Bristolians still remember fondly the smart red and grey buses of Wessex Coaches. For twenty-six years, the fleet was a common sight in and around Bristol, but on 1 August 1974, the company was purchased by the National Bus Company. Of course, Wessex was more than just a bus company. It ran many successful contract hire buses, used for running employees to Heysham's power station and the nuclear plant at Sizewell, among others. Wessex also operated many holiday excursions too. John Sealey tells the story not just of Wessex and its Kingsdown and Chard, Somerset, depots, but also of the many forerunners that went up to make Wessex Coaches.