FROM 1900

It all started with a car and a cavalry in 1865

Una de les notícies més importants i amb més trascendència que remarquem de la comarca del Ripollès, és un important document denominat “Llibre de ruta” que, segons les disposicions de l’època sobre legislació en carretera, les diligències havien de portar.

Aquest document corresponia a l’empresa denominada Família SIRVENT que feia el servei entre Ripoll i Vic el 1865. Deduim que aquesta familia tenia relació amb l’existència actual d’AUTOCARS MIR S.A, ja que l’any 1900 es va trobar un document on hi figurava un carro i una cavalleria a nom de FELIP MIR SIRVENT.

One of the most important and far-reaching news in the Ripollès area has to do with an important document called “Book of route”, which the stagecoaches had to carry along, according to the laws of that time.
This document belonged to the SIRVENT company, which covered the route between Ripoll and Vic in 1865. It can be deduced that this family had some relationship with the present ATOCARS MIR S.A., since in 1990 a document was found which showed a carriage and horses labelled FELIP MIR SIRVENT.

The first piece of evidence for the real existence of transporters Mir in Ripoll is from 1990 with the certificate of a carriage and horses owned by Felip Mir i Sirvent, Peixateria Street, 3. In 1917 Felip Mir i Sirvent retires with a carriage and a horse. From this onwards, we go back to 1921, when Manel Mir i Prat, son of Felip Mir, registers a Hispan-Suiza, GE of 15 to 20 horsepower and with engine number 4247, 18 seats, and Lancia (GE.467) of a 25 to 35 horsepower, and with the engine number 52278.

At that time, the Mir company had the route Ripoll-Puigcerdà and they were also responsible for the collection of rubbish and the transport of meat to the local slaughterhouse. Between 1922 and 1923, a statistical survey about carriages and transporters and of that time shows only four-wheel cars. There is no evidence for the name of the owners within a six year period. Between 1912 and 1925 Manel Mir i Prat, under the name of Transportes Garaje Ripollès covered the route from Ripoll, La Pobla to Solsona.

From 1926 to 1928 Manel Mir i Prat, apart from the route Ripoll-Pobla de Lillet, got the folowing:
– Ripoll-Sant Joan de les Abadesses and Camprodon.
– Ripoll – Berga.
– Ripoll- Ribes de Freser.

In the past the route Camprodon-Ripoll was held by a transporter from Camprodon called Güell. In 1929, and as a result of a central administrative law, exclusive routes arise (only for a transporter). As a consequence, the service Ripoll-Camprodon is no longer held by the Mir family, who keep only the line Ripoll-Pobla de Lillet (and Ribes de Freser). The family company was placed in Pl. Llupions, 8.

From 1930, the new owner is Felip Mir i Sardenyons. In July 1936, with the beginning of the Civil War, all lorries and vehicles were confiscated by the local revolutionary comittee and the Local Comittee of Transports was created. Different coaches were lost at the front, and others during the fights between the Red and the Nationals. Once the war was over only two vehicles could be recuperated: a Ford (GE-4493) which the Red threw down a precipice, and which had to be dismantled in order to be brought back to Ripoll and a Chevrolet (B-66119) which was found in Sant Sebastian, Biscaia, and was brought back to Ripoll. The latter, so that the Red could not find it, was hidden in Montagut Hotel (Ribes de Freser) by Felip Mir i Sardenyons. The wheels were hidden in another place, and the rest was covered with straw and kept in a garage of the mentioned hotel. The Red found it and went for the search of Felip Mir, who told them where the wheels were hidden. Finally, this coach after the Red withdrew, was found in Sant Sebastian, with a hole at the rear, result of a bomb. It was rebuilt in Ripoll later on.

With money problems after the Civil War, Felip Mir constitutes a company together with Antoni Camprubí and Espelt from Campdevànol to manage the route Ripoll-La Pobla de Lillet. Later on the society breaks up and Mir become the only owner of the line. By the decree of 9th December 1949 Felip Mir and Sardenyons validates the route Ripoll-La Pobla de Lillet. Manel Mir i Vila, grandson of his Mir ancestors, by the law of the 28th of May 1987 and as authorised by the Generalitat de Catalunya validates the routes and keeps the lines Ripoll to La Pobla de Lillet and Guardiola de Berguedà as far as Bagà, route Ripoll to Llívia through Castellar de N’Hug, and from March 2010 the line Ripoll to Ribes de Freser is extended to Valley Ribes villages, together with the organisation of excursions and a travel agency.