1970
On 06 March 1970, CRG163 is first registered by Crosville Motor Services in the company’s beautiful cream & black coaching livery with four illuminated side panels each side of the vehicle. CRG163 would be based at the company’s Liverpool Edge Lane depot from new, allocated to the company’s prestigious Liverpool - London services.
The vehicle’s side illuminated side panels would display ‘Crosville - Coach - Liverpool - London’.
CRG163 London bound in the beautiful cream and black livery which included four illuminated side panels each side.
Crosville coverage in its ’Crosville United’ employee magazine
The following are extracts from the company’s employee magazine ‘Crosville United’. The first image relates to the company’s introduction of the elegant Bristol RELH/ECW Series 2 Mark 1 coach back in 1964.
The second image relates to the upcoming delivery of the batch of coaches to Crosville in 1970 which included CRG163 (CRG160 - CRG164).
The third image is introduction of CRG163 within the batch of four vehicles delivered ranging from CRG160 to CRG164.
The fourth image is an article produced by Crosville about their Bristol RE’s.
From Crosville’s employee magazine ‘Crosville United’ number 57, September 1964, heralding the arrival of these elegant vehicles into the company‘s fleet.
From Crosville’s employee magazine ‘Crosville United’ number 72, January 1970, advertising the future arrival of CRG163 to Crosville from a batch of six coaches ranging from CRG160 to CRG164.
From Crosville’s employee magazine ‘Crosville United’ number 75, Spring 1970, heralding the arrival of CRG163 to Crosville from a batch of six coaches ranging from CRG160 to CRG164.
Photo: CRG496 (5458FM) of 1963 vintage sweeping through Chester’s Eastgate en route to London on the X1 service. Photo by E. A. Allison, Crosville Motor Services Ltd
Crosville X1, X2, X18, X61 Coach Timetables: Liverpool - London
The following is the Crosville timetable leaflets of the time for the prestigious X1, X2, X18 and X61 services as advertised and operated between 01 October 1969 and 31 May 1970. When entering service on 06 March 1970, CRG163 would have entered service with Crosville operating the immediate timetable below between Liverpool and London.
The X1 service would take 10.5 hours from Liverpool to London serving many stops including Chester Delamere Street, Brownhills, Birmingham, Stratfod-On-Avon and Oxford
The X61 service would take 7 hours from Liverpool to London serving far fewer stops than the X1. On serving Runcorn Bus Station the X61 would then operate to Hendon via the M6 and M1, hence the route number being X61.
The prestigious X1 and X61 services as advertised and operated between 01 October 1969 and 31 May 1970
The following is the X1 and X61 timetable from 01 June and 30 September 1970.
Crosville’s X1/X61 timetable as advertised and operated between 1 June and 30 September 1970.
The following timetable is that of the X2 daily service between Liverpool and London via Birkenhead, Ellesmere Port, Chester and Crewe which would also have been operated by CRG163 and similar coaches of the time.
Crosville X2 service between Liverpool and London timetable and fares: 01 June to 30 September 1970.
Crosville Liverpool Edge Lane staff
So often missed is remembering the valued staff behind the wheel and behind the scenes in ensuring that the buses and coaches operated as scheduled and in all weather. Below is a fantastic photograph which was taken by Mike Lambden (Crosville/National Express retired) in 1970 of such valuable staff standing in front of a Crosville CRG. The drivers in the photograph would have driven CRG163 between Liverpool and London as well as other destinations.
Photo: provided with thanks by Mike Lambden. Mike comments that he took this image back in 1970 when staff from Crosville’s Liverpool Edge Lane depot were about to embark on a long service outing, all standing in front of a Crosville CRG. The people in the photograph are (L - R): Harry Parry (conductor on the North Wales services); Tommy Leech (garage driver and former express driver); Harry Wood (London driver); Harry Draper (London driver); ??; Bob Parry (London driver); Jack Cowap (London driver); Sid Green (driver); ??; Les Brereton (DTS Liverpool and ex London driver); ?? (engineering labourer?); Jimmy Corbett (Engineering chargehand); Alan Plews (ticket inspector); Billy Lawson (Engineering Supervisor); Dennis Revill (Garage Foreman); Bob Campbell (Depot Inspector); Hugh Whitby (London driver); Sam Thompson (conductor who worked the Capenhurst contract); Bert Drew (driver and Union Chairman); Syd Bird (London driver).
Other similar coaches to CRG163 - London bound
The following images are of similar coaches to CRG163 operating the coach service between Liverpool and London in the original and beautiful Crosville cream and black livery. The black and white images are so evocative with the image of CRG109 in Crewe below demonstrates the livery in colour.
Photo: CRG162 at Victoria Coach Station, London in 1970 having operated the X1 service from Liverpool, kindly allowed for reproduction by Mr Andrew Mark with thanks. Mike Lambden comments that he thinks that this is Mr Bob Parry at the wheel from Crosville’s Liverpool Edge Lane depot.
A fantastic photo of CRG162 parked at the back of Crosville’s Edge Lane depot, 23 May 1970 Mike Lambden, Graham Warren which has been added tonight to David Wilder’s article on the website with kind permission from Mr John Lee.
A colour image of CRG109 in Crosville’s beautiful cream and black coaching livery operating the X2 from Liverpool to London, seen here Crewe’s bus and coach station in 1971.
CRG109 in Oxford in Crosville’s cream and black livery.
CRG110, London bound on the prestigious X1 service in Crosville’s cream and black livery.