Stevensons of Uttoxeter

Stevensons of Uttoxeter[1] was a bus company that operated in Staffordshire from 1926.

Stevensons of Uttoxeter
Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Leyland Leopard
in Spath 1992
Founded1926
HeadquartersStaffordshire
Service areaThe Midlands
Service typeBus operator
Fleet270 (June 1994)

History

On 11 September 1926, John Stevenson commenced operating a bus service from Uttoxeter to Burton-upon-Trent. In 1971, the business passed to John's son George, who was shortly joined by his son David. In 1977, the fleet comprised 40 buses.[2]

In 1983, George sold his 50% share of the business to Julian Peddle. On 1 October 1985, Stevensons merged its bus operations with that of East Staffordshire District Council, with Stevenson and Peddle owning 51% and the council 49%.[3] In 1987, Stevensons took a shareholding in Midland Fox including acquiring the Swadlincote depot.[4][5]

In February 1992, Stevensons acquired a shareholding in Rhondda Buses. This was sold to Stagecoach South Wales in November 1993.[6]

Also in the early 1990s, Stevensons operated substantial services in the West Midlands mostly under contract to Centro (now Transport for West Midlands) but these were sold to West Midlands Travel leaving service 112 (Burton -Birmingham) as its only route in the West Midlands.

In June 1994, the business was purchased by British Bus who operated it in conjunction with their Midland Red North business which today is part of Arriva Midlands.[4] At the time of the purchase Stevensons owned 270 buses and were the largest independent bus operator in the United Kingdom.

Under Arriva, the Stevensons name was phased out from the end of 1997 and the original Uttoxeter (Spath) garage closed in 2000, then the Swadlincote garage closed in 2007 before the Burton operation was sold to Midland Classic in 2016. There are 2 buses in the current Midland Classic fleet in Stevensons livery (MCW Metrobus 80 TOJ592S {previously owned and operated by Stevenson's} and Scania East Lancs Omnidekka 55 YN54 OAG, previously TFA 13 for a time under Midland Classic's ownership).

References
  1. Companies House extract company no 1042339 Stevensons of Uttoxeter Limited
  2. Last bus for Mr Stevenson Archive.org: Burton Mail 14 November 2003
  3. East Staffs merger starts privatisation Commercial Motor 6 July 1985
  4. Arriva Midlands History Arriva
  5. Swadlincote Depot Midland Red
  6. Stagecoach acquires Western The Independent 27 November 1993
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