2012 – Issue 2 of 4

£2.50
00
NEWSLETTER 37 – APRIL 2012
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(D.B. Thomas)
Pictured is a former National Welsh Leyland National in use by Golden Coaches of
Llandow in August 1993. Featured in this issue is the story of bus firms based at the
old airfield at Llandow in the Vale of Glamorgan. Also the wartime story of Barry
Depot’s bus “The“Ruptured Duck”.

An Enterprise Plaxton Primo of EST Buses seen on the Sunday 100 service at Barry Island in
June 2009. This bus was withdrawn last year. (P.Hamley)
Ford/Duple HNY933N, new to R.I. Davies, Tredegar, is shown out of service in Oct. 1990 at the
Llandow yard of Golden Coaches (V.C.)
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CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE;
From this edition of the newsletter we are going nationwide, well almost! The CTPG
newsletter is going to be available from all of the Ian Allan shops around the country so if
you are reading this outside of South Wales I hope that you find something of interest.
Those of you that attended the AGM will remember we decided to make each
newsletter 28 pages and this is the first extended edition.
Our AGM in January was well attended at Penarth with about 30 members making the
effort. Several items were discussed other than the newsletter, the main ones being an
increase in subs and road run donations to assist with the spiralling cost of diesel,
suggestions on how to increase our membership over the present110, new signage over
the Depot and the freehold of the Depot and office block. The Committee were voted
in en masse.
Following the AGM we have opened a separate account with the bank entirely for
building funds towards the eventual purchase of the Depot freehold from the Railway
Board. The actual sale has no fixed date and seems to stretch on but there will be a
finite end which could happen at quite short notice. Therefore we need to start building
our reserves so we maintain our presence at Barry for the long term. If you would like
to make a donation specifically for this, please send your donation directly to me. We
will also be putting as much of our profit from the rallies into this pot.
With regard to the fleet, several buses have been receiving their pre MOT attention,
however Pontypridd No.8 required some additional unplanned attention to the fuel
system following its trip to the successful Regent V running day in Swansea together with
Martin Doe’s Rhondda Regent. A mucky quantity of diesel pulled into the filters almost
caused a complete stop, however some roadside bleeding got the bus back to Barry.
The fuel tank has now been taken off and completely cleaned out. The Swift will
hopefully to run again soon, this has had a new lift pump, reconditioned injectors and
pump and pipework repaired. Fingers crossed this will clear the stalling problem we
experienced last year. Well done to Bob Sparks, Martyn Evans and Paul Burgess.
Caerphilly 32 is now looking tantalisingly close to completion with a few jobs still
outstanding before MOT time. Work is also progressing on Caerphilly 3, this bus
appears very solid for its years though mechanically it is still an unknown quantity, Derek
and the Friday and Saturday team are also making good progress.
2012 Events - Barry Festival of Transport & Depot Open Day Sunday 10 th June & Bus &
Coach Wales Sunday 9 th September at Rhydycar Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil. Both
our events will be supported by the local Councils again in 2012. It is likely that we will
also run buses during the Tall Ships event in Barry the week before our Merthyr event.
VOLUTEERS URGENTLY NEEDED TO HELP AT BARRY RALLY
Mike Tel: 07733 302242
Email : mikeystrad73@btinternet.com
Also keep up to date on our Facebook page
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BUSES AT LLANDOW;
Llandow is a small village some 4 miles from Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan. From
1940 to 1957 Llandow was the site of a large RAF aerodrome and maintenance unit
(38MU). In the early 1960’s the B4270 road from Cowbridge to Llantwit Major was rerouted
bisecting the airfield site. Several areas of the old airfield were developed into
industrial sites and eventually attracted certain independent bus operators.
As a youngster growing up in the north-east, David Michael Gee dreamed of owning a
bus. After some years in Coventry and further years in the R.A.F in Lincolnshire and
south Wales, his opportunity came in 1988. The demise of the Inter Valley Link bus
service in the Vale prompted Dave Gee to compete with National Welsh in the Llantwit
Major area with a new low cost bus operation. With his backers, Alan Gold and Martin
Been, he set up Golden Coaches Ltd. in November 1988. A yard was rented at 34
Sutton Spring Road, Llandow Trading Estate and a service between Llantwit Major and
St. Athan commenced on 22 nd May 1989. At first enquiries were dealt by Marlene Gee
from their home at Cwmaman.
There were less than ideal conditions at Golden Coaches yard in Nov.1993 (V.C.)
From 22 nd September 1989 ‘Golden’ operated to Barry and then on to Cardiff by 9 th
December. Their original vehicle allocation was for 4 buses. Some of the early buses
were grey and dark red.
