This splendid book, which is the first to be written by Chesham resident Neil Lamond, charts the history of the Amersham & District Motor Bus Company (A&D), writes Mike Dewey.

But it does much more than that; it places motor bus transport at the heart of the social development of the towns and villages in the country during the first half of the 20th century.

Those of us of more mature years will remember with a degree of fondness how we used to depend on the local bus service to go to school, to shop, to socialise, by “going to the pictures” for example, and finally to “go to work”.

To quote from the book “The dawning of a motor bus service was not initially welcomed by everyone. Some loved the old ways with horse and carriage, others worried about the damage to road services, noise and dust, but in the end most realised that huge progress was taking place”. This was to the benefit of all.

The A&D company was formed in 1919 just after the end of the Great War and, again to quote from the book, “took to the highway of history and became a reasonably sized local employer and a reliable conveyor for a great number of residents” needing to go about their business.

In its 96 beautifully illustrated pages the book takes the company from those earliest days in 1919 through to its demise in 1934.

During those fourteen years the company built a bus garage in High Wycombe in 1930 and in 1932 took over a competitor, the Chesham & District Bus Company.

The Wycombe bus garage was located at the bottom of Marlow Hill, the building still exists and is now occupied by an office supplies retail outlet.

In 1933 the London Passenger Transport Bill was passed through Parliament and received Royal Assent on April 13.

This established London Transport, which had a virtual monopoly to operate road passenger transport in an area of about 30 miles radius around London.

So A&D was caught up in this nationalisation and the assets were transferred to London Transport on November 24, 1933. These included 43 buses and 5 coaches.

This book will appeal not only those interested in the history of motor bus transport, but also those readers whose interest is in the social history of the area around South Buckinghamshire.

During the fourteen year journey we learn for example of the couple who married after meeting on an A&D bus, and of the card which was delivered to the bus garage addressed to “Conductor, fair hair, good dancer”!

The book costs £14.99, including postage, and is available directly from the author.

Cheques should be made out to Neil Lamond and posted to 6 Letchfield, Ley Hill, Chesham, Bucks. HP5 3QU (no post charge added).

It is also available on eBay and Amazon, from JPS Stationers, Chesham, or can be ordered at any Waterstones.

Neil is working on a sequel book, called “The Pride of Bucks - Next Destination” which comes out this autumn.

It will cover the history of what was the golden age of bus and coach travel from 1933 until the Amersham bus garage closed, to make way for Tesco, in 1992.