David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos with the keyword: Fawdon Bus Company

The 'Ten Cities Express' operated between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Coventry licenced to a number of big company operators most of which became part of the National Bus Company. The service had its origins with the Fawdon Bus Company which started the service in 1928. In 1933 Fawdon was acquired by the West Yorkshire Road Car Company on behalf of the ‘Limited Stop’ and ‘Yorkshire Services’ pools and following the acquisition revenue north of Leeds was shared by Northern General Transport, North Western Road Car, West Yorkshire Road Car and Yorkshire Woollen District. South of Leeds it was shared by East Yorkshire Motor Services, West Yorkshire Road Car Company, Yorkshire Traction Company and Yorkshire Woollen District. Due to there being so many different companies involved, the road service licence for the service was held in the name of the Fawdon Omnibus Company registered at the offices of Northern General in Bensham. Since no vehicles were owned by Fawdon a hiring permit was granted by the Traffic Commissioners with Northern General Transport, West Yorkshire Road Car and Yorkshire Woollen District being the prominent operators. The Fawdon Company was wound up in 1962 and the different pool members then held separate licences (which then included East Midland Motor Services, Lancashire United Transport and United Automobile Services). It was at this time the service became marketed as the ‘Ten Cities Express’. The feeder services shown in this timetable to/from Halifax and Huddersfield were actually timings covered by the Blackpool-Barnsley service J7 of the 'Yorkshire-Blackpool' pool operators.

An extract from the Winter 1969/1970 ABC Coach and Bus Guide showing the Yorkshire-London and Yorkshire-Luton services of the 'Yorkshire Services' pool operators (East Midland Motor Services, East Yorkshire Motor Services, West Yorkshire Road Car Company, Yorkshire Traction Company and Yorkshire Woollen District Transport).

An extract from the Summer 1951 ABC Coach and Bus Guide showing the Yorkshire-London and Yorkshire-Birmingham services of the 'Yorkshire Services' pool operators (East Midland Motor Services, East Yorkshire Motor Services, West Yorkshire Road Car Company, Yorkshire Traction Company and Yorkshire Woollen District Transport). Barnsley featured as a key interchange point for the different services. The page also contains the timetable for the related Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Coventry service, the 'Fawdon Service' which received the name 'Ten Cities Express' in the 1960s.

The 'Ten Cities Express' operated between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Coventry licenced to a number of big company operators most of which became part of the National Bus Company. The service had its origins with the Fawdon Bus Company which started the service in 1928. In 1933 Fawdon was acquired by the West Yorkshire Road Car Company on behalf of the ‘Limited Stop’ and ‘Yorkshire Services’ pools and following the acquisition revenue north of Leeds was shared by Northern General Transport, North Western Road Car, West Yorkshire Road Car and Yorkshire Woollen District. South of Leeds it was shared by East Yorkshire Motor Services, West Yorkshire Road Car Company, Yorkshire Traction Company and Yorkshire Woollen District. Due to there being so many different companies involved, the road service licence for the service was held in the name of the Fawdon Omnibus Company registered at the offices of Northern General in Bensham. Since no vehicles were owned by Fawdon a hiring permit was granted by the Traffic Commissioners with Northern General Transport, West Yorkshire Road Car and Yorkshire Woollen District being the prominent operators. The Fawdon Company was wound up in 1962 and the different pool members then held separate licences (which then included East Midland Motor Services, Lancashire United Transport and United Automobile Services). It was at this time the service became marketed as the ‘Ten Cities Express’. The feeder services shown in this timetable to/from Halifax and Huddersfield were actually timings covered by the Blackpool-Barnsley service J7 (later 217) of the 'Yorkshire-Blackpool' pool operators.

In 1928 the Fawdon Bus Company commenced a service between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Coventry. Whilst there had been a number of different pioneering operators with similar services it was only Fawdon Bus Company and Hall Brothers of South Shields that obtained road service licences in 1931 under the then new Road Traffic Act. The Fawdon service had competed with the big company operators working the ‘Limited Stop’ pool between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Leeds and the ‘Yorkshire Services’ pool between Leeds and Birmingham. In 1933 Fawdon was acquired by the West Yorkshire Road Car Company on behalf of the pool operators. Following the acquisition revenue north of Leeds was shared by Northern General Transport, North Western Road Car, West Yorkshire Road Car and Yorkshire Woollen District. South of Leeds it was shared by East Yorkshire Motor Services, West Yorkshire Road Car Company, Yorkshire Traction Company and Yorkshire Woollen District. Due to there being so many different companies involved, the road service licence for the service was held in the name of the Fawdon Omnibus Company registered at the offices of Northern General in Bensham. Since no vehicles were owned by Fawdon a hiring permit was granted by the Traffic Commissioners with Northern General Transport, West Yorkshire Road Car and Yorkshire Woollen District being the prominent operators. The Fawdon Company was wound up in 1962 and the different pool members then held separate licences. It was at this time the service became marketed as the ‘Ten Cities Express’.

Pages 54 and 55 of the Summer 1932 'Roadway Motor Coach Timetable' showing timetables of Fallowfield and Knight, Farnham Blue Coaches, Fawdon Bus Company, Fingland's and Fleetways.