Percival's Coaches (Oxford)

Saturday 11 May 1985 (approx. 0930) - Percivals Motors (Oxford) Limited acquired the Abingdon Coaches business from the Williamson family circa 1982 and retained the identity with coaches wearing a green and yellow variant of the Percivals blue and red livery with fleet numbers in a combined series. Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard 105 (647 PJO) was seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0845 Cambridge-Lowestoft service 747, part of a cross-country service between Bristol and Lowestoft worked jointly by Percivals, Premier Travel and National Express. This was day 2 of a diagram that would see the coach return to Oxford on the 1310 service from Lowestoft (due in Oxford at 1955).

Easter Saturday 6 April 1985 (approx. 1445) – Drummer Street bus station, Cambridge Left is Percival Motors (Oxford) Limited 73 (786 AFC), a Plaxton Supreme bodied Bedford YMT new in January 1980 registered CJO 321V, working the 1110 Lowestoft-Bristol service 747, a cross-country service worked jointly with Premier Travel and National Express. This was day 2 of a diagram that covered the 0615 Cambridge-Lowestoft (1000) run followed by the 1110 Lowestoft-Bristol (2015) run. Right is Midland Red South 5 (BVP 787V), a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard new to Midland Red (787) in July 1980, which had worked service 905 from Birmingham a service that had its origins as Premier Travel service 5. This was a period when some of the independent express coach service operators like Percivals, Premier Travel and Yelloway chose to become joint operators with National Express on what had once been their own services prior to de-regulation. They later became contractors to National Express before different circumstances saw them withdraw from such work.

Easter Saturday 6 April 1985 (approx. 1445) – Drummer Street bus station, Cambridge Left: Midland Red South 5 (BVP 787V), a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard new to Midland Red (787) in July 1980, which had worked service 905 from Birmingham a service that had its origins as Premier Travel service 5. Right: Percival Motors (Oxford) Limited 73 (786 AFC), a Plaxton Supreme bodied Bedford YMT new in January 1980 registered CJO 321V, had just arrived when working the 1110 Lowestoft-Bristol service 747, a cross-country worked jointly with Premier Travel and National Express. This was day 2 of a diagram that covered the 0615 Cambridge-Lowestoft (1000) run followed by the 1110 Lowestoft-Bristol (2015) run. This was a period when some of the independent express coach service operators like Percivals, Premier Travel and Yelloway chose to become joint operators with National Express on what had once been their own services prior to de-regulation. They later became contractors to National Express before different circumstances saw them withdraw from such work.

Good Friday 5 April 1985 (approx. 1556) - Percivals Motors (Oxford) Limited Plaxton Supreme coach near the Bull Inn at Barton Mills. I believe it was number 73 (786 AFC) that was working the 0855 Bristol-Great Yarmouth service 747, a cross-country service worked jointly with Premier Travel and National Express. This duty covered the 0855 Bristol-Great Yarmouth (1735) and 1815 Great Yarmouth-Cambridge (2155) runs. This scene changed significantly when the A11 was upgraded to a dual carriageway. I took the photograph at what was the road into the village, the Tuddenham road is obscured by the coach. Note the road markings indicating the turning lanes to both these roads.

Tuesday 2 April 1985 - Percivals Coaches 78 (MBF 767) approaching Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1110 Lowestoft to Bristol service 747. The service was operated jointly with Premier Travel Services and National Express.

Sunday 28 April 1985 - Percivals Coaches 80 (LWL 744W) passing the Dog and Partridge Inn at Barton Mills when working the 0820 Oxford to Thetford service 747. The service was operated jointly with Premier Travel Services and National Express. Work had already started in creating a dual carriageway between here and Chalk Hill towards Red Lodge and the earthworks can be seen just to the left. Beyond the Dog and Partridge is Sandford's Garden Centre - both establishments now closed. The ground on the right was the Bull Inn car park which was redeveloped as Chestnut Close.

December 1986 – Percivals of Oxford 80 (VWL 96), a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard PSU3F/5R new in January 1981 registered LWL 744W, was seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working an Oxford bound 747 service. The coach carries vinyls for National Express that cover its own identity. Service 747 was previously a joint service operated by National Express, Percivals and Premier Travel.

December 1986 – Percivals of Oxford 80 (VWL 96), a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard PSU3F/5R new in January 1981 registered LWL 744W, was seen leaving King Street, Mildenhall when working an Oxford bound 747 service. The coach carries vinyls for National Express that cover its own identity. Service 747 was previously a joint service operated by National Express, Percivals and Premier Travel. Just visible on the left of the photograph is the wall of the Mildenhall Social Club car park and the large direction sign pointing towards various town amenities (car park, swimming pool etc)

Saturday 13 April 1985 - Percivals Coaches 81 (LWL 745W) passing Barton Mills when working the 1310 Lowestoft to Oxford service 747 (operated jointly with Premier Travel Services and National Express). The red car was turning into the village to then pass along the front of the Bull Inn. The road to Tuddenham is beyond on the right.