Further expansion took place on 23 rd April 1990 when an hourly 145 service from
L/Major to Cardiff via Rhoose and Barry, later to become half hourly. National Welsh
retaliated by running a 350 service 5 minutes in front of Golden Coaches.
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In 1991 a further site at Llandow was rented at Unit 12 Llandow Industrial Estate.
In September 1991 the struggling National Welsh withdrew most B9 evening and Sunday
services. The County Council considered these services sociably desirable and Golden
Coaches were successful in tendering which coincided with the granting of two extra
operating discs.
Although losing heavily, National Welsh were still fielding their 350 ‘Battlebus’ on
Saturdays, though Golden were on the ball by using crew buses at busy times and having
a ‘dup’ at Llantwit terminus taking fares and transferring passengers on to the service bus
when it arrived.
Following the failure of National Welsh, ‘Golden’ won certain X2 & V3 services
supported by the local authority, as well as services to Bridgend via Southerndown.
They held on to the support of Vale bus users, increased maybe by the psychological
ploy of using some former National drivers and buses in their original livery. Most of
these vehicles were later painted dark red with yellow waistband and wheels.
Former N/Welsh Sherpa E117 RAX at Cowbridge Town Hall in March 1993.
(V.C.)
In February 1993, a new company, Glamorgan Bus Ltd., was registered by the directors
of Golden Coaches to facilitate possible expansion in the Barry area, but it was to remain
a dormant company until more recent years.
In September 1993 vehicle allocation was increased to 13 buses, but using elderly buses
on a tight timetable was courting trouble. Soon there were maintenance problems.
In September 1994 negotiations were completed to use a larger yard at 25 Tumulus
Way, Llandow Trading Estate. This replaced the two former premises.
5

Amicable talks were held with Cardiff Bus during January 1995 on service revisions and
joint ticketing. Whilst still operating profitably it was obvious that without a further
injection of cash the company would be unable to improve the fleet situation.
With the unknown outcome of an imminent public inquiry, it was decided to seek a safe
haven for the services and staff and to apply for voluntary liquidation.
On 15 th February 1995 Cardiff Bus acquired the business of Golden Coaches and
continued the Llandow services the following day with nine of their own buses. It was
rumoured that the decision to buy Golden was mainly to stop Clayton Jones’s Shamrock
outfit expanding in the Vale.
When bosses from Cardiff Bus came to Llandow it must have been a culture shock as
the working practices were completely alien to them. A new company, Vale Busline Ltd.,
was formed to encompass the operations.
Cardiff Lynx 233 and 243 at the Llandow Yard in April 1995.
(Mike O’Sullivan)
Dave Gee was kept on as depot manager and tried to adopt the Cardiff Bus ethos, but
there was soon conflict. Mr Gee had methods of running a bus company that did not go
down too well with the Cardiff Bus management so he left after a few months.
Mr Gee became manager at Thomas of Barry under Clayton Jones and later ran Cled
Williams business at Pengam. In recent years he has re-kindled the ‘Glamorgan Bus’
fleet-name for his own bus operations from the Cynon Valley.
During 1995, Cardiff Bus had been trying to sell their loss making coaching operations.
In the September, Brewers of Port Talbot were willing to do a deal but only if the
Llandow operations were included.
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An agreement was reached on 28 th September whereby the Vale Busline Llandow
operations and the coaching operations were sold to First Bus subsidiary A.F. & F.R.
Brewer Ltd for a reported £¼ million.
The services were taken over from Sun. 1 st October. Eleven Cardiff Llandow vehicles
were returned to the Sloper Road depot and the four coaches dispatched to Brewers.
Most of the Llandow staff stayed with Brewers. It was said that a clause in the agreement
stated that Brewers would not operate services competing with Cardiff Bus for a period
of three years.
Brewers Dart N613 MHB at King Square, Barry in Oct. 1995 running under the Cardiff
Busline licence. (Barrie Gilbert)
Brewer’s ran on Vale Busline licences until services were registered in their own name.
On 6 th October 1996 a new X50 service commenced from Cardiff Wales International
Airport (Rhoose) to Cardiff General Railway station in conjunction with the associated
company, First Great Western. In November 1997, First Bus became First Group, and
rationalisation was in the air. Brewers business was bought in January 1998 using an ‘off
the shelf’ company named ‘Helproute Ltd’.
In April 1998 the Brewers legal lettering disappeared from the buses to be replaced by
South Wales Transport Co. Ltd. (S.W.T.)
The same month the X50 was discontinued and the Llantwit – Barry – Cardiff service
reduced to two hourly.
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During 1998 S.W.T. opened a new depot at Brynmenyn Industrial Estate. This would
allow the closure of both Bridgend and Llandow depots. Llandow depot closed on 3 rd
October 1998, some drivers transferring back to Cardiff Bus and others to Shamrock
(Thomas of Barry). Shamrock was then about to re-commence the old Golden X45
Cardiff – Llantwit – Cowbridge service, with a subsidy from the Vale Council.
