Buses at Colchester bus station ? 1971

Image: © Alan Murray-Rust Taken: 23 Oct 1971

This was the old bus station and multi-storey car park – still under construction - adjacent to The Minories and now replaced by the Firstsite Gallery. East Anglia was traditionally served by a number of small family owned bus companies providing services from neighbouring villages into the main towns. Represented here are Norfolk's of Nayland and Chambers of Bure. Norfolk's ran to Stoke-by-Nayland, and the service continued after deregulation until 1991 when the company was taken over by the Hedingham and District company. TWL928 is an AEC Regent II with Park Royal bodywork, originally new in 1953 to City of Oxford Motor Services. The Chambers main service was between Colchester and Bury St Edmunds, which is where their bus is heading. The firm continued in business until 2012 when it was sold to GoAhead group, although the name is still used on vehicles operating the traditional routes. PTX897F is a Ford R192 with Duple bodywork, originally supplied to Bebb of Llantwit Fardre near Pontypridd in 1968. This is one of a series of views featuring buses in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2114547&displayclass=slide

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