Orkney Image Library

Was this the first motor bus service to Holm? In pre-First World War Peace's Almanacs there is often an advert for "Wick's Posting Establishment" in Junction Road (now Palace Players' store) stating that a coach left for Holm every Monday at 8am and 4pm. It would be interesting to trace motor vehicles' gradual takeover from the horse. In the 1911 Almanac for example there are only two motor car hirers in Kirkwall - Leslie & Leonard and W R Tullock - but eleven gig hirers. The latter had shrunk to four by 1926 and none by 1929(maybe before - I don't have 1927 or 8), while by 1929 there were twelve motor hirers. These included P F Thomson and R Nicolson who had moved over from horse-drawn transport.