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Tel: 01386 792206
Fax: 01386 793373
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History of Dudley's
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Having served his motor vehicle apprenticeship at Victor Morralls in Evesham, Ernie Dudley moved to Evesham's Ford dealer Coulters. In 1938 he decided to go it alone, and using land adjacent to his parents' house, he set up a repair workshop repairing agricultural & motor vehicles, and soon added petrol sales.
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As there was no mains electricity in the area until the late 1950s, important sidelines included recharging accumulator batteries and selling paraffin for heating. However it was not until 1954 that the company had its first proper involvement in passenger transport: an orange Cheverolet school bus was used to take children from Abbots Morton & Radford to Rous Lench school.
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In 1960 the first PSV specification vehicle was purchased. Supplied new by Wakefields of Worcester, the 14 seater Karrier with Reading body was painted in black & silver (the only Dudley's Coach ever to receive this livery). During these early years many different makes were added to the fleet including chassis from Sentinel, Commer, Bedford and of course, Ford. These used bodies by Plaxton, Duple, Burlingham, Churchill, and also a rare 24 seat King & Barnes body. During the 60s the coach fleet colours changed from Red and cream to Lilac and cream.
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In 1968 Ernie's son Christopher left school and joined the company. In 1973 the fleet colours changed to blue and white. The early 1970s also saw changes to the buildings: an old Nissan hut which had been used as a workshop was demolished, and a new workshop was built in its place. Not having his father's natural ability in mechanics, Chris' interest lay with the coach operation.
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In 1976 the company's first new large coach was purchased: a 53 seater Ford R1114 with Plaxton Supreme body. This heralded a change in the colour scheme, and the current company livery of green and cream was adopted. In 1978 the narrowing margin petrol sales persuaded the company to discontinue retail sales of petrol. With dwindling vehicle repairs from outside customers, the workshop was almost wholly committed to maintaining the coach fleet.
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In 1986 the coach fleet and business of Royal Motorways of Redditch was purchased; the amalgamation of the two fleets led to changes at the Radford premises as a large parking area was made at the rear of the workshop, and in 1988 new offices were built on the site, replacing the then redundant original workshop.
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Currently the fleet consists of 18 vehicles, and because Ford ceased production of coach chassis', the majority of the vehicles are Volvos with Plaxton bodywork. In 1998, Dudley's Coaches celebrated their 60th anniversary of service, and in recognition, painted two coaches using a special livery of coloured swatches, showing the Dudley's colours across the ages.
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Now in the new Millennium, the firm has reintroduced the famous Royal Motorways brand in the form of a specially painted coach, The Ridgeway Princess. May 2002 saw the aquistion of the business and coaches of Redditch-based Kingfisher Travel, increasing the size of the company's fleet yet further. The fleet continues to be upgraded, ushering in a new corporate image for Dudley's.
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Dudley's Coaches Ltd
Poplar Garage, Radford, Inkberrow, Worcestershire, WR7 4LS.
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