When tragedy struck the Blue Buses of Willington

LOOKING BACK TO THE NIGHT 50 YEARS AGO WHEN A HUGE FIRE WIPED OUT THE COMPANY'S 54 YEARS IN OPERATION

- By ZENA HAWLEY

THEY were loved by passengers, loved by staff and even paved the way for love - they were Willington's Blue Buses.

But 50 years ago yesterday, tragedy struck as fire broke out at the depot destroying the garage and 19 buses and the illustrious history of the company, which was started in 1922 in Repton.

When the last bus ran on the night of January 5, 1976, no one could have realised that one of the best-maintained and best-loved fleets of buses in the country would never be seen on the lanes of South Derbyshire again.

After the last of the fleet had been refuelled in readiness for business as usual the next morning, the depot was locked for the last time.

Twenty minutes later, smoke was seen coming from the garage and, less than two hours later, one of the best-maintained and best-loved fleets had disappeared forever.

The next day, all that was left were smouldering piles of twisted metal.

The loyal staff turned up for work as usual, only to find their jobs gone up in smoke.

Staff knew many of their regulars' first names. Drivers would often stop at garden gates to save passengers a walk in bad weather.

Sometimes, when a regular had overslept, a bus would draw up outside their house and the driver give a blast on the horn to remind them to hurry.

Rarely was anyone turned away, however full the bus. The buses turned up in all weathers - snow, floods and gales hardly ever stopped the Blues reaching their destinations.

No wonder residents in the villages through which they passed always had a friendly wave for the crews as they drove by.

In the early days, the company, started by Dean and Allen and based in Repton, had very basic buses which carried up to 14 people.

The buses became commonly known along the route by nicknames like Ole Bill and The Bacon Box.