Depots M - N
Macclesfield
Sunderland Street, Macclesfield. SK11 6JL
from March 1972 until October 2004 (following a number of transfers)
The depot in Macclesfield came to Crosville in early 1972 following a reorganisation by the National Bus Company where three depots belonging to the North Western Road Car Company together with the buses, work and staff of those depots transferred to Crosville. In addition to a well equipped depot the premises also provided the main bus station of the town. The actual transfer date was 4th March 1972 but legally the date was backdated to 1st January.
The depot passed to The Bee Line Buzz Company trading as C-Line in November 1989. The depot and bus station were subsequently used by Midland Red North, Stevensons of Uttoxeter, Arriva Midlands North and Arriva North West and Wales.
In April 2004 Cheshire County Council built a new Bus Station in Queen Victoria Street. The depot closed in October 2004 and the Arriva buses were moved to premises at Gaw End Lane which was initially an out-station of Crewe - later an out-station of Winsford.
After closure the Sunderland Street site was redeveloped and is now the Waters Green Medical Centre.
Machynlleth
Doll Street, Machynlleth. SY20 8BH
from February 1934 until May 2004 (After transfer to Crosville Wales and Arriva Cymru and still with Lloyds Coaches)
The Doll Street depot in Machynlleth was built by Crosville during 1933 and opened in February 1934.
In 1947 the allocation was 8, in 1956 - 8, in 1959 - 7, in 1965 - 9 and in 1970 - 9.
It transferred to Crosville Wales in 1986 but in December 1989 the depot closed and Machynlleth became an out-station of Aberystwyth with vehicles being kept in the yard of Furnance Plant Hire at the rear of the Dyfi Valley Eco Park not far from the original depot.
The depot re-opened in August 1995 under Arriva Cymru. Arriva ceased using the premises in May 2004 and Arriva buses were out-stationed on the Railway Station approach area.
The depot was taken over by Lloyds Coaches and is currently used as their main maintenance facility.
Madeley, Staffordshire
Clarke's Garage, Little Madeley, Staffordshire
from January 1927 until 1932
Parking Area, Madeley College, Newcastle Road, Madeley
from March 1986 until November 1987
During the early days of Crosville a depot was established in Madeley for buses working the Crewe - Madeley - Newcastle route. This survived until 1932 when an arrangement was made to share the Newcastle-under-Lyme depot with P.M.T. The exact location of Clarke's Garage in Little Madeley is still to be ascertained.
Crosville buses used the P.M.T depot in Newcastle-under-Lyme from 1932 until 1986 when P.M.T. ended the arrangement. The buses were then moved to a parking area at the former Madeley College. This was only used on a temporary basis until a more permanent arrangement was made at premises in Etruria in 1987.
Madeley College had already been closed in 1982 when it was used by Crosville and it was later demolished and the area is now a housing development.
The out-station at the former Madeley College - 1986 - Photo Pete Thorley
Middlewich
Red Lion Car Park, Middlewich
from October 1927 until 1934
Wheelock Street, Middlewich
from 1934 until 1972
The first depot in Middlewich in 1927 was the yard of the Red Lion Hotel where one bus was parked overnight. Its driver was H Farrall.
In 1934 a new depot was built in Wheelock Street a short distance from the Red Lion Hotel.
By 1949 the number of vehicles at the depot was 4. This remained the case through to 1969 when it was increased to 7. As there was insufficient room in the depot some of the buses were parked overnight at land across the road from the depot.
In early 1972 a number of depots in the area were transferred from North Wester Road Car to Crosville including Northwich, Macclesfield and Biddulph. In December 1972 Middlewich depot closed and most of the work, drivers and buses moved to the Northwich depot.
The Red Lion is no longer a Public House but the building still stands and is currently called the Lion House.
The depot building in Wheelock Street can still be seen although it has been significantly altered.
Middlewich depot - June 1971 - Photo Dennis Kerrison
Mold
Rear of Victoria Hotel, Chester Street, Mold
from February 1919 until 1923
Ponterwyl, Chester Road, Mold
from 1923 until October 1999 (after transfer to Crosville Wales and then Arriva Cymru)
Mold was one of the first places in Wales to have a Crosville depot. This first depot in Mold was located at the rear of the Victoria Hotel. It was very close to the railway station and served as a terminus for a number of the services.
