OUR exploration of the history of Weymouth buses continues this week, as transport historian Brian Jackson shares the story behind George Spivey and the Rambler Tours.

RAMBLER Tours was only operated for nine years by George Henry Spivey, who was described by a former employee as an 'Arthur Daley character'.

In March 1919, Mr Spivey applied for a licence for one motor cab, before forming The Weymouth Motor Company in Gloucester Mews, Weymouth.

In November, he erected a temporary garage on the west side of Radipole Lake, a corrugated structure with no gas, water or electricity, and no petrol tank until 1925. Previous to this, petrol was brought over from the Gloucester Mews site in sealed two-gallon cans.

In April 1926, an application to operate six motor buses between Weymouth and Portland was refused, and two of Spivey's taxis lost their licences after it was noted that neither displayed fare charts.

The following year, Spivey applied to operate a bus service of what he described as "beach cars" along the then-new Radipole Park Drive. The light construction and narrowness of the drive led the council to request the specification of the vehicles, and after concluding that nothing suitable existed, Spivey decided he would construct his own. The result was a small Vulcan lorry chassis, upon which Spivey built a wooden, open-sided body of the toast rack type. The service eventually commenced at the end of July 1928, and within weeks Spivey had - without permission - extended the service to the Spa Road Post Office. This was brought to the attention of the council, who were also made aware that the service had not operated for nearly a year, meaning Southern National were granted permission to run the route.

By the end of June 1930, the Hackney Inspector had observed 29 breaches of touting regulations that season alone.

Spivey's vehicles were said to be well maintained, painted in dark cream with the chassis and wheels in primrose and the name Rambler in gold. In 1923, two Fords and a Daimler were in service. A second Daimler was acquired in 1924 and re-bodied in 1929 with a fixed back, side windows, and a folding canvas roof. The fleet was completed with a Dennis and two Crossley charabancs.

In May 1928, Spivey had been given notice to quit the Swannery garage as the council intended to use the area for a coach park. Spivey thus submitted a plan to erect petrol pumps and a motor car run-in at number one and three Abbotsbury Road, which was refused. On the night of August 5, 1930, such quibbles became academic as a fire broke out and destroyed the garage, including Spivey's charabancs and five cars.

Spivey had already bought some former stables in Gloucester Mews, intending to convert them into a coach station, but little progress was made in that regard. In May 1932, it was decided to build a cinema on the site. Picture House (Weymouth) was formed, directed by Oscar Deutch of Birmingham and George Spivey. The Odeon Cinema opened in June 1933.

*Thanks to Brian for sharing the tale of this Arthur-Daley figure of Weymouth!