2012 – Issue 2 of 4

“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.