OAX9F a 1968 Bristol RELH with Leyland 600 engine and Eastern Coach Works body.

Other Ops

Other Operators in South East Wales in 1968

Like most parts of Britain in the 1960's, south east Wales was served by a variety of bus & coach operators. There were nine municipal operators, various independent companies & the state-owned RED & WHITE fleet.

Below are details the main bus & coach operators that served south east Wales communities in 1968. The images are of restored vehicles from fleets that were in service in 1968.

The largest collection of classic buses & coaches from the fleets listed are with the Cardiff Transport Preservation Group (Barry). They hold an excellent rally & running day in early June each year at Barry Island & their depot on Broad Street, Barry.

Aberdare Urban District Council.

Ownership: Aberdare Urban District Council.
Area served: Aberdare.
Fleet size in 1968: 36.
Livery: Red & cream.
Depot & Head office: Gadlys, Aberdare.
Future: in 1974 renamed Cynon Valley Transport. Ceased late-1990's.
Surviving buses:
1958 Guy Arab LUF / Longwell Green: XNY 416.
1974 Bristol RESL / ECW: GHB 148N.
Bedwas & Machen UDC.

Ownership: Bedwas & Machen Urban District Council.
Area served: Bedwas, Machen, Caerphilly & a joint route Rhumney Bridge to Newport.
Fleet size in 1968: 7.
Livery: Dark blue and cream.
Depot & Head office: Bedwas.
Future: in 1974 was combined with Caerphilly & Gelligaer operations to become Rhymny Valley Transport.
Surviving buses:
1950 AEC Regal III / Bruce of Cardiff: JWO 355;
1968 Leyland Titan / Massey: PAX 466F. This bus was the last exposed radiator bus to enter service in South Wales and the last lowbridge decker with a sunken top deck side-gangway built in Britain.
Caerphilly Council Transport.

Ownership: Caerphilly Urban District Council.
Area served: Caerphilly, Nelson, Senghenydd & joint routes to Cardiff, Pontypridd, Merthyr Tydfil and Newport.
Fleet size in 1968: 33.
Livery: Green & cream.
Depot & Head office: Mill Lane, Caerphilly.
Future: In 1974 was combined with Bedwas & Machen and Gelligear operations to become Rhymny Valley Transport. In 1986 formed council arms-length company 'Inter-Valley Link'. Bought by National Welsh in 1989. Company ceased 1992.
Surviving buses:
1951 Leyland Titan / Leyland: LNY 903,
1952 Leyland PS2 / Massey: LTX 311,
1965 Leyland Titan / Massey: GNY 432C,
1966 Leyland Titan / Massey: LNY 536D.
City of Cardiff Transport.

Ownership: Cardiff Corporation Council.
Area served: Cardiff City, & joint routes to Caerphilly, Newport, Penarth & Tredegar.
Fleet size in 1968: 280, including trolleybuses.
Livery: Crimson lake and cream.
Depots: Newport Road & Sloper Road.
Head office: Wood Street, Cardiff.
Future: became Cardiff Bus and still exists.
Surviving buses:
1949 Crossley DD42/7 Alexander: EBO 900,
1952 Leyland Royal Tiger / East Lancs: GKG 53,
1961 Leyland Titan / Metro-Cammell: XUH 368,
1963 AEC Regent V / East Lancs: 408 DBO,
1964 Guy Arab V / Neepsend: ABO 434B, (open top),
1968 AEC Swift / Alexander: MBO 512F,
1968 Daimler Fleetline / Park Royal: JKG 497F,
1969 Daimler Fleetline / Willowbrook: PKG 532H,
1972 Daimler Fleetline / MCW: WUH 570K, WUH 584K & WUH 585K,
1974 Bristol VRT / ECW: PKG 587M,
1976 Bristol LHS / ECW: LUH 105P,
1978 Bristol VRT / Alexander: WTG 360T,
1982 Volvo Ailsa / Northern Counties: NDW 407X,
1982 Volvo Ailsa / Northern Counties: NDW 415X,
1990 Leyland Lynx 1: G258 HUH,
1992 Leyland Lynx II: J267 UDW,
1995 Optare Metrorider: N143 PTG,
1995 Dennis Dart / Alexander: N23 OBO,
2000 Dennis Dart / Plaxton: X184 CTG,
2001 Dennis Dart / Plaxton: Y377GAX,
2006 Scania CN94 (bendybus): CN06 GDY.

