2013 – Issue 2 of 4

Heritage Buses in South East Wales
Cardiff Transport Preservation Group
Journal 41 April 2013 Price £2.50
BEDWAS & MACHEN 6 RE-LAUNCH
PONTYPRIDD TO CARDIFF IN 1933 by Arthur Hughes
ILLUMINATED BUS ADVERTS SWANSEA EVENT
Leyland Titans back at home in
Caerphilly for the Civic Re-launch of
Bedwas & Machen 6, here seen
passing Caerphilly 32, on Saturday 2 nd
March 2013. (Photo: Simon Nicholas)
THE BUS DEPOT, BARRY
Registered Charity No. 1063157
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www.ctpg.co.uk

At Caerphilly on 2 nd March the newly repainted Leyland PD3 at the civic re-launch.
Below; Civic dignitaries with Wendy Williams of the Caerphilly Ladies Choir in her
Welsh National costume.
(Simon Nicholas / Tudor Thomas)
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CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE;
Welcome to the Spring edition of the Newsletter, now renamed Bustler which we feel
rather suits us since Barry Depot was once branded as “The Home of the Bustler”.
Work is progressing towards this year’s events in conjunction with the relevant
councils whose support is obviously much appreciated. Even this early in the year we
have already had plenty of publicity, you have probably seen PAX in the Welsh
newspapers or enthusiast press. Early in March we had a civic launch of the freshly
repainted Bedwas & Machen bus. The owner of this bus, Julian Peddle, attended and
following the event he very kindly donated the bus to the CTPG. During the event we
prepared the groundwork for next year’s proposed 40 th anniversary of RVDC
inauguration at which we would like to reunite the three preserved UDC saloons, more
on that in the next few months. The May edition of Bus & Coach Preservation also
contains a feature on PAX with several photos taken around the Vale area.
Work on OUH 177G is nearing completion, mainly undertaken by Martyn Evans,
with assistance of the mechanical and electrical experts. A successful MOT was obtained
late in March and following lots of rubbing down the coach is ready to be taken to TDC
in Lydney for repainting as they did such a good job on PAX. We hope to have it back in
time for the Bristol Habourside rally on 28 th of April, please let me know if you would
like to come along we will be taking the stall as normal. At the same event we will be
temporarily handing HWO 323 back to its owner, Martin Bowering, who wishes to use
it during the summer for display at Lydney’s former Red & White bus station. This
popular exhibit will return in the autumn and we hope it will stay at Barry for the long
term.
Other vehicles receiving attention are Caerphilly 3 which continues to be the current
long term restoration. Caerphilly 32 required work on its fuel pump and injectors and
also needs a rear spring change which luckily we have in stock, also Cardiff 434 has had
some panelling repairs and a general tidy up. Work on the Red & White Lodekka has
started initially with a repair to the long term vacuum problem, we hope to replace the
damaged steering box in the next month and follow that with some panelling. We hope
both 32 and 434 will be available to run on our Municipal running day on Sunday May 5 th ,
buses will be running from the Depot to destinations around the Vale and there will be
stalls located inside the Depot.
Finally please come along and help at the events below, as always these events assist
with our funds and keep the Depot running.
Municipal Running Day at the Bus Depot, on Sunday 5 th May
Barry Festival of Transport at Barry Island, on Sunday 9th June
Ebbw Vale Classic Bus Day on Saturday 20th July
Bus & Coach Wales at Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre on Sunday 8th September
Mike
Tel: 07733 302242
Email : mikeystrad73@btinternet.com
Also keep up to date on our Facebook page
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BEDWAS & MACHEN SHINES AGAIN IN CAERPHILLY;
By Tudor Thomas
Placing events in history is important when heritage buses reflect different eras in times
past. Bedwas & Machen Urban District Council was created in 1912 and in 1922 ran two
buses but never owned more than nine at any one time, so it was one of the UK’s
smallest municipal operators.
In 1974 the council lost control of its own buses and became Bedwas, Trethomas &
Machen Community Council within an enlarged Rhymney Valley District Council. Then
in 1996, the community council continued under a further enlarged unitary authority as it
is today, Caerphilly County Borough Council.
