Buses

Route No.26 at The Roach, just turning out of Church Street on to Derby Road.
Reproduced by the kind permsission of David Christie from an image on his Flickr Account

TRENT MOTOR TRACTION COMPANY

Derby – Stapleford via Spondon, Borrowash, and Sandiacre

8 November 1913
This ran every day, hourly. This was the first service introduced by Trent following the formation of the company which took over Commercial Car Hirers on the 3 November 1913. Within a few weeks it was cut back to Spondon.

Derby- Nottingham via Borrowash Sandiacre and Stapleford

1 October 1919
Service No.12 in January 1922 then No. 8 in June 1923

Nottingham-Heanor via Stapleford and Ilkeston

1920..
Service No.15 during January 1922 and then No.32 in June 1923. On 3 August 1922 some journeys diverted to run via Wollaton Square and Balloon Houses. In August 1924 the journeys between Stapleford and Nottingham were withdrawn. Instead it became Ilkeston – Sandiacre via Stapleford but lasted only until the end of 1925.

INDEPENDENT OPERATORS

Nottingham – Stapleford- Sandiacre

F Justice (Quick Line Transit), Nottingham

March 1923. In June 1925 extended to Derby. Believed to have finished by 1926.

J Turner (Eagle) Findern.

Granted a service to Derby 13 April 1927. Sold to Barton 12 October 1929 and then to Trent 22 October 1929

Ilkeston- Long Eaton via Stapleford & Sandiacre

*Billingham Bros, Ilkeston.

Ilkeston -Sandiacre from 14 August 1925. Extended to Long Eaton 10 January 1926. To Barton & Midland General 1 August 1935.

*Grainger Bros, Ilkeston

Granted 14 June 1926. Acquired Poxon’s 1934. To Blue Services (Grainger Bros) 1935. Ilkeston-Skegness via Sandiacre, Stapleford, Newark & Sleaford Sat only. Sold out to Barton & Midland General 25 September 1941

*E Gregory, Ilkeston

Granted 14 June 1926. Odd journey extended to Trent Lock on Sunday? granted 4 June 1926. Jointly acquired by Barton & Midland General 1 March 1937.

*W Winfield, Awsworth

Granted 26 July 1926. To Barton & Midland General 17 June 1940.

*S Pounder, Ilkeston (Empress)

Granted 1926. To Barton 25.5.34

*H Boxall, Heanor

Granted 30 May 1927. Extension to Heanor granted 16 November 1927. Acquired by Barton April 1929.

H Smith Long Eaton

Ran through to Castle Donington on the above from 14 September 1928. Also a Saturdays only Stanton by Dale Sandiacre, Stapleford, Nottingham granted 27 October 1926. Business acquired by Barton March 1929.

E Poxon Ilkeston

Granted 1 April 1931, extended to Castle Donington 12 March 1932. Sold to Grainger Bros., 1934.

* Formed the United Bus Services, an association to co-ordinate operations.
Sandiacre (Lace Webb – Stapleford- Ilkeston works service.

FW Edwards by 1931

F U Charlton ditto. To Barton 21 December 1934. Also Cotmanhay – Stapleford Johnson & Barnes)

Stanton Ironworks -Sandiacre- Stapleford


E Poxon by 1931 then to Grainger.

