|
| |
|
 |
Upon demobilization,
after service in the army, Aubrey Ernest Letch, with parental help, and a
little savings started a coach hire business from his parents house in High
Street Green. His early coaches were all small petrol engine vehicles, many
of American manufacture, for up to fourteen passengers.
Within ten years he had established a market day service to Braintree on a
Wednesday and to Sudbury on a Thursday. In March 1935 the competitive
business of Mr P W Finch of Castle Hedingham was acquired.
|
|
53 seater, Leyland PD2/1 |
Finch also operated to
Braintree and Sudbury and his routes were absorbed into Letchs
original services. Finch also operated a workers service to Braintree Monday
to Saturday and this gave the Letch business a regular weekday facility to
Braintree.
Letch further increased his sphere of operation when certain routes in the
Gestingthorpe, - Pebmarsh and Halstead area were acquired from receivers of
Corona Coaches LTD in the late 1950's. |
 |
|
31 seater L30 (NAE2) |
 |
By early 1960 ill health
forced Aubrey Letch to dispose of his business and retire. The business was
now to be known as Hedingham and District Omnibuses. The change of name
suggested the new directors were wishing to develop and enlarge the sphere
of operations. Within five years Sidney Blackwell of Earls Colne decided to
retire. He to, like Aubrey Letch, had commenced in the early 1920's. The
main attraction of his business was his old established route from Halstead
to Colchester. This has proved a sound investment providing the basis of the
Companies services based in the Colchester area.
Steady
expansion has followed through organic growth and by purchase. These have
included
C & R Coach, Little Tey, Jennings of Ashen, Kemps Coaches, Clacton-on-Sea, W
Norfolk and Sons, Wents of Boxford , Freemans Coaches and recently G W
Osborne, Tollesbury.
|
|
31 seat Bristol L5G |
| |
| |
|
|
|
