Longwell Green Coachworks
Longwell Green Coachworks was an English vehicle body manufacturer that built bus, coach, van and lorry bodies on customer-supplied chassis from 1919 to 1983.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Longwell Green Coachworks was a vehicle body manufacturer based in Longwell Green, near Bristol, England. The business developed from the carriage and transport activities of William J. Bence, a wheelwright whose earlier enterprise had served villages around Bristol with horse-drawn passenger and goods transport. Bence also became an agent for chassis manufacturers, including Ford, before moving into motorbus operation and vehicle body construction. The company’s motor-vehicle manufacturing activity began in 1919, when Bence started a bus service from Longwell Green and built bodies for buses using chassis originally designed for military applications during the First World War. By 1922, Bence Motor Services was operating 14-seat buses on Ford Model T chassis. The associated W. J. Bence & Sons coachworks also produced delivery vans and continued building public service vehicle bodies during the 1930s. At the beginning of the Second World War, the business took on military bodywork and changed its corporate name to Bence Motor Bodies Ltd. One notable wartime project was the conversion in 1941 of a second-hand 50 hp Daimler automobile into an ambulance for the city of Bath. The company undertook the work at a reported cost of £325 and was described as the only firm willing to accept the project. Around 1944, the business adopted the name Longwell Green Coachworks Ltd. After the war it offered bodies for buses, coaches and commercial vehicles. Its products were mounted on chassis supplied by manufacturers such as Daimler, Maudslay and Leyland. The company built 29- and 33-seat buses on Leyland Comet chassis and produced double-deck bodies for the Bristol Omnibus Company on Leyland Titan PD1 chassis. During the 1950s, it also supplied substantial numbers of bus bodies on underfloor-engine chassis to operators in South Wales. Longwell Green served a broad institutional and commercial customer base. Bus customers included Cardiff, Newport, Aberdare, Gelligaer and Merthyr Tydfil corporations, as well as Rhondda Transport Company and South Wales Transport. Its commercial-vehicle customers included British Road Services, British Rail and the General Post Office, which purchased lorries, vans and crew buses. The company continued building buses and lorries until 1966; its final two buses were completed that year, after which the business concentrated on other commercial and specialist vehicles. The company also experimented with structural plastics. In 1960, it was reported to have moulded a complete crane machinery house from Beetle polyester resin, an early use of structural plastics for such a large component. The plastics division became L.G. Plastics in May 1965, indicating an effort to extend the business beyond conventional coachbuilding into industrial fabrication. Although its main bus-building period had ended by the late 1960s, Longwell Green continued making vans and lorries and later produced custom-built Range Rovers for Middle Eastern use during the 1980s. The company ceased operations in 1983. Its local industrial importance was reflected in the formation of Longwell Green Sports Football Club in 1966 by employees, when the coachworks was one of the area’s principal employers.
History
Longwell Green Coachworks originated in the transport and wheelwrighting activities of William J. Bence. Bence had established a horse-drawn carriage business in 1891, serving villages outside Bristol with goods transport and passenger journeys, especially on market days. The enterprise later expanded into agency work for vehicle-chassis manufacturers such as Ford. In 1919, Bence entered motor transport directly by starting a bus service from Longwell Green. He began constructing bodies for buses operated by his own service and for independent operators, using chassis that had originally been designed for military vehicles during the First World War. By 1922, Bence Motor Services was running 14-seat buses on Ford Model T chassis. The W. J. Bence & Sons coachworks also made delivery vans and produced public service vehicle bodies during the 1930s. The Second World War brought a change in emphasis and identity. The business undertook military vehicle bodywork and was renamed Bence Motor Bodies Ltd. In 1941, it carried out an unusual commission for the city of Bath: converting a second-hand 50 hp Daimler car into an ambulance. The company reportedly accepted the work at a cost of £325 when other firms declined it. Around 1944, the company became Longwell Green Coachworks Ltd. From 1946, its range included bus, coach and commercial bodies. Bodywork was fitted to chassis