Surviving trolleybuses:
1942 AEC 664T / Northern Counties: CKG 193,
1948 B.U.T 9641T / East Lancs: DBO 475,
1950 B.U.T 9641T / Bruce: EBO 913,
1964 B.U.T 9641T / East Lancs: KBO 961 (a rare single decker).
The trolleybus system closed in early 1970.
Gelligaer Urban District Council.

Ownership: Gelligaer Urban District Council
Area served: Bargoed, Ystrad Mynach.
Fleet size in 1968: 30.
Livery: Red, white & green.
Depot & Head office: New Road, Tiryberth.
Future: In Aug 1968 started Newport - Rhymney Bridge route joint with Red & White, Western Welsh and Gelligear UDC. In 1974 was combined with Bedwas & Machen and Caerphilly operations to become Rhymny Valley Transport.
Surviving bus:
1953 AEC Regal III / Longwell Green: MTG 884.
Hills of Tredegar.

Ownership: Private.
Area served: Tredegar, Rhymney.
Fleet size in 1968: 43.
Livery: Red and white.
Depot & Head office: Park View, Tredegar.
Future: ceased operations in late-1990's.
Surviving buses:
1959 Leyland Leopard / Burlingham: XWO 911;
1972 Leyland Leopard / Plaxton: EWO 460K.
Jones (Aberbeeg).

Ownership: Private company.
Area served: Aberbeeg and surrounding towns, & route to Newport.
Fleet size in 1968: 43
Livery: Cream and pale blue.
Depots: Aberbeeg.
Future: in April 1969 sold to the National Bus Company and became part of Red & White, later National Welsh. Company ceased early 1992.
Surviving bus:
1961 Leyland Tiger Cub / Weymann: 889 AAX.
Merthyr Tydfil Council Transport.

Ownership: Merthyr Tydfil Corporation Transport
Area served: Merthry Tydfil & joint route to Cardiff.
Fleet size in 1968: 72.
Livery: Maroon & cream.
Depots & Head office: Nantygwenith Street, Merthyr Tydfil.
Future: In 1986 became Merthyr Tydfil Transport, which ceased operations Aug 1989.
Surviving buses:
1966 Leyland Titan / East Lancs : CHB 407D.
Neath & Cardiff luxury coaches.

Ownership: British Electric Traction group.
Area served: Swansea - Cardiff express service.
Fleet size in 1968: 12.
Livery: Brown and red.
Depots: Neath.
Future: became part of Western Welsh and South Wales Transport in 1970.
Surviving coaches:
1960 AEC Reliance / Harrington: WWN 191;
1967 AEC Reliance / Plaxton: PTX 830F.
Newport Transport.

Ownership: Newport Corporation Council.
Area served: Newport and route to Cwmbran & joint route 30 to Cardiff.
Fleet size in 1968: 99.
Livery: Green and cream.
Depot & Head office: Corporation Road, Newport.
Future: became Newport Bus and still exists.
Surviving buses:
1953 Leyland Titan / Longwell Green: PDW 484;
1966 Leyland Atlantean / Alexander: EDW 68D;
1972 Scania Metropolitan / MCW: YDW 758K;
1988 Scania N113 / Alexander: F41 YHB;
1997 Scania N113 / Alexander: P177 VDW.
Pontypridd UDC transport.

Ownership: Pontypridd Urban District Council.
Area served: Pontypridd, Treforest & joint route to Caerphilly.
Fleet size in 1968: 56.
Livery: Dark blue and ivory.
Depot & Head office: Glyntaff, Pontypridd.
Future: In 1974 became Taff Ely Transport. In 1988 bought by the newly privatised National Welsh. Company ceased 1992.
Surviving bus:
1944 Bristol K6A / Park Royal (utility): FNY 933
1966 AEC Regent V / MCW: NNY 761E;
1969 AEC Regent V / Willowbrook: UTG 313G.
Red & White.

