BACKGROUND HISTORY

William Edwards, with his brother Robert (Rob), had a motor vehicle business in Denbigh and they gained an association with the Ford Motor Company. In 1920 their garage was built by Ford and it was located in the area of Denbigh named Townsend which was conveniently very close to the railway station. Behind the garage there was the former 'Carmelites' Friary and so the name Abbey Garage was utilised. The premises still exists and today and is a builders merchant on Rhyl Road, Denbigh.

In addition to selling and servicing Ford vehicles the brothers began to use the Ford cars to convey passengers around the town and to outlying areas.

E M (Ted) Jones who came from Penfforddwen, Nantglyn near Denbigh sold his passenger transport business Denbigh and District Motors to the main bus operator in the area Brookes Brothers (White Rose) in 1925. However shortly after selling his business he formed an association with William Edwards and the bus company Red Dragon was formed trading from Abbey Garage.

In addition to routes around Denbigh they also ran into Rhyl. Apparently they made a claim that they met “all trains at Denbigh and Caerwys stations”. There was fierce competition on the routes with Brookes Brothers (White Rose).

The fleet grew with and included a number of Chevrolet vehicles together with some GMCs two of which had been former demonstrators for GMC. Two vehicles, a GMC and a Dennis, were acquired from R Smith who traded as Smiths Motors and that business was subsumed into Red Dragon.

White Rose was taken over by Crosville in May 1930 and so to eliminate the only other significant competitor Crosville purchased the business of Red Dragon Motor Services a few months later at the end of July 1930. A price of 'not exceeding £9,000' was paid and 12 vehicles transferred.

HISTORIC FLEET LIST

The table below gives a list of all recorded vehicles known to have been with this operator. I am indebted to David Donati for his dedicated work in compiling this data and enabling me to present it.

In the right hand column - where available - there is a link to a photograph of the vehicle. The photo will open in a new window. Links in CAPITAL LETTERS suggest the vehicle is seen when with the operator.

Chassis and body numbers are to be found on the right hand side of the table below. You may need to scroll to see them.

© Ron Hughes and David Donati - any reproduction should give credit to the originator and may require permission.