Bakers Dolphin is the trading name of Baker's Coaches, a bus and coach company based in

Weston-super-Mare Weston-super-Mare ( ) is a seaside town and civil parish in the North Somerset unitary district, in the county of Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. Its population ...

History

In 1889, Charles Baker established a business with a pony chair for hire in

. The business expanded and in the early 1900s, Baker won a contract from the

Royal Mail Royal Mail Group Limited, trading as Royal Mail, is a British postal service and courier company. It is owned by International Distribution Services. It operates the brands Royal Mail (letters and parcels) and Parcelforce Worldwide (parcels) ...

to deliver mail to the Cheddar Valley. Horses and carriages were also provided to funeral directors. With the outbreak of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, most of Baker's horses were commandeered by the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

.History
Bakers Dolphin In 1923, two motor coaches and began operating leisure trips. By the beginning of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the fleet had grown to 12. During the war, Bakers operated services transporting aircrews for British Empire Airways. By 1945, the fleet had grown to 30. With the end of the war, Bakers began operating day tours from Weston-super-Mare. In 1952, the Weston-super-Mare branch of

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

's largest operator Wessex Coaches, was purchased. With the opening of Britain's

motorway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway, and expressway. Other similar terms ...

network in the 1960s, Bakers expanded its tour operations. In 1981, Bakers purchased the business of Wems Coaches, its largest competitor in the

West Country The West Country is a loosely defined area within southwest England, usually taken to include the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Bristol, with some considering it to extend to all or parts of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and ...

, the combined fleet totaled 77 vehicles. In November 1984, Bakers merged with travel company Dolphin Travel, with the business rebranded Bakers Dolphin Travel with 100 shops. In 1998, the travel business was sold to First Choice Holidays. Following an inquiry into a large number prosecutions for

tachograph A tachograph is a device fitted to a vehicle that automatically records its speed and distance, together with the driver's activity selected from a choice of modes. The drive mode is activated automatically when the vehicle is in motion, an ...

offences, the Traffic Commissioner temporarily reduced the operating licence from 85 to 75 vehicles in 2013. In 2008, Bakers Dolphin opened a high street store in Weston-super-Mare, followed in 2014 by another in

Broadmead.

Services

Bakers Dolphin previously operated public bus routes but now only run school bus services in

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

. Until August 2013, Bakers Dolphin operated a service to London under the ''London Flyer'' banner.Bakers Dolphin to axe London Service
'' Weston & Somerset Mercury'' 19 August 2013

References

External links

*
Company website
{{Bus companies in South West England, state=collapsed Bus operators in Somerset Coach operators in England Weston-super-Mare 1889 establishments in England