Whiteway bus company operated a popular programme of tours and excursions from Caernarfon to nearby visitor destinations during the summer months from the 1930s onwards. This advertisment board is from the 1950s.
The founder of the bus company, Mr Owen Robert Williams, was a former quarry worker who ran a grocery business from his home, Liverpool House, Waunfawr. He expanded the family business establishing a coal and general haulage company and subsequently carried passengers to Caernarfon in horse drawn vehicles. In 1912 he acquired his first passenger carrying motor vehicle and after the First World War started a timetabled service from Waunfawr to the Caernarfon under the trading name of ‘Caernarvon, Waenfawr & District Motor Services’.
All the vehicles were painted in a white colour scheme to make them stand out from those of Brown Bus, Blue Bus, and ‘The Greys’ (as the Crosville’s fleet were known) and in the 1930s the name was changed on the vehicles to ‘Whiteway’ although the legal name was O. R. Williams & Sons.
The company had an office in 6 Castle Street, Caernarfon for bookings and enquiries and it was from here that their excursions and tours programmes operated during the summer months. Crosville competed for excursion and private-hire work in all of the coastal resorts and in most of the inland market towns, but there was still some work in area for local companies such as Purple, Whiteway and Caelloi.
The range of tours offered were well attended and amongst the varied day or half-day coach tours, passengers could visit Dinas Dinlle, Cricieth, Pwllheli, Nefyn, Aberdaron, Llandudno and Benllech. In August 1955 the fare would be between four and ten shillings.
There are several boards in Storiel’s collection advertising the various tours.