Burnley, Colne & Nelson Joint Transport Committee
Bus Routes 1933 - 1948
As far as can be ascertained route numbers were not shown in the various timetables published between 1934 and 1948 by the new joint transport undertaking. Photographs taken of the town centre in the 1930's do however, show buses displaying route numbers.
Photo: - St James's Street, Burnley about 1936, TD3's, TD4's and a AEC Regent in a very crowded scene. Notice the offside destination displays on the TD4's.
The traffic returns for the month of April 1933 show the following 'bus routes in operation: -
Reedley Halt - Towneley via Branch Road
Nelson - Rosegrove via Coal Clough Lane and Rossendale Road (1)
Hollins - Padiham via Trafalgar Street and Gannow Lane (2)
Abel Street - Hufling Lane (Relief Working)
Melville Street - Rosegrove (3)
Harle Syke - Rosegrove
Colne - Padiham
Video capture from North West Film Archive of AEC Regal on limited stop service
passing tram in Colne Market Street.
Nelson - Clover Hill
Nelson - Harle Syke
Nelson - Hallam Road top
Nelson - Valley Mills
Nelson - Carr Hall
Nelson - Marsden Park
Nelson - Barrowford (4)
Colne - Earby
Colne - Laneshawbridge (5)
Colne - Trawden (5)
Colne - Keighley
(1) On 16th June 1933 a proposal was made to extend this service to operate from Higherford.
(2) On 14th October 1934 this route was altered to operate from Burnley and a new route Burnley to Worsthorne commenced jointly operated with Ribble Motor Services. Also a new service to replace trams began operation between Manchester Road Summit (Cog Lane or Creswick Avenue) and Towneley.
(3) This was probably a short working of the Nelson - Rosegrove service.
(4) On 7th January 1934 buses replaced trams on the Nelson - Colne section and new services were introduced between Higherford and Laneshawbridge and Higherford and Trawden.
(5) These services were extended to operate from Higherford (Dicky Nook) during 1934. [As per note (4)]
The traffic return for 28th February 1935 shows the following additional services: -
Earby - Skipton
Earby - Barnoldswick
Colne - Skipton (Joint with Ribble) (Commenced 18th February 1935)
On 7th May 1935 the tram service between Padiham and Nelson was discontinued and replaced with buses. The traffic return for 31st May 1935 therefore now shows passenger numbers for the main line service between Padiham, Higherford, Trawden and Laneshawbridge. The services between Earby and Barnoldswick, Colne and Skipton are no longer shown individually. It seems likely that the passenger numbers were combined under the Colne - Skipton service due to joint working with Ribble. The Burnley - Padiham via Trafalgar and Gannow Lane was curtailed to terminate at Whitegate following the tram replacement.
By July 1935 the Padiham - Colne limited stop service had been discontinued due to lack of patronage.
Joint operation with Ribble of services beyond Padiham commenced on 25th July 1936. The traffic return for 31st August 1936 shows journeys operating to Whalley and on 30th June 1937 to Clitheroe. Joint operation of journeys between Burnley and Holmes Chapel are also shown in June 1937.
On 22nd June 1937 the Nelson - Rosegrove service was replaced by Nelson - Reedley Halt and Burnley - Rosegrove services. The Reedley Halt - Towneley service was replaced with a Burnley - Towneley - Boggart Bridge service operating via Hollingreave Road following a trial commencing 10th May 1937. This service was later incorporated into the Manchester Road - Towneley service for alternate buses operating from Glen View.