In a surprise move, First Bus is to buy the York Pullman business as part of its drive to diversify its portfolio and expand its footprint in North Yorkshire
FirstGroup has announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the York Pullman business, which has operations in York and surrounding towns in North Yorkshire. It provides home-to-school and college contracted services and private hire operations including rail replacement services, and operates a small number of local bus routes on behalf of several local authorities, using a mixed fleet of more than 130 vehicles.
Managing Director Tom James will remain with the company as Managing Director and continue to run it on a standalone basis, as well as contributing to the development of the First Bus coach services growth strategy.
FirstGroup Chief Executive Graham Sutherland said: “A key pillar of our strategy is to grow and diversify our portfolio. The acquisition of York Pullman, a long- established, high-performing business fits well with our strategy as it will both enhance the First Bus operational footprint in North Yorkshire and expand our adjacent services business, where we are looking to grow our presence.”
Speaking about why he sold the business, Managing Director Tom James said: “As a family owned business, I have always been immensely proud of how much we, as a whole team, have collectively achieved in a comparatively short time, including gaining DVSA Earned Recognition Accreditation and twice winning an award for being the Best Large Coach Operator in the UK.
“I am now looking to a future where the company can continue to build on the achievements so far whilst retaining our core family values and perhaps allowing us some time to welcome new ideas, enthusiasm and innovations from outside of our usual areas for inspiration. Change is the law of life and I believe that First Bus will bring new energy, ideas and expertise that will take York Pullman forward into the bright future of an exciting and ever-developing coach industry.”
York Pullman history
The York Pullman name goes back to the early 1920s when garage owner Norman Pearce started operating a service between York and Stamford Bridge. He was joined by Hartas Foxton in 1926 to establish the York Pullman Bus Company, which adopted a maroon, yellow and cream livery reminiscent of old Pullman railway carriages.
By 1938 it had outgrown its three garages in Lead Mill Lane, James Street and Piccadilly, and acquired a large area of derelict land in Navigation Road, where it constructed a new depot on the site of a former glassworks factory. With the onset of war in 1939, the Piccadilly garage was requisitioned and would never fully return to Pullman use.
York Pullman continued to provide bus services throughout the war years and in 1951 moved into new premises, making Bootham Tower its new home. By the 1970s it was carrying over 1,000,000 passengers annually and had expanded from bus work to offer an extensive day excursion programme as well as holidays.
In 1985, the business was sold to Reynard Coaches, but in 1990 the York Pullman name was sold to Hull City Transport along with 20 coaches from the fleet (Reynard was acquired by Yorkshire Rider the same year), but the identity of the then-defunct company was resurrected by former employee Tom James of K&J Travel of York in April 2007.
