In Spring 2025 it will be the 100th anniversary of the first motor-buses running on Gozo. Richard Stedall, who runs the Malta Bus Archive project at the National Archives of Malta, is currently writing a comprehensive book to celebrate the centenary.
The book will be marking this special anniversary of Gozo’s first buses back in 1925. The author said that he is looking to speak to anyone who has worked over the last 100 years in the bus industry (including coaches and minibuses) on Gozo, or the descendants of those who are sadly no longer with us – bus owners, drivers, conductors, maintenance providers etc.
In this appeal, Richard Stedall said that he is also searching for good quality photographs that could be used in the book, especially those from before 1945. “Please search through your family albums, as even a photo showing a bus in the background may be of importance. Also, we are looking for any surviving documents, cap badges, uniforms etc that could be photographed and documented.”
Finally, the appeal goes out to any elderly people over the age of 85 who may remember when the village buses to the likes of Nadur, Qala, Zebbug, Xaghra and Xewkija ran in different colours (up to 1945??). “If you know of someone who is old enough and who would be willing to speak to one of the team at the Malta Bus Archive project, National Archives please let us know.”
Please either contact the team at the Gozo branch of the National Archive (phone 2155 8833 or e-mail nag@gov.mt [1] or contact the book’s author Richard Stedall, who runs the Malta Bus Archive project at the National Archive’s HQ on Malta (e-mail maltabusarchive@gmail.com [2]
As part of the centenary celebrations there will be a planned weekend-long series of events, more details of which will be provided closer to the time.
Photo by Richard Stedall: “Thames Garage in Victoria restored this 1953 Ford Thames bus back to its original condition and the famous grey, red and white livery carried by all Gozo buses up to 2011. It is seen outside Ta’ Pinu in the latter part of 2023, shortly after it re-entered use as a vintage bus for hire.”