On 2 nd March 2013, on a cold crisp morning a 1979 Leyland Leopard, East Lancs
bodied single decker in Rhymney Valley District Council chocolate, cream and yellow
colours (16, YBO16T) drove into Caerphilly driven by owner Martyn Evans, just as two
Leyland PD3 Massey bodied double deckers ran into the same town. The first, new in
1965, driven by Richard Johnson and the other from 1968 driven by Richard Sanders.
Both of these double deckers were in former Urban District Council colours, one in the
mid Brunswick green of Caerphilly (32, GNY432C) the other, the star of the day, in
Oxford Blue and Royal Ivory colours of Bedwas & Machen (6, PAX466F).
The Bedwas & Machen bus was the last UK double decker to carry the sunken
gangway type of lowbridge bodywork, with bench seats on the upper deck, and was one
of the last Leylands supplied with an exposed radiator when delivered in 1968. In 1974
Bedwas & Machen buses along with Caerphilly and Gelligaer merged into Rhymney Valley
and all those kept were repainted chocolate, cream and yellow. However, number 6 had
a repaint into blue and ivory in 1981 to celebrate 60 years of B&M council buses (1922-
1982). Shortly after this Julian Peddle bought the bus for his bus services at Stevensons,
Uttoxeter where it received their mainly yellow livery. It retained this livery when it
passed to MK Metro in Milton Keynes. A couple of years ago it arrived at CTPG’s Barry
Depot on long term loan and late in 2012 it was agreed to repaint the bus into its
original Welsh council colours. This was completed in late February 2013 with a week
to spare before its official civic re-launch.
The centre of any town can be congested but this Saturday morning it was not a
problem, and there were plenty of todays’ local Stagecoach buses busy about their
duties. At The Twyn, in the centre of the town opposite Caerphilly’s magnificent 11th
century castle, the Bedwas & Machen 1968 Leyland PD3/4 bus pulled up. Nearby was
one of Stagecoaches’ brand new Enviro 200’s, specially branded for the newly improved
Caerphilly and The Rhondda services. The presence of the blue and ivory bus was seen
by members of Caerphilly Ladies Choir and they came out in traditional Welsh costume
adding a splash of traditional colour.
CTPG are about restoring touch of traditional colour! It was here that a rather
special heritage bus was re-launched in the presence of its owner Julian Peddle and
CTPG Chairman, Mike Taylor.
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Above: The Civic re-launch Left - Mike Taylor, Julian Peddle, The Mayor, Cllr Gaynor
Oliver CCBC , Chairman, Cllr Ray Davies BT&MCC and Vice-Chair, Cllr Liz Aldworth
BT&MCC and below, the heritage buses lined up alongside the Council Offices at
Bedwas.
(Tudor Thomas)
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The Mayor of Caerphilly, Cllr Gaynor Oliver, thanked everyone for coming along and
paid special thanks to Julian Peddle, for allowing the bus to come back to Wales to be
cared for by Cardiff Transport Preservation Group at their restoration centre in Barry.
The 45 year old bus looked resplendent in its newly re-painted Bedwas & Machen
colours, not seen locally for 30 years.
Cllr Ray Davies, Chairman of the Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen Community
Council, also spoke on behalf of local residents and expressed his pleasure at seeing the
name on the side of a bus again. He related some tales of his younger days when he was
Chairman of the Transport Committee. When they ran their own buses all those years
ago, a report of a bus running two minutes late was a taken so seriously that the
Transport Manager was told that heads would roll if it happened again.
The invited guests including councillors, past employees of the municipal operators
and The Mayor alighted onto number 6 for a heritage bus ride through the lower part of
the Rhymney River valley which took in most of the former council area. As number 6
left it was joined in convoy by 32 and 16 for a run through Bedwas, Trethomas and
Machen, to come back to Bedwas Council Offices. The three buses lined up outside the
council offices for photographers, whilst those who wanted could see inside a traditional
council chamber completed in 1914. Soon the three buses were back on the road and
dropped guests off at The Twyn. Tea and Welsh Cakes were provided by Caerphilly
County Borough Council Transport Unit and it gave a chance for CTPG members to
relax before retuning homeward.
