▁company ▁created ▁by ▁the ▁Transport ▁Act ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁to ▁admin ister ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁state - owned ▁transport , ▁travel ▁and ▁engineering ▁companies ▁that ▁were ▁previously ▁managed ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁Transport ▁Commission ▁( B TC ); ▁it ▁came ▁into ▁existence ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁ ▁As sets ▁ ▁The ▁TH C ' s ▁assets ▁were ▁very ▁varied , ▁reflect ing ▁its ▁role ▁as ▁the ▁manager ▁of ▁those ▁invest ments ▁that ▁did ▁not ▁fit ▁elsewhere ▁in ▁the ▁post - 1 9 6 2 ▁structure ▁of ▁national ised ▁transport . ▁There ▁were ▁essentially ▁six ▁areas ▁of ▁activity : ▁▁ ▁bus ▁companies , ▁some ▁part - owned ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁Electric ▁Tra ction ▁Group , ▁later ▁acquired ▁by ▁the ▁TH C , ▁ ▁bus ▁manufact uring ▁companies ▁( B rist ol ▁Com mer cial ▁Ve h icles ▁and ▁Eastern ▁Co ach ▁Works ) ▁ ▁road ▁ha ul age ▁companies , ▁e . g . ▁British ▁Road ▁Services ▁( B RS ) ▁and ▁Pick ford s ▁ ▁sh ipping ▁lines , ▁e . g . ▁the ▁B TC ' s ▁shares ▁in ▁Associ ated ▁H umber ▁L ines ▁and ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ste am ▁Navigation ▁Company ▁ ▁travel ▁agents ▁( Th omas ▁Cook ▁and ▁Son , ▁to ▁which ▁L unn ▁Poly ▁was ▁later ▁added ) ▁ ▁mis cell aneous ▁( the ▁B TC ' s ▁shares ▁in ▁the ▁Pen arth ▁D ock ▁Engineering ▁Company ) ▁ ▁Dem ise ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁coming ▁into ▁effect ▁of ▁the ▁Transport ▁Act ▁