HISTORY OF
HEREFORD & WORCESTER COUNTY
SMALL OPERATORS BUS SERVICES

This section is planned to show all changes to smaller operators' routes in Hereford and Worcester from just pre-deregulation (Summer 1986) until the end of the County (March 1999).  I am slowly improving the format of the section, firstly by splitting it into pages following letters of the alphabet to improve loading times, secondly by reformatting each alphabetical section.

To move to another page choose the first letter for the operator in which you are interested :-

A B C D F G H J K L M N-O P R S T W Y

Return to Home Page

OPERATORS : LETTER K

Kestrel Coaches (Harrison) of Dunhampton :
Crutch Lane - Cooksey Green - Elmley Lovett - Cutnall Green - Hampton Lovett - Droitwich High School (Sch)
8/9/87 : Acquired from Swan Street Coaches. No longer serves Droitwich centre.

The Schooldays services between Upton Snodsbury and Swinesherd and between Crutch Lane and Droitwich ceased after 21 December 1991, being acquired by Dudley's Coaches and K C S Tours respectively.   New tendered services 2 (Bark Hill - Bewdley - Kidderminster, Su) and 10 (Comberton Farm - Kidderminster, Su) provide Sunday services on Midland Red West NSu routes, and commenced on 29 May 1994.  Each runs hourly, with some gaps on 2 coinciding with journeys on Whittle 292.  New service 18B (Kidderminster - Offmore -Hoobrook - Spennells - Offmore - Kidderminster, Su) of 3 journeys commenced on 26 February 1995, formed by the extension of certain journeys on 10 (Kidderminster - Offmore, Su).  300 (Kidderminster - Worcester via Bewdley, Stourport, Hartlebury, Ombersley, Holt Heath and Hallow) is a new Summer Sunday and Bank Holiday service from 23 July 1995.  300 (Kidderminster-Worcester via Bewdley, Stourport, Hartlebury, Ombersley, Holt Heath and Hallow) is a new Summer Sunday and Bank Holiday service, marketed as the "Severn Valley Explorer", which commenced on 23 July 1995.  4 round trips are provided on a 3 hour headway.  300 (Worcester - Bewdley - Kidderminster, Su) was extended to Merry Hill Shopping Centre from 15 October 1995, causing an outcry from traders in Worcester and Kidderminster.  As a consequence, the originally subsidised extension operated on a commercial basis from the following Sunday 22 October 1995.  Summer Sunday and Bank Holiday service 300 (Kidderminster - Worcester) was resumed again for the 1996 season on  26 May 1996, running  every 3 hours via Bewdley, Stourport, Ombersley and Holt Heath as in Summer 1995.
 

K. C S Tours (Shorthouse) of Cutnall Green :

Droitwich - Longbridge Works via Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove, Catshill (Wks)
August 1986 : Transferred from Hardings Coaches

Schooldays service 855 (Crutch Lane - Droitwich via Cooksey Green, Rushock, Elmley Lovett, Sneads Green, Cutnall Green and Hampton Lovett was acquired from Kestrel Coaches from 7 January 1991.  The Schooldays contract service 855 (Crutch Lane - Cutnall Green - Droitwich, Sch) was reorganised from 3 September 1991, with the replacement contract not being available to the public.  941 (Droitwich - Longbridge, Works service) was incorporated into Rover Coaches 943, probably from some time in August 1995.
 

Kingfisher Bus Company (Elkins) of Redditch :
This company took over services 7,8(Redditch - Matchborough Circulars) and 7E,8E (Redditch - Matchborough - Redditch - St Augustines School) from Redline Bus Company in late October 1989. 7/8 (Redditch - Matchborough Circulars, NSu) were further expanded from 12 May 1990. A service is now provided throughout the day Monday to Saturday. Subsidised service 946 (Headless Cross - Redditch New Town - Redditch - Longbridge Works, M-F) commenced on 1 October 1990, replacing a similar service by Hardings Coaches 946 (Redditch - Longbridge Works, M-F) was withdrawn after 22 March 1991 due to poor patronage.  7/8 (Redditch - Matchborough Circulars, NSu) were reduced from 5 August 1992 to every 15 minutes, following the reduction of the vehicle authorisation on the Kingfisher PSV Operator's Licence.   Following restrictions on this company's "O" Licence, 7/8 (Redditch - Matchborough Circulars) were reduced to every 15 minutes from 8 September 1992, and 8E (St Augustines School -> Redditch -> Matchborough, Sch) was withdrawn, passing to Midland Red West.  From 22 September 1992, the company's "O" Licence was suspended completely and 7E (Matchborough -> St Augustines School, Sch) also passed to Midland Red West, 7/8 being withdrawn without replacement.  7/8  (Redditch - Matchborough Circulars) were reintroduced from 1 November 1992 when the company's "O" licence was reinstated. 7/8 (Redditch Locals, NSu) were withdrawn after operation on 30 January 1993, thus ending the competition on the "Busway" routes.