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"CAPTAIN Dean & Son found an opportunity, as many others did after the First World War to cheaply purchase ex-army vehicles and convert them into buses. They started up Swanage Coaches in the early 1920's and ran day tours and excursions for holidaymakers visiting Swanage. The coach livery was maroon and grey and the places they went were to Cheddar Caves, the New Forest - one tour was called “The Hardy Country”. There were much shorter tours as well to Worth Matravers for Chapman's Pool and Durlston Head for Tilly Whim Caves, Globe and Lighthouse.
After the First World War they bought and put up a wooden built Royal Flying Corps hanger (at a very good price of £35.00) and this was at the lower end of the High Street. It was near to the Pier (opposite where the White Horse Pub is) on land reclaimed from the sea. And it was around 1936 that they bought two new Bedford coaches to add to the new Dennis and two small 20-seat Chevrolets already owned. As well as the motor coach business they were selling agents for Vauxhall and Bedford vehicles using their family name “Dean & Son Motor Engineers”. I remember in the 1950's they had another garage at the top end of the High Street (where the timber company is now) to keep eight or nine extra coaches as well as the hangar. I remember seeing a small Bedford OB parked and three other Bedfords with 35 seats.
My father happened to be a friend of Captain Dean and when I reached fourteen years of age I was offered a job as an apprentice mechanic at the hangar. By then they had dropped Vauxhall and Bedford to operate a Ford Franchise and they sold the new Ford Eight car which was about £100. A new engine could be fitted for £10.00! The owner's son, John Dean also worked at the hangar and we became good friends. When I was fourteen I used to get in one of the Bedfords and liked to drive it up and down inside the garage. It had a right-hand gate change and off it would suddenly go! It had full-length curtains, a mohair roof which used to fold back in good weather and vase on the dash with flowers inside.
Other coaches that visited the town were Charlies Cars from Bournemouth, and Grey Cars from Torquay. They were allowed to park in the hangar, where next door the famous Trocadero restaurant had a driver's room. It was very elaborate and was three storeys high. It could cater for 120 people from the visiting paddle steamer. These drivers would go in to show their badge and would get a free tea with toast or scones if they brought in their passengers into the restaurant.
In later years John Dean took over the business but wasn't interested in the buses. He sold out both the garages and coaches to nearby South Dorset Coaches They sold on the vehicles and the hangar but kept the garage in the High Street for a time before renting it out to the timber company."
Fred Riley, Herston, Swanage, September 2010.
Fred Riley, Herston, Swanage, September 2010.
Fred was a driver for Hants & Dorset Motor Services and worked at Swanage between 1950 and 1961.
Top photograph shows 1936 Swanage Coaches converted hangar to garage. Second photograph of Swanage Coaches garage at the Coronation. Third photograph of 1954 Swanage Coaches garage. Fourth photograph shows another view of 1954 Swanage Coaches garage. Transparent image shows the Trocadero Restaurant advertisement from Hants and Dorset Motor Services 1931 timetable. Fifth photograph shows one of Charlies Cars in doorway of Swanage Garages about 1951. Bottom photograph shows Bedford OB CTK210 Swanage Coaches at Lyme Regis 1950's. Title image from Swanage Coaches brochure.
Photographs showed were owned by Fred Riley.
Top photograph shows 1936 Swanage Coaches converted hangar to garage. Second photograph of Swanage Coaches garage at the Coronation. Third photograph of 1954 Swanage Coaches garage. Fourth photograph shows another view of 1954 Swanage Coaches garage. Transparent image shows the Trocadero Restaurant advertisement from Hants and Dorset Motor Services 1931 timetable. Fifth photograph shows one of Charlies Cars in doorway of Swanage Garages about 1951. Bottom photograph shows Bedford OB CTK210 Swanage Coaches at Lyme Regis 1950's. Title image from Swanage Coaches brochure.
Photographs showed were owned by Fred Riley.
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