A guest brought his privately restored 1966 Leyland PD2 with Massey double deck
body in Caerphilly colours (36, LNY536D). While our three buses were away on
convoy duties 36 was able to park at The Twyn, which meant passers-by who missed the
main event, at least saw something was going on.
It was a very successful day for CTPG, the councils and visitors, remaining dry and
the sun shone at the end. Success can be measured in several ways. It was CTPG’s first
civic event for a newly re-livered bus of local significance which reflected 100 years of a
council that was formed in 1912. It reunited some former staff of the municipal bus
undertakings and brought back memories of 39 years ago when these councils merged to
form Rhymney Valley. It allowed the buses’ owner Julian, to see at first hand the
reaction from today’s councillors, of how civic pride can be rekindled by bringing back a
restored bus in its original livery to its home town. We have had thanks from Caerphilly
Council and Bedwas Trethomas & Machen CC too, so we are winning friends.
We created enough news coverage for our heritage buses for a wider public to know
that we exist and what we are doing. CTPG would especially like to thank Huw Morgan
and Alex Clarke of Caerphilly Council and Stephen Wren of Stagecoach for their
support and assistance.
Readers may like to checkout “YouTube” as Glyn Bowen has kindly produced a video
of the days event. “Bedwas re-launch” is just over 14 minutes and can be seen online by
going to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH2BSrm0OWY
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MEMORIES OF BUS COMMUTING IN THE 1930s. PART THREE;
We continue with further extracts from the memories of Arthur Hughes who commuted from
Merthyr to Cardiff by bus in the early 1930s. Previous articles were published in issues 38 &
39. (Photos from the Chris Taylor Collection)
Pontypridd to Cardiff.
As we passed Pontypridd on our journey south the road took a sweeping left turn
through a rock cutting, beyond which the town came into view. Below us a jumble of
factory buildings in the foreground and beyond the roof tops of the town a vista
stretching into the distance, up the Rhondda Valley, the hillsides clothed with coal tips
that had replaced the sylvan woods that once flourished there.
At a road junction we made a connection with the up bus on the Cardiff to Ferndale
service, jointly operated by Rhondda Tramways (to become ‘Transport’ in 1934), Thos.
White & Co., and Western Welsh. This connection was much appreciated by anyone
who had to make a journey from the Merthyr direction up into the Rhondda, or vice
versa. To make the same journey by train often meant a wait of up to 45 minutes at the
wild and windy station at Pontypridd while changing trains.
KG 340, White’s Motors first AEC Renown, new in 1931.
At this time the Ferndale service was catered for by Rhondda’s new AEC Regent
double decks with oil engines and metal framed rear entrance Weymann bodies. These
were introduced in early 1934 as replacement vehicle for the company’s tramway
system. Whites Motors usually provided one of their two petrol engine AEC Regents
both of which had been demonstrators and were later converted to oil. On occasions
these would be replaced by one of their six wheel Renowns with Short Bros. or
Weymann bodies. Even today these would be an impressive sight, but way back in 1933,
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y comparison with the average bus that graced our roads then, they had the appearance
of giants among pygmies. For most of the time though, these monsters were used on
their Cardiff to Barry service via Wenvoe which was very busy, especially during the
summertime.
Whites livery ironically, contained more blue than white. The blue, not far removed
from royal blue covered the panels up to a white band to include the lower deck
windows, surmounted by two narrow blue bands each side of a broad white band
between decks with again white windows for the upper deck. This livery greatly
enhanced the length and general appearance of the massive Renowns.
A short distance
further on, at Glyntaff,
we again encountered
the overhead wires of
the Pontypridd
trolleybuses. This time
however it was on the
connecting line leading
to the depot which we
past, high on the left.
