The rebuilding of the Station Bridge 1925-26 forced a lot of the buses to turn at the Railway Hotel. On January 27th, 1926 route 120, commenced from Southall to Feltham, and this route is still in use today, 1982, but now terminates at Hounslow Heath. As the Wolf Bridge had also been rebuilt double decker buses came into use in December, 1926. In 1925 the ‘pirates’ decided to amalgamate and form the London Public Omnibus Company. This company was eventually taken over by the LGOC in December, 1929. This was the year that the first buses to use the Greenford Road commenced with route 247, Kings Cross to Hanwell Garage.
In 1933 the London Passenger Transport Board came into being and, as Southall has grown, the bus services have been routed to cater for the new estates, so today we have five bus routes – 105, 105A, 195, 232, 120 which serve Heathrow Airport, Hayes, two routes to Hounslow; the Waxlow Estate to Greenford and Yeading. None go further into London than Shepherds Bush. Route 83 – Golders Green to the new King Edward Hospital, and route 92 – Southall Garage to Mount Vernon Hospital via Greenford Road actually operate from Southall but away from the town. Of course we have the buses 207 which serve the main road to Hayes, Hillingdon and Uxbridge. Also the Green Line bus coaches are routed through the town going to Gerrards Cross and High Wycombe. The 89 night bus to London Bridge terminates at Brent Road — a one and a quarter hour service.
Industrial Growth
In 1932 Angus Watson came and occupied part of the Maypole Works which had been empty since 1929. They used the institute for office purposes. About the same time a large piece of land, which had been orchards and playing fields, at the rear was sold to the Canadian firm Quaker Oats who built a large works. This has been extended several times and, in 1982, is the area’s largest employer. A large fire in 1980 destroyed some warehouses but these have been rebuilt and Prince Charles visited the works on April 29th officially to open them. Several other firms moved in using part of the Maypole’s ground – Steel Radiators, and the Cramic Engineering who had expanded from Western Road; United Elastic Limited; Malga Creamery. After three years Angus Watson gave way to Poulton and Noel who, again, made way for Batchelors Peas these were all in the Lever Brothers group of companies. Norwood Farm Dairy had established a depot bottling milk and distributing centre in Havelock Road.
By 1936 all horse transport had gone and most business people had their own motor transport. Two of the largest motor transport contractors were Moores Furniture Removals and H. Brands who were also Scrap Metal Merchants. Sims and Bowdens, special furniture makers, came to Scotts Road.