The first motorised bus service to the Tarragindi area was in operation by January 1923 under the hand of Mr Ernest Adolphus Fuller of Collins Street, Annerley. The vehicle used on this service was a coal-scuttle International with an open-sided body built locally in Fortitude Valley. The service originally operated between from William Street via Victoria Bridge, Stanley Street, Vulture Street, Stephens Road, Annerley Road, across Ipswich Road, Dudley Street and Bower Street to stand at Ekibin Road. As of 5 January 1923, there were 8 trips each way Monday to Friday and 5 trips on Saturday, with a minimum fare of 4d and a through fare of 5d.
Motor bus licences were issued by the Police Department until they came under the control of the Brisbane Tramway Trust on 1 January 1923. When the Brisbane City Council was formed in November 1925, the responsibility of motor buses came under the control of Council’s Tramways Department.
By 1926, the coal-scuttle International had been replaced by a Leyland and the Ekibin-North Quay licence was issued by Council for a period of six months only. In November that year, an application for a second bus was denied by Council as the service, with a through fare of 4d (four pence), was considered too competitive for Council’s trams. Further application for a second licence were made again to Council in March 1927 and September 1927, but were refused to limit competition to Council’s tram service.
Service sold to Tom Findlay
In September 1929, the service was acquired by Mr Thomas Findlay of 66 Tarragindi Road, Tarragindi.
As of 10 November 1930, the service operated 9 trips on weekdays and 5 trips on Saturdays, comprising a total of 475 miles per week. In December 1930, Findlay introduced an English Gilford 1680T with a locally built half-cab body and it remained in service on the Ekibin/Tarragindi run until the Council takeover in April 1948.
By September 1931, eight weekday trips were operating to the City. After this time, additional feeder services to the tramline at Dudley Street were provided during the evenings, on Saturday afternoons, and on Sundays. Following the enactment of the State Transport Co-Ordination Act 1931 (Qld), jurisdiction over motor bus licences passed from Council to the newly formed State Transport Board, effective from 1932.
In October 1935, the Board approved an extension of one trip in the morning and afternoon to the corner of Bramston Street and Andrew Avenue, three days each week. In November 1935, a 35-passenger Bedford was introduced into service and by 1936, there were nine return services to the City on weekdays, along with three feeder services to Dudley Street.
New modern buses
In late 1941, a new Leyland Lynx with a 39-passenger body, built by Charles Hope Pty Ltd at Wandoo Street in Fortitude Valley for £750, entered into service. The vehicle featured a steel-frame body and was similar in design to the modern Council buses built by Charles Hope in 1940. The Leyland was soon followed by another new bus, a Ford V8 with a 37-passenger body built by the Watt Bros of Woolloongabba.
The delivery of these vehicles enabled the extension of the service to Wellers Hill. These additional buses were critical in supporting the war effort as a large contingent of servicemen camped nearby. In 1942, Mr Findlay was granted approval from the State Transport Commission to operate all services from Tarragindi into North Quay, rather than off-peak services terminating at Dudley Street. This was because the transfer from bus to tram and vice versa in the suburbs was considered dangerous for passengers.
Another two vehicles entered service during 1943 and 1944. The first being a 1942 White WA18 chassis with a 35-passenger Watt Bros body, while the second was a 1943 White WA18 chassis with a 45-passenger body built by Thomas Gardiner & Sons of Newmarket.
Passenger Transport reform
On 24 December 1946, the State Transport Facilities Act 1946 (Qld) was passed into law to bring about the most substantial reform of the transport industry in Queensland to date. The State Transport Commission would soon be abolished with jurisdiction over the licensing of passenger services conferred on the newly created position of the Commissioner for Transport. The Act provided local authorities, such as Brisbane City Council, with the right to apply to the Commissioner for Transport to be issued a licence to operate passenger services within their area. If granted, Council would displace all existing privately operated services affected by the application.
On 19 June 1947, Brisbane City Council applied to the Commissioner for Transport under the State Transport Facilities Act 1946 (Qld) to compulsorily acquire Mr Findlay’s Tarragindi Bus Service, along with 19 other privately operated bus services in metropolitan Brisbane. Council believed this proposal would enhance public convenience and safety, increase the speed of transport, and reduce vehicle congestion through the coordination and standardisation of bus services.
On 28 August 1947, residents of Annerley, Ekibin, Tarragindi and adjoining districts convened a meeting and protested against Council’s takeover plans. The meeting resolved to make representations to the Transport Commissioner requesting them to reject Council’s application and to continue Mr Findlay’s licence. However, these efforts proved futile as the Commissioner for Transport approved the acquisition on 22 December 1947.
Findlay offers to negotiate
On 8 January 1948, Mr Findlay, through his solicitors, Thynne and Macartney, offered to sell the Tarragindi Bus Service including all vehicles, spare parts and plant to Brisbane City Council for the sum of £12,353. After negotiations, Mr Findlay accepted settlement of £10,000 for his business and fleet of five vehicles, comprising the Gilford, the Leyland, the Ford, and the two Whites. The official Council takeover date was Sunday 18 April 1948.
The routes operated by Mr Findlay were as follows:
- Cnr Toohey Road and Pring Street to North Quay via Toohey Road, Sexton Street, Laura Street, Cracknell Road, Kenneth Street, Tarragindi Road, Ekibin Road, Ipswich Road, Annerley Road, Stanley Street, Vulture Street, Grey Street, Melbourne Street and William Street.
- North Quay to Cnr Toohey Road and Pring Street via William Street, Stanley Street, Annerley Road, Ipswich Road, Ekibin Road, Tarragindi Road, Andrew Avenue, Bramston Street, Windmill Street and Pring Street.
- A special theatre trip was provided on Saturdays to the Boomerang Theatre servicing Tarragindi Road, Ekibin Road, Ipswich Road, Annerley Road and Palmerston Street.
- A school service was also provided from the Cnr Tarragindi Road and Andrew Avenue to Junction Park State School via Tarragindi Road, Ekibin Road, Real Street, Dudley Street, Stephen Street and Waldheim Street.
BUSES OWNED BY TARRAGINDI BUS SERVICE
| Registration | STC | Chassis | Body Builder | Seats |
| Q311-462 | 993 | Gilford 1608T | Gibson | 36 |
| Q342-402 | 927 | Leyland Lynx | Charles Hope | 39 |
| Q363-081 | 961 | Ford V8 | Watt Bros | 37 |
| Q377-482 | 682 | White WA18 | Watt Bros | 35 |
| Q396-452 | 952 | White WA18 | Thomas Gardiner & Sons | 43 |
Brisbane City Council takeover
Brisbane City Council soon introduced a fleet of modern, diesel powered buses on all the services acquired from the private operators. When route numbers were introduced on 31 October 1949, the Tarragindi service was assigned route number 5.
