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[Seth]

With the opening of the Severn Bridge in Autumn 1966, the Bristol Omnibus Co and Red & White Services Ltd immediately grasped the opportunity to provide a jointly-operated 'limited-stop' service between Bristol and Cardiff.

Numbered '301' it ran on a two-hourly frequency and also served Newport, plus a couple of other intermediate stops. End-to-end running time was around 90 minutes, with simultaneous departures from each end of the route from 0900 until 1900 - so both operators' vehicle undertook three round trips per day, Monday to Saturday. (Can't remember if there was a service on Sundays!)
BOC's share was worked by buses from their Marlborough Street depot, whilst R&W's Aberdare depot provided vehicles from this side of the Bristol Channel.



From the Summer of 1977, here's Bristol Omnibus' 2056 laying-over on it's stance at Cardiff Central Bus Station, already blinded-up for it's first back-working of the day to Bristol with the 1100 departure:


It's a 36 foot Bristol RE with 49-seat Eastern Coachworks 49-seat dual-purpose body, ie: 'Coach'-seated 'bus' body-shell.

It's actual chassis model designation is RELH6L:
'H' signifying the optional 'high' chassis frame - note the seat height relative to the waist-rail.
'L' indicates that the optional Leyland 0.680 engine (rather than Gardner 6HLX) was fitted.

A Leyland-engined RE gave quite an exhiliarating performance, and the sound from the twin-silencered exhaust system was literally shattering!




Here's an 'action shot' taken an hour or so later on the same day, on the same bus:


A front seat view crossing the Severn Bridge, and bound for Bristol aboard 2056.
We're actually half-way across the bridge in the outside lane, and I can see that the driver's already changed-down into third gear due to the traffic conditions!

[Seth]

Later that same Summer 1977 afternoon, here's BOC Hanham depot's C1147 at Bristol's College Green on the cross-city 8 service, bound for Temple Meads:


It's another 36' Bristol RE, though this time an RELL6L model with dual-door ECW 'bus' body.
'L' signifying a 'low' chassis frame, with the body floor ramped upwards over the engine at the rear of the passenger saloon. (Note the apparent absence of visible seating in the front portion of the saloon!) 

The observant will notice that the Bristol Corporation coat of arms and scroll-type fleetname is displayed on this bus above the O/S/F wheel-arch, combined with the NBC 'double-N' logo (minus 'Bristol' fleetname) affixed above the driver's cab window. Additionally, the 'C' prefix to it's fleetnumber indicates that it's a 'city service' vehicle.


Bristol Omnibus were certainly devoted RE users.
Indeed, several hundred Leyland 0.680-powered RE's became the standard fayre in various guises across that companies' vast operating territory.

[Seth]

Now here's a very rare machine:


One of the handful of buses to appear in the Historic Commercial Vehicle section at the recent Welland event. 

[Vamps]

Charabanc For Sale on ebay and still in use......

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Charabanc-16-seater-psv-Coach-/160877939656?forcev4exp=true

[Seth]

Should've posted this a few months ago ......

A long-time acquaintance of mine has spent a good few years compiling this comprehensive history of the Western Welsh Omnibus Company.
The end result is a fine 'warts and all' 240-page anthology of the entire 75-year lifespan of this proud company. Among several knowledgeable souls, this scribes' remit was to ensure that all the vehicular technical details were correctly reported.

This long-awaited publication was released at a recent event at the Barry Bus Museum - which originally was our Barry depot.



L-R: Author Colin Scott, John (Coach-builder at Bridgend depot), moi and Alan (both Bridgend Fitters).


As an apprentice, I was 'taken under the wing' of both John and Alan:
John hailed from Hertfordshire, and had previously worked for Park Royal Vehicles building Routemasters (among others) for London Transport. A master craftsman, he taught me the art of brush-painting our buses - and I've still got the 'paint kettle' to prove it!
Alan was a Cardiffian with immense knowledge of all things Leyland, and I sorely tested his patience when learning to drive buses with 'crash' gearboxes. Soon got the hang of it though!

All three of us had a great day out at the book launch - and I enjoyed acting as chauffeur to both of them, in gratitude for all their advice and training during my apprenticeship. Crikey, how time flies ..... that was nearly 40 years ago! 
 
