Tramway Museum Society of Victoria Incorporated

38 Piccadilly Crescent, Keysborough,  VIC  3173

Tramway Heritage Centre

330 Union Lane, Bylands, VIC  3762

Content copyright © Tramway Museum Society of Victoria Inc.  Reproduced with permission.

ABN 12 739 015 600  Victorian Registration A1864E

On the 1st. January, 1968, the tramways Board extended, it's bus network, when the bus lines operated by Rouch and Kennedy were acquired. To provide the extra buses needed for the three new routes, all A.E.C. Regal Mark V1 (class "F") buses allotted to North Fitzroy were sent to Doncaster Depot. Thus it is now possible to see No. 700 (the class leader) and No. 799 (the last), both at Box Hill Station.

The petrol engine buses of Rouch and Kennedy Pty. Ltd. (coloured orange) were sold. by the Board.

The new routes are as follows :-

(a) Box Hill Station via Box Hill Hospital, Elgar Road and Belmore Road to High Street - East Kew, where buses connect with trams (route 48) to the City.

(b) Box Hill Station via Middleborough and Wetherby Roads to Doncaster Rd. (Buses enroute for this terminus show "D'CASTER DEPOT" as their destination.

(c) Box Hill Station to Box Hill North and Blackburn North via Dorking and Springfield Roads.

The destination rolls on the Doncaster based buses have been fitted with the extra names and places needed for the newly obtained runs.

With the addition of these routes, it is now possible for people living in Doncaster to travel to Box Hill Station via three ways :-

(i) via Doncaster Junction, Tram Road and Station Street.

(ii) via Wetherby and Middleborough Roads, and

(iii) via Goodwin Street and Blackburn Station.

Revised bus timetables for all services provided from Doncaster Depot came into operation from 4th. Dec. 1967.

With the opening of the Eastland Shopping Centre late last year, certain tramway buses bound for Ringwood Station now run via Eastland, also a new service from Mitcham to Ringwood Station via Deep Creek was introduced with the opening of Eastland, and although it serves this centre it also passes through the new housing area of Antonio Park.

The Tramways Board's bus operations are providing a good service to the new developing areas in the east of Melbourne; and the takeover just discussed. is but one example of the expanding services being operated by the Tramways Board.

I would like to thank Messrs Bob Prentice and Paul Nicholson for helping me in many ways, and special thanks are due to Mr. H. Westrup, Bus Branch Engineer, and his Officers for their courtesy and kindness. Greatly appreciated.

G. Turnbull.

Copyright.

Photo: G. Turnbull - Rouch and Kennedy Pty. Ltd. bus at Box Hill about to depart for Katrina Street on 5th. December, 1967.

Photo: G. Turnbull - 1st. day photo. No. 732 at Box Hill.

Photo: G. Turnbull - 6th, Dec. 1967 and here is Rouche & Kennedy's Orange Bedford on the East Kew service - only one month before the M.&M.T.B. will acquire yet another private bus company.

Photo: G. Turnbull - At 2 p.m. on 1st. January, 1968, No. 791 waits for passengers at the Box Hill terminus.

Photo: G. Turnbull - When the Tramways Board took over the Box Hill bus routes of Rouch & Kennedy on 1st. Jan., 1968, it also acquired the petrol engined buses as owned by R. &K. As these were non-standard fuel wise with the rest of its fleet, the Board disposed of them. The buses are picture (above) at North Fitzroy Depot on 17th. Jan, 1968.

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