DARLINGTON has a proud record as a pioneer of transport, and for many people there is no prouder name in its history than that of Scott's Greys.

Everyone knows that in 1825 Darlington gave birth to the first proper passenger railway, and nearly everyone remembers how, in the early 1990s, with Darlington's streets besieged by coaches sweeping in from all over the country, the council's own bus company became one of the first municipal casualties of the new deregulation of the bus industry.

In between times, Darlington has taken other less controversial pioneering roads.

In 1862, it was one of the first towns in the country to have a steam-powered tramway system. This fell into bankruptcy in 1865 when one of its two trams ran over a prize greyhound and the Darlington Street Railroad Company was unable to afford the compensation.

The town's electric tram system that opened in 1904 was very much a product of its time, but in 1928 Darlington became the first town in the North-East - and one of the first in the country - to start running an electric trolley bus service. It lasted until 1957, and since then diesel buses have monopolised the town's streets.

Throughout most of this period, the name Scott's Greys could be seen travelling from outlying towns such as Richmond and Leyburn into Darlington. It is, though, probably best remembered for its pioneering service to Blackpool and back.

Its founder, Fred Scott, could remember further back. Born in 1885, the son of a local policeman, his first job was driving a corporation horse-drawn tram. The last of these ran in August 1903, prior to electrification, and Mr Scott was one of the last drivers.

This job seems to have introduced him to what became his lifelong passion: horses.

When the First World War broke out, he joined a cavalry regiment - presumably the 2nd Dragoons of the Household Cavalry. This regiment was nicknamed Scots Greys because the dragoons always rode grey horses (the "Scots" bit of the nickname we are not so sure about - the regiment could have been formed by a Colonel Scot, like the Green Howards were formed by a Col Howard, or the soldiers could all have come from north of the border).

It was this nickname that Fred adopted as his own when he was demobbed in 1919. He bought his first horse from his regimental colonel - presumably a grey horse - and tied it to a cart and set himself up in business as a carrier.

After several years, he bought a convertible bus. During the week, he took the bus-bit off, leaving himself with a low-loader in which he carried flour. At weekends, the charabanc body, complete with seats, was strapped back on again and he carried people to Redcar and other seaside towns. Soon, Scott's Greys was the first company in the North-East to be running charabanc trips to Blackpool.

As he gained more coaches, he painted them the same colours - a light French grey with a deep-blue stripe. In gold script on the rear window ran the company slogan: "Glorious runs and safe returns".

These were not ordinary coaches, though. Fred Scott always aimed at the luxury end of the market. His mystery tours were also very popular.

Fred died in 1952, aged 57, at his home in Hollyhurst Road. Scott's Greys was sold to Darlington businessman Reg Hunter for £52,000 - something of a snip, because in its first year it made £20,000 profit.

Scott's Greys continued with a good reputation at the top end of the coaching market until the recession of the late 1970s caught up with it. In 1982, Mr Hunter gave the business away with "minimal debts" to Scott Properties of Sussex, a holding company run by a self-made millionaire called David Scott, who was no relation to founder Fred.

Within a decade, as the recession of the early 1990s bit, Scott's Greys had collapsed. It was wound up in 1993 amid much bitterness - Darlington MP Alan Milburn even asked questions in the House of Commons about how the regulatory authorities had allowed a tour company to take so many people for a ride. Scott's Greys debts amounted to £200,000, with 220 holidaymakers - who had paid up front - bearing the brunt.

It was a sad end to a once proud Darlington name, although the story doesn't end there.

Two Scott's Greys coaches remain in existence. One is believed to be in Sunderland; the other is owned by Richard Grainger, of Ilkeston, Derbyshire, who has been in touch with Echo Memories asking for information about the company.

Richard's coach is a 1952 14-seater Austin with bodywork by Plaxton of Scarborough. Only 25 of this dinky, luxury coach were built, and RHN 548 is one of only two that survive.

It would have cost Scott Grey's about £3,000 when it was bought new. Because the company liked its coaches to be in immaculate condition, it didn't keep them for long and sold it to Grierson's Coaches, of Fishburn - which is still in existence - in the mid-1950s.

Grierson's kept it for 20 years before selling it and it ended up in a scrapyard in Leeds.

Bus enthusiasts rescued and restored it, and Richard Grainger has owned it for five years, taking it to rallies in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

He would like one day to return it to its native Darlington.

If you have any information, memories or photographs concerning Scott's Greys or Santa Gift Bags, please write to Echo Memories, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington DL1 1NF, or e-mail or call (01325) 505062.