We came alongside
the blackened waters of
the river Taff which we
followed on its bank for
a few hundred yards
only to lose it again only Pontypridd U.D.C trolleys at their depot
to be glimpsed occasionally
for the rest of our journey. Crossing the river at this point were two bridges that led
to the southern suburb of Pontypridd, called Treforest. The upper bridge known as the
‘Machine Bridge’ was used by the trolleybuses to link up to the rest of the system. It
also fed into the main road other bus routes, namely a local service to Rhydyfelin
worked every 15 minutes by Pontypridd UDC’s Bristol ‘B’ type single deckers, the
Pontypridd to Cardiff service run jointly by Whites, Western Welsh and Rhondda
integrated at this point with the service from Ferndale to provide a 10 minute headway
for most of the day,
A service to Caerphilly was worked jointly by Pontypridd and Caerphilly UDC’s. The
latter service was unusual in that it was a new route established, after the 1930 Road
Traffic Act much against the wishes of the private bus operators. This proved to be an
unprofitable route and was operated by in the early days with small vehicles. As only
one bus was required to operate this frequency, a solution had to be found for a joint
service, thus it came about that each operator provided a bus for half of the day,
alternating mornings and evenings every other week. This solution was not without its
problems as when it was Caerphilly’s morning turn they ran light to Pontypridd to start
the service, but when on evenings rather than repeat this procedure a timetabled
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journey was ran. This journey was omitted when it was Ponty’s turn, which must have
posed a puzzler to some sozzled soul striving to remember what week it was and
whether there would or not be a last bus home for him. Caerphilly livery was originally
red and cream but by 1933 had become a somewhat dull, almost olive, green with little
to relieve its monotony, on these older vehicles anyway.
At this time Western Welsh was not well endowed with double deck buses so the
Pontypridd to Cardiff was often operated by a single deck, often drawn from their
collection of ‘hand me downs’ acquired from SWCM or GWR. Western Welsh livery
was a pleasing bright red beneath white which extended over the roof the windows
however were picked out in matching red. They carried a distinctive illuminated sign
having the letters W and W in white against a black background, integrated with each
other and located just above the destination box. The words ‘Western Welsh’ were
picked out in gold paint on the side panels, though in varying styles.
Just below the Machine Bridge another similar bridge carried a road over to
Treforest and here a connection could be made with The Pontypridd to Porthcawl
service jointly run by Western Welsh and Rhondda. The word ‘connection’ is used
loosely, as to get to the Porthcawl route meant having to cross the bridge and proceed a
further 200 yards up hill where it was impossible to see the bus coming until it was upon
you.
ABS Thornycroft A1 of Mr. Gray, Tonteg.
9
The Porthcawl road also
carried a frequent service
of buses operated by the
Amalgamated Bus Services
organisation. This was an
association formed by
several independent
operators in a fight against
the big companies who
were trying to run them
off the road. For the most
part Thornycroft A1’s and
A2’s predominated in the
ABS fleet, painted a dull
red with white windows
and roof, though there
were many variations to this. At this time there were five members and remarkably
some stayed together well into the post-war years. They were finally reduced in number
by consolidations of one sort or another rather than any takeover by one of the big
companies. The most well–known, longest lasting name in the ABS was S.A. Bebb of
Llantwit Fardre who absorbed the last of the ABS members in 1974.
After Rhydyfelin and Upper Boat the scenery changed to a more rural setting with
the winding road passing green fields on either side in the much widened valley. This
tranquil scene was shattered in the mid-1930s and thereafter by the construction of the

Treforest Trading Estate. Why it was named Treforest I don’t know as we had past that
village some two miles back.
The village of Nantgarw, which was once famous for its porcelain, saw us exchange
the Pontypridd to Caerphilly service that branched off left up a steep hill. The Markham
to Cardiff service also descended the same hill. This latter route was another joint
operation provided by Cardiff Corporation, Caerphilly UDC and West Monmouthshire
Omnibus Board and operated hourly on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The
frequency was boosted up the rest of the week to half hour headway. Cardiff turned out
their Leyland Tigers for this service, with Caerphilly using TSM B10A’s or Thornycroft
Cygnets. West Mon used their Leyland Lions which were painted in maroon, slightly
darker than Rhondda’s fleet, with a light cream band beneath the windows. The fleetname
was picked out in gold with an elaborate crest between West and Mon.
