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Stagecoach South West
Stagecoach South West is a bus operator providing services in Devon, East Cornwall and Guernsey, along with coach services to Bristol. It is a subsidiary of Stagecoach.
The Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company commenced operations in South Devon in 1919 with two bus routes from Exeter to Torquay. In 1922, Torquay Tramways purchased the company, although it was operated as a subsidiary of the National Electric Construction Company (NECC) and the tramway company's motor buses were transferred to Devon General. In 1931, the NECC became a part of the British Electric Traction Group.
British Electric Traction's bus operations, including Devon General, became part of the National Bus Company when it was formed in 1969. In April 1970, the Exeter City Council's buses and routes were transferred to Devon General but the city's unusual use of route letters (as opposed to numbers) continued. In January 1971, the bus operations of Devon General were transferred to neighbouring Western National but the Devon General name was retained as a brand.
In January 1983, Western National was split into four new companies, one of which was Devon General Limited that operated in south and east Devon as the old Devon General had done, but the Tiverton area services became part of North Devon. On 19 August 1986, Devon General became the first National Bus Company subsidiary to be privatised under the Transport Act 1985 being sold in a management buy out led by managing director Harry Blundred.
An experimental high-frequency service using 22 minibuses was introduced in Exeter on 27 February 1984. By the time the company was privatised the minibus fleet had expanded with more than 200 Ford Transits and Ivecos in service, comprising over half the fleet. By the end of 1990, all regular services had been converted to minibus operation using a mixture of 16 and 24 seat vehicles.
In 1992, the operations in Torbay and Newton Abbot were split off to a new Bayline company, while Devon General continued to operate in the Exeter area. Both companies were sold to Stagecoach in 1996, and in 2003 was rebranded Stagecoach Devon.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, many of the old fleet of buses were refurbished.
Minibuses have been replaced with a mixture of midibuses, double deckers, and coaches, the most recent buses being Optare Solos, Alexander Dennis Pointer bodied Dennis Dart SLFs, Dennis Trident 2s and Alexander Dennis Enviro400s, all Stagecoach Group standard bus types. Stagecoach injected some new buses after acquisition of the company including Volvo B6LEs (14), Volvo B10M coaches (6), Volvo B10M buses (7), Dennis Javelins (4) and Mercedes-Benz Varios (16) after which there were few more for some years. Stagecoach Devon's fleet was mostly cascades from other areas. Between 1997 and 2004, only six new buses entered the fleet (three Alexander ALX200s for route 56 and three Dennis Tridents for route 373 in December 2002). Since then, the company has invested heavily in new vehicles, taking on a large fleet of Dennis Tridents (21 initially) for the busy route 12 in Torbay and the new route 54 Culm Valley Connect services (8 Tridents), it was also the launch customer for the Optare Solo Slimline, with 30 for Exeter city routes. Later in 2006, Exeter services received new Alexander Dennis Pointers for city services A and H, displacing Solos onto other routes.
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Stagecoach South West AI simulator
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Stagecoach South West
Stagecoach South West is a bus operator providing services in Devon, East Cornwall and Guernsey, along with coach services to Bristol. It is a subsidiary of Stagecoach.
The Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company commenced operations in South Devon in 1919 with two bus routes from Exeter to Torquay. In 1922, Torquay Tramways purchased the company, although it was operated as a subsidiary of the National Electric Construction Company (NECC) and the tramway company's motor buses were transferred to Devon General. In 1931, the NECC became a part of the British Electric Traction Group.
British Electric Traction's bus operations, including Devon General, became part of the National Bus Company when it was formed in 1969. In April 1970, the Exeter City Council's buses and routes were transferred to Devon General but the city's unusual use of route letters (as opposed to numbers) continued. In January 1971, the bus operations of Devon General were transferred to neighbouring Western National but the Devon General name was retained as a brand.
In January 1983, Western National was split into four new companies, one of which was Devon General Limited that operated in south and east Devon as the old Devon General had done, but the Tiverton area services became part of North Devon. On 19 August 1986, Devon General became the first National Bus Company subsidiary to be privatised under the Transport Act 1985 being sold in a management buy out led by managing director Harry Blundred.
An experimental high-frequency service using 22 minibuses was introduced in Exeter on 27 February 1984. By the time the company was privatised the minibus fleet had expanded with more than 200 Ford Transits and Ivecos in service, comprising over half the fleet. By the end of 1990, all regular services had been converted to minibus operation using a mixture of 16 and 24 seat vehicles.
In 1992, the operations in Torbay and Newton Abbot were split off to a new Bayline company, while Devon General continued to operate in the Exeter area. Both companies were sold to Stagecoach in 1996, and in 2003 was rebranded Stagecoach Devon.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, many of the old fleet of buses were refurbished.
Minibuses have been replaced with a mixture of midibuses, double deckers, and coaches, the most recent buses being Optare Solos, Alexander Dennis Pointer bodied Dennis Dart SLFs, Dennis Trident 2s and Alexander Dennis Enviro400s, all Stagecoach Group standard bus types. Stagecoach injected some new buses after acquisition of the company including Volvo B6LEs (14), Volvo B10M coaches (6), Volvo B10M buses (7), Dennis Javelins (4) and Mercedes-Benz Varios (16) after which there were few more for some years. Stagecoach Devon's fleet was mostly cascades from other areas. Between 1997 and 2004, only six new buses entered the fleet (three Alexander ALX200s for route 56 and three Dennis Tridents for route 373 in December 2002). Since then, the company has invested heavily in new vehicles, taking on a large fleet of Dennis Tridents (21 initially) for the busy route 12 in Torbay and the new route 54 Culm Valley Connect services (8 Tridents), it was also the launch customer for the Optare Solo Slimline, with 30 for Exeter city routes. Later in 2006, Exeter services received new Alexander Dennis Pointers for city services A and H, displacing Solos onto other routes.