Saturday 27 April 1985 (approx. 1520) - Percivals Motors (Oxford) Limited 79 (LWL 743W) on the A11 at Chalk Hill between Red Lodge and Barton Mills. At the time this was where the short stretch of dual carriageway from Red Lodge ended. From here the road down to Fiveways was still single carriageway although work was underway building of the new road which would curve through the land on the right. The coach, a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard new in January 1980, was working the 0855 Bristol-Great Yarmouth service 747, a cross-country service worked jointly by Percivals, Premier Travel and National Express. It would arrive Great Yarmouth at 1735 and then work the 1815 service to Cambridge arriving at 2130.

Saturday 13 April 1985 – Percivals Motors (Oxford) Limited was a joint operator with Premier Travel Services and National Express on the cross-country Lowestoft-Bristol service 747. This view shows Plaxton Supreme IV Express bodied Leyland Leopard 81 (LWL 745W) picking up at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0845 Cambridge-Lowestoft service. This was day 2 of a diagram that would see it return to Oxford on the 1310 service from Lowestoft (due in Oxford at 1955). This coach was one of three such vehicles added to the Percivals fleet in early 1981. 79/80 (LWL 743/744W) arrived in January that year and this one arrived in April. St Andrew’s Street can be seen on the right. The cottage in the background represents a rural Mildenhall of days gone by and stands where the B&M store (originally Budgens then Sainsbury’s then Wilko) now is. The area occupied by the store, and the houses forming St Mary’s Close behind it, was the site of Cocksedge’s builders yard.

Tuesday 19 March 1985 - Percivals Coaches 104 (471 VWL) seen passing the end of Bell Lane, Barton Mills when working the 0615 Cambridge to Lowestoft service 747 (operated jointly with Premier Travel Services and National Express).

Sunday 10 March 1985 - Percivals Motors (Oxford) Limited 104 (471 VWL) seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0845 Cambridge to Lowestoft service 747, a service operated jointly with Premier Travel and National Express. 104 (471 VWL) is a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard.

Saturday 11 May 1985 - From time to time there would be an Abingdon Coaches vehicle covering one of the Percivals Motors (Oxford) Limited duties on service 747. Abingdon Coaches was a Percivals subsidiary and their coaches were numbered in a continuous series. 105 (647 PJO) was a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard which was seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0845 Cambridge-Lowestoft service 747. The different blossom of the two trees between the lay-by and the roadway provide an additional splash of colour. One of the trees was cut down early on due to disease and the other disappeared when construction of the new bus station began. Part of the bus station building now covers where the coach and shelter stand in this photograph.

Saturday 11 May 1985 - From time to time there would be an Abingdon Coaches vehicle covering one of the Percivals Motors (Oxford) Limited duties on service 747. Abingdon Coaches was a Percivals subsidiary and their coaches were numbered in a continuous series. 105 (647 PJO) was a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard which was seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0845 Cambridge-Lowestoft service 747. The different blossom of the two trees between the lay-by and the roadway provide an additional splash of colour. One of the trees was cut down early on due to disease and the other disappeared when construction of the new bus station began. Part of the bus station building now covers where the coach and shelter stand in this photograph.

Saturday 11 May 1985 (approx. 0930) - Percivals Motors (Oxford) Limited acquired the Abingdon Coaches business from the Williamson family circa 1982 and retained the identity with coaches wearing a green and yellow variant of the Percivals blue and red livery with fleet numbers in a combined series. Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard 105 (647 PJO) was seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working the 0845 Cambridge-Lowestoft service 747, part of a cross-country service between Bristol and Lowestoft worked jointly by Percivals, Premier Travel and National Express. This was day 2 of a diagram that would see the coach return to Oxford on the 1310 service from Lowestoft (due in Oxford at 1955).

Saturday 11 May 1985 (approx. 0930) - Percivals Motors (Oxford) Limited acquired the Abingdon Coaches business from the Williamson family circa 1982 and retained the identity with coaches wearing a green and yellow variant of the Percivals blue and red livery with fleet numbers in a combined series. Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard 105 (647 PJO) was seen in Police Station Square, Mildenhall when working the 0845 Cambridge-Lowestoft service 747, part of a cross-country service between Bristol and Lowestoft worked jointly by Percivals, Premier Travel and National Express. This was day 2 of a diagram that would see the coach return to Oxford on the 1310 service from Lowestoft (due in Oxford at 1955). Normally coaches would leave the King Street lay-by and travel down St. Andrew’s Street then via High Street reaching this point from the street on the right. I suspect this driver was a little uncertain as the usual procedure. On the right of the photo are the premises of two erstwhile Mildenhall businesses, Lyn's Floral Design and Carter and Sons furniture store.

Wednesday 4 September 1985 - Percivals Motors (Oxford) Limited 107 (648 RJO), a Leyland Royal Tiger Doyen new in June 1985, seen at King Street, Mildenhall when working an Oxford bound service 747. Service 747 was operated jointly by Percivals, Premier Travel and National Express. (I believe the registration 648 RJO was applied to this coach from new). Presumably one of the later vehicles that was built at Workington - are the fleet number transfers of the grey style used by the National Bus Company? The red pick-up truck is parked in the car park on the space later used as the taxi rank.