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H.V.Welles built “Dearborn” COEs in Canada. Also built
School buses and other commercial vehicles. Known producer of municipal
invalid coaches and funeral vehicles.
Like Proctor-Keefe in Detroit, Welles modified standard
Ford panels vans into specialty vehicles.
A small fleet of 1940 Ford ambulances built on standard
Ford 122" 1-ton cab and chassis were bodied by Welles for use by the
Canadian Air Force. The bodies featured an unusually wide humpbacked rear
compartment that gave its military occupants a few additional inches of both
head and shoulder room. Welles Corporation also converted the 1956 Ford Courier Sedan Delivery into
Ambulances.Welles Corporation Ltd. of Windsor, Ontario built Marmon-Herrington
buses under license during the early 1950s. The resulting inter-city
vehicles were called WMH Motor Coaches or Wells-Marmon-Herrington coaches.
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Warford Corp. of Canada 1925 - 1928
H.V. Welles Ltd. 1929 - 1947
Welles Corp. 1948 - 1990
Windsor
The small auto accessories firm of the Warford Corporation of Canada,
headed by Halsey V. Welles in 1925 grew into a major manufacturer of school
buses and other specialty vehicles. Bus manufacture began in 1948. The
company was sold in Feb 1985 to Richmond Transportation Corporation of
Richmond, Ind.
In May 1987, there was a fire at the Welles plant on Drouillard road
where it was subsequently gutted. In conjunction with the city, property was
bought on the former Sheller-Globe plant site on Marentette St. and a new
plant was established. In April 1990, it was announced that in mid-June of
1990, this plant would close, which it did.
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aka Wayne Bus Body Co
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