Aged 14, my first published feature article ‘Focus On Reservoir’ was published in the June 1971 edition of Bus and Coach News Sheet (Bus and Coach Society of Victoria). This was less than two years after I had started part-time work at Gordon Barton’s Sunday Observer newspaper.

“A partnership known as Reservoir Motors was formed in 1947 by Messrs J.R. and A.D. Witham, W. Brown and P. Quinn operating a service with a 7-passenger Ford and two 7-passenger Buddy Stewarts (rear entrance vehicles) between East Preston tram terminus and what is now Ruthven railway station, the service having been previously operated by Messrs Webb, White, Stephens and Ranking,” I wrote, before being introduced to 19-word lead paragraphs.

“This service was later extended to Lalor and subsequently to Epping. In 1950 the partnership was dissolved , and with Mr S.W. Cooper a company under the name of East Preston and Epping Bus Services Pty Ltd was formed. In the mid-fifties E.P. & E. Bus Services bought out H.E. Taylor who was a joint operator on the High Street, Preston services with Webb and Williamson.

“East Preston and Epping Bus Services later amalgamated with Webb & Williamson in 1964, to become Reservoir Bus Company on December 1, 1968.

ROUTE OPERATIONS
552 – North East Reservoir to East Thornbury
553 – West Reservoir to Thornbury
555 – Epping & Lalor West to Northland Shopping Centre
556 – Keon Park to Northland
558 – North West Reservoir to Reservoir
559 – Thomastown to East Lalor
557 – Thomastown to West Lalor (to start soon)

“Route 552 (formerly Rte 1A (Part B) was originally Thornbury to Reservoir Station. Actually the history of this service goes back further to the era of the cable tram, when T-model Fords operated from Reservoir railway station to Spencer Street, City. Subsequently this service was shortened to Dundas Street, Thornbury to meet the (then) tram terminus. When Heidelberg Bus Company ceased operations on their Westgarth-Dundas Street route, RBC’s predecessors took over a loop at the Thornbury end leading to East Thornbury. Buses then operated a small extension about half a mile north of Reservoir. This extension became a service of its own (somewhat extended from ½-mile now!) when a loop was added to East and North East Reservoir in the early 60s.

“Route 553 (formerly Rte 1A (Part A)) started during the Second World War. Running from Reservoir to Thornbury on the other (west) side of the railway line, extensions were made to operate as Thornbury-Reservoir-Edwardes Lake-West Reservoir Industrial Area-West Preston.

“Route 555 (previously 122A) extended its services to Northland Shopping Centre in Octyober 1966. Late in 1969 buses lengthened the route further north into Epping, and also deviated into the West Lalor housing estate.

“Route 556 (formerly 138A) also extended to Northland and also two miles north of Reservoir to Keon Park via Cheddar Road.

“Route 558 (formerly 151A) commenced operations early in 1966. It serves as a shoppers’ service but also carries a large number of passengers who are peak-hour travellers from Melbourne trains.”

“Route 559 (formerly 156A) originated in August 1969. A lower loop was added around East Thomastown, and this has become a well-patronised service.

“A new service to start soon will be Thomastown-West Lalor (No. 557 has been allocated). As the land subdivisions are developed, RBC starts up new feeder services. This route will cater for the West Thomastown estates.

“All timetables are at 15-20 minute frequencies, stepping up to 10 minutes in some cases during peak hours. The newly introduced timetable for the High Street services co-ordinates the routes and provides for an 8-minute frequency during the day.

THE BUSES THEMSELVES
“Reservoir Bus Company operates 30 petrol Bedfords, 29 of which are painted in the familiar dark green and cream. (The Webb and Williamson buses were similar, but had ivory coloured roofs). No. 23 is painted in an experimental scheme of silver with dark green trim. Two bodies are by Newnham, one a Piper of 1960 vintage, and the remaining 27 CAC/Comair.

“An associate company, Midland Tours Pty Ltd, is the charter division and it operates five coaches, all of 41 seats. Four are Bedford SB3’s with Comair bodies, and the other is a Bedford VAM3 with a Newnham body. Midland’s colour scheme on the four Comairs is white and red, while the new VAM is white with orange signwriting.

“Previosly RBC and Midland have operated Comairs, Fords, a Leyland Tiger5, International, a Chevrolet ‘Maple Leaf’, a White, Federals, and of course Reos.

“According to an advertisement carried in The Age (Bus Trabsport Supplement – March 1970) RBC carry 3½ million passengers annually.

“Progress is being made in coverting to transverse seating, and as may be seen from the above fleet list, only five buses remain with full perimeter seating.

“Many thanks to Messrs P. Quinn, J. Cooper, P. Cooper and R. Webb, and also other personnel of RBC for the most valuable assistance in compiling this survey.”