Mrs Castle keeps operators on the hop
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''WHAT do you think of the Government': Transport Bill proposals?" I put this questior to Mr. R. A. Oaths, general manager of thi Bedfordshire independent operator, Buck master Garages Ltd. "I am terrified", hi replied.
An extreme view? By no means. Time an' again I have found a similar reaction frorr independent coach operators who are deeph concerned by the implications of Mrs. Barbari• Castle's plans for road transport's future.
Mr. Lallis went an to say: -There is so mud. uncertainty about the Transport Bill that it difficult to plan ahead. There is nothing to stor the Minister setting-up additional PTAs to morrow.'"
On the face of it, one would imagine that firm in the position of Buckmaster had rathe less to fear than some other independen operators. The company is based in Leightor Buzzard, which has a population of abou 18,000 and is set in a largely rural area. TIN company also has picking-up facilities fo excursions and tours in Bletchley, a rapidh developing town to the north-west of Leightor Buzzard. Bletchley's population has increase( from 7,500 in 1951 to about 23,520.
It would seem unlikely, therefore, that thi region will be designated as a Passenge Transport Authority area in the foreseeabl, future. On the other hand, the situation i somewhat complicated by the proposal a establish a new town of Milton Keynes with population of 260,000—larger than any ne%, town to be designated to date. This tow would be uncomfortably close to Leighto Buzzard, and might lead to the establishmer
of a new transport authority. It would be based on the existing towns of Bletchley and Stony Stratford.
With this uncertainty, it is clear that it is difficult for Buckmaster to plan ahead. On the other hand, Buckmaster is not principally a stage operator. The whole area is, in the main, served by the State-owned United Counties Omnibus Co. Ltd. Only two stage services are operated by Buckmaster Garages. One is a twice-daily journey, Monday to Friday, from Drayton Parslow. to the northwest, into Leighton Buzzard. The other is a Tuesday market day service from Stewkley, west of the town, into Leighton Buzzard.
The principal activities of the company are excursions and tours traffic, and summer express services include one from Dunstable to Glasgow via Luton and Bedford and others to 'the coast. Regular tours include two three-day Yorkshire tours and one two-day tour of North Wales. There is also a very comprehensive programme of day and half-day tours with 20 destinations, including day excursions to Northern France, two of which were run last year.
What Buckmaster fears, perhaps, is the establishment of a PTA in the area, which would run tours in competition with the company. Then there is the "bread and butter" of the business—schools and works contracts. The company runs no fewer than 15 schools contract services; double-decker buses are operated on some of these. Would a PTA take over such services?
It is a sobering thought that an operator in what I would have described as a -safe" area
is so worried about the possibilities of being swallowed-up by a PTA. If there are many other operators in a similar position, it is time Mrs. Cagle really made her plans clear. Independent coach operation is a hazardous enough exercise without the additional uncertainty imposed by the very existence of the Transport Bill.
Mr. Callis stressed to me that it was difficult to plan ahead with the political and economic situation what it is. He is also very concerned about the drivers' hours proposals in the Bill, The majority of excursions are operated with one driver, but if the proposals became law, many would require two drivers. Mr. Callis could foresee many difficulties in relation to the working week. Certainly costs would go up, and hence fares and private hire charges would have to be increased.
And all this was completely unjustified, he thought. There was no evidence that the existing regulations were dangerous. The passenger vehicle industry had a high record of safety.
Another proposal which is causing Buckmaster some concern is that of the Greater London Council takeover of London Transport. "What sort of vacuum will be left in the country area?" asks Mr. Callis.
I was encouraged to learn that the company has recently become a member of the Passenger Vehicle Operators Association. Mr. Callis felt that it was the duty of the company to join an Association which aimed to protect the indePendent operators' interests. The more people who join the fight, the betterl
One final point which emerged before we got down to discussing the company's actual
operations was that Buckmaster was incensed with the Road Transport Industry Training Board proposals. "Why should bus and coach operators be lumped-in with garages", asked Mr. Callis. There ought to be a differential levy, he thought. The company trains its own drivers on spare vehicles, using senior drivers as tutors. He said that there was no shortage of pay, drivers, but there was a shortage of revenue to pay them attractive wages. However, there was not a very high turnover of staff.
