The bus stops here

The village of Aylesford was full of activity in 1939. The United Fruit Company canning factory was employing 100 workers and the evaporator was about ready to begin the season’s operations. An expansion was taking place at the service station, 30 feet long and 16 feet wide, which would be used for indoor servicing.

Berwick, an incorporated town five miles east of Aylesford, also had a canning factory and an evaporator hiring a large number of workers. It would seem the more heavily populated community would become the western terminus for the new bus service from Kentville. Such was not the case, however: the bus ran from Aylesford to Kentville.

The reason for giving this honour to Aylesford was the presence of an up-dated service station erected many years before the Maritime Bus Company moved into the area.

The station was one of the finest in the province, most conveniently situated and accessible to motorists along the main highway. It was built into the steep hillside near the corner of what was known as Main and Commercial streets, directly opposite the store of F.E. Harris and Company.

Constructed of concrete and stucco with a wide projecting roof supported by four sturdy concrete pillars along its front, the station was one of the most striking and attractive structures of its kind in the Maritime provinces.

The station was previously under the efficient management of Mr. Reginald Dodge and, though only recently established, he was doing a profitable business as well as affording the best of accommodation to tourists and provincial motorists.

It was hoped the expanded service station would be used by the Maritime Bus Company, and this was confirmed when a petition was circulated by the citizens of the Aylesford district. The bus company stated they would be willing to start the bus earlier from Aylesford in the morning if suitable housing was provided for the vehicle overnight and if traffic warranted it.

The Maritime Bus Service between Aylesford and Kentville, with Berwick resident Wilfred Heffler at the wheel, was popular during the 1940s. The bus would make a return trip to Kentville in the morning, another return trip in the afternoon and a third trip Saturday evenings. The Aylesford terminus was the Super Service Station managed by Edward Herbert.

In the early 1950s, the Aylesford to Kentville bus franchise was taken over by Richard Thomas of Aylesford, who ran the bus service for about 10 years. During this period, the bus was housed overnight in the Irving Oil service station.

From 1965, under new management, the bus operated until 1969. It made its last trip in August of that year.