A further mile brought us to the straggling village of Taffs Well at whose southern
end the valley again narrowed to become a wooded gorge dominated on the left by
Castle Goch perched high amongst the trees. The valley floor squeezed in two railway
lines, two roads, a canal and of course the river Taff, while overhead, over 100 feet up in
the air, soared the massive Walnut Tree Viaduct. This structure of lattice steel girders
carried a freight line of the former Barry Railway which tapped the rich coalfields of the
West Monmouthshire valleys. (This edifice was demolished in the 1970s though one
masonry pier still remains. Ed.) Here we were also joined by another bus service which
operated on a two hourly headway. This was the Western Welsh service from Church
Village to Cardiff which usually saw one of their more ancient buses in operation.
After Tongwynlais we reached the northern outskirts of Cardiff in the form of a
collection of houses known as Hollybush. Here we performed the morning ritual of
picking up the tea can, as just off the main road lived a lady who earned a little pin money
by providing billycans of steaming tea to the inward bound bus crews. This was used to
wash down their sandwiches which they gobbled down during their layover at Cardiff.
Once aboard it was the conductor’s duty to see that the precious liquid did not spill
over during the rest of the journey.
A little under a mile further on we reached Whitchurch and the terminus of Cardiff’s
23 service that served this place. Incidentally, although joined up to the city by a built up
area, Whitchurch lay outside the city boundary. The 23 route was integrated with the
Pontypridd-Cardiff service providing a 5 minute frequency for most of the day however
after the city boundary at Riches Road was reached the Pontypridd buses were only
allowed to set down passengers.
Outstanding in my memory were two Dennis 4 tonners from about 1925/6 with
covered tops but open staircases that crept along at a sedate pace between Whitchurch
and the city centre on their solid tyres. Even the most modern buses that put in an
appearance on this route, namely some of the four Thornycroft LC double decks bought
in 1930, had the look and style of an earlier period.
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(These Thornycrofts LC’s were fitted with 4 cylinder engines as the new manager at Cardiff,
Wm. Forbes, had a liking for this type of engine. They were obtained with a huge discount at
£765 for the chassis and £500 for the body by Hall Lewis, who were then in liquidation. In
1934 the batch received Gardner oil engines. Ed.)
On we travelled along what had now became North Road to Gabalfa where to our
left, in what was perhaps the inappropriately named Whitchurch Road, as it never went
near the place, was the terminus of the No. I tram route. Colum Road ushered us into
Cardiff’s magnificent civic centre and on to our terminus at the Gorsedd Gardens
directly opposite the city hall clock which usually hovered between 9.00 and 9.05am
when we arrived. Gorsedd Gardens was also the terminal point for the services from
Pontypridd, Ferndale, Aberdare/Swansea, Church Village and Markham all of which took
a different approach to the place than we did, coming down North Road instead of
Colum Road.
As we reached our destination, a quick wave to the driver as we passed his cab and
we raced off to our respective places of work, leaving the bus empty for the crew to
partake of their sandwiches plus of course, the contents of the billycan so carefully
guarded by the conductor.
(In a future edition we will dip into Mr Hughes’ experiences of buses in Cardiff City. Ed.)
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12

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SEEING THE LIGHT; by Paul Burgess
As the swinging sixties dawned, the boom years for Britain’s bus industry were beginning
to slip away. With passenger numbers and ticket revenues falling, economies were
sought, and secondary sources of revenue keenly examined. Mobile advertising may not
have been new, but many fleets increased the number carried, and others introduced
them for the first time. Some fleets saw long established liveries altered to
accommodate adverts, much to the dismay of many observers. Cheaper ways of
applying adverts also followed, using printed paper rolls, though the growing trend
toward all-over adverts would keep sign writers busy for several more years. The next
development came about for two somewhat different reasons, both the result of
advancements in technology.
Those of you with classic cars (or a long memory) will be familiar with the dynamo,
an electrical generator which can trace its roots back to Michael Faraday. The humble
dynamo produced a meagre output for its size, and nothing when the engine was at idle.
