Operator urges anyone with historical knowledge of past bus services to get in touch.
Supporting its plans to mark the official centenary of buses in South Wales, First Cymru is calling on people to share any memories or mementos they may have from the past 100 years of transport in the region.
First Cymru can trace its ancestry back to 1914. While buses operated under the guise of South Wales Transport (then owned by the British Electric Tram Company), through a series of mergers, acquisitions, nationalisation and then deregulation, First Cymru is the company now at the helm of bus services in South Wales. It is now taking steps to mark the history of buses in this centenary year.
To capture thoughts, anecdotes about what it was like working on the buses over the past 100 years, and offer people a way of feeding into the centenary activities, First has set up a special email address, [email protected].
In May, First will work with the Swansea Bus Museum to host a family fun day and vintage vehicle rally in Swansea. While details are still being finalised, it’s expected that people will see both new and old vehicles on display during a special event to be held on Sunday, May 18. Anyone wishing to get involved, or book a space for a stand at the fun day, can find out more, and download booking forms for stand space, at www. firstgroup.com/centenary.
Talking about the centenary and the event in May, Phil Trotter, Marketing Manager, First Cymru, said: “There is much to celebrate here and it’s always worth remembering the past and all it gave us before looking to the future and what it may hold in store for public transport. “The first step on our journey into the centenary year is to find out what nuggets of information people have.
“If people worked on the buses, met their partner on the buses, have old tickets, photos or uniforms or just memories and anecdotes they want to share, this is a great opportunity. In the first instance we’d ask people to email us to tell us what they have or know, and we can then follow up as necessary.
“We really want to celebrate the year and the centenary, and hope people will get on board to help us do that. We’d especially like to encourage individuals, groups, organisations and charities to get in touch with us if they’d like to be involved in the family fun day in May.”
To share thoughts, memories or tell First what you know about the history of buses in the region, email: First100years@firstgroup. com. To find out more about the plans around the centenary, log onto: www.firstgroup.com/centenary.
