Geelong Road Bus Service (Magree & Reynolds)
Moderator: MAN 16.242
-
Centralian
- Posts: 2432
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:03 pm
Geelong Road Bus Service (Magree & Reynolds)
Just wondering if anyone out there has any information (or images) on this past operator (partnership of Joseph Magree and George Reynolds - Route 21A Footscray to Footscray Cemetery). I was recently approached by someone living in the Blue Mountains (NSW) who had some past family links to this operation, which was bought out by Charlie Sitch. I couldn't find much and said I'd do some research and see what I could come up with. Not having much luck though.
Think for yourself, while it's still legal !
Re: Geelong Road Bus Service (Magree & Reynolds)
From Graeme Cleak's excellent research in the late 1980s...
(NB: this doesn't reflect subsequent changes at the Laverton end in the past 25 years)
ROUTE 414 FOOTSCRAY – GUIDING STAR HOTEL (Brooklyn) – LAVERTON
An original route of 1925, 20A Footscray – Footscray Cemetery, which included Reynolds as an operator by 1928. In the early 1930s it ran to Holmwood Rd. In April 1946 it is noted as having extensions to Star Quarry and Monsanto, still operated by J. Reynolds among others. By October 1950 it was Reynolds & Glow, and February 1952 it was shared by G & B Reynolds and J Magree.
By 1961 the terminus was the infamous “Guiding Star”, a hotel near the Koroit Creek Bridge in Brooklyn. By October 1966 Reynolds was the sole operator and soon traded as Geelong Road Bus Service. The route was sold to Altona Bus Lines (Sitch) on 28/6/1970 and was renumbered 414 in 1971.
The route was extended to Laverton 28/2/1972, duplicating part of Point Cook – Werribee Passenger Services’ 435 & 437 along Bladin St in North Laverton, which both subsequently closed in 1976. A branch service Laverton – Altona was added in 1977, this went over part of the old 100A North Williamstown – Altona – Point Cook and the southern half of the 435.
I am sure System Improver will dig out some great pics from the BCSV archives...
Kind Regards
Craig
(NB: this doesn't reflect subsequent changes at the Laverton end in the past 25 years)
ROUTE 414 FOOTSCRAY – GUIDING STAR HOTEL (Brooklyn) – LAVERTON
An original route of 1925, 20A Footscray – Footscray Cemetery, which included Reynolds as an operator by 1928. In the early 1930s it ran to Holmwood Rd. In April 1946 it is noted as having extensions to Star Quarry and Monsanto, still operated by J. Reynolds among others. By October 1950 it was Reynolds & Glow, and February 1952 it was shared by G & B Reynolds and J Magree.
By 1961 the terminus was the infamous “Guiding Star”, a hotel near the Koroit Creek Bridge in Brooklyn. By October 1966 Reynolds was the sole operator and soon traded as Geelong Road Bus Service. The route was sold to Altona Bus Lines (Sitch) on 28/6/1970 and was renumbered 414 in 1971.
The route was extended to Laverton 28/2/1972, duplicating part of Point Cook – Werribee Passenger Services’ 435 & 437 along Bladin St in North Laverton, which both subsequently closed in 1976. A branch service Laverton – Altona was added in 1977, this went over part of the old 100A North Williamstown – Altona – Point Cook and the southern half of the 435.
I am sure System Improver will dig out some great pics from the BCSV archives...
Kind Regards
Craig
-
system improver
- Posts: 2893
- Joined: Fri Dec 29, 2006 8:38 am
- Favourite Vehicle: 1949 MBA Seddon
- Location: Melbourne
Re: Geelong Road Bus Service (Magree & Reynolds)
This route was multiple owner operated from its inception in 1925, having had numerous unregulated owner operators before this date. With regulation and buy outs, the number of operators was soon reduced to two. James Bowman of 19 Donald Street, Footscray, started with a seven seater bus. Passengers entered from the rear. A bench seat each side seated six and one passenger sat in the front with the driver. The route was originally from Footscray to the cemetery. Later it was extended to the railway line at Brooklyn where the overpass is now. Later buses ran to the Guiding Star hotel about every hour. As business expanded a larger bus was bought in 1934.
Mr. & Mrs. Bowman didn't have any children and their nephew, Joseph Magree, came down from Sunbury to work for them. Eventually, when Mr. Bowman died, the business was left to Joe Magree, who ran the business until he died at the early age of 35. After his death, the business was run by a solicitor and a manager installed. The business grew during the war when the munitions factories were working 24 hours a day and thousands of workers were transported by buses. After the war, new housing areas spread out in the Brooklyn area and migrants arrived and were housed in wool stores at Brooklyn.
Mr. Percy Reynolds of Kingsville garage in Geelong Road, originally ran in opposition to Mr. Bowman, starting with a seven seater bus, and after his death his son, George, inherited the business. Over time, with a reduction in the number of owners to two, they cooperated in running a single timetable and ran as "Geelong Road Bus Service" even though there were two separate owners until 1966. The buses operated with two separate liveries. One was cream with green with a large M (for Magree) and the other green with cream with a large R (for Reynolds).
In 1966, the solicitor acting for the estate of Joe Magree died and the business was sold to Reynolds. It then went to Sitch via Altona Bus Lines (then a Sitch company) in 1970. In early 1988, Sitch sold their business to the Kefford Corporation and, in November 2008, it was sold to CDC (handover in 2009).
In 1950, both operators invested in new Ansair bodied Transetts fitted with Perkins P6 diesel engines. Here are two pics taken by John Masterton in 1963 in Footscray which show the different liveries:
Mr. & Mrs. Bowman didn't have any children and their nephew, Joseph Magree, came down from Sunbury to work for them. Eventually, when Mr. Bowman died, the business was left to Joe Magree, who ran the business until he died at the early age of 35. After his death, the business was run by a solicitor and a manager installed. The business grew during the war when the munitions factories were working 24 hours a day and thousands of workers were transported by buses. After the war, new housing areas spread out in the Brooklyn area and migrants arrived and were housed in wool stores at Brooklyn.
Mr. Percy Reynolds of Kingsville garage in Geelong Road, originally ran in opposition to Mr. Bowman, starting with a seven seater bus, and after his death his son, George, inherited the business. Over time, with a reduction in the number of owners to two, they cooperated in running a single timetable and ran as "Geelong Road Bus Service" even though there were two separate owners until 1966. The buses operated with two separate liveries. One was cream with green with a large M (for Magree) and the other green with cream with a large R (for Reynolds).
In 1966, the solicitor acting for the estate of Joe Magree died and the business was sold to Reynolds. It then went to Sitch via Altona Bus Lines (then a Sitch company) in 1970. In early 1988, Sitch sold their business to the Kefford Corporation and, in November 2008, it was sold to CDC (handover in 2009).
In 1950, both operators invested in new Ansair bodied Transetts fitted with Perkins P6 diesel engines. Here are two pics taken by John Masterton in 1963 in Footscray which show the different liveries:
