Witton Bus Fleet Books - A M Witton's Historical Collection

Between 1949 and 1967, Ian Allan published regular ABCs detailing the fleets of Municipal and Provincial Bus Companies across the UK. However, this publication series came to an unexpected halt after the 1967 editions. A brief renaissance occurred in 1985 and 1986 when Ian Allan  released fleet lists for independent, municipal, and NBC operators in three block-bound paperbacks, with a second edition for the NBC published in 1987.

While Ian Allan's London Bus fleet list books continued throughout the 1970s, from 1968 to 1973, there was a notable gap for bus spotters outside Greater London who sought to enhance their hobby.

That was until April 1974. During this month, A M Witton, later establishing business at Room 20, City Buildings, 69 Corporation Street, Manchester, published their first 'pocket-sized Bus Fleet Book' titled 'Greater Manchester Transport - Buses & Coaches 1974 - history, fleet list and list of services.'

Subsequent editions of these bus fleet books were presented in a uniform cover format, prominently featuring the word 'FLEETBOOK' at the top. For the initial modest price of 40p, these publications gained popularity among bus enthusiasts, especially since Witton had returned to a genuine 'pocket-size' format first employed by Ian Allan up until 1964.

These compact volumes were remarkable; they included comprehensive company histories, remarkably accurate fleet lists, and a wide selection of black and white photos of vehicles in service during that time.

In total, A M Witton produced seventeen separate volumes that covered every part of the United Kingdom, with some titles running up to six editions.

Here is a complete list of the titles and editions:

1. Buses of Greater Manchester - Six editions - 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980 & 1983

2. Buses of South & East Yorkshire / South Yorkshire, Humberside & Lincolnshire - Five editions - 1974, 1977, 1980, 1981 & 1984

3. Buses of West Yorkshire - Five editions - 1974, 1976, 1979, 1982 & 1984

4. Buses of Lancashire & Cumbria - Five editions - 1975, 1977, 1979, 1982 & 1985

5. Buses of Mersey, N. Wales & Isle of Man - Five editions - 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981 & 1984

6. Buses of the West Midlands - Four editions - 1975, 1978, 1980 & 1982

7. Buses of the East Midlands - Four editions - 1976, 1978, 1981 & 1983

8. Buses of North-East England - Four editions - 1976, 1978, 1981 & 1983

9. Buses of South Wales - Three editions - 1976, 1978 & 1982

10. Buses of Eastern England / East Anglia - Three editions - 1977, 1979 & 1982

11. Buses of South-East England - Three editions - 1977, 1980 & 1984

12. Buses of South West England & The Channel Islands - Four editions - 1977, 1978, 1980, 1983

13. Buses of Western Scotland - Two editions - 1977 & 1980

14. Buses of Eastern Scotland - Two editions - 1977 & 1981

15. Buses of Greater/Inner London - Three editions - 1978, 1979 & 1982

16. Buses of Outer London - Three editions - 1979, 1981 & 1986

17. Buses of South Central England - One edition - 1984

This extensive collection provides a comprehensive history of UK bus fleets from 1974 to 1986. For serious bus historians and vintage bus enthusiasts, these transport books are an essential addition to any dedicated Transport Book Collector's library!

The gallery below showcases all the front covers of every edition released, complete with relevant publishing information. Arrow right for the next volume in sequence.