Western National - Nationalisation

Nationalisation

In 1948 the Great Western Railway was nationalised, and shortly after, the Tilling Group sold its bus interests to the government. Western National therefore became a state-owned company, under the control of the British Transport Commission.

The new regime resulted in some rationalisation of the company's area of operations. In 1950 the Gloucestershire area operations were transferred to Bristol Tramways.

In 1962 Western National was passed to the state-owned Transport Holding Company, then in 1969 to the state-owned National Bus Company.

The NBC embarked on more rationalisation of Western National's operations. In 1969, the operations of Southern National were merged with those of Western National, so that Western National acquired the operating areas of north Cornwall, north Devon and Dorset. In 1970 the Wiltshire area operations of Western National were transferred to Bristol Omnibus Company. Then in 1971 the NBC transferred the operations of Devon General to Western National, although Devon General was retained as a brand. Western National pulled out of north Cornwall in 1971, leaving the area to local operators. Then in 1974 the former Southern National operations in the Swanage area of east Dorset were transferred to Hants & Dorset.