Long-running independent bus company York Pullman has been sold to FirstGroup, it was announced today (Friday).
A FirstGroup company spokesperson said: “The acquisition of the York Pullman business will both enhance FirstGroup’s operational footprint in North Yorkshire and provide growth opportunities in adjacent markets and development of its private hire capability.”
York Pullman’s origins date back more than a century. Today, the company say the sale would “ensure its sustainability for the future”.
The value of the deal is not being disclosed.
FirstGroup described York Pullman as “a high-performing business comprising five well-established brands in the provision of bus and coach services”.
Predominantly a provider of home-to-school and college contracted services and private hire operations including rail replacement, it operates across York and North Yorkshire.
And it runs the coach service for the York City FC team and supporters’ groups.
York Pullman also comprises a small number of local bus routes operated on behalf of several local authorities and “complementary to the operations of First Bus operations in York”.
The business has a mixed fleet of more than 130 vehicles with varying passenger capacity serving a “broad range of customers”.
Grow and diversify
At this point, FirstGroup plc has signed an agreement to purchase York Pullman Bus Company Ltd.
However, completion of the sale is anticipated in the next few weeks, subject to customary regulatory review.
Graham Sutherland, FirstGroup chief executive officer said: “A key pillar of our strategy is to grow and diversify our portfolio.
“The acquisition of York Pullman – a long-established, high-performing business – fits well with our strategy as it will both enhance the First Bus operational footprint in North Yorkshire and expand our adjacent services business, where we are looking to grow our presence.”
History of York Pullman
The history of the firm can be traced back to the early 1920s when garage owner Norman Pearce started operating a service between York and Stamford Bridge.
In 1926 Hartas Foxton joined forces with Pearce to establish the York Pullman Bus Company, adopting the maroon, yellow and cream livery of the old ‘Pullman’ railway carriages.
The company continued to expand and by 1938 it had outgrown its three garages in Lead Mill Lane, James Street and Piccadilly. A large area of derelict land was acquired in Navigation Road and a new depot constructed on the site of a former glassworks factory.
With the onset of war in 1939, the Piccadilly garage was requisitioned and would never fully return to Pullman use.
York Pullman continued to provide much needed bus services throughout the war years and in 1951 the firm moved into new premises and Bootham Tower became their new home.
Over the following decades, the firm continued to flourish and by the 1970s it was carrying over 1,000,000 passengers annually. In addition to offering service buses it also provided customers with an extensive day excursion programme as well as holidays.
With de-regulation came change and by 1990 the trading name of ‘York Pullman’ had been sold to Hull City Transport along with 20 coaches from the fleet.
The York Pullman name was finally resurrected by Tom James of K&J Travel of York in April 2007.
Source: York Pullman website
Tom James, managing director of York Pullman, will remain with the company and continue to run it on a standalone basis with support from the existing York Pullman team alongside the First Bus executive team.
He will also contribute to the development of the First Bus coach services growth strategy.
He said: “This is an important step in the development of York Pullman to build on its success and ensure its sustainability for the future within FirstGroup, whilst retaining its identity and core values.”