BARTONS

Nottingham (Walter Fountain  Lister Gate- Sandiacre (Market Place)
October 1910 via Castle Blvd, Lenton Blvd, Wollaton Lodge Gates, Bramcote, & Stapleford. Daily except Thursday.
Nottingham (Greyfriar Gate)- Long Eaton (Market Place)
15 August 1919 as before to Sandicre then extended via Longmoor Lane & Derby Road. Except Thursday. 17 October 1919 Terminates at Long Eaton (Green) Saturdays only. 4 June 1920 Daily and terminates at The Green.
Beeston – Sandiacre (Market Place)
Late 1914 via Wollaton Rd, Bramcote, Stapleford. One journey each way except Thursdays.
Nottingham (Greyfriar Gate)- Long Eaton (Market Place)
15 August 1919 via Castle Blvd, Lenton Blvd, Wollaton Lodge Gate, Beeston Lane, Beeston High Road, Wollaton Road, then to Sandiacre, Longmoor Lane & Derby Road. Except Thursday. 17 October 1919 Terminates at Long Eaton (Green) Saturdays only. 4 June 1920 Daily and terminates at The Green. 1 October 1920 Both services cut back to Sandiacre. Direct service not Thursdays and one journey only Wednesday and Sundays only via Beeston. 19 December 1921 Direct service back to daily.
Nottingham (Greyfriar Gate)- Nottingham (Greyfriar Gate)
4 March 1921 via Beeston, Bramcote, Stapleford, Sandiacre, Long Eaton, Toton Corner, Chilwell, Beeston, and reverse. Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. by 12 December 1921 service withdrawn.
Sawley- Stapleford
1 April 1921 via Tamworth Road, Long Eaton Green, Derby Road, Longmoor Lane, and Sandiacre Daily by 12 December 1921 service cut back to Sandiacre.
Castle Donington- Stapleford
13 October 1921 via Shardlow X Roads, Old Sawley, Tamworth Road, Long Eaton Green, Derby Road, Longmoor Lane and Sandiacre. Daily by 24 August 1923 service withdrawn
Nottingham (Greyfriar Gate)-Sandiacre (Red Lion) via Beeston reintroduced.
1 October 1925 via Castle Blvd to Dunkirk and University Blvd, High Road Beeston. By February 1926 from Parliament Street and then back to Greyfriar Gate by February 1927 Daily
Nottingham (Greyfriar Gate)- Stapleford (Hensons Lane),
11 January 1926 via Beeston, Chilwell, Long Eaton, College Street, Spinney Road, Longmoor Lane and Sandiacre. Monday to Fridays only. February 1926
Long Eaton (The Green)-Stapleford (Hensons Lane),
16 January 1926 via College Street, Spinney Road, Longmoor Lane and Sandiacre. Saturdays & Sundays only. Daily February 1926
Old Sawley-Ilkeston Route No.15
24 March 1927 via Tamworth Road, Derby Road, College Street, Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre, Stapleford, Trowell Daily by 1928 extended to Castle Donington Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. 13 June 1929 cut back to Long Eaton and numbered route 15 Following the introduction of the Road Traffic Act 1930, the Traffic Commissioners introduced special conditions on Long Eaton to Ikeston service 15 dated the 12/2/32, on the following operators.
  1. E Poxon
  2. Grainger Brothers+
  3. E Gregory+
  4. Billingham Brothers+
  5. S Pounder+
  6. T Winfield & Son+
  7. Barton Transport Ltd
+ Members of United Bus Service The licensees shall form a rota amongst themselves as to the order in which each operator shall depart from the termini. The number of journeys to be run shall be fixed in the following proportions.
  • E Poxon- one eleventh.
  • Barton Transport- five elevenths
  • United Bus Service- five elevenths
The same passengers shall not be picked on the portion of the route Chequers Inn, Stapleford and Red Lion, Sandiacre for the purpose of being set down on that route. Amendment granted 23/10/32 On journeys from Ilkeston no passengers will be taken up after the bus leaves the Wesleyan Church, Stapleford bus stop for the purpose of being set down before the authorised bus stop on the Long Eaton side of the White Lion Sandiacre on Longmoor Lane. On the journeys from Long Eaton the points were Red Lion, Sandiacre and Stapleford Board School. Prior to the Act local authorities issued licences for bus services and the Ilkeston- Long Eaton route had nine operators all vying for custom and when the Road Traffic Act was implemented in 5/31 it would appear all the operators continued with their timetables and the Traffic Commissioners stepped in with the above requirement to resolve the chaotic situation. The restriction on picking up was to protect Trent and Barton service 4. 15 April 1956 Commenced 15 service some journeys extended to Aston on Trent until February 1959. 1966 certain journeys on service 15 diverted via Ilkeston Rd, Melbourne Rd, and Hickings Lane as route 26.
Service No.4 Sandiacre (Red Lion)- Arnold now direct