Here's the bus museum: http://www.ctpg.co.uk/2012%20barry_fest_REVIEW.htm

[bored bigyin54]

i used to work on islwyn buses. gone now crap stagecoach took them over

[Steve Brookman]

Yep-the old Islwyn gone!
I miss the old blue buses and when young would regularly travel on them.

Steve

[bored bigyin54]

Yep-the old Islwyn gone!
I miss the old blue buses and when young would regularly travel on them.

Steve

when you was young,i was still working on them steve

[Seth]

Been down to the fair city of Swansea today to visit:

http://www.swanseabusmuseum.com/


Despite the inclement weather, a goodly number of bold spirits managed to sample a trip out on the old '14' route to Pennard on Gower, aboard this recently-restored gem:


New in January 1967, 639 was the very last of SWT's massive fleet of AEC Regent Vs to remain in active service.

It's a 27ft Willowbrook-bodied 2D3RA model and was finally withdrawn from Brunswick depot on 27 February 1982, after 15 years hard graft on Swansea's busy cross-city services.
Restored in the pre-NBC 'cherry/primrose' livery, it passed it's MoT in February this year, and it's indeed a fine tribute to owner Alan Woolcock's painstaking efforts over several years.






Two of my former colleagues posed with our steed at the Pennard Cliffs terminus, which overlooks Three Cliffs Bay.
Recently retired, both were long-serving Brunswick 'F Rota' men who were well-versed with the intricacies of working the Gower routes.

Roy (left), had previously worked as a sheduler, before the lure of the open road got the better of him!
Peter (aka 'Elvis') can really handle a Regent, and it was a delight to sample the wonderful aural effects of that big 9.6-litre AV590 lump and 4-speed all-synchromesh 'box in full cry, whilst climbing out through leafy Mayals, then crossing Clyne Common and out onto Gower proper.

All in all, it's been great to meet-up with old friends and reminisce the great times we all had 'out on the road'.
Many thanks to Peter and Roy for brightening-up an otherwise dull day!

[Vamps]

Excellent Post, thanks........

[Seth]

Yep-the old Islwyn gone!
I miss the old blue buses and when young would regularly travel on them.

Steve

when you was young,i was still working on them steve

Dug this shot oot o' me archives especially for Rolf and Steve .....


44-seat Weymann 'Hermes'-bodied Leyland Tiger Cubs were especially popular in South Wales.
Straightforward and simplistic, the 6-ish litre 0.350 engine and Albion 5-speed constant-mesh 'box coped exceedingly well with the appalling Valleys terrain as seen below:



This example is about to cross the bridge at Tir Phil station, after leaving New Tredegar en-route for Abertysswg, a few miles further up the Rhymney Valley.
Phillipstown can be clearly seen clinging to the hillside in the background.

The West Monmouthshire Omnibus Board, based at Penmaen, Blackwood, was the precursor to what ultimately became Islwyn Borough Transport.

[bored bigyin54]

Yep-the old Islwyn gone!
I miss the old blue buses and when young would regularly travel on them.

Steve

when you was young,i was still working on them steve

Dug this shot oot o' me archives especially for Rolf and Steve .....


44-seat Weymann 'Hermes'-bodied Leyland Tiger Cubs were especially popular in South Wales.
Straightforward and simplistic, the 6-ish litre 0.350 engine and Albion 5-speed constant-mesh 'box coped exceedingly well with the appalling Valleys terrain as seen below:



This example is about to cross the bridge at Tir Phil station, after leaving New Tredegar en-route for Abertysswg, a few miles further up the Rhymney Valley.
Phillipstown can be clearly seen clinging to the hillside in the background.

The West Monmouthshire Omnibus Board, based at Penmaen, Blackwood, was the precursor to what ultimately became Islwyn Borough Transport.

that was most probably the time i was working on them seth when that was we used to be based in blackwood were aldi store is now

[Seth]

Especially for Ms Zoom :

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Wow!!

How wonderful that this thread is still going!

There have been some great buses added since I last looked as well,  Just proves how such a nostalgic topic can last and last, and last............

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Especially for Ms Zoom :

Thanks a lot for that Seth

Now I know I am back