In March 1999 the S.W.T. name was changed to First Cymru.
New to the Scottish Bus group, E.S.T. Lynx D401 MHS rests at Llandow in 2003
This is the bus that was converted into the ‘Barber Bus’ at Cowbridge. (C. Parker)
Buses returned to Llandow in the spring of 2000 with the arrival of E.S.T. Bus Ltd. (Euro
Serve Transport). This company was formed early in 2000 by former Barry railwayman,
Carl Anthony Hooking and run from Unit 50 Tumulus Way, Llandow Trading Estate.
Six licences were issued in July 2000. In February 2001 a circular B1 town service
commenced at Barry. E.S.T. later operated through subsidiaries E.S.T. Coach Ltd. and
Cartel Travel Services Ltd. from nearby Unit 26 Tumulus Way. In this instance the word
cartel did not mean ‘control of marketing’ but simply the shortened names of Directors,
Carl Hooking and Terry Cooper. Again a dark red was adopted for the buses though
recently a yellow and blue livery has been adopted.
The firm expanded quickly gaining school contracts and other tendered services in the
Vale using upwards of 30 double decks, saloons and midi-buses. Recent years have seen
E.S.T. associated with G.M. Coaches of Bridgend.
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This ex. Warrington E/Lancs Atlantean was used by EST from July 2000. (C. Parker)
This Lynx (ex. Cardiff Bus 240) was based at Llandow in 2009 by Veolia.
240 passed into preservation in 2010 but sadly has since been scrapped. (Alex Jeenes)
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In the spring of 2007 the EST companies moved to the Crossway Industrial Estate,
nearer Cowbridge on the B4265, though just 4 years later a return was made to the old
site. In January 2012 it was reported that EST Bus Ltd. was in administration and EST
Coach Ltd was a dormant company. Cartel Travel Ltd. and G.M still traded at that time
but two new companies were formed to continue the business, Sprint Passenger
Transport Ltd. and Sprint Vehicle Management Ltd.
From June 2004, Alison Jones Motors (formerly Thomas Motors of Barry) then under
the management of Clayton Jones, moved from Barry Docks to an operating centre at
Unit 25 Llandow Trading Estate. Within a year the company decided to return their
buses to their former Barry depot. In October 2006 the whole of Jones/Shamrock
group was taken over by French owned Veolia Transport, trading as Veolia Cymru.
In 2008 a new firm arrived at Llandow. This was New Adventure Travel Ltd. who
commenced operations in May 2008 with an allocation of up to 12 vehicles.
One of the first coaches of New Adventure Travel was this former England team Scania
W4 ENG. (Mike Street)
The operating centre was given as Llandow Business Park. The company was set up by
Kevyn Jones, son of Clayton Jones, the former head of the Shamrock bus group.
However, this new firm has since expanded greatly with operating centres currently at
Excelsior Industrial Estate in Gabalfa and at Newport.
When in summer 2009 Veolia Cymru opened their new super depot at Nantgarw, the
closure of the Barry Docks depot quickly followed. A dozen or so buses were moved to
Llandow to operate contracts in the area, but Veolia had moved this allocation to
Nantgarw by June 2010. A decision to cut the company’s operations in south Wales
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was made and by the summer of 2011 Veolia had withdrew all their services in the Vale
and closed their super depot at Nantgarw.
Now, with the former EST companies using depots at Wenvoe and Cefn Cribbwr, it
seems that buses will disappear from Llandow at least for a while.
(The editor would like to thank Alex Jeenes, David B Thomas, Mike O’Sullivan, Barrie Gilbert,
Cliff Parker and Mike Street for the use of their photographs in this issue.)
....................................................
OOPS 8;
11
This time we go to West Wales on a
November evening over 50 years ago.
WWOC 884 collided with a solid brick
wall near a railway bridge at Goodwick.
Bus 884 was one of 24 Willowbrook
bodied Leyland PS1 in the fleet that spent
much of its life in West Wales. 884 was
on a late evening journey from Cardigan
towards St. Davids with Driver Howard
Seeley and Conductor Eugene Breen.
Thanks to ex. Inspector Glyn Griffiths for
sending in these photos. Glyn tells me
that many of the seat frames had snapped
off by the impact and sadly 17 people
were taken to hospital.

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MYSTERY COACH:
(anon)
The first non-committee member to contact the editor with the exact chassis make and
type, coachbuilder and year of the above coach will win a free drink at the next group
meeting. Ed.
