Editing Reading Buses (section)

==History==
===Horse tram era===
[[File:Oxford Road, Reading, 1893.jpg|thumb|right|[[horsecar|Horse tram]] on [[Oxford Road, Reading|Oxford Road]] in 1893]]
{{main|Reading Tramways Company}}
The origins of Reading Transport can be traced back to the 19th century, when the privately owned Reading Tramways Company (part of the [[Imperial Tramways Company]]) was formed. The company was authorised to construct and operate a [[horsecar|horse tram]] route on an east–west alignment from [[Oxford Road, Reading|Oxford Road]] through [[Broad Street, Reading|Broad Street]] in the town centre to [[Cemetery Junction, Reading|Cemetery Junction]]. This route formed the core of what became known as the ''main line'' of the tram and trolleybus network.<ref name=bzrht>{{cite web | url = http://www.buszone.co.uk/RTLhorse.html | title = Reading Horse Tramways | publisher = Bus Zone | access-date = 27 February 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080827181259/http://www.buszone.co.uk/RTLhorse.html | archive-date = 27 August 2008 | url-status = live}}</ref>

Construction started in January 1879, with the entire line open by May. A fleet of six single-decked cars were initially used, with 31 horses, providing a 20-minute frequency. The cars operated from a depot on the south side of the Oxford Road, immediately to the east of [[Reading West railway station]]. By the 1890s the whole fleet had been replaced by double-decked cars operating at a 10-minute frequency. The company made several proposals to add routes and electrify the system, but none of these were implemented, and in 1899 the borough corporation decided to purchase the system.<ref name="bzrht"/>

The purchase deal was completed on 31 October 1901, and Reading Corporation Tramways came into being. The corporation set out about first extending, and then electrifying the system. The extensions were completed by December 1902, and the last horse cars ran in July of the following year.<ref name="bzrht"/>

===Electric tram era===
[[File:Reading Corporation Tramways, 22 July 1903.jpg|thumb|[[Reading Corporation Tramways]] opening ceremony on 22 July 1903]]
{{main|Reading Corporation Tramways}}
The new [[electric tram]]s started operating in July 1903. Extensions were constructed to the Wokingham Road and London Road (both from Cemetery Junction), and new routes added to [[Whitley, Berkshire|Whitley]], Caversham Road, Erleigh Road and Bath Road. The trams operated from a new depot in Mill Lane, a site that was to remain Reading Transport's main depot until it was demolished to make way for [[The Oracle, Reading|The Oracle]] shopping mall in 1998.<ref name=bzret>{{cite web | url = http://www.buszone.co.uk/RTLtram.html | title = Reading Corporation Tramways / Transport | publisher = Bus Zone | access-date = 27 February 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080827183217/http://www.buszone.co.uk/RTLtram.html | archive-date = 27 August 2008 | url-status = live}}</ref>

The electric tram services were originally operated by 30 four-wheeled double decked cars supplied by [[Dick, Kerr & Co]]. In 1904, six [[bogie]] cars and a water car (used for keeping down the dust on the streets) were added to the fleet, from the same manufacturer. No further trams were acquired, and a planned extension from the Caversham Road terminus across [[Caversham Bridge]] to [[Caversham, Berkshire|Caversham]] itself was abandoned because of the outbreak of [[World War I]]. The war also led to a significant maintenance backlog.<ref name="bzret"/>

In 1919, Reading Corporation started operating its first motor buses. These ran from [[Caversham Heights]] to [[Tilehurst]], running over the tram lines and beyond the tram termini. Because of the state of the track, the Bath Road tram route was abandoned in 1930, followed by the Erleigh Road route in 1932. Eventually it was decided that the tramways should be abandoned and replaced by [[trolleybus]]es, operating over extended routes. The last tram ran on the Caversham Road to Whitley route in July 1936, and the last car on the ''main line'' ran in May 1939.<ref name="bzret"/>

===Trolleybus era===
{{main|Trolleybuses in Reading}}
[[File:Reading Trolleybus in Liverpool Road.jpg|thumb|right|[[Trolleybuses in Reading|Trolleybus]] in [[Newtown, Reading|Newtown]] in 1965]]
The first trolleybus wiring erected was a training loop on Erleigh Road, which opened in early 1936. This loop was never used in public service, and was subsequently dismantled. Public service commenced on 18 July 1936,<ref name=bzrtb/> on a route replacing the tram route from Caversham Road to Whitley Street. In May 1939, the remaining tram routes from Oxford Road to Wokingham Road and London Road were converted to trolleybus operation, with a short extension from Wokingham Road to the Three Tuns, and a much longer extension from the Oxford Road through the centre of [[Tilehurst]] to the Bear Inn. The extended ''main line'', from the Three Tuns to the Bear, still exists today as bus route 17, the town's busiest and most frequent route, and the first to be designated a premier route.<ref name=bzrtb>{{cite web | url = http://www.buszone.co.uk/RTLtrolley.html | title = Reading Corporation Transport – Trolleybuses | publisher = Bus Zone | access-date = 28 February 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080827182026/http://www.buszone.co.uk/RTLtrolley.html | archive-date = 27 August 2008 | url-status = live}}</ref>