Established 1938
The Buckmaster Garages business was established in 1938. Since then there has not been much fluctuation in size, apart from the war years. The present fleet comprises 12 Bedford coaches, one single-deck bus, and four Leyland double-deck buses, the latter used on schools services. Formerly AEC and Leyland coaches were employed, but nine years ago the policy of introducing Bedford coaches was adopted, and the only remaining Leyland single-decker in the fleet is an MCW Olympic, which is used on a contract to the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bedford.
The Bedford coaches range from one 20seater to two 52-seaters, and include one 29-seater. five 41-seaters, two 45-seaters and one 49-seater. Bodywork is standardized on Plaxton, although there are three Duple-bodied coaches in the fleet. Three new coaches were due for delivery at the beginning of February. and 1964 vintage coaches were going in partexchange. It is Buckmaster policy to keep a "young" fleet.
Although lighter vehicles are now employed, they have proved very reliable. The company employs about 12 drivers and a fitter. and does most of its own maintenance. Unit changes on the Bedfords, when required, are contracted out to Shaw and Kilburn. but are avoided whenever possible by changing vehicles regularly.
The coaches are painted in ivory and maroon livery. A striking feature is a map of Britain painted on the rear locker door showing destinations served by the company. They carry the fleet name Buckmaster Coaches. No definite livery appears to be applied to the double-deckers.
Unique bus
One of the double-deckers is an ex-London Transport Leyland RTVV and two are ex-Ribble Leyland lowbridge buses. The fourth vehicle. however, is unique, being the second of two experimental rear-engined double-deckers built by Leyland before the familiar Atlantean design was evolved. This interesting bus has a rear entrance, the engine being mounted beneath the staircase of the MCW body.
Despite the use of a rear engine, the bus has a half-cab and low "dummy" bonnet at the front. The vehicle has suffered the odd bit of mechanical trouble, and due to its unique design replacements have proved a problem, although the body has been trouble-free.
Right yardstick?
Buckmaster has no plans for introducing new stage services, despite the expansion taking place at Bletchley. It considers that the area is the established operating territory of United Counties. Both the existing stage services operate "well below cost". However, as the vehicles are already there the company in that sense breaks even. "It is very difficult to find the right yardstick by which to measure the profitability or otherwise of a service", said Mr. Callis.
Coaches are normally operated on the stage services and a part-time conductor is employed. There are no plans for switching the services to one-man operation as this would require specialized vehicles; the extra cost is not considered Justified.
Buckmaster regularly produces a duplicated brochure of tours, with a cover showing one of the company's coaches and lettered "Buckmaster. Excursions and Tours from Leighton Buzzard, Bletchley and surrounding villages-. The company also does a lot of newspaper advertising and posters listing a fortnight's tours are regularly displayed at the headquarters booking office and at the Bletchley branch office.
Theatre and private hire work are regularly handled by the company; there was a gradual build-up until three years ago, since when the traffic has been static. At the time of my visit Mr. Callis remarked that no-one seemed to know what was going to happen this year. There had been some unemployment in the area, but this was now improving. However, it was becoming increasingly difficult to forecast future demand. A varied programme of tours is operated throughout the season.
Excursions are operated to London every Sunday and Thursday. These are not quite so popular following the electrification of the London Midland Region line to Euston, which serves both Bletchley and Leighton Buzzard. To balance this, however, the private hire work to London theatres in winter remains popular. The company obtains the theatre tickets and books meals for such trips.
Indeed, a travel agency is a very important part of the Buckmaster Garages business. The company is a member of the Association of British Travel Agents, and is a booking agent for such firms as Wallace Arnold, Glenton Tours, Premier Traver Ltd., Seamarks Bros. Ltd., Bunty Coaches, United Counties. Cross Channel Ferries, Butlins, Channel Island Holidays, Clarkson Holidays, British Midland Airways and, as already suggested. London theatres.
Incidentally, Premier Travel Ltd. and Associated Motorways services both pass through Bletchley, although Buckmaster is the company with the picking-up rights in that town. There is a growing picking-up potential as the town expands.
It indeed seems a great pity that the growing potential of this enterprising company should be overshadowed by Mrs. Castle's cloud. Buckmaster may be taking a too-pessimistic view of the future, and it is to be hoped that this turns out to be the case. Clearly, however, It is prepared to fight "tooth and nail" to keep its independence—I wish it every success.