A new depot was built in 1923 a short distance from the station at a location known as Ponterwyl. Over the years various alterations and improvements were made to the depot including in 1937 when a significant extension was built.
In 1947 the allocation to Mold was 42, in 1956 - 39, in 1959 - 38, in 1965 - 38 and in 1970 - 32. The depot transferred to Crosville Wales in 1986 and later to Arriva Cymru in 1998. In October 1999 the depot closed and operations were transferred to a new depot in Manor Park, Hawarden which became known as the Arriva Chester depot.
The Victoria Hotel is no longer a public house and is currently a dentist. The yard behind the Victoria Hotel was for a number of years part of an auction room sometimes featured on TV programmes. The yard is currently empty.
The Ponterwyl depot was demolished shortly after the move by Arriva from the premises. The site became a Homebase store and is now a B and M Bargains store.
Montgomery
Unknown location in Montgomery, Powys
from October 1925 until about February 1926
Map link (of Montgomery)
In October 1925 Crosville commenced a service from Montgomery to Newtown. A bus was out-stationed at Montgomery from October 1925 for just a few months at an unknown location in the town. The service did not appear to be successful as it was withdrawn at the beginning of 1926.
Nantwich
Cocoa House Yard, Pillory Street, Nantwich
from December 1913 until 1915
Station Road, Nantwich
from 1915 until 1962
Crosville began operations at Nantwich in 1913 when two buses were employed working routes to Crewe and Middlewich. These buses were housed at the Cocoa House Yard on Pillory Street.
A new depot was built in 1915 in Station Road, Nantwich. This replaced the inadequate premises on Pillory Street.
In 1947 the allocation of the Station Road, Nantwich depot was 17 buses, in 1956 - 16 and in 1959 -16. In 1962 the depot was closed on the opening of the new enlarged Crewe depot.
Today the former Cocoa House Yard forms the passage from Pillory Street to Hospital Street. The tall chimney of the ‘one-time cooper’s kiln has been preserved to form a central feature – as does the large metal archway reading COCOA YARD over the entrance from Hospital Street.
The site in Station Road is now the car park for a large supermarket.
Nefyn
Ffordd Dewi Sant, Nefyn LL53 6EG
from 1933 until 1984
A small depot was established in Nefyn from 1933 which at most had 4 buses. In the 1950's the allocation was 3 vehicles and later it reduced to 1. The depot was situated on the B4177 out of Nefyn towards Morfa Nefyn and this road is now known as Ffordd Dewi Sant. The premises consisted of a small plot of land with a small shed. No maintenance was undertaken and there was no fuelling facilities. It was an out-station of Pwllheli. This site in Nefyn was used for about 50 years and it closed on the loss of the Nefyn services at the period of the lead up to deregulation and the transfer to Crosville Wales.
The land of the former sub-depot in Nefyn now forms part of the surrounds of the Nefyn workshops and is adjacent to the premises of Nefyn Coaches who operate buses and also provide maintenance services for other firms including MoT facilities.
New Ferry
Great Eastern Hotel, New Ferry Road, New Ferry
from October 1919 until June 1922
Bus Station and Depot, Toll Bar Corner, New Ferry Road, New Ferry
from June 1922 until 1932
In 1919 Crosville began a service running between New Ferry and West Kirby. Initially the buses used came from Chester but this proved to be uneconomical and therefore the buses were parked overnight at the yard of the Great Eastern Hotel, New Ferry Road.
In 1922 Crosville acquired premises from Simpson and Forsyth on New Ferry Road near the Toll Bar. The building was extended and made into a combined depot and bus station. The depot was closed in 1932 following the opening of a new depot in Rock Ferry and all vehicles, work and staff were transferred.
The Great Eastern Hotel, which was originally built in 1862, closed in 2007 and was demolished in June 2010. There is now housing on the site.
Following the closure of the Depot at the Toll Bar Corner the premises became a market. The building still stands and is currently a Training Centre. Some sources confuse the location of the former Crosville depot at the Toll Bar Corner on New Ferry Road with that of the former Birkenhead Tram and Bus depot which was just around the corner near the Toll Bar but on New Chester Road. This former tram depot is now the Post Office in New Ferry.
