SUT coaches

[peterw]

You’re quite right Falls! Now you’ve jogged my memory, United Motor Services was the name given to the merger! Before that, Hancocks was a bus company on its own but still owned by Mr Hancock of Hancock and Lant.

Thanks for enlightening me!

[CHAIRBOY]

I remember the name U.M.S as well. Perhaps it was they that had the booking office on the Union Street arcade, at the head of which the blind man selling lavender stood?

I can also recall occasions when Sheffield Wednesday's fixture at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool, clashed with the town's illuminations and the match excursion bus was extended to take in a tour of the lights about 7pm.

One such occasion would have been 29 August 1964!

[tosh13]

I think my Uncle Lol Francis worked for SUT some years agoas a driver.Might be wrong.

[scout]

At one time S.U.T. was based on Olive Grove Road, opposite the bus depot.

[CHAIRBOY]

I think my Uncle Lol Francis worked for SUT some years ago as a driver.Might be wrong.

 

It's over 35 years ago now and I rather think my memory of 'Jack' might be wrong because LOL rings more of a bell. I think he was smallish, stocky man with wavy hair? He always took the racing bus. I think Jack (Room) was the tic-tac who took the hat round!

[tosh13]

My uncle Lol was about 5'9" with blonde wavey hair,lived on the Arbourthorne.

[CHAIRBOY]

Would that have been about 1964-74 time? I think he is the man who took the racing bus and he was excellent. He understood the needs of the workmen who had to be on course by a given time and if it was a Friday/Saturday meeting, you could leave your tools in the boot.

The excursions died a death because cars came more into being and the numbers wanting the bus dwindled.

There was a day when there were twelve wanting to go. SUT said they needed 15 to run. We offered to buy the extra three seats between us but they wouldn't accept it. It then became a case of will they/won't they? and people needing to be there started to make alternative arrangements.

[Trekker]

Used 2 go on day trips from the SUT below pond street b4 it was taken over by National travel.

[tosh13]

Would that have been about 1964-74 time? I think he is the man who took the racing bus and he was excellent. He understood the needs of the workmen who had to be on course by a given time and if it was a Friday/Saturday meeting, you could leave your tools in the boot.

The excursions died a death because cars came more into being and the numbers wanting the bus dwindled.

There was a day when there were twelve wanting to go. SUT said they needed 15 to run. We offered to buy the extra three seats between us but they wouldn't accept it. It then became a case of will they/won't they? and people needing to be there started to make alternative arrangements.

Yes it could have been around that time.

[Michael_W]

Went to loads of Owls away games in the 70s on the SUT, Wednesday started running the ICO (Inter City Owl) in the 80s and many fans started booking with them that must have put a big hole in the SUT business.