supplied by manufacturers including Daimler and Maudslay, while 29- and 33-seat buses were constructed on Leyland Comet chassis. It also built double-decker bodies for the Bristol Omnibus Company on Leyland Titan PD1 chassis. The company developed a strong customer base among municipal and regional transport operators. In the 1950s it sold many bodies mounted on underfloor-engine chassis to operators in South Wales. Customers included Cardiff, Newport, Aberdare, Gelligaer and Merthyr Tydfil corporations, together with Rhondda Transport Company and South Wales Transport. In 1957, four single-deck buses using Leyland Tiger Cub chassis were supplied to Cardiff Corporation. Longwell Green also participated in the manufacture of Bedford pumping vehicles known as Green Goddesses for the Auxiliary Fire Service between 1952 and 1957. Its commercial-vehicle work was similarly broad. The company built lorries, vans and crew buses for British Road Services, British Rail and the General Post Office. It continued to make both buses and lorries until 1966, although the final two buses were completed in that year. Thereafter, the business concentrated on vans, lorries and specialist projects rather than regular bus production. Longwell Green also explored materials and industrial applications outside traditional coachbuilding. In 1960, the New Scientist reported that it had moulded a complete crane machinery house from Beetle polyester resin. The structure was presented as an early example of using structural plastics for a complete crane enclosure, with potential benefits in cost and appearance. In May 1965, this plastics activity became L.G. Plastics. The coachworks was an important local employer. In 1966, employees formed Longwell Green Sports Football Club, and the club's original playing field was established on land that remains associated with its home ground. The workforce's involvement reflected the company's broader role in the social and economic life of Longwell Green. During the 1980s, the company undertook custom vehicle work, including specially built Range Rovers for use in the Middle East. Longwell Green Coachworks ceased operation in 1983. Its history illustrates the evolution of a British regional bodybuilder from horse-drawn transport and early motorbus construction into municipal bus production, wartime manufacturing, commercial vehicles, plastics fabrication and specialist vehicle conversion.
- 1983
Operations end
[1]Longwell Green Coachworks ceased operation.
- 1966
Final buses completed
[1]The company completed its last two buses and shifted its emphasis toward vans, lorries and specialist work.
- 1965
L.G. Plastics established
[1]The plastics operation became known as L.G. Plastics.
- 1960
Structural-plastics crane machinery house
[1]The company moulded a complete crane machinery house from polyester resin.
- 1952
Green Goddess body production
[1]Longwell Green participated in building Bedford-based pumping vehicles for the Auxiliary Fire Service.
- 1946
Post-war bus and commercial body range
[1]The company offered bodies for buses, coaches and commercial vehicles.
- 1944
Longwell Green Coachworks name adopted
[1]The business was renamed Longwell Green Coachworks Ltd around this date.
- 1941
Daimler ambulance conversion
[1]The company converted a used Daimler car into an ambulance for Bath.
- 1939
Wartime military production begins
[1]The business began producing military vehicle bodies and adopted the name Bence Motor Bodies Ltd.
- 1922
Ford Model T-based buses enter service
[1]Bence Motor Services operated 14-seat buses built on Ford Model T chassis.
Products and positioning
A regional British coachbuilder and commercial-vehicle body specialist serving municipal transport operators, public-sector fleets, industrial customers and specialist vehicle users. Its differentiation rested on body construction for third-party chassis, flexible low-volume work and the ability to undertake unusual conversions and materials projects.
public service vehicle bodywork · 1919
Bus and coach bodies
The company's principal historical product was bodywork for buses and coaches mounted on chassis supplied by other manufacturers. It built bodies for municipal and regional operators, including single-deck and double-deck vehicles. Chassis associations included Ford, Daimler, Maudslay and Leyland, with documented examples on Leyland Comet, Leyland Titan PD1 and Leyland Tiger Cub platforms.
commercial vehicle bodywork · 1919
Commercial vehicle bodies
Longwell Green built bodies for delivery vans, lorries and crew buses. These products served public-sector and national fleet customers such as British Road Services, British Rail and the General Post Office. Commercial vehicle work continued after the company stopped regular bus production in 1966 and remained part of its late operating period.