New Quay
Glanmor Terrace, New Quay
from 1936 until 1939 then 1946 until 1948
from April 1972 until April 1976
Map link Street View Link (front) Street View Link (rear)
Park Street Bus Stand, New Quay
from April 1976 until 21 December 2013 (after transfer to Crosville Wales and then Arriva Cymru)
The depot at Glanmor Terrace was built by the Western Welsh Omnibus Company in 1936 on land that it had used since it took over from G.W.R in June 1929. Crosville used the Western Welsh depot to out-station one bus used on the New Quay to Aberporth via Llangranog service. This service was suspended during the war years 1939 until 1946 and was then resumed until 1948 when it was taken over by Western Welsh.
In April 1972 due to a reorganisation within the National Bus Company the Western Welsh depots of New Quay and Newcastle Emlyn together with the vehicles, work and staff were transferred to Crosville. At that time 4 buses were based in New Quay.
By April 1976 buses were only parked at the rear of the depot which was the Park Street Bus Stand and the depot became formally an out-station of Aberystwyth.
The parking area was used by Crosville Wales (from September 1986) and also by Arriva (from 1998). It ceased to be used in February 2012 but was used again in September 2012. It finally closed completely in December 2013 when Arriva ceased operations in the South Cambrian area.
The depot building still stands but has had extensions built around parts. It has mainly been used by a discount retailer.
Newcastle Emlyn
New Road, Newcastle Emlyn, SA38 9BA
from April 1972 until September 1990 (after transfer to Crosville Wales)
In April 1972 due to a reorganisation within the National Bus Company the Western Welsh depots of Newcastle Emlyn and New Quay together with the vehicles, work and staff were transferred to Crosville. At that time 7 buses were based in Newcastle Emlyn. The depot in New Road had been built by the Western Welsh Omnibus Company in 1949.
At the time of takeover there were 7 buses based at the depot.
The depot passed to Crosville Wales in September 1986 but due to the loss of services to Davies of Pencader the depot closed in September 1990.
The depot building was demolished in about 2015 and a new car showroom built on the site.
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Liverpool Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 2DO
from 1932 until March 1986
From 1932 Crosville used the Potteries Motor Traction (P.M.T.) depot in Liverpool Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme. The allocation in 1947 was 5, in 1956 - 8, in 1959 - 7, in 1965 - 9 and in 1970 - 6.
In March 1986 P.M.T. ended the arrangement due to the fact that following de-regulation of the industry the two companies were now in competition.
The six buses involved were then moved to a parking area at the former Madeley College. This was only used on a temporary basis until a more permanent arrangement was made at premises in Etruria in 1987.
The P.M.T. company became First Potteries. The depot closed in the autumn of 2015 and the premises remained empty for a period but it has now opened as a massive gym.
Newtown
Mid Wales Motorways, Pool Road, Newtown
from 15 Feb 1970 until 16 January 1972
For about a two year period between 1970 and 1972 Crosville used the premises of Mid Wales Motorways in Pool Road, Newtown as an out-station of Oswestry for 3 buses.
This Mid Wales Motorways depot was previously officially designated an Army 'Remount Depot' but known locally as the 'Horse Repository'. It was purchased by Mid Wales Motorway in 1947 and was used by them until 2009. It has now been demolished and the site is part of the new Tesco Car Park.
Newtown was also used for a period by Crosville Wales as an out-station of Oswestry from August 1988 until April 1990 . Buses were parked overnight on the Wesley Street Car Park. In 1990 the facility was moved to premises in Abermule.
Northwich
Bus Station, 40 Chester Way, Northwich CW9 5JD
from March 1972 until November 1990 (after transfer to North Western)
The depot in Northwich came to Crosville in early 1972 following a reorganisation by the National Bus Company where three depots belonging to the North Western Road Car Company together with the buses, work and staff of those depots transferred to Crosville. The depot also had adjacent a Bus Station. The actual transfer date was 4th March 1972 but legally the date was backdated to 1st January.
On 27th January 1990 the vehicles and depot of Northwich passed to the North Western Road Car Company Limited. Later that year on 3rd November the depot was closed and the work, staff and vehicles were transferred to Winsford.
The depot and adjoining bus station was sold and the depot with its former parking area is now occupied by several care homes. The actual bus station became a Somerfield supermarket. It later became a Co-op but closed for a period but it then became a Farmfoods store.