---------------------------------
FEBRUARY MEETING;
The February meeting attracted 30 members and guests to a powerpoint presentation by
former CTPG Secretary, Mac Winfield. His subject this time was old railways in
Scotland, obviously a subject close to his heart. Among the areas covered were the
Great North of Scotland Railway lines in the Moray and Aberdeen area, the Caledonian
Railway in central Scotland and the Oban to Ballachulish line. We were treated to some
excellent views and descriptions of these lines in their final years of operation and in
their disused state. After the break, we were shown some of the great collection of old
buses held by the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum at Lathalmond.
MARCH MEETING;
The 25 assembled at the meeting on 21 st March welcomed a return visit by Professor
Stuart Cole of the University of Glamorgan. Professor Cole spoke of the likelihood of
the electrification of the railways in the south Wales area and of the very interesting
project of a high speed line (HS3) from London to Swansea. However, the HS3 is likely
to be at least a generation away as the present government plans to extend the
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proposed HS2 Midlands link to the north which may take priority. Although any future
change of government could throw it all back into the melting pot.
After the break we were given an update on the proposed integrated transport hub for
Cardiff. The present plans are to demolish Marland House and the NCP car park to the
east of the present bus station and provide an area for a new bus station with covered
pedestrian access from the central railway station. This project would be mainly financed
by the sale for development of the present bus station and the area around St David’s
House and Thomson House to the north of Wood Street.
Here again, although it is hoped that this can be achieved in 3 or 4 years, the financial and
political situation will inevitably have an effect on the outcome.
-----------------------------------------
14

THE SWANSEA MUSEUM AEC RUNNING DAY 26 th February 2012
The CTPG were invited to send two of their AEC Regent V’s to the above event, the
Rhondda and Pontypridd versions KNY495D and UTG313G. Swansea was reached
using the route A48 as far as Pyle then the M4 and finally the A483 to Swansea.
The weather for the
event was perfect and the
museum even on our
arrival at 10.30 was
bursting with enthusiasts.
Three routes were
selected by the organisers
to convey the visitors
around Swansea and the
Gower, 00 to Swansea
Bus Station, 14 to
Pennard and 77 to the
Mumbles & Bracelet Bay
and were well patronised
throughout.
KNY 495D leaving Bracelet Bay on the Gower. (T.Thomas);
The routes were covered mainly by S.W.T. Regents supplemented by London
Transport Routemasters, an ex-Barton of Nottingham full front Regent as well as our
two Regents. A warning notice for passengers was that a fine of £2 would be levied on
anybody caught defacing the interior of the bus (a sign of the times). The museum was a
haven of vintage buses, coaches and commercial vehicles many awaiting restoration as
well as the usual traders stalls. It is a few years since the group last visited the museum
and progress on restoration has been rapid.
The most noticeable progress has been in repainting of some of the museum vehicles.
I thought the quality of the workmanship was astounding. A selection of the vehicles
which have been repainted include 3 Regents, a Bristol VRT and the sole ex London
Transport Routemaster breakdown recovery bus RM66, now in the guise of a single
decker. Vehicles also of note in the museum were the sole survivor Regent V single
decker of S.W.T. 282DWN, one of a batch of 8 with bodywork by Chas Roe of Leeds
used under a 9 foot bridge on a Llanelly service. Another interesting vehicle is a
former Swan Motor Co. of Swansea Daimler double decker with a Bruce of Cardiff body
on an East Lancs. Frame, new in April 1950 and subsequently owned by United Welsh.
The day finally ended at 17.30 when group members made the return trip to Barry which
was rather prolonged because of an electrical fault on the Rhondda bus and a fuel supply
problem on the Pontypridd bus, but thankfully the expertise of some of the members