Ownership: British Transport Commission (Government)
Area served: Central & eastern Glamorgan valleys & Monmouthshire.
Fleet size in 1968: 395.
Livery: Red and white.
Depots: Aberdare, Abergavenny, Abertillery, Blackwood, Brynmawr, Cardiff (Gelligaer Street), Cheltenham, Chepstow, Cinderford, Coleford, Ebbw Vale, Hereford, Lydney, Monmouth, Newport, Pontypool, Ross-on-Wye and Tredegar.
Head office: Bulwark Road, Chepstow.
Future: ownership changed to National Bus Company 1 January 1969, then merged with Western Welsh to become National Welsh in April 1978. Privatised 1987. Company ceased 1992.
Surviving buses
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Rhondda.

Ownership: British Electric Traction group.
Area served: Rhondda valleys towns & various routes to Cardiff.
Fleet size in 1968: 164.
Livery: Dark red.
Depots: Aberrhondda Rd, Porth.
Future: ownership changed to National Bus Company 1 January 1969, then merged with Western Welsh in 1971, become National Welsh in April 1978. Privatised May 1987. Company ceased early 1992. Stagecoach acquired business mid-1990's.
Surviving buses:
1933 AEC Regent / Weymann: TG 6311;
1961 AEC Regent V / Metro Cammell: 457 KTG;
1966 AEC Regent V / Northern Counties: KNY 495D.

Surviving Rhondda/Stagecoach buses:
1994 Dennis Dart / Plaxton: K91 BNY;
1997 Merc 711 / Plaxton: P164 TNY.
Western Welsh.

Ownership: British Electric Traction group.
Area served: Glamorgam, west Monmouthshire, Carmarthenshire & Pembrokeshire.
Fleet size in 1968: 570.
Livery: buses - cherry red; coaches - peacock blue & ivory.
Depots: Aberdare, Ammonford, Brecon, Barry, Bridgend, Cardiff (Penarth Rd & Cowbridge Rd), Carmarthen, Crosskeys, Cwmbran, Fishguard, Haverfordwest, Neath, New Quay, Newcastle Emlyn, Pontypool, St David's.
Head office: 253 Cowbridge Road, Cardiff.
Future: ownership changed to National Bus Company 1 January 1969, then merged with Red & White to become National Welsh in April 1978. Privatised May 1987. Company ceased early 1992.
Surviving from Western Welsh:
1947 Leyland Tiger PS1/ ECW: CUH 856;
1956 AEC Regent V / Park Royal: LKG 678;
1958 AEC Reliance / Harrington: OUH 107;
1960 Albion Nimbus / Harrington: TUH 7 & TUH 13;
1960 AEC Reliance / Willowbrook: WKG 284;
1964 AEC Reliance / Harrington: ABO 145B & ABO 147B;
1964 AEC Renown / Northern Counties. BKG 713B;
1966 Leyland Tiger Cub / Park Royal: FUH 370D;
1968 Bristol LHS / Weymann. MBO 1F;
1969 Leyland Leopard / Plaxton: OUH 177G;
1971 Leyland Leopard / Willowbrook: TKG 518J;
1977 Bristol VRT / ECW: VHB 678S.

Surviving National Welsh buses:
1980 Leyland National 2: BUH 240V;
1980 Bristol LHS / ECW: GTX 762W;
1982 Leyland Olympian / ECW: MUH 289X;
1986 Leyland Tiger / Plaxton: C262 GUH;
1986 Ford Transit / Robin Hood. C101 HKG.
West Mon Omnibus Board.

Ownership: West Monmouth Council.
Area served: Blackwood & joint route to Cardiff.
Fleet size in 1968: 30.
Livery: Maroon.
Depot & Head office: Blackwood.
Future: in 1974 became Islwyn Borough Transport. Sold to Stagecoach in early 2000's.
Surviving West Mon buses:
1957 Leyland PD2 / Willowbrook: SAX 186 (in Japan);
1959 Leyland PD2 / Massey: UWO 688 (in Belgium).

Surviving Islwyn BT buses:
1979 Leyland Leopard / Marshall: YDW 566T
1979 Leyland Leopard / Marshall: DNY 534V;
1980 Leyland Leopard / Marshall: GAX 137W;
1984 Leyland Tiger / East Lancs: C41 GKG.