Thames Valley Traction Company, Reading

Named the Thames Valley Traction Company (TV) in 1920, the company can trace its origin to 1915, a subsidiary within the BAT empire, the founders of which lived in Maidenhead. Thomas Tilling invested an early interest and this was to have an influence throughout TV’s existence. During the 1920s and 1930s TV acquired many smaller operators, the most notable being Ledbury Transport (Thackray’s Way) whose express coach licences TV continued to operate until 1950. In 1948 the Tilling group sold out to the British Transport Commission (nationalisation) as a result of which, during 1950, Newbury & District (N&D) and South Midland (SM) were placed under TVs control. In 1952 that part of United Counties that operated in Oxford was transferred to TV and integrated into SM. In appearance SM remained independent retaining their own livery and initially, fleet numbering sequence.

1 Jan 1969 saw the formation of the National Bus Company with the intention of integrating BET and Tilling into larger companies to provide economies in management and maintenance. Until then SM had been based in a heavily BET represented area although under Tilling control. It was therefore natural that it be absorbed into a company within that area and on 1 Jan 1971, control passed to City of Oxford Motor Services (COMS). Just one year later TV merged with Aldershot & District to become ‘Alder Valley’.

With garages at Reading, Newbury, Maidenhead and Newbury, areas of operation extended out to outposts such as Oxford, Aylesbury, Slough, Windsor, Camberley, Aldershot, Odiham, Basingstoke, Hungerford and Swindon, with express coach services continuing outside this area. A number of outlaying districts had ‘dormy’ sheds at which vehicles were out-stationed overnight.

Initial vehicle deliveries were Thorneycroft Js, Tilling-Stevens and Leyland TD and TS, with the first Bristol arriving August 1939. Following an intake of utility Guys during and after WWII, subsequent orders would see most classes of Bristol vehicles represented in the fleet, although TV turned to Bedford for some coaches from 1961. Vehicle transfers/loans/exchanges frequently took place between TV and SM.

Fleet numbering was consecutive until 1963, when a system for new arrivals saw double-deckers numbered Dx upwards, singe-deckers S2xx and coaches C3xx but by 1969 this system was out of favour, when many of the earlier blank numbers were re-used under a new system, built round the class of vehicle, that was never to be completed.