United Counties Bus Company

The United Counties Omnibus & Road Transport Co Ltd was founded in 1921 by Tillings, when it took over the Wellingborough Motor Omnibus Co Ltd. In 1933 the company's name was changed to United Counties Omnibus Company Ltd, and they were now operating over 150 buses throughout the county, in a livery of green with a cream band. This company built new depots in several towns.

In 1948 the Tilling Group sold their bus interests to the government, and in January 1950 the Rushden depot was opened. In 1969 United Counties took over Birch Brothers and this gave them as established express service into London. In 1970 they took over Luton Corporation buses, and then in 1972 they became part of the National Bus Company.

Rushden, together with Daventry, Desborough, Stamford and Welford were all closed March 1978 when the Tories halved subsidies. Rushden had an allocation of 24 vehicles.

De-regulation and privatisation of bus services by the new Thatcher government in 1980 saw the company divided into three separate companies, and United Counties Omnibus Company Ltd retained most of its pre-1952 area plus Bedford and Huntingdon.

A deregulation split on 1st January 1986, saw United Counties was bought by Stagecoach after the proposed Management buyout bid was outbid by Brian Souter & Co. The Wellingborough depot was closed on 26th April 1986.

Before the Rushden depot was built, the buses used to "park up" on an area, where Home Close cottages formerly stood, in Skinners Hill facing the War Memorial.
A double-decker standing on the parking area c1948
The Scout Heaquarters can just be seen behind the bus and part of Claridge's factory to the right.	Pictured in 1985 - an early 1950s single-decker coach - exhibit No 106 at an historic transport show. It had been used on a local route.

The United Counties Bus Depot was built in Newton Road in 1949, and it had its own set of traffic lights. When the depot was closed builders merchants Toseland's moved here from Albert Road. When they outgrew the premises, they moved to Northampton Road, where they still operate, but now under the Buildbase group. The Council took over the site and Ebenezer Terrace which adjoined the yard.
The Council demolished Ebenezer Terrace and together with the yard, the Newton Road Car Park was laid out, and the 1861 date stone from the terrace was built into the boundary wall. The wall is now crumbling in places, having stood for far less than the terrace had! Latterly, the building has been the local Recycling Centre, and is very well used, by the townspeople, and garden rubbish is often seen transported to the centre by wheelbarrow! [2010] Closed in 2011.

A United Counties bus in the 1960s Gloucester Crescent route in the snow

The 'Lightstrung' bus stop at the bottom of Church Street

Minute Book 1950-1957

Minute Book 1958-1963