The last surviving privately-owned bus route operator in metropolitan Sydney has been inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame
By David Goeldner | September 29, 2010
Forest Coach Lines’ founding Royle family was recently honoured in Alice Springs as inductees into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame for their contribution to the bus transport industry.
While none of the family was present at the award, the honour was accepted on their behalf by Forest Coach Line’s recently retired and long serving receptionist Marie Sewell.
Forest Coach Lines Director Sally Green says the award recognises the Royle family’s 80 year history in the bus industry, and its connection with Sydney’s northern suburbs.
“We are the last surviving privately-owned bus operator in Sydney,” she says.
Green says Sewell nominated the family for the award.
“Marie did a great deal of research on the family,” Green says.
In the citation for the award it was noted that the business was established in 1930 by Welsh immigrants Trevor and Eric Royle, later passed on to Trevor’s sons Bernard and Tony.
In 2010, the Terry Hills-based Forest Coach Lines is directed by Bernard’s adult children, Anthony and David Royle, and daughter Sally Green.
This third generation of Royles operate Forest Coach Lines 90 vehicles carrying in excess of 20,000 passengers a day.
Sewell accepted the award from Alice Springs Mayor Damien Ryan during the annual event, this year attended by 6,000 truck and bus enthusiasts from across Australia.