Top 40 - Part 1

Part 2 will look at those possibly likely to sell...

Greetings, pop-pickers. Last year and early this, it’s been Take-over Time all over again in the UK bus industry. A renewed interest from the big boys buying up those indie labels. Nod ’arf.

Although far fewer than there used to be, there’r still plenty left. Though many have "not for sale" posted outside their depots.

Here’s the happenin’ (un)Official UK Top 40 Chart marathon set of eligible badass buyouts, brought to you in association with Bemuso and Gajoob. Comin’ atcha as a seemless set. Peace. (Do they really say all that on Radio 1, these days??).

1. Macquarie Bank (ex-Stagecoach London) (1,200)
2. Lothian Buses (600)
3. EYMS Group (450)
4. Nottingham City Transport (360)
5. Trent Barton (330)
6. Telling’s Golden Miller (300)
7. Rapson’s (250)
8. Cardiff Bus (225)
9. Reading (200)
10. Plymouth Citybus (190)

11. Blackpool Transport (175)  12. West Coast Motors (150)  13. Blackburn Transport (130)  14. Warrington Transport (130)  15= Centrebus (120)  15= Preston Bus (120)  15= Shamrock Travel (120)  18. GHA Coaches (115)  19. Thamesdown (106)

20. Hedingham Omnibuses (105)  21. Rossendale (100)  22= Ipswich Buses (95)  22= Silcox  24. Newport Transport (90)  25. Richards Bros (85)  26= Blue Triangle (80)  26= Bullock’s  26= Epson/Quality Line (80)  29= Chester Bus (75)  29= GM Buses/UK North (75) 29 = Huntingdon & District (75) 

32= Ensign (70)  32= Mayne (70)  34= De Courcey (65)  34 = HTL (65)  36= Ambassador (60)  36= Halton (60)  36= Western Greyhound (60)  39= Truronian (55)  39= Halifax Joint Committee (55)  39= Marchwood Motorways (55)

Numbers in parentheses: approx fleet size, including coaches where applicable.
All independently or council owned fleets. Transdev holds 18 per cent of Nottingham’s shares

E&OE. Could you please advise of any errors by email or via the Comments facility

See also March of the Giants