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| About Skylark Motor Services |
Skylark
motors have been operating in various forms since
the 1920s it has been operating in its present form
since 1990.
The name Skylark is associated with the stage services
that ran from Woodfalls, Redlynch and Downton into
Salisbury from the south. The original proprietors
were F Shergold and Sons. The Shergolds were carriers
between Woodfalls and Salisbury before the 1914
- 1918 war and during the 1920s they were coal merchants
as well. By 1926 the motor bus service had started,
running initially on Tuesday and Thursday. From
1920 to 1925 Edward Locke of Landford was operating
a motor bus from his home village to Salisbury on
Tuesday and Saturday, running via Downton. He traded
as Skylark and it is possible that the Shergolds
might have acquired his business and trade name,
given the start date of their motor service in 1926.
In 1964 Skylark Motor Services of Woodfalls was
purchased by A E Budden and Sons Ltd of West Tytherley.
At that time the Skylark business comprised a rented
shed for the repair of 2 vehicles at any time, and
a fleet of other vehicles on a parking plot of approximately
one acre (where Skylark Motors is based today).
Buddens had a proper garage built, and Wilf Shergold
stayed on as manager, and then as director of the
company now named Buddens Skylark Coaches Ltd. Buddens
transferred all repairs to Woodfalls but still parked
some vehicles at their West Tytherley base.
The Budden and Skylark businesses amalgamated in
1973 to become Buddens Skylark Coaches Ltd. The
old Skylark depot at Woodfalls remained Budden's
main workshop until April 1991. (Buddens were originally
stage operators with a daily West Tytherley - Salisbury
service which had started in 1926. They grew from
their village origins to become a front line coaching
business - with thirty vehicles in 1978 - and were
associated with Len Wright Travel of London from
1976 until 1983 and latterly Phoenix Bussing from
1988). In 1991 the Buddens and Phoenix activities
were concentrated on a new base in Abbey Park at
Romsey, Hampshire with the Woodfalls base forming
a new venture.
In 1993 Skylark motors separated from Buddens having
operated for the previous two years as a petrol
station and repair and mot center for cars and light
commercial vehicles. Having separated from the parent
company Edward Budden took over and immediately
began a local bus service and concentrated on developing
the garage and forecourt. In 1994 Skylark purchased
its first band bus (a Scania, Berkhof double decker
better known as big pink) soon having a good relationship
with Phoenix bussing, Skylark developed this side
of the business and bought three more coaches converting
them to band busses.
For the past few years Skylark has remained successful
updating and developing its band bus fleet, continuing
to update our garage equipment and staff but closing
the forecourt to petrol pumps (now a car sales forecourt)
and finishing the local bus services.
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The Ridge, Woodfalls, Salisbury, Wiltshire,
SP5 2LW
t. 01725 510282 f: 01725 512844 e:
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