Whittles is a coach tour operator based in
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a market town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, south-west of Birmingham and north of Worcester, England, Worcester. Located north of the River Stour, Worcestershire, River Stour and east of the River Severn, in th ...
, England.
History
Whittles was founded in 1926 in
Highley
Highley is a village and civil parish in the county and district of Shropshire, England. It is located on the west bank of the River Severn and is south east of Bridgnorth.
History
Highley began as a rural farming community, including an entry ...
, taking miners to and from villages to the coal pits, and hauling coal in between shift changes. The founder was J. T. Whittle, and he ran the business of J. T. Whittle & Son with members of his family. Later, three of them – J. T., F. W. and G. E. Whittle – formed a partnership to own the business. The partners became G. E., R. A. and D. L. Whittle in 1964. G. E. Whittle died in 1970.
In January 1975, G. E. Whittle's daughter and an heir to his fortune, 17 year old
Lesley Whittle
The kidnapping and murder of Lesley Whittle occurred on 14 January 1975. Whittle, a teenage heiress, was kidnapped at gunpoint from her home in Highley, Shropshire, by Donald Neilson; a notorious burglar and murderer known as the Black Panthe ...
was kidnapped and killed by murderer and armed robber
Donald Neilson
Donald Neilson (born Donald Nappey; 1 August 1936 – 18 December 2011), also known as "The Black Panther," "The Phantom," and "Handy Andy," was an English armed robber, kidnapper and murderer. Neilson carried out a series of sub-post office r ...
, dubbed "The Black Panther " by the British Press.
In October 1980, it commenced operating express services from
Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire, England. The River Severn splits it into High Town and Low Town, the upper town on the right bank and the lower on the left bank of the River Severn. The population at the United Kingd ...
and
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a market town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, south-west of Birmingham and north of Worcester, England, Worcester. Located north of the River Stour, Worcestershire, River Stour and east of the River Severn, in th ...
to
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
under the Goldhawk brand. In 1981 it began operating these services in an alliance with
National Express
Mobico Group, formerly National Express Group, is a British multinational public transport company with headquarters in Birmingham, England. Domestically it currently operates bus and coach services under brands including National Express. Th ...
. In 1990, Narburgh Coaches of
Alveley
Alveley is a village in the Severn Valley (England), Severn Valley in southeast Shropshire, England, about south-southeast of Bridgnorth. It is in the civil parish of Alveley and Romsley, Shropshire, Romsley. The Office for National Statistics ...
was purchased with 16 vehicles, taking the fleet to 53.
In January 2004, the business was purchased by
East Yorkshire Motor Services
East Yorkshire operates both local and regional bus services in the East Riding of Yorkshire and North Yorkshire, England. Prior to acquisition by the Go-Ahead Group in June 2018, the company was known as East Yorkshire Motor Services.
History
...
with 49 vehicles.
[ In December 2014, the coach business was sold to Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel with nine coaches.
The contracted National Express services were taken over by National Express, while the local bus services ceased on 5 January 2015.Peter Shipp]
''Bus & Coach Buyer'' 9 March 2015
References
External links
{{Bus companies in West Midlands, state=collapsed
Kidderminster
Transport companies established in 1926
Transport in Worcestershire
1926 establishments in England