Clipper Tours

Clipper Tours was an Australian coach and bus operating brand based principally in Sydney, New South Wales. It was established by Thomas O’Brien in 1945 or 1946, when its first vehicle was a stretched passenger vehicle professionally converted by W. S. Grice, a bodybuilder based in Summer Hill. The business initially operated from Sydney and Bowral and developed as a local and charter-coach operator. The company changed ownership several times during its operating life. It was sold to Ray Cotrill in Campsie and, in the late 1950s, passed to Ron Deane, who also operated Deanes Coaches on Sydney’s North Shore. Under Deane family ownership, Clipper Tours expanded its fleet and became associated with a succession of full-size coach types, including Bedford vehicles, Denning coaches, Mercedes-Benz O302 and O303 models, MAN coaches, and Scania coaches. The brand’s livery during this period was related to the yellow, white, and blue scheme used by Deanes Coaches. Clipper Tours expanded geographically during the late 1980s. A depot was established in Canberra, and an express service between Sydney and Canberra began in March 1989. The service was short-lived: it ended in October 1990, at which time the Canberra depot was closed. The business was sold in October 1985 to Australian Rambler Coaches proprietors Don Nugent and Jim Hawkesford, after which it adopted Australian Rambler’s white, maroon, and blue livery. It was sold again to Ross Adair in March 1994. In January 1997, Clipper Tours was acquired by Driver Group. Driver Group’s principal interest was the Gray Line franchise associated with the business. After that franchise was separated from the operating business, Clipper Tours was sold back to the Deane family in February 1998. By then, the family had disposed of its North Shore operation and was operating South Trans. Clipper Tours had also relocated from Macquarie Park to Waterloo, an inner-Sydney location. The business entered administration in 2002. Its trading name was acquired by former owner Jim Hawkesford, and some vehicles from his Hawkesfords Coaches fleet were given Clipper Tours signwriting. This arrangement continued the name as a trading identity rather than necessarily restoring the former standalone operation. Hawkesfords Coaches itself entered administration in September 2011 and was liquidated. Following that liquidation, Clipper Tours is generally treated as a defunct Australian coach brand. No current independent website, listed entity, or continuing corporate parent is identified in the available reference material.

Clipper Tours was formed in Sydney in 1945 or 1946 by Thomas O’Brien. Its first vehicle was a stretched passenger vehicle converted by W. S. Grice, a commercial vehicle bodybuilder in Summer Hill. The business operated from Sydney and Bowral in New South Wales before being sold to Ray Cotrill, who was based in Campsie. During the late 1950s, ownership passed to Ron Deane, the operator of Deanes Coaches on Sydney’s North Shore. The Deane period was important for the development of the company’s fleet and visual identity. When Ron Deane acquired the business in 1964, it had three Bedford coaches. By 1969, the fleet had grown to 13 coaches. In November 1970, Clipper Tours purchased its first Denning coach, beginning a substantial association with that manufacturer. Later fleet acquisitions included Mercedes-Benz O302 coaches and Domino models. This purchasing pattern was helped by Dennis Deane’s role as a Domino sales representative. The company subsequently operated coaches from MAN, Mercedes-Benz’s O303 range, and Scania. Under Deane ownership, Clipper Tours used a variation of the yellow, white, and blue livery associated with Deanes Coaches. In October 1985, the business was sold to Don Nugent and Jim Hawkesford, proprietors of Australian Rambler Coaches in Melbourne. Following the transaction, Clipper Tours adopted Australian Rambler’s white, maroon, and blue livery. The company later extended its service footprint by establishing a depot in Canberra in the late 1980s. An express service from Sydney to Canberra commenced in March 1989, but the expansion was reversed in October 1990 when the service ceased and the Canberra depot closed. Ross Adair acquired the business in March 1994. In January 1997, Driver Group purchased Clipper Tours. Driver Group’s main interest was the Gray Line franchise held by the business rather than necessarily the entire coach operation. After separating the Gray Line franchise, Driver sold Clipper Tours back to the Deane family in February 1998. By this stage, the family had sold its North Shore operation and was operating South Trans. Clipper Tours had moved from Macquarie Park to Waterloo. The company was placed in administration in 2002. Former owner Jim Hawkesford purchased the Clipper Tours trading name, and some coaches from his Hawkesfords Coaches fleet received Clipper Tours signwriting. This preserved the brand as a trading name, although the later operation was closely tied to Hawkesfords rather than the earlier independent business. Hawkesfords Coaches entered administration in September 2011 and was liquidated. The available reference material does not identify a continuing operator, corporate owner, website, or successor brand for Clipper Tours after that event.