special-purpose vehicle bodywork · 1939
Military and emergency vehicle bodies
The company produced military bodies during the Second World War and undertook specialist emergency-vehicle work. Its documented projects included a 1941 conversion of a second-hand Daimler car into a Bath ambulance and participation in the production of Bedford Green Goddess pumping vehicles for the Auxiliary Fire Service during the 1950s.
industrial plastics fabrication · 1965
L.G. Plastics components
The plastics operation developed from Longwell Green's experiments with structural polyester resin. A complete crane machinery house made from Beetle polyester resin was reported in 1960. The activity was identified as L.G. Plastics from May 1965 and represented diversification beyond metal vehicle body construction.
specialist vehicle conversion · 1980
Custom-built Range Rovers
In the 1980s, during the company's final period, Longwell Green produced custom-built Range Rovers for use in the Middle East. These vehicles were specialist conversions rather than a mass-market model line and formed part of the company's late move toward bespoke vehicle work.
Brand decisions
1966
End regular bus productionStrategyBackground
Longwell Green had built buses and lorries for municipal operators and public-sector fleets, but its bus-building phase was winding down.
Action taken
After completing its final two buses in 1966, the company continued with vans, lorries and specialist vehicle work instead of regular bus production.
Aftermath
The business retained commercial and bespoke manufacturing activities and later produced custom Range Rovers for Middle Eastern use.
1965
Formalize the plastics operation as L.G. PlasticsStrategyBackground
The company had experimented with structural polyester resin in industrial equipment, including a crane machinery house.
Action taken
In May 1965, the plastics activity became L.G. Plastics.
Aftermath
The move broadened the business beyond conventional vehicle bodywork, although the available reference material does not document the unit's later scale or performance.
1944
Adopt the Longwell Green Coachworks identityStrategyBackground
Following wartime work under the Bence Motor Bodies name, the business entered the post-war period with a broader vehicle-body offering.
Action taken
Around 1944, the company was renamed Longwell Green Coachworks Ltd and marketed bus, coach and commercial vehicle bodies.
Aftermath
The new identity became associated with the company's post-war municipal bus and commercial-vehicle production.
Recent events
- 1983
Longwell Green Coachworks ceases operations[1]
Bankruptcy
The vehicle body manufacturer ended its operations after more than six decades of activity.
- 1980
Company builds specialist Range Rovers for Middle Eastern use[1]
Product launch
During the 1980s, Longwell Green produced custom-built Range Rovers for customers in the Middle East.
- 1966
Longwell Green completes its final buses[1]
Other
The company built its last two buses in 1966 and subsequently focused on vans, lorries and other specialist work.
- 1966
Coachworks employees establish Longwell Green Sports[1]
Other
Workers at the company formed Longwell Green Sports Football Club, reflecting the coachworks' role as a major local employer.
- 1965
Plastics operation becomes L.G. Plastics[1]
Other
The company's plastics activity was formally identified as L.G. Plastics from May 1965.
- 1960
Structural-plastics crane house reported as an industry innovation[1]
Product launch
Longwell Green moulded a complete crane machinery house from Beetle polyester resin, an early reported application of structural plastics to a complete crane enclosure.
- 1957
Longwell Green supplies Cardiff Corporation buses[1]
Product launch
The company supplied four single-deck motorbuses with Leyland Tiger Cub chassis to Cardiff Corporation.
- 1952
Company supplies bodies for Green Goddess vehicles[1]
Product launch
Between 1952 and 1957, Longwell Green was among the bodybuilders involved in producing high-capacity Bedford pumping vehicles for the Auxiliary Fire Service.
- 1946
Longwell Green expands post-war bus and commercial body production[1]
Product launch
The company offered bus, coach and commercial vehicle bodies on chassis from several established British vehicle manufacturers.
- 1944
Business adopts the Longwell Green Coachworks name[1]
Leadership change
Around 1944, Bence Motor Bodies Ltd was renamed Longwell Green Coachworks Ltd as the business moved into its post-war identity.
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