Tourist Group is the name covering a group of southern (English) bus and coach operators. All of the operators are subsidiaries of Wilts & Dorset, which is itself part of the much larger Go-Ahead Group.
As part of Wilts & Dorset, the Tourist Group operators are in the Go South Coast division of Go-Ahead, along with Southern Vectis and Solent Blue Line.
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Operators part of Tourist Group
Bell's Coaches
Bell's Coaches was established in 1921, when Reg Bell started "Winterslow & Pitton Motor Services". Always trading as Bell's Coaches, the company built up strong reputation quality coach hire, and it remained in the ownership of the Bell family until 1999. Bell's was acquired by the Go-Ahead Group in 2003, but is still locally managed in Salisbury by Chris Mills. Bells became part of the Tourist Group and Go South Coast in 2005, after Go-Ahead bought Solent Blue Line and Southern Vectis. [1] They currently operate coaches around the Salisbury area, with a travel office in the bus station there. [2]
Kingston
The beginnings of the firm of Kingston Coaches are not documented but it is known that as early as 1924 a gentleman by the name of Edward Charles H Grant of Middle Winterslow provided a service to Salisbury for his fellow villagers four days a week. A photograph exists of a little 1928 Chevrolet, reg no MW2583, which was with Grant's Kingston Coaches some years before he sold his stage bus operations to Wilts & Dorset in February 1939. It is not known if separate "coaching" contracts were retained but what is known is that a firm called Kingston Coaches was set up shortly after WW2 by Mr and Mrs Alf Tedd in Middle Winterslow. Rumour has it that they purchased their first coach from a firm in the London area, and just started using it in its original livery and markings, including fleetname! However, it is more likely that the new company was resurrected from Grant's business. Both Tedd sons, Gordon and Phil, were involved in the running of the firm, and Phil went on eventually to buy and operate the nearby Amport and District coach firm. Although over the years Kingston operated vehicles of different makes, they favoured Fords with Duple bodywork. Livery colours were basically red and sand. Main contracts were with the military (for movement of troops stationed on nearby Salisbury Plain), schools, and local private hire work, together with a heavy commitment to third-party wholesale tour business. They also provided back-up "duplicate" coaches for, originally, Associated Motorways and later, National Express. On retirement, the Tedds sold the company to Thamesdown of Swindon, but shortly afterwards, in 1997, Kingston was sold on to Wilts & Dorset. The fleet of eight coaches was moved to that company's Salisbury bus depot, and Wilts & Dorset gained the valuable contracts that came with the business. The former Kingston Coaches depot in Middle Winterslow has been re-developed as an area of private housing.
Levers
- Bus Services
| No. | Places served on route | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 84 | East Knoyle, Semley, Tisbury, Chilmark, Teffont, Dinton, Barford St Martin, Burcombe, Wilton, Salisbury | Tuesdays & Saturdays only |
| 86 | Tisbury, Fonthill Gifford, Hindon, Milton, East Knoyle, Semley, Donhead St Mary, Donhead St Andrew, Charlton, Shaftesbury | Thursday only |
Tourist Coaches
The history of Tourist Coaches goes back to 1920, founded by E & DF Stanfield in Figheldean Wiltshire. At the time, it provided both private coach hire and contract coach services for the military establishments around Salisbury Plain. It became part of the Go-Ahead Group in 2003, and was put in the new Go South Coast division of Go-Ahead in late 2005 after Go-Ahead bought Solent Blue Line and Southern Vectis. [3]
They currently have bases in Salisbury and Figheldean and have a fleet of 10 coaches varying in size from 21 to 57 seats, on both UK and European day trips, as well as tours. [4]
- Bus Services[5]
| No. | Places served on route | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 25A | Wilton, Barford St. Martin, Salisbury | Thursdays only |
| 75 | Porton, Amesbury | Wednesdays & Fridays only |
| 79 | Ridings Mead, Salisbury, East Gomeldon | Tuesdays only |
| 201 | Figheldean, Ablington, Milston, Bulford Village, Amesbury, Wilsford, Lake, Upper Woodford, Great Durnford, Netton, Upper Woodford, Middle Woodford, Lower Woodford, Salisbury | Tuesdays & Fridays only |
| 210 | Figheldean, Netheravon, Fittleton, Coombe, Enford, East Chisenbury, Upavon, Woodborough, Marden, Chirton, Patney, Etchilhampton, Devizes | Thursdays & Saturdays only |
| 216 | Marlborough Town Service (High St, Barton Park) | Monday-Friday |
| 217 | Marlborough Town Service (High St, St Margarets, High St, Rogers Meadow, High St) | Monday-Friday. Operated jointly with Wilts & Dorset |
| 221 | Great Bedwyn, Wilton, East Grafton, West Grafton, Burbage, Easton Royal, Wooton Rivers, Milton Lilbourne, Pewsey | Tuesdays only |
| 222 | East Grafton, Shalbourne, Ham-Stype, Hungerford, Halfway, Speen, Newbury | Thursdays only |
| 244 | Devizes, Marlborough | Monday-Friday |
| 249 | Pewsey, Chirton, Devizes | Monday-Friday |
External links
See also
- Damory Coaches - also part of Wilts & Dorset, but big enough to be separate from Tourist Group
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References
- ^ Bell's Coaches History
- ^ Bell's Coaches Excursions
- ^ Tourist Coaches History
- ^ Current Operations Info
- ^ Wilts & Dorset Bus Times Booklet 02/09/07
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