Local Bus Books by Colin Martin (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Tuesday, April 24, 2012, 17:36 (4591 days ago) @ slowhands

Just to thank Slowhands for highlighting these superb books by Colin Martin, anyone with an interest in recent C20th Dean history should look them up in the libraries. They give a great insight into these small family firms, Bevans along with the likes of Cottrells, Willetts, Grindles & Edwards(my dad's firm), all played a key role in helping Foresters get about for work, school and play in the years between the decline of the railways and mass ownership of private cars. This was particularly important during the War years when dozens of buses day & night were ferrying ex-miners & their kin to and from the armaments factories near Gloster & Bristol, as well as doing equally important work closer to home.
An example my dad mentioned was in the early 60s Lydbrook AFC were very successfull including an FA Cup run, he said in those days (before TV and live Premiership matches), it wasn't unusual for Edwards' to carry 500+ fans to away matches !!.
I have a fondness for Bevans' & their attractive maroon livery as most of my childhood was spent cycling around that side of the Forest. But my best memory was driving back to Cinderford from college in South Wales for the Christmas break about 1981, we left early Friday afternoon as heavy snowfall was forecast. The minor Forest roads were especially difficult around Blackpool Brook for this inexperienced driver, the low light and heavy snow both falling & settled meant you couldnt make out the road from the verge so I stuck to the middle tracks !. My passenger jokingly said all we need now is a Bevans' bus to meet us around the next bend, and sure enough one did !!".
Thankfully the driver was a good carefull one and we both safely saw the funny side.
Within less than an hour of parking up in Cinderford my car was under! a snowdrift that lasted for weeks, this was the first day of the heaviest snowfall I've ever seen & I think the heaviest since the early 60s, it was so bad the local Miners Hall pub ran out of beer !!!.
I am certain that just a few years later dad attended Roy Bevan's funeral, as indeed did representatives of Bevans' et al when he passed away in 1992.

Thanks again for the memories !