enabled the buses to return to the Barry Depot by 20.30 hours. (Paul Gilbertson)
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CTPG GROUP VEHICLE STATUS LIST APRIL 2012;
(CTPG vehicles under cover in Barry Depot)
1947 CUH 856 Leyland Tiger PS1 / ECW B35R ex. WWOC 856 (rp)
1951 LNY 903 Leyland Titan PD2/12 / Leyland L27/28R ex. Caerphilly 3 (rp)
1956 LKG 678 AEC Regent V MD3RV / P. Royal H33/28R ex. WWOC 678 (u)
1958 TAX 235 Bristol Lodekka LD6G / ECW H33/27RD ex. R&W L358 (r)
1958 XNY 416 Guy Arab LUF / Longwell Green B44F ex. Aberdare 14 (u)
1958 889 AAX Leyland Tiger Cub PSUC1/13 / Weymann B44F ex. Jones 98 (r)
1961 XUH 368 Leyland Titan PD2A/30 / MCW H36/28F ex. Cardiff 368 (u)
1964 ABO 434B Guy Arab V / Neepsend O37/28R ex. Cardiff 34 (r)
1965 GNY 432C Leyland Titan PD3/4 / Massey L35/33RD ex. Caerphilly 32 (rp)
1966 EDW 68D Leyland Atlantean PDR1 / Alex. H43/31F ex. Newport 68 (r)
1968 JKG 497F Daimler Fleetline CRG6 / Park Royal H42/33F ex. Cardiff 497 (rp)
1968 MBO 512F AEC Swift MP2R / Alexander B47D ex. Cardiff 512 (r)
1969 UTG 313G AEC Regent V 2MD3RA / W/brook H34/26F ex. PUDC 8 (r)
1969 OUH 177G Leyland Leopard PSU3A / Plaxton C49F ex. WWOC 177 (rp)
1971 TKG 518J Leyland Leopard PSU4A / W/brook C45F ex. WWOC 1518 (b)
1978 WTG 348T Bristol VRTSL6G / Alexander H44/31F ex. Cardiff 348 (rp)
1986 C101 HKG Ford Transit 190 / Robin Hood B16F ex. N/Welsh 1 (rp)
1996 N143 PTG Optare Metrorider / Optare B31F ex. Cardiff 143 (r)
(CTPG Vehicles in storage away from depot)
1969 PKG 532H Daimler Fleetline CRG6LX / W/brook H74D ex Cardiff 532 (u)
1974 PKG 587M Bristol VRT/SL6G / ECW H43/31F ex. Cardiff 587 (u)
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1982 NDW 407X Volvo Ailsa B55 / N/Counties H39/35F ex. Cardiff 407 (u)
1990 G258 HUH Leyland Lynx LX2R / Leyland B49F ex Cardiff 258 (u)
1984 AAX 305A Leyland Tiger TRCTL11 Duple Carribean C46FT ex. N/W956 (rp)
1982 MUH 289X Leyland ONLXB / ECW H45/32F ex. N/Welsh HR8215 (rp)
1986 C42GKG Leyland Tiger TRCTL / E/Lancs DP47F ex. Islwyn B.T. 42 (r)
1996 P164 TNY Mercedes 711D / Plaxton B27F ex. Rhondda Buses 164 (r)
(Non CTPG owned vehicles at Barry Depot)
1950 HWO 323 Leyland Tiger PS1/1 Lydney C33F ex. Red & White C350 (r)
1960 TUH 13 Albion Nimbus / Harrington DP30F ex. WWOC 13 (rp)
1963 408 DBO AEC Regent V 2DR3RA / East Lancs H35/28R ex. Cardiff 408 (rp)
1966 FUH 370D Leyland Tiger Cub PSUC1 / P.Royal B43F ex. WWOC 1370 (r)
1966 KNY 495D AEC Regent V 2MD3RA / NCME H37/27F ex. Rhondda 495 (r)
1966 EDV 505D Bristol MW6G / ECW C39F ex. Western National 1423 (r)
1966 ABW 225D AEC Regent V / Metsec H90D ex. Kowloon M.B.Hong Kong (r)
1968 PAX 466F Leyland Titan PD3/4 / Massey L35/33RD ex. Bedwas & Machen (r)
1972 WUH 585K Daimler Fleetline CRL6 / MCW H43/31F ex. Cardiff 585 (rp)
1975 JHB 165N Bedford VRT / Duple C53F ex. Evens, New Tredegar 40 (r)
1976 LUH 105P Bristol LHS6L / ECW DP27F ex. Cardiff 105 (rp)
1976 OJD 45R Bristol LH6L / ECW B45F ex. London Transport BL45 (r)
1977 VHB 678S Bristol VRT/SL3 / ECW O43/31F ex. National Welsh H1818 (r)
1979 WVJ 181T Bedford VAS 5 / Plaxton C29F ex. Evans, New Tredegar 38 (r)
(u) unrestored (rp) restoration in progress (r) restored. (b) breakdown vehicle
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“THE RUPTURED DUCK”
To the management of the Western Welsh Omnibus Co. Ltd. it was known as Bus No.
757. But to the people across Barry it was known as “The Ruptured Duck.”
No. 757 was one of 34 similar buses delivered early in 1940 with 32 seat ECW bodies on
Leyland Tiger TS8 chassis and registered as CBO 536. However, before it could carry
passengers it was immediately requisitioned for use by the military authorities along with
5 others from the same batch. The company was paid the book price of £1499 for each
vehicle requisitioned. Of those 6 buses, 4 were destined never to return to south
Wales. It is believed that 757 was used for a year or two by the British military before
being transferred to the U.S. military in the U.K.
18
(G. Truran)
When 757 was offered back to Western Welsh for £300 in September 1946, there was
a surprise in store as it was found to have a cartoon of “The Ruptured Duck”
emblazoned on the first panel behind the driver’s door. The bus was overhauled at the
company’s works at Ely and the drab, grey wartime paint was replaced with a shiny new
coat of red and cream.
