A1 Service & AA Buses memories

[Christmas]

I've searched the site and can't really find any discussion on the cooperative groups of A1 Service and AA Buses. If anyone wants to add their memories of the two operators who seemed to exist in harmony despite operating in the same areas, feel free to add them here.

I always loved how the liveries and fleetnames seemed like they were two peas in a pod, the green complimented the blue. Of course it all went downhill when Stagecoach came to the area, buying up firstly A1 and AA soon after.

 

[Bus Lightyear]

I remember A1 with their fleet of Volvo Ailsas wearing a similar livery to that of Alexander Midland competing with Western Scottish on the Ardrossan to Kilmarnock via Irvine corridor.

Do AA still exist under the Dodds of Troon name providing hires and school tenders?

 

[robertclark125]

This is a good YouTube video, showing the A1 service company in its final days, before the stagecoach takeover.

 

[Christmas]

I remember A1 with their fleet of Volvo Ailsas wearing a similar livery to that of Alexander Midland competing with Western Scottish on the Ardrossan to Kilmarnock via Irvine corridor.

Do AA still exist under the Dodds of Troon name providing hires and school tenders?

Yes, Dodds still provide schools and private hires, contracts for ScotRail and Stena I believe too. According to Buses magazine they started service work again in Ayr a few years ago but I neither saw these or heard if they were withdrawn. It seemed like a strange thing for them to try out again.

I believe that they have a double decker in AA livery but it doesn't attend rallies, a shame as I don't believe that there are any other AA buses in preservation. An A1 Fleetline is housed at Lathalmond which looks great.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Nov 2022 ==

This is a good YouTube video, showing the A1 service company in its final days, before the stagecoach takeover.

Great video and of course none of the former owners operate any buses or coaches anymore, sadly.

 

[GusB]

I never had the chance to experience any of the Ayrshire co-ops, sadly.

One question I've been meaning to ask for a while: who actually held the operating licences; was it the individual members, or was it the umbrella companies? Similarly, what legal lettering did the buses carry?

 

[busesrusuk]

A couple of images of their buses:

Preserved A1 Service RAG578 Aug14

Lathalmond, Aug 2014

www.flickr.com

A1 Service E575UHS

Buchanan Bus Station, Glasgow

www.flickr.com

AA Buses F85XCS

Ayr Bus Station

www.flickr.com

 

[Christmas]

A1's registered address was
Ayrshire Bus Owners (A1 Service) Ltd,
Parkhouse Rd, Ardrossan.

AA latterly was just
Dodds of Troon,
4 East Road,
Ayr.

 

[ClydeCoaster]

I grew up in Ardrossan, which was of course solid A1 territory (see profile pic!) and the northern extent of the AA network. The AA coop owners did of course split from A1 in the early days of founding, Ayr - Ardrossan being the meaning behind AA. The Clyde Coast members also split, offering the Saltcoats to Largs service.

Dodds are the only remaining ancestor of the Ayrshire coops left (they dont run any registered bus services). Steele's of Stevenston, a former A1 member, wrapped up a couple of years ago and Clyde Coast wound up though former employees and a few cherished registrations are with Coast to Coast Travel based in Ardrossan.

Dodds have two former AA deckers, Guy Arab GSD799 and AEC Regal OKM317. Neither have saw sunlight for some time.

There are three preserved A1 buses at the SVBM, Daimler Fleetline NCS16P, Daimler CVG6 RAG578 and Daimler CVD DCS616 (back in A1 livery though had been converted to open top with Midland Scottish a long time ago). Ailsa PSJ825R is also at the GVVT though frustratingly hasn't worn A1 fleet names for decades! JXN366, a former London RTL, is also under restoration in England (it is a runner) and is unique in that it is the only RTL ever to be converted to front entrance, front staircase.

Sadly several former A1 vehicles, including former Leyland PD2 demonstrator NTF9, are lying rotting in a yard in Kilwinning owned by a relative of former A1 owner T&E Docherty.

It was my daily trips on board the variety of A1 vehicles that got me interested in buses and there's so many memories to share!

 

[Newmill]

I grew up right in the middle of the Kilmarnock Ardrossan route with my wife's family working for several of the Kilmarnock end owners; Mr Strachan an inspector my family knew used to give me rolls of A1 tickets. Distant cousin worked for Docherty for years. There is another AA bus preserved; will try to find out which one. TSD285, the PD3 not the Volvo, was also preerved, but under another registration number.

Would be interested to know what other buses are lying in Kilwinning.

 

[Christmas]

I grew up right in the middle of the Kilmarnock Ardrossan route with my wife's family working for several of the Kilmarnock end owners; Mr Strachan an inspector my family knew used to give me rolls of A1 tickets. Distant cousin worked for Docherty for years. There is another AA bus preserved; will try to find out which one. TSD285, the PD3 not the Volvo, was also preerved, but under another registration number.

Would be interested to know what other buses are lying in Kilwinning.

I believe the family at the farm where the last buses are stored are not very accommodating to enthusiasts.