With CBW turning 40 this year, we decided to put the spotlight on our readers – individuals and businesses alike – to find out how the industry has changed in the four decades we’ve been in print. This week, Hunt’s Coaches and Keith Payne of Ebdons Tours tell their stories [wlm_nonmember][…]
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Hunt’s Coaches of Alford, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire-based, family-run operator Hunt’s Coaches was founded in 1930 by Frederick Hunt. Today, the business is owned and run by father and son team Michael and Joe Hunt.
Currently the company’s fleet is 33-strong, and operations are carried out from two sites in the town of Alford. Hunt’s current offering includes coach hire, holidays, day excursions, group events and theatre trips. The business ‘takes great pride in providing high standards of service’.
“Hunt’s Coaches has been in business for nearly 90 years, and by listening to our customers we have gone from strength to strength,” said Lindsay Linder, Business Development and Marketing Manager.
“In 1978, we purchased a T-reg, 53-seat Plaxton on a Bedford chassis. As part of our fleet development in the 1970s, this coach enabled our customers to enjoy one of the most up-to-date vehicles at the time.
“When we look back, it’s great to compare our current fleet to those in the 1970s. Time is always moving, much like our industry, with vehicle appearance and technology advancements a true example of how far we have progressed.
“The Plaxton provided our service between Alford and Boston. It is testament to Hunt’s Coaches longevity, as we started a route to Boston three times daily in 1930 and we continue to run services to Boston today.”
Keith Payne
Managing Director at Ebdons Tours of Kent
Based in Thamesmead, Ebdons Tours has been serving passengers for over 50 years. Describing itself as the South East’s leading coach day excursions company, Ebdons covers London, North West Kent and South West Essex – with vehicles ranging from 16 to 57 seats. Keith Payne, the operator’s Managing Director, told CBW: “40 years ago I was a coach co-ordinator at National Travel South East, based at Victoria Coach Station (above the inspector’s office at bay 25). We used to detail the Victoria Samuelsons work, the East Kent Pool and South London depots Catford, Crayford and Croydon.
“We allocated work for around 150 coaches per day over all the depots. The East Kent Pool operated coach services for Hoverllod out of Ramsgate on liveried coaches, along with the two so-named ‘fire engines’ AYU 469 and 470 H, painted in red to operate London Transport sightseeing tours.
“We also allocated the Europabus services that then went to Athens, Amsterdam, Paris, Cologne and Frankfurt (now under a FlixBus guise) but the Athens service stopped when the former Yugoslavia was troubled by war.
“Athens was operated by these 47-seater left-hand drive AEC Willowbrook coaches with no air conditioning. The drivers all had to undertake specific training and did not always get it right and hit things; they then had to go back to the factory for rebuilding as no two were the same.
“These were the days when the Eastern Scottish services up to Edinburgh departed on a Friday night with up to 50 coaches, on the new Volvo B58 Alexander bodies. They were all lined up along Buckingham Palace Road. Of course, this was before the days of easyJet and the East and West Coast lines to Scotland.”
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