Bowers Coaches

Bowers Coaches[1] was a bus company based in Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, England. The company operated bus and coach services in Cheshire East, Derbyshire and Greater Manchester from 1952 until 2012. In its later years, it was a subsidiary of Centrebus and in 2012 it was merged with the Dove Holes depot of Trent Barton to form High Peak Buses.

Bowers Coaches
Plaxton Beaver bodied Mercedes 709D in Buxton in May 2005
ParentCentrebus
Founded1952
Ceased operation2012 (merged to form High Peak Buses
HeadquartersChapel-en-le-Frith
LocaleEast Midlands
North West
Service areaCheshire East
Derbyshire
Greater Manchester
Service typeBus operator
Routes19 (March 2012)
Depots1
Fleet29 (August 2011)
Websitewww.bowersbuses.com

History
Plaxton Beaver bodied Mercedes 709D in Buxton in August 2009
Optare Solo in Glossop in August 2012

Bowers Coaches was founded in 1952 by Eric Bower as a coach operator.[2] In 1957, the charter operations of Park Hire Garages & Motors were acquired.[3] It later expanded into local bus operation, particularly after the deregulation of local bus services in 1986. Based in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, it operated services centred on the towns of Buxton, Glossop and New Mills extending to some surrounding areas such as the town of Marple in Stockport and Ashbourne in the Derbyshire Dales.

In June 2007, the business was purchased by Centrebus who introduced its corporate orange and blue livery, but retained the Bowers trading name. Bowers ceased trading on 31 March 2012 when Centrebus entered a 50/50 joint venture with Wellglade Group that saw the latter's Trent Barton subsidiary combine its Dove Holes operations with those of Bowers to form High Peak Buses.[4][5][6]

Although the trading name has ceased to be used, services are still operated using Bowers Coaches operating licence.[7]

Routes

As at March 2012, Bowers Coaches operated 19 routes:[8]

The majority were operated under contract to Derbyshire County Council and other local authorities; however, a number of services such as route 61 between Glossop and Buxton were operated commercially. Until September 2007, the company operated an hourly service between Hayfield and Stockport, Greater Manchester as route 62/62A; however, this service was withdrawn to run only as far as Marple due to falling revenues.

Fleet

As at August 2011, Bowers operated a fleet of 29 buses.[9]

References
  1. Companies House extract company no 548351 Eric W Bowers Limited
  2. Only Three Coaches May Serve Blackwell Show Commercial Motor 7 November 1958
  3. Coach and Bus Takeovers in the North Commercial Motor 6 September 1957
  4. New High Peak bus company following merger Buxton Advertiser 18 May 2011
  5. Wellglade/Centrebus join up in Buxton Bus & Coach Professional 24 May 2011
  6. New bus operator hits the road Trentbarton
  7. Notices & Proceedings Traffic Commissioner of North West England 22 November 2013
  8. Timetable Information Bowers March 2012
  9. Bowers Coaches Derby Bus Depot

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