Parish, Buses Morda

In 1925 Albert Parish began a market-day service from Llanyblodwel to Oswestry, via Morda using a Ford Model T lorry modified to carry 14 passengers. In 1929 the Ford was replaced by a 20-seat Dennis and in 1932 this vehicle gave way to a 20 seat Bedford WLB bus. A second market-day service, from Llanfechain to Oswestry was acquired from H Evans of Llansantffraid in March 1935 along with a Dodge KB coach equipped with 20 seat bodywork by Thurwood. Further coaches soon followed, including a second-hand 20 seat Commer and a brand new 25 seat Bedford WTB which replaced the earlier Bedford in 1937. The Dodge was sold in January 1940 and the Commer came to the end of its natural life at the end of 1942, resulting in a need for additional vehicles to cover wartime commitments. In 1941 second hand examples of the Dodge RBF and Bedford WTB arrived, followed by a Leyland Cub acquired from Arthur's of Oswestry in 1942 and then by two Bedford OWB utility buses. Post-war deliveries began in April 1947 with the purchase of a new Bedford OB/Duple Vista coach. A more unusual vehicle arrived in June 1948 in the shape of a pre-war AEC Regal chassis which had received a 31 seat coach body . In this form it survived for another three years. In 1949 another factory fresh Bedford OB/Vista was delivered with an equally new 33 seat Crossley / Burlingham coach.
From 1950 onwards second hand vehicles would be the rule and over the next 15 years several coaches were purchased. For its first 40 years the business had changed little. In 1964 Albert Parish retired and the business passed to his two sons, Ivor Tudor Parish and Samuel Henry Roger Parish. The new owners were successful applicants for a weekday rail replacement service from Llanfyllin to Oswestry via Llanfechain and the two market-day routes were absorbed into this new licence. A further development took place at the end of the year when the Parish brothers acquired the business of France of Llanymynech along with a market-day service to Oswestry and yet another Bedford OB. Two years later Parish's bought the goodwill of four more market-day services (linking the Crickheath area and Sweeney Mountain to Oswestry) from the Gittins Brothers, although on this occassion, no vehicles were involved. By 1971 the Parish fleet had almost doubled in size to 11 vehicles. The brothers also bought a number of mini-buses to handle small scale private -hire work.. In early 1982 the brothers agreed to sell the bulk of the business (except the mini buses) to Owens Coaches of Oswestry. To this day Parish's are still operating a number of services including mini-buses and school contracts.

	1949 Bedford OB/Duple Vista LTD 45 which Parish's operated from Morda to Oswestry from August 1960 to April 1964 and seen here outside Bellan House in Church Street, Oswestry.
	The fully fronted Plaxton version of the Bedford OB reg no DNT 672 operated by Parish's from 1960 to 1962
	1950 Plaxton-bodied Commer Avenger 1 coach Reg No CCB 605 with Parish's from May 1961 to 1964.
	1951 Bedford SB/Mulliner bus, reg no HAW 845 with Parish's from May 1963 to November 1965.
	Photo in the early 1970;s in Parish's yard at the old Morda Brickworks of two buses, right one an ex LUT Reliance/Plaxton Highway dual purpose vehicle reg no 272 STF and on the left, a Bedford SB5/Duple Bella Vega reg no BND 153C.