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Bowens

I wondered why they had their shutters down in Chelmsley shopping centre, thats who i book my twice yearly holiday to Malta with, will have to go back to the Co-op, next door but one, what a shame. Eric
 
Another piece of coaching history lost probably due to the recession. I worked for Stocklands when Bowens took them over, sad times even then.
 
Yep

In Administration. £5-£6 mil in the Red. Fuel Costs Insurance as others have said the recession.
These Holidays and Trips always look relatively good Value for Money with virtual House pick up.
A sorry day for all of us. Our local one Johnson's doubles up by running some Bus routes and the
School runs. Took us to Chatsworth on a day trip.

mike jenks
 
Had no experience of them as a coach company (always preferred trains or my car) but have used them as a travel agents for the last few years and found them very helpful and efficient, shopping around for the best deal for me, feel sorry for the staff at Chelmsley Wood who I had got know. Oh well, back to the Co-op. Eric
 
Why do they all go bust just on top of Xmas, I now its bad any time,but sems so much worse at this time of year - same for the car workers in Southampton, one of my friends husband is being made redundant from there and with little prospect of getting a job, their home will be on the line too.
Bowens have always been a regular fixture roundTamworth and at one time were the only coaches you saw for all the trips, including our school ones, but recently Solus have taken over or appear to, cheaper to hire, as we found out for the rugby tour. Like Eric, I used to use Bowens travel agents until it closed when they pulled down the shoppingprecinct it was situated in.
Sue
 
Hi

Yep cheaper competition starts it off. Once the competitors have been annihilated put up
your prices. Sounds like The Gas and Electric.
Its not an easy one the huge Supermarket Giants v the Corner shop.
A lot of going out of bushiness especially with Travel Companies is in effect they have had
all the Holiday bookings and often have a lot of the later on things Xmas Shopping etc.
By pulling the plug now for this year anyway they have in as much cash as they can.
Its a real old cruel world out there.

Mike Jenks
 
Sad to hear of old bowens closeing down and finished as we all know they served birmingham for many a donkeys years
over the years and when they started way back in time and there big head office on stratford rd and and there garage
and there big garage had many a week end trips to liverpool way back in the fiftys with them ;
i think flights was the no 1 tour operaters then bowens i do not when or how they started there bussiness
i think also in the berkerly rd hay mills was another yard in the sixties a small little office and yard for thre coaches
i knew that the flights empire started by there grt grand father whom was a rag and bone man in the 1800s
and got the little yard in victoria rd aston ; then opened up a little garage shed for the early cars of that period and
a century a two on one of the grandsons started to expand the yard to a bigger garage and started to sell petrol
and the rest history sad loss to birmingham ;regarding bowens ;
best wishes astoian;;
 
That's a great idea Mike. So many people in Brum have memories of Bowen's Coaches. Sad it's no more or will be.
 
Bowens Administration

Sad to read today about the above news. Awful time of the year for any business to fail ,let alone one who has served the Midlands so well over the years.I worked for Les Bowen in the 60s when his depot ran from Cotterills lane, his fleet then consisted of 6 A.E.C.s with Harrington bodies.In 1967 he purchased a 53 seater A.E. C. Plaxton .There were 7 drivers then Robert Hall.Ron Smallwood, Johnny Willavize,John Robinson ,Phil Turner,Dave Evans & myself. The work was all Excusion &Tour work ,Express services and Willenhall, Wolverhampton , Cradley Heath dog tracks mid week nights.The coaches were looked after mechanically by a man called Wally Stillgoe who was very thorough and methodical, his son Micheal looked after the small car service and repair bay on the garage forecourt. The office was run by two ladies Joyce and Marjorie, with Bernard office manager who i believe was Les Bowens son in law. Les himself was a very broad shouldered,stocky man who always wore a trilby and a liking for cigars.He drove a light two tone brown Bentley and lived in a corner plot between The Fox and Goose and The Hunters Moon.
He was a gentleman to work for and unlike some firms of that era treated his staff with courtesy and consideration .My commiserations to all the staff who will lose their jobs and good luck to getting another .
I sincerley hope you leave with as many happy memories as i have
 
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Re: Bowens Administration

When Bowens bought out Stocklands one of our drivers became the transport manager (Geoff ?) unfortunately I had started work at Shell Mex & BP by then and no longer had the time to carry on part time driving, boy did I miss it.
 
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I remember going to Blackpool on Bowens Coaches in the...late 40s/early 50s. They had side cab coaches back then with Dennis engines...mmm and they could move a bit. I think the name painted on the back of them was L.F. Bowen. I see that a Wally Stillgoe is mentioned and if this is the same Stillgoe I think he had a coach of his own and lived on the road above The Swan on Washwood Heath Road...just below the bus and tram terminous. Now, Stillgoe is not a name that you see often and I might have been in school with his son maybe. This would have been a Michael Stillgoe and he played on the school soccer team with me...centre half as I recall. This would have been Leigh Road Juniors. Hmm. 64 years ago...it seems like yesterday.
 