Regular renewal of carbon brushes and adjustment of mechanical control boxes gave
fleet electricians plenty to do. The alternator changed all this at a stroke. It effectively
squeezed three dynamos into the space of one, did away with high-current brushes and
even produced useful power at idle speed. All of a sudden buses had far more electrical
power available, and the fleet electricians could relax a little. Buses stranded with flat
batteries became a rarity, and it was soon realised that there was power to spare.
Around 1958 Phillips announced the transistorised lighting inverter which turned flat
electricity (dc) into the wavy electricity (ac) needed by fluorescent tube lighting. This
major advance gave the double benefit of increased lighting levels yet using less power
than traditional filament lamps. Looking at it another way, there was power to spare!
Advertising agencies like Griffiths & Millington immediately realised that this new
technology was well suited for illuminated exterior adverts, offering advertisers the
chance to brightly display their messages along every route. Many larger fleets took
delivery of buses equipped with large illuminated panels, most being double deckers.
Locally, Western Welsh and Red & White both signed up, but Cardiff Corporation
perhaps wisely declined. After a few short years, the novelty had worn off, and
advertisers baulked at the extra cost. Most were abandoned and covered by
conventional paper or vinyl adverts. Many operators removed all trace of them at
overhaul, with the result that very few survive into preservation.
Cardiff did however acquire some Tyne & Wear Atlanteans following extensive
hiring in 1977. Perhaps reflecting the shortage of vehicles, 24 JVK was hurriedly outshopped
in CCT orange with its previous owners illuminated advert untouched. After
the missing fuse was reinstated, (no idea by whom) the full effect of its vibrant blue and
yellow message- “It’s more than a good job with the PTE”, blazed ironically out over the
streets of Cardiff.
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Red & White took several Lodekkas and
Western Welsh had some Atlanteans with
offside adverts, but these seem to be all.
Notable rarities were a batch of South
Wales Transport AEC Reliances with
illuminated roof cove adverts.
Very few nocturnal images of working
advert panels are known, but happily
Aldershot & District Dennis Loline 462
EOT has recently been restored with a
working illuminated period advert for a
motor dealer.
The advent of LED arrays has seen a revival of the illuminated advert now capable of
animated images. One wonders if it will find greater success this time!
As used on some Western Welsh Atlanteans.
15

16

17

Vale & Valley Link December 1976
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SWANSEA BUS MUSEUM RUNNING DAY;
On the 24 th February CTPG members took their two Massey bodied Leyland PD’s, the
former Bedwas & Machen U.D.C. No. 6 and Caerphilly’s No.32 to the Swansea event on
a bitterly sub-zero day.
Both vehicles behaved impeccably a tribute to those who have worked on them. It
was the first event that No.6 had undertaken in its original livery and it looked superb.
The only down side to the day was the attendance probably due to the low temperature
and the Capital Cup Final involving Swansea City and Bradford.
19
At the museum it was very
interesting to see their
restoration of the 1959 AEC
Bridgemaster UCY 837 was well
advanced, a mammoth task if
there ever was one. This vehicle
was formerly 1203 in the fleet of
South Wales Transport Co. Ltd.
The road runs followed the
usual routes to Oystermouth,
Mumbles, Caswell Bay, Pennard
and Swansea town centre using
former S.W.T. AEC Regents and
Bristol VRT’s, a AEC Reliance of
Neath & Cardiff Coaches as well as our own Leyland PD’s.
On display for the first time was the AEC 403 type, CY 5981 which had been
acquired during 2012 still
bearing South Wales
Transport signage. This was
from the second batch of this
type of AEC bus purchased
by SWT and is now 90 years
old. Unfortunately this
acquisition lacks an engine
and gear box and is viewed as
a long term project.
This museum is well worth
another visit. Let’s hope the
weather is warmer next time.
Paul Gilbertson

FEBRUARY MEETING -- LIVING WITH THE PAST;
This was a slide show entitled, “Living in the Past” with commentary, presented by Mac
Winfield. The start of our show was delayed slightly by our discussion of the new
Barry Rally Site for the 2013 Barry Festival of Transport, but eventually got underway
at 20:00.
