Deanes Coaches

Deanes Coaches
ParentRon Deane
Commenced operationAugust 1955
Ceased operationJanuary 1989
HeadquartersMacquarie Park
Service areaNorth Shore
Service typeBus & coach services
AllianceClipper Tours
Depots1
Fleet31 (December 1988)

Deanes Coaches was an Australian bus company operating route bus services and charter coaches on Sydney's North Shore.

History

Deanes Coaches was formed in August 1955 as Turramurra-Bobbin Head Bus Service when Ron Deane purchase route 166 Turramurra station to South Turramurra from Turramurra Hire Service.[1] On 1 July 1968, Longueville Motor Bus Company was purchased with route 127 Longueville to Chatswood station and Longueville to Wynyard.[2] In November 1970, Barnes Coaches was purchased with routes 54 Chatswood station to Macquarie University, 124 Chatswood to Lindfield, 221 Lindfield to Bradfield Park and 224 Tambourine Bay to Wynyard via Northwood.[3][4] In July 1973, route 89 Epping to Ryde was purchased from Eastwood Bus Company.

In May 1977, a new depot was opened in Macquarie Park to replace the Carlingford and Turramurra facilities.[5] Routes 54, 124 and 221 were also transferred here from Lane Cove allowing the Blaxlands Corner depot to close. In December 1977, the Longueville and Northwood services were sold to Bernie Best as Lane Cove Bus Service with eight buses.[6][7] In June 1986, routes 54 and 89 were sold to North & Western Bus Lines.[8][9][10]

In December 1988, routes 564 and 565 were sold to East Lindfield - Killara Bus Service with six buses and the remainder of the routes sold to Hornsby Bus Group in January 1989 with 21 buses and four coaches.[11][12]

Other interests

The Deane family have for many years operated ski lodges in the Snowy Mountains with Deane's buses sometimes transferred here in the ski season.[13]

From October 1964 until October 1985, Ron Deane also owned Clipper Tours which operated out of a depot that adjoined Deanes premises.[14] Shortly before the sale of Deanes Coaches, in August 1988, Ron Deane purchased Menai Bus Service with six buses transferred from Macquarie Park.[15][16]

Name revival

The Deanes Coaches name was revived by Ron Deane's sons Matthew and Brenton, who operated Forster Bus Service between January 1999 and October 2015, when the business was sold to the Buslines Group.[17]

Routes

The routes at the time the business was sold were:[11]

Fleet

Deanes Coaches operated 27 buses and four coaches at the time of its sale. Fleet livery was originally dark blue, followed by yellow and white with light blue stripes followed by white with blue orange and yellow stripes.[11]

References

  1. ^ New Bus Routes, Alterations, Transfers Truck & Bus Transportation October 1955 page 62
  2. ^ New bus routes, alterations, transfers Truck & Bus Transportation October 1968 page 152
  3. ^ Manny, Leon (1985). Terminus Please. Sydney: Historic Commercial Vehicle Association. pp. 32, 141.
  4. ^ Deanes Coaches Australian Bus Fleet Lists
  5. ^ Latest in Depot Design Truck & Bus Transportation August 1977 pages 70-75
  6. ^ Around the Private Bus Fleets of NSW Fleetline issue 30 January 1978 page 13
  7. ^ Bus Stop Trolley Wire issue 175 April 1978 page 16
  8. ^ Metropolitan Operators Fleetline issue 133 August 1986 page 127
  9. ^ Private buses Electric Traction October 1986 page 158
  10. ^ North & Western Bus Lines - Its Routes and Timetables Fleetline issue 266 May 2000 page 87
  11. ^ a b c Ownership Changes Fleetline issue 162 January 1989 page 11
  12. ^ North Shore Ownership Transit Australia April 1989 page 90
  13. ^ About Us Deane's Snow Holidays
  14. ^ Denning Monocoaches at Clipper Tours Fleetline September 1993 page 186
  15. ^ Other Changes Transit Australia November 1988 page 236
  16. ^ Menai Bus Service Australian Bus Panorama issue 4/6 May 1989 page 45
  17. ^ Buslines Group acquires Deane's Mid-North Coast operations Australian Bus Panorama issue 74 March 2016 page 5