Swift Taxis - The Beginnings

I recently received an email from regular contributor Robert Kelly about the beginnings of Great Yarmouth independent Swift Taxis & Private Hire

Swift's Joncheere Deauville bodied Volvo B10M GLZ3141 on schools duty in February 2012  

You will have seen from Wednesday's Notices and Proceedings Report that the operator surrendered their licence on 6th February 2017, ending a sixteen year period of service. Robert tells me that Micheal Smith and Tony Boyne, trading as Swift Taxis from 2 Queen Annes Road in Southtown, first applied for a licence during January/ February 2001. The operating centre was at nearby 173 Southtown Road. (Source: PSV Circle News Sheets).

The first full sized vehicle to join the Swift fleet was DAF/Ikarus T826GSE

The company acquired their first 'large' vehicle in August 2005 in the form of an Ikarus bodied 43 seater DAF with the registration T826GSE. It was new to Leask & Silver of Lerwick in June 1999 when it had the registration T20JLS.

Swift's East Lancs bodied Dennis Dart L907JRN which received special L80YNE plate

Their second one was Dennis Dart L907JRN which was new to London Buses in June 1994 as their DEL7. Swift purchased the East Lancs bodied Dart from Collinson of Ribchester in Lancashire during November 2005.

Four of the ten Swift vehicles which were involved in thew August 2011 auction

However, Swift lost many school contracts during 2010/11 resulting in the disposal of ten vehicles (including L907JRN) in an online auction by Bedford-based W & H Peacock on the 12th August 2011. This was the beginning of the end with subsequent Norfolk County Council contracts being lost meaning the gradual sale of the fleet with Neoplan bodied Dennis Javelin SJI8127 being the last to go in early February 2016.

The Swift name continues to appear on the company's freight delivery vehicles which use the old operating centre on Southtown Road. My thanks to Robert Kelly for the information.

Roy