During [[World War II]] a trolleybus branch was constructed from the Oxford Road to Kentwood Hill, enabling trolleybuses to replace motor buses with a consequential saving in precious oil-based fuel. In 1949 the Whitley Street line was extended to [[Whitley Wood]] and Northumberland Avenue, and a short branch was built to Reading General station. Subsequent short extensions took the system to its full extent, with the Kentwood route running to Armour Hill and the Northumberland Avenue line running to the junction with Whitley Wood Road.<ref name="bzrtb"/>

By 1965, most UK trolleybus systems had closed, and the manufacturers of the overhead equipment gave notice that they would cease production. At the same time the trolleybuses were criticised in the local press because they cost more to operate than motor buses and were inflexible, even though the trolleybuses were profitable (Reading's motor buses made a loss), faster and less polluting. Reading Corporation decided to abandon the trolleybus system, and the routes were phased out between January 1967 and November 1968.<ref name="bzrtb"/>

The UK's first [[contraflow lane|contra-flow bus lane]] was instigated along Kings Road, when that road was made one-way in the early 1960s. The trolleybuses continued to operate two-way, as it was considered uneconomic to erect wiring on the new inbound route, London Road. The concept of the contra-flow bus lane was proved successful, and adopted in other places for motor buses.

===Expansion and competition===
[[File:Reading Transport offices, 1985.jpg|thumb|Reading Transport offices in 1985, showing contraflow buslane in Mill Lane (now [[The Oracle, Reading|The Oracle]] shopping centre)]]
[[File:Mill Lane depot.jpg|thumb|Reading Transport's Mill Lane depot interior in 1989]]
The [[Transport Act 1980]] deregulated long distance bus services. Reading Transport took advantage of this new freedom to start a service from Reading through [[London]] to [[Southend]]. The service was [[Green Line routes X1 and X10#History|numbered X1]] and was run jointly with [[Southend-on-Sea Corporation Transport|Southend Transport]].<ref name=sctx1>{{cite web | url = http://www.sct61.org.uk/stxone.htm | title = The X1 Story | publisher = SCT61 and Richard Delahoy | date = April 2003 | access-date = 14 March 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080706115309/http://www.sct61.org.uk/stxone.htm | archive-date = 6 July 2008 | url-status = live}}</ref> In 1982 the X1 was shortened to run from Reading to [[Aldgate]] in East London, under the Goldline brand, and joint operation ceased.

As a result of the legislation that accompanied the [[Bus deregulation in the United Kingdom|deregulation of local bus services]] in 1986, the operations of Reading Transport were transferred to Reading Transport Limited, an [[arms length]] company whose shares were held by Reading Borough Council. Bus deregulation also meant that the local council no longer had any power to regulate the routes and fares of Reading Transport, nor could they prevent other operators from starting competitive services within the borough. Councillor [[Tony Page]] was appointed to chair the new company, a role he would continue to hold until 2005.<ref name=uorhd>{{cite web |url=https://www.reading.ac.uk/news/2023/University-News/Veteran-local-councillor-receives-honorary-degree |title=Veteran local councillor receives honorary degree |date=25 July 2023 |publisher=[[University of Reading]] |access-date=25 January 2025 |archive-date=30 November 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231130052250/https://www.reading.ac.uk/news/2023/University-News/Veteran-local-councillor-receives-honorary-degree}}</ref>

In 1991 Reading Transport was rebranded Reading Buses.<ref>[http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/2nd-may-1991/18/extra-staff-van-hool-uk-plans-to-take-on New name] ''[[Commercial Motor]]'' 2 May 1991</ref> In 1992 Reading Transport acquired the Reading and [[Newbury, Berkshire|Newbury]] operations of BeeLine, one of the privatised successors to the state-owned [[Alder Valley]]. These acquisitions led to Reading Transport operating buses in Newbury, and in the rural areas around Reading and Newbury, for the first time. Additionally, BeeLine had operated a Reading to London service under the LondonLink name, and that was merged into the Goldline service and the resulting service renamed London Line. The Goldline name was retained for use by Reading Transport's non-scheduled service business. The London Line service ceased in 2000.

