Felix Bus Services

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Felix Bus Services is a small British bus and coach operator based in the village of Stanley, near Ilkeston in Derbyshire.

1 History
2 Livery
3 References
4 External link

[edit] History

The company's founder Norman Frost bought a Crossley lorry from the War Department in 1921. A second Crossley with charabanc bodywork was purchased the following year. A Dickens bus body was fitted to the chassis of the original vehicle in 1924.

Between 1926 and 1940 Dennis chassis were purchased, many having bodywork by Willowbrook of Loughborough. Felix settled down to operate the Derby to Ilkeston via Stanley route which remains their core service to this day.

After experience of utility Bedford OWB buses during the Second World War, Felix standardised on Bedford chassis from the 1950s to the 1980s. The fleet was 100% Bedford between 1968 and 1985. During this period the fleet size remained fairly constant at around eight or seven vehicles. Plaxton bodywork was favoured, and most vehicles were coaches along with a few vehicles to dual-purpose specification.

After bus deregulation in 1986, the fleet increased gradually to around twice its previous size, being around 15 vehicles as of 2007. The diversity of the fleet also increased with new and secondhand Leylands, Dennises and Volvos, and more recently still, Scanias and Optare Solos joining the fleet. The emphasis has also switched from coaches to service buses, with just two Irisbus coaches now in the fleet and over half of the service buses being low-floor, easy access types.

The main service is now operated jointly with Trent Barton as "The Black Cat" having previously been numbered 12. An express service between Derby and Ilkeston is also operated named "The Ilkeston Flyer".