Tally Ho Coaches
Based: Head office and depot – Station Yard Industrial Estate, Kingsbridge, Devon.
Sub-depot at Kingsley Close, Lee Mill Industrial Estate, Ivybridge.
Website: www.tallyhocoaches.co.uk
Founded: 1923 by farmer Jimmy Clark of East Allington, who bought a lorry to take rabbits to market and carry passengers at weekends. First bus, 20-seat De-Dion Bouton, bought 1933 and named the Tally Ho! Sunshine Coach. First new vehicle, Bedford OWB/Duple B32F FTT 647, allocated June 1944 by Ministry of War Transport following its earlier use at top secret Bletchley Park code and cipher school.
Jim Wellington, proprietor of Kingsbridge Belle, acquired Clark’s business February 1960 to form limited company, Tally Ho! Coaches, based at East Allington. Coach operations combined from 1964. Opened current depot 1971, same year as Tally Ho! took over routes given up by Western National.
Acquired Salcombe Motor Company 1964, Walls of Dartmouth 1966, South Milton Coaches 1972, Ivy Coaches, Ivybridge 1975, Riley, Holbeton 1978, Sunshine Coaches, Plymouth 1979, vehicles and routes of The Harrier, Modbury 1999 and minibuses of local garage owner Edgar Wills 2003.
Founder’s grandson Simon Wellington sold compa…
