‘Badgerline at 40’ Heritage Bus Day

Remembrance Sunday, 8th November

Avon Valley Railway are hosting a special event to commemorate 40 years of Badgerline with a select number of heritage buses on display. Included in the vehicle line-up is a ‘SWIFT LINK’ liveried heritage double deck bus, dating back to the 1980s which features a small shop on the lower deck, selling all things ‘Badgerline’, including photographs, bus and railway books, uniforms and much more. Please come on-board and look around. In addition, a full display can be found on the upper deck providing a history of the Badgerline Bus Company.

The event is free to attend and the station buffet at Bitton station is open as usual from 9am.

Badgerline was formed on the deregulation of the National Bus Company in October 1986. The original country bus services of Bristol Omnibus Company, by this time had become Bristol Country Bus. By September 1986, Senior Managers, and 100 employees had bought shares in what was called Badgerline, the name linking it with the countryside. The Head Office was in Weston Super Mare, and all bus services operated from Bath, Wells and Weston depots became Badgerline services. Bristol Marlborough Street buses were also Badgerline, while the City services became City Line.

Badgerline became very successful across the whole of the country, gradually taking over many similar bus companies, eventually becoming Badgerline Group. In 1996, Badgerline Group and Grampian Transport merged, to become First Group.