Once part of the British Electric Traction group and a management buyout for nearly 19 years after privatisation, the Barnsley company with a fondness for lowbridge Leylands today is part of Stagecoach
The Yorkshire Traction Company — today’s Stagecoach Yorkshire — came into existence when the expanding Barnsley & District Traction Company was renamed in 1928.
In turn, it had begun life in 1902 in the BET group as tram operator called the Barnsley or & District Electric Traction Company, introduced its first motorbuses in 1913, dropped Electric from its name in 1919 and withdrew its last trams in 1930.


In National Bus Company ownership from 1969, one of its first acts was to absorb the smaller Mexborough & Swinton and County Motors fleets. It was sold to its management in January 1987 and, as Traction Group, went on to acquire Lincolnshire Road Car from NBC and Strathtay from the Scottish Bus Group. It acquired several businesses on its home patch, including South Riding, Andrews and Sheffield Omnibus.