As the date of the evening meeting (20 th February 2013), was the 63 rd anniversary of
the closure of the Cardiff Corporation Tramway system, appropriately, a series of
Cardiff tramway photos were presented. These showed double and single deck cars
during the hey-day of Cardiff tram operation in the mid-1930s until closure of the
system in 1950. Cars were seen in Cardiff’s main thoroughfare Queen Street in 1938,
Newport Road during war time, Clare Road, Clarence Road, City Road and
Adamsdown including the last tram journey from Whitchurch Road to St. Mary Street
on the final day.
Cardiff Trams No’s 1 and 70 in Castle Street in 1939.
The next section dealt with London’s Trolleybuses, starting from 1931 with the
introduction of the famous London United Traction “Diddlers” the 60 vehicles built by
U.C.C. at Feltham were officially classified A1 and A2 in 1933 by the then newly formed
London Passenger Transport Board who took over all of London’s major road passenger
and railway operating companies in that year.
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A brief history of the vehicle identification codes, applied by the L.P.T.B. was given
along with a list of the 21 garages, (depots) from which the Trolleybuses operated
between 1931 and the end of Trolleybus operation on the 8 th May 1962. Colour and
black and white images were displayed of the many common types along with a few of
the experimental types taken into stock between 1935 and 1940, one of the most
interesting of these was the Leyland built 4 wheel turning vehicle number 1671, this bus
remained the solitary vehicle of this type along with the only 2 axle Trolleybus. At one
point the London Trolleybus system was the largest in the world with over 1.600
vehicles in use, though all told there were 1891 vehicles owned and it remained the
largest system in the UK.
The next item dealt with was the privatised liveries of the British railway system.
These slides were restricted to Locomotive operating companies, covering EWS,
Railfreight, Load Haul, Advenza Rail, Colas Rail and a few others. Locos seen were of
classes 08, 20, 31,37,56, 57, 60, 66, and 67
A break of about 15 minutes was then taken as is usual before the second part of the
programme which commenced with Northern Municipal Buses of the 1950s and 60s, a
chance to see vehicles of body types rarely seen in South Wales. Photographs of
vehicles were shown from the fleets of Northampton, Burton, Aston-under-Lyne, Derby,
Leeds and Middlesborough, to name but a few.
Eddie Stobart came up next with 24 views showing, 23 vehicles including their
coach. As would be expected this is quite a modern fleet of trucks of various types and
chassis makes with trailers to suit every type of transport operation, which include
curtain siders, biomass trailers, refrigeration, containers, tankers and timber trailers to
name a few. Vehicles of Volvo, Scania, M.A.N, Mercedes and DAF manufacture were
seen at Carlisle and Crick depots as well as in action on Britain’s miles of motorway.
Our last few slides were of the two preserved AEC Regal IIIs one former Gelligaer U.
D. C. Longwell Green bodied bus of 1954 vintage now a resident of the Welsh Museum
Collection and the other former Bedwas & Machen U.D.C. number 7, JWO355 the only
Bruce bodied saloon in captivity, seen in service in the 1950s and 60s and also seen in its
more recent surroundings in Durban, South Africa…….can it be repatriated ?
I think all present enjoyed the evening and hope we can do it again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Mac Winfield.
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MARCH MEETING --BERWYN'S FILM NIGHT
The film show started with footage of the launch of ex-Bedwas & Machen PD3 PAX466F
by the Mayor of Caerphilly on the very cold morning of 2 March 2013.
Most of the rest of the programme showed scenes from the rallies our member
Berwyn Pryce Jones had been to during 2012, all of which had, somewhat remarkably
considering the poor weather of 2012, been held in dry conditions even if not particularly
warm and sunny.
Our first visit on screen was to the Wythall Bus Museum where the crowds were so
large that a car park on a nearly business estate had to be utilised for parking with two
buses – one an ex-WMPTE single-deck Fleetline – used to ferry visitors to the museum
site. An added attraction for this visit was the inclusion of vehicles from the Aston Manor
collection as both static and running exhibits.
Just to add some variety to the proceedings and on a strictly non-bus theme, there
followed a short interlude along the lines of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ television
programme when the presenter described how he’'d traced his aunt’s youngest sister and
arranged for them both to meet for the very first time, one aged 84 and the other 88.
