Country Bus
Country Bus began in North Devon in spring 1985 with a single minibus and it wasn’t until a year later that they diversified into operating anything larger. After that, rapid expansion saw them take-over Blue Embassy, quickly followed by Stamps of Honiton. This gave them a presence across the whole of the North and East of the county, winning contracts as far away as Exmouth. It was not to last though and by September 1989, they’d gone bust and it was all over. At its 1989 peak, the fleet strength was some 35 vehicles. Cawlett was the beneficiary of many of the contracts and picked up some vehicles too, extending Southern National territory into Honiton and stabling some buses in Monkton (the former Battens Coaches premises, also used by Country Bus and Nightingales). GHU 639N was one of three Leyland Nationals operated and was a Bristol Omnibus machine when new. It’s seen here at Exmouth in the company of OUC 33R, the only double-decker to have been operated.
Country Bus livery was dark green and cream, although not all vehicles (such as the DMS – still in Pulham’s livery), received it. The DMS, would pass to Filers of Ilfracombe before finding its way back to London as an open-topper with Big Bus.
Country Bus
Country Bus began in North Devon in spring 1985 with a single minibus and it wasn’t until a year later that they diversified into operating anything larger. After that, rapid expansion saw them take-over Blue Embassy, quickly followed by Stamps of Honiton. This gave them a presence across the whole of the North and East of the county, winning contracts as far away as Exmouth. It was not to last though and by September 1989, they’d gone bust and it was all over. At its 1989 peak, the fleet strength was some 35 vehicles. Cawlett was the beneficiary of many of the contracts and picked up some vehicles too, extending Southern National territory into Honiton and stabling some buses in Monkton (the former Battens Coaches premises, also used by Country Bus and Nightingales). GHU 639N was one of three Leyland Nationals operated and was a Bristol Omnibus machine when new. It’s seen here at Exmouth in the company of OUC 33R, the only double-decker to have been operated.
Country Bus livery was dark green and cream, although not all vehicles (such as the DMS – still in Pulham’s livery), received it. The DMS, would pass to Filers of Ilfracombe before finding its way back to London as an open-topper with Big Bus.