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When David Bell visited South Wales in late summer 1993 he took the opportunity to record the eclectic mix of operators and vehicles then serving the area. The deregulated competitive market created by the 1985 Transport Act, which came into effect in October 1986, saw intense on-street competition in some areas. Today’s much more structured and finely tuned largely commercial bus operations could not be more different, a reflection of how the market has matured since that time
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The CVE Omni built at Shildon was never a common vehicle. This example was owned by the Shamrock (Clayton Jones) group and is seen in Pontypridd. It later migrated east to Suffolk where it worked on local services for Chamber of Bures
One of six Dodge Commando truck chassis fitted with East Lancs bodywork bought by Islwyn Borough Transport that remained unique. At least two of the batch saw further service with Pete’s Travel of Walsall
This Duple Dominant-bodied Dennis Lancet was acquired by Thomas of Llangadog from Dennis, which had used it as a demonstrator. It also worked for Northumbria Motor Services
A Bedford VAS with Duple Dominant coachwork that was new to Hopkins of Ogmore Vale in 1980. When photographed laying over in Carmarthen it was working for the small fleet of Rees (Emlyn Coaches) of Newcastle Emlyn
New to the Greater London Council this Wadham Stringer-bodied Ford R1114 was working a local service in Merthyr Tydfil for John’s Coaches of Llanharry
A Leyland National new to National Welsh in 1979 is seen operating a local service for Rhondda Buses in Caerphilly
New to Hills of Tredegar in 1974 with a Plaxton coach body, this Leyland Leopard was rebodied in 1988 with a Plaxton Derwent bus body. After service with Parfitt’s of Rhymney Bridge it migrated to Scotland with Keenan of Coalhall
TBX713 started life as an Alexander-bodied Leyland Leopard with the Lancaster municipal fleet. Acquired by Davies Bros of Pencader in 1985 it was fitted with a Willowbrook Warrior body in 1988
This Willowbrook-bodied Leyland Leopard was new to Rhymney Valley Transport in April 1978, but by 1993 it was working for Davies Bros of Pencader, a long-established operator in West Wales that ceased operations in 1999
Seen passing through Carmarthen on the day of David’s visit was a Duple-bodied Bedford YLQ new to Jones of Newchurch in 1976. By 1993 it had passed to Morgan of Lampeter trading as Meurigs Coaches
MFR302P is actually a sister vehicle to TBX713, both being acquired from Lancaster City Transport in 1985 by Davies of Pencader. It is seen leaving Carmarthen bus station, which is still on the same site, but has been subsequently redeveloped
Bebb’s of Llantwit Fadre ran several local services from Pontypridd. It invariably bought new including this Optare StarRider seen departing for Beddau
A Dodge S56 with East Lancs bodywork, one of six new to Newport Corporation in early 1987, but by 1993 operating for Cynon Valley in Pontypridd
Rees and Williams of Tycroes was a well-known operator in West Wales. This Plaxton-bodied Leyland Leopard was 20 years old when photographed in 1993 and was showing its age with a few bumps and dents acquired over the years
LFJ849W is an ECW-bodied Bristol LHS new to Western National. It later worked on the Isle of Wight, but by 1993 had been sold to Golden Coaches of Llantwit Major for which it was working a local service in Bridgend
New to South Yorkshire PTE in 1981 this MCW Metrobus was photographed working for Rhondda Buses leaving Pontypridd bus station on the Maerdy to Cardiff service
Leaving Carmarthen bus station is Jones of Newchurch’s ECW-bodied Bristol LH6L OJD54R, new to London Transport in November 1976
Jones of Login, still trading in 2020, provided this 1978 Plaxton-bodied Bedford YMT for a local service leaving Carmarthen bus station
A rare Plaxton-bodied ACE Puma new to the Abbeyways/Ivesway group in 1988. By 1993 it was working for Llynfi Coaches (Stolzenberg) of Maesteg and was photographed at the operator’s premises
Rhondda Buses was operating a Plaxton-bodied Leyland Tiger that had been new to National Welsh
Another Duple Dominant-bodied bus, but this time on a Bedford YMT chassis, HBX972X was new to Jones of Login and is seen working a local service from Carmarthen
New to London Transport in 1987 where it operated from Kingston garage, this MCW Metrorider was also part of Parfitt’s fleet seeing service in Merthyr Tydfil
Representing Cardiff Bus is a MCW Metrorider at work in Caerphilly
An East Lancs-bodied Leyland Tiger seen in Blackwood operating for the local Islwyn municipality
A second-hand ex-London Transport Leyland National working for Glyn Williams of Cross Keys, parked in Blackwood bus station
This Leyland Swift with Wadham Stringer bodywork was new to Taff-Ely in 1988. By the time it was photographed with Silverline of Merthyr it had already operated on the Channel Islands for Jersey Motor Transport, only to return to the Channel Islands again later when it was bought by an operator on Guernsey
A Robin Hood-bodied Mercedes-Benz 709D new to North Mimms Coaches, by 1993 it was working on local services around Blackwood for Harris Coaches of Fleur-de-Lis
A Shamrock (Clayton Jones) Mercedes-Benz 811D with Dormobile bodywork bound for Cardiff
Leaving Blackwood bus station is Islwyn Borough Transport’s Marshall-bodied Leyland Leopard new in March 1979
This ECW-bodied Leyland Olympian underwent an interesting history after operation by South Wales Transport with which it’s seen in Swansea. It was exported to North Carolina where it was used as a party bus and subsequently operated tourist tours in the City of Buffalo
