Stuart Emmett Books

The West Yorkshire Road Car Company’s routes from Skipton and Ilkley up into Wharfedale, Wensleydale and Swaledale are some of the most scenic in Great Britain, and they are captured in this volume of historic bus photographs, taken from the 1950s to the 1970s by some of the finest photographers in their field. Using his first-hand knowledge of West Yorkshire’s network, Stuart Emmett takes the reader on a journey in Upper Wharfedale, passing by countless sheep farms along the grass-patched limestone river valleys as he goes from hamlets and small villages like Grassington to market towns like Skipton and Otley, and the spa town of Ilkley. The enduring Yorkshire landscape, which has been used for many films and TV programs, such as Calendar Girls, All Creatures Great and Small and Emmerdale, complements the little-changed street scenes and villages to give a fascinating backdrop to this captivating collection of more than 170 photographs, many of which are previously unpublished or have rarely been seen in print.

The splendid city of York lies on flat, arable land called the Vale of York. Once out of the city and into the Vale of York, many beautiful small country villages are hidden away in the flat, fertile, agricultural land that dominates the area, and farms line the roads. Bus operators were needed to provide services linking these local villages and towns with York, especially on market days. Consequently, routes were very rural, and besides catering for the traditional market day shoppers, they often carried a considerable volume of passengers to work in York. This book, containing over 150 photographs, many in color, tells the story of stage bus companies, including Everingham Brothers, Baileys, J. Broadbent, Milburn and Gorwood Brothers, who operated from the east of York. All of these companies had similarities, and, like many rural bus services, they started by running a service to their nearest market town. This was often done to get a second income to supplement their main living, which usually came from farming and agriculture. As time progressed, most of the operators grew their bus network and offered excursions and private hires. However, changes to the way of life in the 1950s and 1960s, including the growth of television and car ownership, led to the demise of many true country bus operators, including all of those featured in this book.

The city of York stands at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss on flat arable land called the Vale of York, which is bordered to the west by the Pennines, to the northeast by the North York Moors and to the east by the rolling Yorkshire Wolds. Outside the city are many beautiful small country villages and bus operators were needed to provide services linking these local villages and towns with York, especially on market days. Consequently, routes were very rural, and besides catering for the traditional market day shoppers, they often carried a considerable volume of passengers to work in York. This book, the follow-on to York Eastern Stage Bus Operators, tells the story of stage bus companies, including Hopes Motor Services, Hutchinson Brothers, Reliance Motor Services, G E Sykes & Son and Majestic of Cawood, who operated from the west of York. Including over 150 photographs, many in color, it shows how most of the companies covered started out as family-based operators running a service to the nearest local market town before expanding to offer excursions and private hires. It also shows how changes to the way of life, including the growth of car ownership, eventually killed off the majority of them.

Return to the Zhaon empire one last time in The Bloody Throne, the masterful conclusion to S. C. Emmett's sweeping epic fantasy of war, glory, and survival.

The book critiques the gap in practical understanding among managers and leaders regarding their roles. It highlights that despite extensive literature on leadership and management, many professionals have not engaged in thoughtful examination of their practices. The focus is on the need for deeper reflection beyond merely updating technical skills, suggesting that true leadership requires a more comprehensive approach to understanding one's impact and responsibilities.

Samuel Ledgard, the legendary founder and bus operator, started out running a pub in 1896. In 1912, he bought a lorry along with an interchangeable coach body and started services to seaside resorts in 1913. Focusing on the 1950s and '60s, this book starts with a brief history of the buses themselves and their routes, then goes on to the fleet.

"The princess is dead, and the drums of war beat again. The imperial schemes that took her life have reignited tensions with her native Khir, and left her lady-in-waiting, Komor Yala, alone among the treachery of a foreign court. As the Emperor lies upon his deathbed, the palace is more dangerous than ever before-for there are six princes, and only one throne. To survive, and get to the bottom of who ordered her princess dead, Yala will have to rely on some unlikely allies, like the sardonic third prince out of the line of succession, the war-hardened general who sacked her homeland but now asks for her hand, or the surprise visitor from her past who may hold all the answers. But there's a danger greater than any of them have imagined on the horizon. In the distance, the hordes of Tabrak are rising. New perils appear on every border as the palace is beset by threats both within and without. The entire empire is at stake and only one man may be able to save it-if Yala can reach him in time"--