by January 1928 via Derby Road, Parliament Street Nottingham then to Mansfield Road, and Sherwood Daily
Service No.4 Sandiacre (Red Lion)- Arnold via Beeston also now direct
Parliament Street Nottingham via Derby Road, then to Mansfield Road, and Sherwood. Daily
Stanton by Dale-Arnold via Derby Road, and as above.
By June 1929 via Derby Road, and as above. Saturdays only. 3 November 1929 All the above three routes cut back from Arnold to Parliament Street Nottingham (direct route) or via Beeston to Friar Gate, which was withdrawn completely by September 1930.
Service No.4 Sandiacre- Beeston (Barton Street or Ericssons)
by January 1930 via Stapleford, Bramcote and Wollaton Road. Daily by January 1931 became service 4A works service only.
Protection to Nottingham City Transport
By June 1931 Gave protection to Nottingham City Transport on all routes into and out of the City, with no pickups after Tottle Brook on inward journeys to Nottingham and no set downs before then on outwards journeys.
Sandiacre (Red Lion) – Bulwell (Market Place)
16 February 1933 via Stapleford Roach, Hemlock Stone, Strelley, Bilborough, Cinderhill, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only
Service No. 32 Nottingham (Huntingdon St) – Bulwell (Main Street}
1 July 1939 This was a replacement of the above Sandiacre-Bulwell service via Bramcote, Ilkeston Road and Hemlock Stone. Stapleford not served. 4 May 1947 The route was changed and it then came down Nottingham Road as far as The Roach, down Church Street and up Hickings Lane. 11 July 1976 diverted via Beeston Rylands to Nottingham daily.
Service No. 32A Beeston (Meadow Rd)- Bulwell (Main St)
25 October 1974 commenced via Stapleford Roach and Melbourne Rd. Sundays only Withdrawn 10 July 1976
Service No. 18 Beeston – Ilkeston
introduced 1 July 1937 and again ran along Ilkeston Road to Trowell. 14 October 1955 diverted from Ilkeston Road to Trowell, to serve Ewe Lamb Lane, Hickings Lane, Pasture Rd. 11 July 1976 extended to Nottingham from Beeston Rylands daily
Ilkeston- Sawley
30 August 1936 via Stanton by Dale, Sandiacre, Stapleford, Toton, Long Eaton Daily 20 September 1937. This route became Service No. 17 and extended to Shardlow (Dog & Duck). December 1947. The service was extended to Aston on Trent
Service No. 45 Nottingham – Trowell (Wortley Rd)
14 February 1951 via Queens Rd, Beeston, Wollaton Road, Derby Road, Ilkeston Road, Hickings Lane, Pasture Road. Wednesday & Saturday only. Replaced by 48/49/51 services 20 March 1953 via Toton Lane, Church St, Hickings Lane, Sherwin Rd, Ewe Lamb Lane, Nottingham Rd, Wollaton Road, Beeston Square, High Rd, Bye Pass Rd, Toton Corner, Stapleford Lane Daily
Service No.49 reverse route of Service No. 48.
20 March 1953 Daily Both routes amended to operate Bramcote, Bramcote Ave Chilwell to Beeston and reverse. 25/2/55 both services withdrawn and replaced by service to Beeston (Ericsson) only as route 48
Service No. 51 Nottingham- Kirk Hallam (Deepdale Ave)
30 October 1953 via Derby Road, Ewe Lamb Lane, Central Ave, Sherwin Rd, Ryecroft St, Hickings Lane, Pasture Rd, Moorbridge Lane, Stanton Gate. Daily 21 May 1954 Cut back to Moorbridge Lane. 28 January 1955 Reverted to Kirk Hallam (Deepdale Ave)
Servoce No.27 Nottingham- Stapleford (New Eaton Rd)
14 October 1955 as route 4 to Stapleford Roach, Toton Lane, Brookhill St, Monday to peak times. All day Saturday Extended to Toton Carrfield, Toton in 1959 and then to Long Eaton during 1962
Service No. 31 Nottingham- Ilkeston (Market Place)
15 April 1956 as route 4 to Sandiacre to Stanton by Dale and renumbered 4A during 1958. 15 April 1956. Commenced service 4A to Sandiacre (Jackson Ave) as route 4 to Red Lion Sandiacre
Service No.36 Stapleford (Melbourne Road) – Keyworth Church.
31 October 1965 commenced. via Hickings Lane, Ewe Lamb Lane , Derby Road, Bramcote, Chilwell, Beeston, Queens Rd, Clifton Estate, Ruddington, Plumtree. Return Melbourne Rd, Rowan Ave, Ilkeston Rd to Melbourne Rd. Daily- 2 hourly
Service No.37 Beeston (Bus Station) – Stapleford (Melbourne Rd) jointly with Erewash Travel
29 April 1983 via Attenborough, Toton, Stapleford Lane, Toton Lane, Church St. Hickings Lane. Monday to Saturday 16 July 1988 Saturdays only (not joint) 29 April 1989 Last day of operation.
Nottingham termini
From 1931- Huntingdon Street bus station From 1944- Mount Street bus station 13 January 1973 – Broad Marsh bus station
Notes –
This does not include any works or coastal express services. If commencement dates are not given the date of approval is specified.
Acknowledgement
I am incrediby grateful to Alan Oxley whose detailed notes form the basis of these pages.