Classic Buses Profiles

Jackson Coaches, Cavan (by Shane Conway)

Last updated 16 December 2024

Email   Events diary   Past events list   Classified adverts   Classic U.K. Buses   Classic Irish Buses   Classic Manx Buses

Another look at some delightful vehicles from the past, this time the fleet of Jackson's Tours from Cavan in the Irish Republic which was started in 1955 following the take-over of McGirr's Bus Service, also from Cavan. Most bus services from the town were operated by the Great Northern Railway, as was the local rail network. McGirr/Jackson operated a scheduled service from Cavan to Longford via Arva, complementing another route between those two towns, routed via Granard in Co. Longford (the home of its operator, Pioneer Bus Service). Jacksons were also car dealers, and in later years had the Ford franchise for the area.

Taken over from McGirr was a 1939 AEC Regal, although it is known that they also had some Bedford OB vehicles, but these are not recorded as being acquired by Jackson. The next purchase was a 1933 AEC Regal, which had been rebodied in 1947. The small vehicle intake in the early years next switched to pre-war Leyland Tigers, before settling on postwar vehicles from 1960 onwards. For most of that decade Leyland, AEC, Bedford and Ford buses and coaches were added to the fleet, all imported and re-registered with Cavan marks.

1967 saw the purchase of the final half-cab buses in the shape of two ex Ulsterbus Leyland PS1s. Identical buses were also used by CIE, Erne Bus Service and Donnelly at the same time, and it was theoretically possible thar one from each fleet could have been together in the same place at the same time, both in Cavan and Longford.

Being Ford dealers, Jackson's fleet intake in the 1970s comprised mostly new Ford chassis with a variety of bodywork, including Caetano, Duple, Plaxton, Van Hool, and from 1976, Van Hool McArdle. In total 41 new machines were acquired up till 1979, alongside around twenty used Fords and AECs. This total of 61 over ten years contrasts with the 33 acquired in the previous fifteen years. The end of operations occurred in Febuary 1980, when all the Van Hools were sold to PMPA Tours in Dublin, all other vehicles passing to other operators, including Wharton Travel of nearby Crossdoney who took over the Longford service, and still run it to this day. Two months later, a pair of Plaxton Supremes arrived, these being sold on to others for further use. A final arrival was a new Ford based Van Hool, which had been ordered by Jackson but was delivered directly to PMPA. Jacksons therafter continued with sales and servicing of cars and light commercials produced by Ford. PMPA's coach business lasted four more years, until its 37 strong fleet fell victim to the sudden lack of American tourists in 1984, and the entire PMPA group folded.

FLEET LIST

1955 (total 1)

1957 (total 2)

1958 (total 2)

1960 (total 2)

BID 775 was one of a pair of 1948 ex Southdown Leyland PS1s bought in 1960, a further three (from 1947) arrived the following year.

1961 (total 5)

1962 (total 3)

1963 (total 2)

1964 (total 1)

1965 (total 1)

1966 (total 2)

1967 (total 7)

1968 (total 2)

1969 (total 3)

1970 (total 3)

1971 (total 2)

1972 (total 2)

1973 (total 2)

1974 (total 7)

1975 (total 5)

1976 (total 11)

1977 (total 14)

1086 ID was one of nine 1977 Van Hool McArdle bodied Fords bought new by Jacksons, which along with two new Duples and three imports, represented the largest annual intake of vehicles to the fleet. It is seen here with Dorgan Coaches in Terenure in 1991.

After its PSV service was over, 1704 ID was acquired for preservation by Gary Manahan. It had been painted in a blue version of the then current Bus Eireann red stripe livery, as seen here.

1978 (total 5)

3354 ID was one of a pair of 1978 Van Hool bodied Fords bought new by Jacksons, and was seen on a shoppers excursion to Belfast in 1984, parked in the Ulsterbus premises in Great Victoria Street.

3689 ID was the other of the pair of 1978 Van Hool bodied Fords bought new by Jacksons, and was also seen on a shoppers excursion to Belfast in 1984, which were big business in those days.

6107 ID was one of a pair of 1977 Plaxton bodied Fords new to Kinch of Mountsorrell, seen here with its third owner in 1987.

1979 (total 8)

6172 ID passed from PMPA to Star Coaches in south Dublin, and was photographed on O'Connell Bridge in late 1984. It was one of eight new coaches bought in 1979, the second largest ever intake to the fleet.

1980 (total 3)

Total buses = 95 with 2 survivors (KID 154 and 1704 ID).

Email   Events diary   Past events list   Classified adverts   Classic U.K. Buses   Classic Irish Buses   Classic Manx Buses

SB