• 2011

  Hawkesfords Coaches is liquidated

  [1]Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org

  Hawkesfords Coaches enters administration and is liquidated in September, ending the documented later continuation of the Clipper Tours name.

• 2002

  Administration and trading-name sale

  [1]Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org

  Clipper Tours enters administration, and Jim Hawkesford acquires its trading name.

• 1998

  Return to Deane family ownership

  [1]Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org

  After the Gray Line franchise is separated, the coach business is sold back to the Deane family in February.

• 1997

  Driver Group acquisition

  [1]Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org

  Driver Group acquires the business, with the Gray Line franchise being its principal interest.

• 1994

  Ross Adair becomes owner

  [1]Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org

  Ross Adair purchases Clipper Tours in March.

• 1990

  Canberra operation closes

  [1]Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org

  The Sydney–Canberra express service ends in October and the Canberra depot is closed.

• 1989

  Sydney–Canberra express service begins

  [1]Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org

  The company launches an express coach service between Sydney and Canberra after establishing a Canberra depot.

• 1985

  Sold to Australian Rambler proprietors

  [1]Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org

  Don Nugent and Jim Hawkesford acquire the business in October, and the brand adopts Australian Rambler’s livery.

• 1970

  First Denning coach enters the fleet

  [1]Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org

  Clipper Tours purchases its first Denning coach in November, beginning a long association with Denning vehicles.

• 1969

  Fleet reaches 13 coaches

  [1]Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org

  The fleet grows from three Bedfords at the start of Ron Deane’s ownership to 13 coaches.

• 1964

  Ron Deane acquires the business

  [1]Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org

  Clipper Tours comes under the ownership of Ron Deane, operator of Deanes Coaches.

• 1945

  Clipper Tours is founded

  [1]Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org

  Thomas O’Brien establishes the coach operation in Sydney; reference material places the founding in 1945 or 1946.

A regional Australian coach operator serving scheduled, charter, tour, and intercity transportation needs, with its principal base in the Sydney area.

• Passenger transportation · 1989

  Scheduled and express coach services

  Clipper Tours operated coach services for passengers in the Sydney region and, for a limited period, an express route between Sydney and Canberra. The Canberra service began in March 1989 and was withdrawn in October 1990.

• Coach hire

  Charter and tour coaches

  The company’s broader business was coach operation, including vehicles used for charter and tour transportation. The available material does not provide a complete catalogue of routes, contracts, or tour packages.

• Sightseeing transportation

  Gray Line franchise operation

  Clipper Tours held a Gray Line franchise that became the principal reason for Driver Group’s 1997 acquisition. The franchise was separated from the Clipper Tours business before the brand was returned to the Deane family.

• 2002

  Continuation through a trading-name acquisitionStrategy

  Background

  The operating business was placed in administration.

  Action taken

  Former owner Jim Hawkesford purchased the Clipper Tours trading name and applied its signwriting to some vehicles in the Hawkesfords Coaches fleet.

  Aftermath

  The brand continued as a trading identity associated with Hawkesfords Coaches until that company entered administration and was liquidated in 2011.

  Source

• 1997

  Driver Group acquisition and franchise separationM&A

  Background

  Driver Group acquired Clipper Tours primarily because of the Gray Line franchise associated with the business.

  Action taken

  Driver Group purchased the business in January 1997 and subsequently separated the Gray Line franchise from the coach operation.

  Aftermath

  Clipper Tours was sold back to the Deane family in February 1998.

  Source

• 1989

  Launch of Sydney–Canberra express serviceProduct launch

  Background

  Clipper Tours established a Canberra depot as part of an expansion beyond its Sydney-area base.

  Action taken

  The operator introduced an express coach service linking Sydney and Canberra in March 1989.

  Aftermath

  The service was discontinued in October 1990, and the Canberra depot was closed.

  Source

1. 1Clipper Toursen.wikipedia.org