The company decided retain the cartoon to remind people of its wartime service and
also added an inscription “This cartoon was painted by one of the troops using the
vehicle during its period of service with HM Forces during the World War 1939-45.” It
was later discovered that this had been the handiwork of a member of the US Army Air
Force. When spruced up, 757 was allocated to Barry Depot and for the next 10 years
operated many of the local services, though towards the end of its life it was often found
running on the quiet country route from Barry Dock to Llantrisant via Hensol Castle
Hospital.

(WWOC)
By early 1957 the bus was taken away
by a London dealer for dismantling but
not before the “Duck” panel had been
removed and put into store at Ely
Works. In July 1957, at a ceremony at
City Hall, Cardiff, a framed picture of the
bus was presented to the American
Consul by the head of Western Welsh
and representatives of the Omnibus
Society. This was later sent on to the
American Motor Bus Society in
Washington DC.
The cartoon panel came to a sad end as
some 30 years ago the writer had a
conversation with the former panel shop
foreman at Ely and was told that during
one of their clear outs the
“Duck” panel had inadvertently been put
in a scrap bin. “Quack!”
There is now nothing left of “The
Ruptured Duck”, except perhaps the
framed picture in America and of course
in the memories of a generation of older
residents of Barry.
WARTIME WEEKEND
-----------------------------------------
BARRY WATERFRONT AND BARRY ISLAND STATION
16 AND 17 JUNE 2012
The Barry at War Heritage Group has joined forces with Cardiff Transport
Preservation Group, Barry Heritage Railway and a number of other interested parties,
to plan a unique event for June 2012.
This summer sees the 70 th anniversary of the arrival of the first American troops in the
Vale of Glamorgan during WW2. They were stationed in places such as St Donat’s
Castle (once owned by American newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst), the local
towns of Wenvoe and Penarth, as well as on several sites in the county town of Barry.
To commemorate this anniversary, a group of local re-enactors and historians intend to
dedicate a memorial to these men in a civic ceremony in Barry on Friday 15 June 2012.
The American Embassy in London has been contacted and the First Minister for Wales
has been invited to attend, along with various representatives of the Welsh Government,
and the event has the support of the two local Assembly Members, Jane Hutt and
Vaughan Gething.
19

This will be followed by a weekend of activities sited around the Barry Heritage Railway
station and Barry Island Station.
Local historian and head teacher Dr Jonathan Hicks said, “We will also be staging a living
history event at the Barry Heritage Railway sites on the weekend of 16 and 17 June
2012, which will see scores of Allied military re-enactors setting up an authentic WW2
American camp and staging displays. Barry Island Station will be transformed into a 1940s
station, complete with wartime police and the Home Guard, to portray the Barry Home
Front. A wartime housewife will teach people how to ‘make do and mend’, a skill so
essential during wartime. Other educational living history displays will be housed at the
station, along with an exhibition on the area during the Second World War”.
“There will be steam train rides from the Waterfront Halt to Barry Island and regular
vintage bus service between the two sites as well, supplied by the Cardiff Transport
Preservation Group who will also have their depot open to the public (Sunday Only).
Barry Docks was a major supply port in the build-up to D-Day and we want to recreate
the atmosphere of these days as closely as we can. There will be 1940s-style live
entertainment and a live radio broadcast. The children from ten local primary schools in
Barry and Penarth are to play the role of wartime evacuees. Dressed in 40s costumes,
they will board a steam train from Barry Waterfront and be ‘evacuated’ to Barry Island
Station where they will be given refreshments and view the various events due to take
place on Barry Island Station before being transported back to their parents.”
WW2 period vehicle owners who would like to take part are welcome to contact Event
Co-ordinator Ade Pitman on 07930874161
You can also watch this exciting project develop at the Barry at War website at:
www.barryatwar.info or at the group’s Facebook page.
Western Welsh gas producer bus No. 566 operated at Barry during WW2.
20

DEREK’S LOG;
Pontypridd No.8, UTG 313G;
Work continued on No.8 during 2011 alongside the restoration of Caerphilly 32
described in the last issue.
A board was made to replace the rotted lower deck rear seat backrest and then the
backrest of the upper deck rear seat was removed: an upholsterer would recover them.
The drivers cab next, the small size is a problem, we could do with a small apprentice,
(those were the days, oops, I am showing my age).
Removing the seat and frame helped us to fit three patches. A section of the rubber
floor covering has also been replaced. Two coats of paint followed, which makes it sound
so easy, but I assure you it was not as this took us weeks to complete. The seat frame
was then cleaned, repainted, refitted.
Eventually the backrests arrived back from the upholsterers, complete with a spare piece
of material large enough to recover the back of the side seat backrest. This entailed
removal of same to the bench, taking off the top aluminium trim, stripping off damaged
material, and then glue and staple on the new material. When in place it looked good.
