ams ) ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁The ▁difference ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁operations ▁was ▁not ▁generally ▁apparent ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁as ▁the ▁same ▁li very ▁was ▁used , ▁differ ing ▁only ▁in ▁the ▁fleet name ▁detail . ▁Furthermore , ▁there ▁were ▁regular ▁lo ans ▁of ▁vehicles ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁organis ations , ▁and ▁the ▁fleet ▁was ▁number ed ▁in ▁a ▁common ▁series . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁last ▁of ▁Br istol ' s ▁tr ams ▁ceased ▁operation , ▁and ▁from ▁then ▁on ▁the ▁company ▁only ▁operated ▁bus es ▁and ▁coach es ▁– ▁although ▁it ▁kept ▁the ▁Br istol ▁Tr am ways ▁name ▁for ▁some ▁years . ▁ ▁National isation ▁After ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁new ▁Att lee ▁government ▁took ▁steps ▁to ▁national ise ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁country ' s ▁transport ▁industry . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁the ▁T illing ▁Group ▁sold ▁its ▁bus ▁interests ▁to ▁the ▁government , ▁and ▁Br istol ▁Tr am ways ▁became ▁a ▁state - owned ▁company , ▁under ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Transport ▁Commission . ▁Its ▁ch ass is - building ▁operation ▁proved ▁especially ▁useful ▁and , ▁with ▁the ▁national isation ▁of ▁Eastern ▁Co ach ▁Works ▁of ▁Low esto ft , ▁enabled ▁complete ▁bus es , ▁coach es ▁( and ▁even ▁some ▁l orry ▁tra ctor - un its ▁for ▁British ▁Road ▁Services ▁and ▁two ▁rail b uses ▁for ▁British ▁Rail ways ) ▁to ▁be ▁built ▁sole ly ▁for ▁the ▁State ▁sector . ▁