Cotterells's of Mitcheldean, Bevan's of Soudley
Courtesy of: Malcolm Wilce. Uploaded: .
Two Forest Bus Companies
Top
photo: The single deck bus which belonged to Cotterell's of Mitcheldean
is parked in Cantilupe Road, Ross-on-Wye in front of the now demolished
School.
Bottom photo: Bevan Bros. of Soudley Valley
Coaches.
Malcolm added (May 2007) : "I hope this might get someone remembering/producing
a photograph of Meek's of Nailbridge I think they used to operate between
Ruardean, Drybrook and Cinderford".
Please click the button below if you can help.
Thanks also to Michael Stephens who added
(May 2007) : "The Bevans vehicle is KDD 38,
an A.E.C. Harrington FC33F. Purchased new in 1950 by Bevans and was
with Bevans
until 1980, then sold to Mr N Hellinker of Stroud for preservation.
The Cottrell vehicle looks like FDF 866 an A.E.C. Duple C33F,
purchased new by Cottrells in1946 and sold in 1957.
This information is
from 'Fleet Histories of Selected Operators Gloucestershire Part 1 Forest
of Dean and Tewkesbury Areas' published by the P.S.V. Circle in September2005.
Also in the above book is a photo of a Meek's vehicle, the same photo
also appears in 'Images of England Gloucestershire's Independent Buses
and Coaches' printed by Tempus Publishing".
Michael also added (July 2007): "Information from BUSES Issue 629 August 2007 is that Cotterell's are to cease operations from JULY 31st 2007"
Thanks also to Avril Sanderson who added (Sept 2007): ".My grandfather Herbert Smith was a driver for Meakes from the 1930's until the 50's when they were taken over by Edwards. Meakes had 2 buses based in Nailbridge one running from outside the memorial hall in Woodside then on to Ruardeen Hill and on to Cinderford. The other went from the square in Ruardeen to the Morse (Morse Road) and on to the triangle in Cinderford".
Thanks also to Mike Smith who added (October 2007): "My father Bert Smith worked for Meek's buses as driver and mechanic in the late 30's through to the mid 50's. Meek's had three buses I can remember - an old Ford and later a Bedford Utility and later again a Bedford Duple coach. My mother Iris joined him for a while. Other conductors I remember were Bill Hill and Harry Taylor".
Derek Meek added (February 2011): "... I can remember travelling from Cinderford to Morse Lane Drybrook in a Meek's bus. I think just before the WW2 - or it might have been just after. My father's family lived in Morse Lane at the top of the track which leads down to the old Drybrook Halt past Ground farm".
Richard Cook added (May 2011): "... The conductor was Billy Haile who lived at Woodview, Nailbridge. I lived with Mr and Mrs Haile for a time and sometimes Billy would take me to work with him and I would spend the day going up and down from Cinderford to Joy's Green Raurdean Hill and The Pludds. When they took a tea break in Cinderford at the Triangle I would sit in the drivers seat blowing the hooter and pretending to drive. The Meek family lived on the Raudean hillsid,e just above the garage and Derek was usually the driver. I remember Mike's father visiting Billy at home and he would bring his daughter Pat with him we were about the same age".
John Phillips added (September 2011): "... I last saw the Bevan's coach in September 2008. It was passing through Bibury heading in the direction of Cirencester. As I was going to play for Evensong at St Mary's Barnsley, I was able to follow it for a couple of miles and noted that it was in completely original livery. It even had the telephone number Cinderford 2129 on it. I travelled on this coach many times and it brought back a lot of happy memories".
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WANTED: Old photos, old postcards, ephemera and memories of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. U.K.