The upstairs back rest was refitted, and the seat swabs put back into place. However
the lower deck was held up as the back support strip, which was sent away with the
backrests, had not arrived back; a chase up is being done, to no avail.
A back rest support strip was rescued from our stock, modified and the seat support
refitted. The body job completed, a general check over took place and it was ready for
the road.
Its first outing with us was the Merthyr Tydfil Rally, to be used as a road run vehicle. It
did a trip to the Brecon Mountain Railway and just made it back!! A clutch fluid leak
from a chafed hose put it on stop. After a temporary repair it managed a trip to a
photo-shoot for the November 2011 “Bus & Coach Preservation” magazine, where it
appeared in all its glory. Back at the depot, a new hose was fitted, but shortly after the
clutch cylinder failed and had to be replaced.
Caerphilly 32, GNY 432C;
Our team during 2011 included myself, Derek Perry; together with Paul Gilbertson, Alan
Poole, Richard Evans, Richard Fitzjohn, Peter Smith, Bob Sparks, Brian Williams, and Alan
Jones. Fridays and Saturdays are our preferred days with the members working as/or
when available. Restoration on the Leyland progressed well, though some of the window
frames had various thickness of paint which was not to our liking, so more time was
spent scraping some of them down to bare metal, coating with primer, undercoat and
then the first coat of gloss. Richard Fitzjohn and Peter Smith were more than satisfied
with their efforts and the improvement is very noticeable.
The upper deck ceiling was rubbed down and painted white. Alan Jones turned up with
an air compressor and paint spray gun. The first coat of mid Brunswick green was applied
to some areas and in no time it looked good. The nearside upper panels were given two
coats of undercoat and with the gloss paint they looked a lot better. When you get
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through one tin of paint and start on the second it makes you realise how big an area a
double-decker bus has. When the second coat of green and cream was applied it can be
seen how important the preparation work was. All the effort of filling, undercoating and
rubbing down took so much of Alan Poole’s time, but is not noticed. It is the final
painting that is so much quicker to do and this is what is noticeable after all; but without
the preparation would not look as good. The weeks went by with layers of paint going
on, fine rubbing down, then another layer, until we were satisfied with the finish. Then
the black enamel; the wings and front chassis legs coated, some new timbers fitted to the
safety rails with a couple of coats of paint.
The top deck floor has been another long job, all the floor strips took a lot of cleaning
then painting in between them was a long and laborious job, undertaken mainly by Paul
Gilbertson, with some help from Richard Evans. The roof of the lower deck has been
washed down, and generally looked good. The lights are recessed into the roof sides
with lighting tubes and ballast units, covered with flat pieces of plastic and some of these
covers are damaged. A piece of clear plastic was purchased and cut to size replacing
four with one end painted to hide the ballast unit and wiring, The rest have been coated
with frosting spray to match the other covers. The paint condition around and in one of
these lights is poor so more rubbing down, priming, and painting has taken place, as the
colour is off white, a mix to match had to be done, what a difference! It looks
magnificent.
Both headlamps, which were taken off some time ago, received treatment by Peter
Smith. All the layers of paint have been stripped off back to bare metal, one lamp has
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holes rusted in it, but as we have no replacements, fibreglass filler has been used and
after rubbing down and painting black they look fine.
The main painting of the outside was completed, including the black line dividing the two
colours. Masking takes time but painting between tapes is easier and more accurate. By
November, we had run out of time. The weather changed, the temperature dropped and
all painting had to be stopped. The driver’s seat was removed to give more room in the
cab and we are squeezing in to rub down and prepare the surface for painting. We did
the cab in the Pontypridd bus, so we know it will be a long job.
Windows!! On examination they were found to be in a filthy state, the frames of the
opening vents as well as the glass, so time has been spent on cleaning them before we
call in a glazier to refit them.
The wiring was also somewhat of a headache, with rotten and damaged wires, plus the
modifications that have taken place over the years. Bob Sparks has had little experience
with electrics, and my work has been with car electrics which have one wire earth
return, as against the bus two wire systems, so we have had to do some homework.
Front sides, main and dipped beam headlight have been sorted and front indicators now
work. We have been overtaken on this work by the arrival of our member, BBC
electrician Paul Burgess. He has removed surplus wiring from around the vehicle,
replacing the rear lights common return or B- as Paul refers to it, we now have tail light,
brake, and indicators. Four battery boxes are fitted to this vehicle to contain four six volt
batteries, the practice these days is to fit two twelve volt batteries, so we have removed
the cables to the rear two boxes, and fitted a link cable to connect the two front
batteries.
Derek Perry. February 2012.
