Southern National Bus services in North Cornwall/West Devon in the late 1950s/early 1960s

[mikesvirginstow2]

Hello all.

First post for a while - so long in fact that I have had to re-register, as my old email provider no longer exists!! (I was previously "mikesvirginstow")

 

I am building a layout based on the North Cornwall Railway. It is located in the area between Launceston and Halwill Junction and is mainly based on the stations at Ashwater and Tower Hill, although bits from any of the NCR stations influence the layout. I call it Virginstow.

 

My daughter gave me a rather nice model of a Southern National, Bristol LS bus for Christmas and I want to put it on the layout. I need to change the destination and route number on the bus and I can't find any information on bus routes in the area during the late 1950s - early 1960s. I know that there was a number 122 bus that ran from Wadebridge to Bude, but that used the coastal route and would not have gone via Launceston and Holsworthy...........

 

Does anyone know where I can find information on Bus Routes, or does anyone on the forum have this information?

 

Thank you in advance, Best regards

 

Mike

 

[Class45]

Hi Mike

 

I have a June 1965 Southern National timetable which shows a route 132 from Plymouth to Bideford via Launceston and Holsworthy running three times a day and operated jointly with Western National.

 

regards

 

John

[mikesvirginstow2]

Hi John

 

Thanks very much for that information. Can you tell if it went up through Werrington, Whitstone and Bridgerule then Holsworthy, or did it go up the A388 through St Giles and Clawton to Holsworthy? 

The names bring back memories...... I learned to drive around that area - took my driving test in Launceston in 1969!!! I think there was one set of traffic lights and one roundabout. Three months after passing my test I went up to Sheffield. That was frightening! My driving instructor was an elderly retired lady who took payment in the form of bottles of whiskey!!! 

 

Thanks again John

 

Regards Mike

[Class45]

Straight up the A388. There was also a 135 which connected with the 132 at Launceston and then went via Whitstone and Bridgerude to Bude and a Wednesdays only service 121 from Bude to Holsworthy via Bridgerule.

 

regards

 

John

[mikesvirginstow2]

Thanks John

 

I Can now use a plausible route number and destination for my version of reality. The A388 is probably nearer to Virginstow than to my station would have been!!

 

Thanks again

 

Best Regards Mike