BIG " NATIONAL " DEVELOPMENTS IN THE WEST COUNTRY
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The Western and Southern National Companies Buying Out Small Operators 0TH the Western National Omni_0 bus Co. Ltd., and the Southern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., have, during the past six months, made remarkable progress in developing their services in areas of Somerset and Dorset, where their occupation was formerly of a skeleton character. As a result of a steady process of absorption of small proprietors, a number of important through services has just been introduced.
One of these connects Bridport, West Bay, Lyme Regis, Seaton and. Beer with Sidmouth, crossing a portion of the "Southern National" area hitherto served by the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Co., Ltd., despite an agreement of 1929 fixing the division of area along the Eioniton-Sidmouth line. The "Devon General" services extending eastward to Lyme Regis will in future be co-ordinated with the Southern National company's own services.
Changes on the Dorset coast have been aecelerated by the purchase of Edwards and Hann, Ltd., an amalgamation, In 1924, of Bearainster Garage Co. (Edward Hann) with Hill and Boll .(11ritlport), Ltd. The Beaminster
Bridport-West Bay ,service of Edwards and Hann, Ltd., was taken over in April, and is now merged with other facilities, including a through West Bay-Chard service, which uses licences taken over from Chard Motors, Ltd., last June.
Wineanton and District Motor Services, which were taken over by the " Southern National" at the end of last year and had an important business, are now the basis of a big development ef trunk routes, with a service several times daily from Yeovil to Frame, via Sherborne. and Wincanton. As Frome is the southern terminal of a "Western National" route serving a long neck of that company's territory from Cheltenham, Stroud, Malraesbury, Chippenhara and Trowbridge, the public gains considerably in the through-bus facilities available.
On some roads in the Taunton area the " Western National" concern has trebled its fleet, in a few months, by judicious purchases. Eli Ford's Mascot Safety Cars, of Alcombe, working a group of routes around Minehead, have added Porlock Weir, Luccombe and Roadwater services to the "Western National" list and improved that to Dunster.
The Lavender Blue routes of Thomas Motors, Ltd., which was in negotiation with the " Western National" and the Bristol" associate, Greyhound Motors, Ltd., Bristol, have added to the "Western National" operations between Minehead and Taunton and Bridgwater, as well as a new route to Street from Taunton.
At Watchet, Messrs. H. V. G. Williams's Imperial routes and, at Bishop's Lydeard, Messrs. P. G. Hanks's buses are now co-ordinated with "
National" times under " Western National" ownership. Nosti, the summer time-tables contain the services of Mr. E. J. Dunn, of Taunton. It is understood that his vehicles will run under the name of " Dunn's Services" for some time, but the proprietor is shown as the Western National Omnibus Co., Ltd.