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY;
Evening Meetings are held at 7.30pm at Penarth Conservative Club and
summer road runs will depart from Barry Depot at 7.00pm.
Wed. 18 April Presentation by Robert Edworthy
Wed. 16 May
Road Run from Barry Depot 7.00pm.
Sun. 27 May
Cheltenham Rally. Richard Johnson plans to take his MW
coach and seats will be available. Richard @ 07796934098
Sun. 10 June
Barry Festival of Transport and Open Day (Marshals needed)
Sat/Sun 16/17 June Barry at War event at Hood Road and Barry Island Station.
Supported by the Vale Council and the CTPG.
(N.B. Our depot will be open on the Sunday only.)
Sun. 17 th June
National Transport Festival of Wales at Swansea.
Wed. 2 nd June Evening Road Run from Barry Depot 7.00pm.
Sun 24 th June
Stroud Bus Rally and Running Day
Wed. 18 July
Evening Road Run from Barry Depot 7.00pm.
Sun. 22 July
Celebrate 15 years of “Bus & Coach Preservation” Magazine
at Newbury Showground.
Sun. 12 Aug.
Bristol Group & Avon Valley Running Day at Brislington.
Wed. 15 Aug.
Evening Road Run from Barry Depot 7.00pm.
Sat/Sun. 1/2 Sept. Tall Ships Event at Barry Waterfront. Supported by CTPG
Open day at the depot on both days.
Sun. 9 Sept.
Bus & Coach Wales 2012, again at Rhyd y car Leisure Centre,
Merthyr Tydfil.
Wed. 19 Sept. Talk by Stephen Wren of Stagecoach in South Wales arranged
by the CTPG and the Omnibus Society.
Wed. 17 Oct.
A Western Welsh Evening with author Colin Scott.
? Oct. Cardiff Model Railway Show. TBA.
Wed. 21 Nov. Slide Show TBA.
Wed 19 Dec.
Quiz Night hosted by Chris Taylor.
EDITOR’S NOTES:
Among the artefacts the group has received over the last year were two large collections
of Western Welsh Staff Bulletins. This together with my own collection makes almost a
complete set of 258 issues from July 1947 to Dec. 1972 when publication ceased. We
still need a February 1962 issue (No.175) to make a complete set. We have several
other spare copies we can swap for this particular issue should a copy become available.
Thanks also to Dillwyn Lewis of Pencoed for his donation of bound Historic Commercial
News and to the unnamed former bus employees who have left uniforms and artefacts at
the depot.
N.B. In view of the new increased postage costs, members who wish to receive their
future newsletters by email in a pdf format instead of by post please email me at
viv.corbin@ntlworld.com
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About the CTPG
The CTPG lease the former Western Welsh Depot on Broad Street, Barry from the Vale of
Glamorgan Council. The CTPG organises two vehicle rallies each year and holds a monthly
meeting on the third Wednesday of each month at the Penarth Conservative Club. Members
receive a quarterly newsletter and if they wish they can help to restore the Group’s buses, ride on
them and travel to rallies.
The Group aims to preserve representative samples of the buses that ran in South East Wales and
the Valleys, as well as memorabilia and records of the operating companies.
Annual membership of the Group is £20, which runs from the date of joining. Joint membership is
also available for £25.
CTPG Committee
Chairman
Deputy Chairman
Secretary
Mike Taylor, 10 Ger Nant Ystrad Mynach, Hengoed CF82 7FE
Phone: 07733 302242
email: mikeystrad73@btinternet.com
Chris Taylor, 31 Heol Wen, Rhiwbina Cardiff CF14 6EG
Phone: 02920 693734
Gayle Alder, 16 Carter Place, Fairwater, Cardiff CF5 3NP
Treasurer Paul Hamley email: squash33@btinternet.com
Membership Secretary
Derek Perry, 11 Countess Place, Penarth CF64 3UJ
Other Non Committee Post Holders
Editor Viv Corbin email: viv.corbin@ntlworld.com
Webmaster CTPG Mac Winfield email: postmaster@ctpg.co.uk
Publicity Officer Tudor Thomas email: tudoralt@cf14.freeserve.co.uk
www.ctpg.co.uk
Published by the Cardiff Transport Preservation Group
(Registered as a Charity No. 1063157)
The opinions and views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Group, its
Committee or the Editor. Every effort is made to give due credit for all photographs and material
used in this newsletter. Should there be any unintended breach of copyright; the Editor must be
informed to enable a correcting acknowledgement to be made.
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26

Golden Coaches Bristol LH, LFJ 849W loads at Bridgend for Llantwit Major in Feb. 1994.
(B. Gilbert)
Brewer’s Leyland Tiger, A693 OHJ, loads at King Square, Barry in Oct. 1995 on the 145
service for Llantwit Major. (B. Gilbert)
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