Was there a garage in Victoria road many years ago Rupert?. Pete thinks there was but I can't remember. Jean.
 
What awful news another long established family firm gone to the wall. My brother and sister in law have booked to go to Scotland for New Year with them. He is not well and I know this will upset him...terrible.
 
Thanks Nickcc I thought it wasn't Bowens but would not say until I was certain.
 
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BOWENS. Yes, this is front page news in the Tamworth HERALD Newspaper this week. 133 jobs lost locally. The true integrity of the staff however, has been shown in that, despite not having been paid for some time, drivers are working for free to honour contracts with the public.
Again ... the reason for failure HAS to be put, fairly & squarely at the feet of the avaricious Financial Sector, supported by self-serving politicians. They have driven fuel costs up by either playing the Futures market or putting excessive levels of Tax on Derv, etc., that running vehicles becomes prohibitive. We, the public, are hit by having to find more money from less income for day to day living costs, and so, Coach Trips, like many other luxuries, are sacrificed.
But ... back to Bowens. I remember the Cotterills Lane site, as, in my Teenage years I was one of a group (gang?) of Motorcyclists who rode around the North of B'ham. Many of my friends lived in Alum Rock, Stetchford, Castle Brom, Castle Vale, Sutton, etc., We drank in various pubs over the 1970 - 1980's period. One of which from about 1976 onwards was the Wagon & Horses in Adderley St. A regular here was Len, an elderly gentleman, (65+) and he deserved that title, who had a 500cc Velocette Venom. He was, I think, a Coach cleaner and ferry driver for Bowens, having been a Driver during his working life. Twice a year, we used to go on a coach trip. The Bike Show at Earls Court and Blackpool lights. This gentleman would arrange and drive a coach for us. As you can guess, with 40 or so young Motorcyclists, it was a raucous, boozy affair on the way back. But it never fazed Len, How he threw that big vehicle around the side streets in London, or dealt with snails pace traffic along the Golden Mile, without the slightest worry was incredible. One night,after the Earls Court trip, a series of serious Fog related accidents on the M.1 lead to us crawling from the start of the Motorway for over 20 miles. From about Midnight until 2am we crept along to the merry sounds from the back seats of "Stop the 'Bus we want a Wee-Wee!" This soon died as many went to sleep. I stayed awake, talking to Len as we surveyed the carnage in front of us. The sight of so many separate accidents, with cars in flames and bodies on the carriageway was like a scene from Dante's Inferno. We arrived back at the 'Wagon' at about 5.30am, unloaded all the empty Beer crates, Road Cones & Signs that had, mysteriously got onto the Coach, and returned home. Len had another hour to go still, he had to clean and sort the Coach before he went home.
When he died in the mid 80's, we went to his funeral, and helped his widow get a good price for his Motorcycles as she was being fleeced by a local Dealer, (who shall remain nameless as he's still around).
Bowens was, both to us then, and to subsequent groups that I've been associated with, (Youth Clubs, OAP Clubs,) a very good and trustworthy organization. A great pity to lose both them and another part of my (our?) local history.
 
I don't know where Bowens garage was back then Jean I was refering to the corporation garage on Washwood Heath road. I think my soccer pal Micheal Stillgoe lived on Limetree road; just above where The Swan was. The road and houses are still there but the garage has now been replaced by a grocery store and The Swan has gone to houses now...in the last few years. Bowen's must have had ticket agents around The Gate somewhere, since my dad would have bought them on his way home from work.
I remember the old Stillgoe coach at the bottom of Arley Hill one time...a fishing contest trip on a sunday. My dad's club had a contest the same day and we had a couple of ancient Midland Red single decker's. I remember the driver of the Stillgoe coach (might have been the owner) talking to the two Midland Red drivers and saying "I just want to see you get up that bonk" and laughing. Well we had to walk up the hill and get on the busses at the top...amidst a lot of grumbling.
 
I,m sure there is/was a Bowens depot between Fazely and Ventura Park shopping centre in Fazely Road, I pass it every time I go to the shopping centre. Eric
 
Yes, it became Bowens some years ago. Then had financial problems..... please see my earlier post re Tamworth Paper.
 
Nickcc101 ... You are right, I missed a bit from my last post. Following the deregulation of 'Bus Companies back in the 80's, many transport companies were set up, or expanded. By the 90s, lots had gone, and others were in difficulty. I think Arnolds were one such.
 
We always used Smith's Coaches in Sparkbrook until they closed and then we changed to Endeavour which we still use ........ going to Weston Carnival on Friday with them.
I have fond memories of Smith's, my mother loved the 'Afternoon Mystery Trips'!!!

We go to Scotland with Highland Heritage, decent Hotels, all in and includes trips out most days - such good value we make it twice a year and that's on our pension!!!
 
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