seen at the bus terminus in Sliema.

Thursday 14 May 1998 – EBY 580, a 1973 Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Bedford YRQ, now operated by Paradise Garage of Buggiba. It was no less than former Morley’s Grey Coaches XWW 791L. Morley’s Grey was based in West Row near Mildenhall, Suffolk just a few miles away from where I live and had been our most prominent coach operator in the area until the business closed in 1985. It was seen at the bus terminus in Valletta.

Friday 23 March 1990 – West Row Coach Services PMA 483P seen by St. Mary’s Church in Barton Mills working a morning school contract. It was a Plaxton Supreme bodied Bedford YMT that had been new to Niddrie’s Coaches of Middlewich, Cheshire in April 1976 although had latterly been operated by Morley’s Grey Coaches until Morley’s ceased trading in 1985. WRCS and the related Taylor-Balls haulage business took over the former Morley’s Grey site as their base.

Tuesday 1 November 1994 – Riverside School in Mildenhall was accessed along Wamil Way until a new access road was built in later years. The roadway, lined with terraced cottages and houses is quite narrow and became very congested at school times. Two coaches of West Row Coach Services pass each other. Approaching is PMA 483P whilst JGV 335V heads away. Both are Plaxton bodied Bedford YMTs that had previously been operated by Morley’s Grey Coaches until that company ceased trading in 1985. The Morley’s garage became the base for WRCS and the related Taylor-Balls haulage business. PMA 483P was new to Niddrie’s Coaches of Middlewich, Cheshire in April 1976 and JGV 335V was new to Morley’s Grey in December 1979. The coach on the left is Leroy Coaches of Barway Q836 MEV.

October 1986 – After Morley’s Grey Coaches, based in West Row near Mildenhall, ceased trading in 1985, the garage site was taken over by the Taylor-Balls haulage business. West Row Coach Services was established as part of Taylor-Balls. JGV 335V was one of the two former Morley’s Grey Coaches Plaxton Supreme bodied Bedford YMTs that were acquired by WRCS at its formation. The destination glass shows the name that Ron Issacson, the former Morley’s Grey driver, was known by. It was seen parked at the West Row garage. The livery used the same combination of colours that Taylor-Balls used for their lorries one of which may be seen in the background.

September 1990 – After Morley’s Grey Coaches, based in West Row near Mildenhall, ceased trading in 1985, the garage site was taken over by the Taylor-Balls haulage business. West Row Coach Services was established as part of Taylor-Balls and four of their Plaxton Supreme coaches are seen here parked at the West Row garage. Left to right: PMA 483P, a Bedford YMT that had been new to Niddrie’s Coaches of Middlewich, Cheshire in April 1976. It had latterly been operated by Morley’s Grey. HDN 472X, a Ford R1114 that had been new to Dodsworth’s Coaches of Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire in February 1982. TND 418X, a DAF MB200 new in May 1982 as a Shearings Holidays touring coach (owned by either Shearings or Jacksons – they were in the same group). It was then operated by D J Coaches of Fordham and Steve MacKenzie of West Row before passing to WRCS. JGV 335V, a Bedford YMT new to Morley’s Grey in December 1979.

Saturday 3 July 1993 - Taylor’s Reliance Coaches was based in Meppershall, Bedfordshire and operated two summer Saturday holiday services to Norfolk Coast resorts which passed along the A11 taking a refreshment break at Barton Mills. 578 CYA, a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Tiger, was working the Cromer, Sheringham and Mundesley service on this occasion. This coach had past links with Suffolk having been new to Morley’s Grey Coaches of West Row as VGV 50X in January 1982. Taylor’s had subsequently modified the front end fitting a destination dome and, as with other coaches in the fleet, updated the front by fitting a Plaxton Paramount I lower panel. After service with Taylor’s it moved on and along with way carried registration numbers VIL 3087 and DMJ 401X.

Friday 2 May 1997 – Rothwell’s Coaches of Heywood HAV 1Y seen on tour at Paignton. It is a LAG Galaxy bodied Volvo B10M that had been new to Miller Bros of Foxton, Cambridgeshire in July 1983. For a short time it had been operated by Morley’s Grey Coaches of West Row near Mildenhall until they closed in the Summer of 1985 where it retained the white based livery with blue and yellow relief.