Back to the buses and visits were paid to both the Group’s rallies at Barry and
Merthyr, to the Beachley, Brislington, Swansea and Warminster Running Days, and to two
new events, the Newbury Bus Rally and the (new-style) Crosville running day at Weston-
Super-Mare. To add a little more variety, a holiday in Scotland produced footage of two
preserved MacBraynes coaches on their way to a rally in the Highlands and of a visit to
the new Waterside Museum in Glasgow where all the transport exhibits (four steam
engines, two trams and a single bus) are laid out in such a way as to make it almost
impossible to film or photograph them satisfactorily.
Two short sequences with birds of the feathered variety were also included: one of a
ringed plover almost totally camouflaged by pebbles on a remote beach on Skye and the
other of a seagull happily bringing up her two chicks on spare track at Mallaig station
despite the daily visits of ‘The Jacobite’ steam train from Fort William!
--------------------------------------------------
Berwyn Prys Jones
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1954 Advert featuring KDW 259 of Newport Corporation
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY;
Meetings will be held at Penarth Conservative Club at 19.30 on the third Wednesday of
the month. Summer Road Runs from Barry Depot will leave at 19.00.
Sun. 28 th Apl.
Sun. 5 th May
Wed. 15 th May
Sun. 18 th May
Sun. 9 th June
Sun. 16 th June
Wed 19 th June
Sat. 22 nd June
Sun. 14 th July
Wed. 17 th July
Sat. 20 th July
Sun. 11 th Aug.
Wed. 21 st Aug.
Sun. 8 th Sept.
Wed. 18 th Sept.
Sat. 28 th Sept.
Wed. 16 th Oct.
Sun. 27 th Oct.
Wed. 20 th Nov.
Wed. 18 th Dec.
Bristol Harbourside Rally and Running Day.
CTPG Municipal Running Event and Depot Open Day.
Road Run T.B.A.
Wales on Wheels event at Swansea Waterfront Museum.
2013 Barry Festival of Transport to be held at Barry Island.
Swansea Bus Museum Open Day and Festival of Transport.
Road Run T.B.A.
Abertillery Classic Vehicle Show
Glos & Warks Railway Bus Rally at Toddington Station.
Road Run T.B.A.
Ebbw Vale Classic Bus Day.
Brislington Rally & Running Day , Bristol.
Road Run T.B.A.
Bus & Coach Wales 2013 at Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre.
Joint Meeting with Omnibus Society.
Red & White Reunion Rally at Beachley.
Meeting T.B.A.
Swansea Bus Museum Open Day.
Meeting T.B.A.
Annual Quiz Night with Chris Taylor.
Details of all events will be updated regularly on our website. www.ctpg.co.uk
We hope you have enjoyed the first issue of “Bustler.” We have thought for some time
that our quarterly was a bit more than just a newsletter. The chosen name is also
appropriate as our home at Barry was also the first home to the “Bustler” back in 1986.
REMINDER! We can now send members our newsletter in PDF format straight to your
computer. This will save the group printing and postage costs. If you would like this
facility, please inform the editor at viv.corbin@ntlworld.com
No one has resolved the mystery bus
featured in the last issue. GTX 484 was a
Gilford Hera with Alexander C32F body
used by E C Morgan of Tonypandy. It had
been new to WSMT in 5/34 as CS 119.
After war service with the Royal Navy as
RN 7352 it was re-registered by Sidney
Davies (dlr) of Penygraig in 1948.
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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 journal recently renamed BUSTLER 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
Bustler Editor Viv Corbin email: viv.corbin@ntlworld.com
Webmaster CTPG Mac Winfield email: info@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 copy right; the Editor must be
informed to enable a correcting acknowledgement to be made.
26

Former Western Welsh 675 was sought out by Paul Gilbertson on 15 th February resting in the
East Midlands. Below; Paul Hamley says he lined up his camera at the Caerphilly re-launch
and the statue of Tommy Cooper appeared – “Just Like That!” Ding Ding - Fez Please!
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