Reading Buses faced competition on Reading urban routes from 1994, when Reading Mainline, an independent company, started operations with 10 [[AEC Routemaster]]s acquired from [[Arriva Southend|Southend Transport]], later expanding to 45 Routemasters on letter-designated routes.<ref name="Countrybus">{{Cite web |title=Reading Mainline |url=http://www.countrybus.com/independent/readingmainline.htm |access-date=5 September 2024 |website=The Independent Bus}}</ref> Reading Buses initially retaliated with the registration of a new limited-stop service using [[Optare MetroRider]]s under the Fast-Line brand before introducing a low-cost unit with unbranded minibuses running against Mainline routes E, F and H.<ref name="Countrybus" /> Labour shortages created problems for the competitor, and Reading Buses acquired Reading Mainline in May 1998. Reading Transport continued to operate the Routemasters under the Reading Mainline brand until they were finally withdrawn on 22 July 2000.<ref name=bzrml>{{cite web |url=http://www.buszone.co.uk/RMainline.html |title=Reading Mainline |publisher=Bus Zone |access-date=20 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611135819/http://www.buszone.co.uk/RMainline.html |archive-date=11 June 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Countrybus" />

In December 2017, Reading Buses started to serve London again when it took over [[Green Line Coaches]] [[Berkshire bus routes 701, 702 and 703|route 702]] from Bracknell to the [[Green Line Coach Station]] at [[Victoria, London|Victoria]] via [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] and [[Slough]] from [[First Beeline|First Berkshire]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reading-buses.co.uk/articles/702-greenline-bracknell-windsor-slough-london-service/ |title=702 Green Line |website=Reading Buses |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116050307/http://www.reading-buses.co.uk/articles/702-greenline-bracknell-windsor-slough-london-service/ |archive-date=16 November 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2018 Reading Buses took over two routes (2 and 5), and won [[Slough Borough Council]] tenders for evening (4) and Sunday services (6) from First Berkshire.

In September 2018, Reading Buses purchased Newbury & District from Weavaway.<ref name="auto1">[https://cbwmagazine.com/reading-buses-acquires-newbury-district-operation/ Newbury & District] Reading Buses acquires Newbury & District operation</ref> The companies have worked together in the past, most noticeably on the Jet Black 1 service which operates between Reading and Newbury. In March 2019, [[Courtney Buses]] was purchased with 57 buses.<ref name="auto">[https://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/17478256.reading-buses-agree-terms-to-purchase-courtney-buses/ Reading Buses agree terms to purchase Courtney Buses] ''Bracknell News'' 6 March 2019</ref><ref name="auto2">[https://www.wokinghampaper.co.uk/reading-buses-buys-out-courtney-buses/ Reading Buses buys out Courtney Buses] ''Wokingham Paper'' 6 March 2019</ref> In November 2019, routes 2 (which had already been withdrawn as a result of too much competition from Courtney in May 2018, but added back into the company after the purchase in March 2019) and 5 in [[Slough]] and [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] were transferred to the Courtney Buses division, with 2 other routes, which Courtney had taken over from First Berkshire (10/15) also grouped in a similar manner. However, First won the tenders for the evening service 4 and Sunday service 6 back.<ref name="CBW Merge">{{Cite web|url=https://cbwmagazine.com/thames-valley-brand-combines-with-courtney-buses/|title = Thames Valley brand combines with Courtney Buses|date = October 2019}}</ref><ref name="RB merge">{{cite web |url=https://www.reading-buses.co.uk/thames-valley-buses-and-courtney-buses-merge |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229155423/https://www.reading-buses.co.uk/thames-valley-buses-and-courtney-buses-merge |archive-date=29 December 2019 |title=Thames Valley Buses and Courtney Buses to merge - Reading Buses}}</ref>

[[File:Reading Buses Open Day 2024.jpg|thumb|Reading Buses 'Open Day' 2024 event]]

===Route branding===
[[File:ReadingBuses (logo).png|thumb|Previous Logo]]
[[File:Reading Buses bus 908 Optare Excel P908 EGM Low Rider branding Route 15, 1999.jpg|thumb|[[Optare Excel]] ''LowRider'' in 1999 in a variant of the livery used until the introduction of premier routes]]
Since 2004, Reading Buses and Reading Borough Council have made a significant investment in upgrading the quality of Reading's main urban bus routes. In autumn of that year, Reading Buses introduced its first branded ''Premier Route'' in the form of the number 17, running between the Three Tuns on Wokingham Road and the Bear Inn at Tilehurst via the town centre and Oxford Road, and the linear descendant of the old ''main line''. This was intended as the first in a series of such routes, each providing a weekday daytime frequency of between 3 and 8 buses per hour. Each premier route, or group of routes, would be allocated a distinctive colour, to be used on the buses on that route, and also on maps and other publicity.<ref name=rbpr/>

Since then the premier route concept has been rolled out on most of Reading's urban routes. In April 2009, a similar concept was introduced to some of Reading Buses' longer distance rural routes. These were rebranded as ''Vitality Routes'', using specially branded green and silver or red and silver buses.<ref name=rbpr/><ref name=bic9>{{cite web | url = http://www.ukbusawards.org.uk/content/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=317&Itemid=74 | title = Bus in the Countryside 2009 | publisher = The Bus Industry Awards Limited | access-date = 19 October 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110916163306/http://www.ukbusawards.org.uk/content/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=317&Itemid=74 | archive-date = 16 September 2011 | url-status = live}}</ref> In 2014, these too were changed to a colour brand, becoming 'Lime Routes'. Most longer distance and interurban services now have animal related branding, with the lion to Bracknell and the leopard to Wokingham. The lime brand is still retained on the service to Mortimer.