A brief history of Mansfield bus services (to 1989)
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Bus services in the Mansfield area commenced in the late 19th Century.
In 1905 a tram network was developed by Mansfield & District Light Railways with routes to Sutton-in-Ashfield, Huthwaite, Nottingham Road, Chesterfield Road, Crown Farm and Woodhouse. The trams were superseded by motor buses in 1932 and the company became known as Mansfield District Traction Company. Mansfield District, as part of the Balfour Beatty Group, was the predominant operator in the town providing local routes plus services to Sutton-in-Ashfield, Huthwaite, Woodhouse, Pleasley, Langwith, Ollerton, Rainworth, Blidworth and all points east through Southwell to Newark. Mansfield District ran in a green and cream livery with a garage on Sutton Road, which is still in use today by Stagecoach. 
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Another major operator that served the town was the Midland General
Omnibus Company which was based in Langley Mill and shared the Sutton Road, Mansfield depot with its sister Balfour Beatty company Mansfield District. Midland General provided routes predominately towards Sutton-in-Ashfield, Kirkby-in-Ashfield and onwards to Heanor and Alfreton as well as to Tibshelf, Clay Cross and Chesterfield. |
East Midland Motor Services, based in Chesterfield, also had a depot in the town, on Westgate (now a car tyre and exhaust centre), and provided services to Clipstone, Ollerton, Shirebrook, Worksop and Chesterfield.
Trent Motor Traction Company of Derby also served the town, sharing the Westgate depot with East Midland and providing routes to Hucknall and Nottingham.
Each of these companies had grown from their inception in the early 1900's as the population grew, plus the adding of smaller operators, such as Bevan & Barker (known as Red Bus Service), Wass Brothers, Ebor Bus Company and Truman’s, to name a few, all during the 1950's.
From 1948 onwards, Mansfield District Traction Company and the Midland General Omnibus Company were part of the nationalised British Transport Commission, whilst Trent and East Midland formed part of the privately owned British Electric Traction group which sold out to the state in 1968, paving the way for all four companies becoming part of the National Bus Company in 1969. Mansfield was almost certainly unique in having four major bus operators garaging buses in the town.
With the formation of the National Bus Company, East Midland absorbed Mansfield District and Trent absorbed Midland General in 1972. East Midland
became part of the Stagecoach Group in 1989 whilst Trent (now 'trentbarton') was to become the major member of the Wellglade Group.
Trent Motor Traction Company of Derby also served the town, sharing the Westgate depot with East Midland and providing routes to Hucknall and Nottingham.
Each of these companies had grown from their inception in the early 1900's as the population grew, plus the adding of smaller operators, such as Bevan & Barker (known as Red Bus Service), Wass Brothers, Ebor Bus Company and Truman’s, to name a few, all during the 1950's.
From 1948 onwards, Mansfield District Traction Company and the Midland General Omnibus Company were part of the nationalised British Transport Commission, whilst Trent and East Midland formed part of the privately owned British Electric Traction group which sold out to the state in 1968, paving the way for all four companies becoming part of the National Bus Company in 1969. Mansfield was almost certainly unique in having four major bus operators garaging buses in the town.
With the formation of the National Bus Company, East Midland absorbed Mansfield District and Trent absorbed Midland General in 1972. East Midland
became part of the Stagecoach Group in 1989 whilst Trent (now 'trentbarton') was to become the major member of the Wellglade Group.
