The other route taken over from Commercial Motor Services (CMS) of Treharris in conjunction with Gellygaer, West Mon and Caerphilly in 1945 was the one from Pontypridd to Blackwood.
This route ran via Cilfynydd, Treharris, Nelson, Ystrad Mynach and Pontllanfraith to Blackwood. It was worked during the week by Caerphilly and West Mon with Pontypridd providing the Sunday service along with extra weekday journeys and short workings to Treharris.
This route and the Bedlinog service were revised from 7th February 1954 such that the Bedlinog service then served Treharris and the additional short workings to Treharris are therefore treated as part of that service from that date (and all the pictures of those workings post-date this change). The Blackwood service approached Nelson from Fiddler’s Elbow and turned left at Abernant along Llwyncelyn Terrace and entered Nelson via High Street.
The change allowed double-deckers to work the service - previously it had been restricted to single-deckers because of the Ffaldcaiach bridge which it now avoided, but lowbridge double-deckers were still required due to the railway bridge at Maes-y-Cymmer, not removed until after the Brecon & Merthyr railway line there closed in 1964.
The service had never been very profitable and in August 1968 both Caerphilly and Pontypridd ceased operation, leaving it as a two-hourly service worked by West Mon (from 1974 they became Islwyn).
In conjunction with a revision by Red & White of services around Nelson from 18th September 1977, the Pontypridd to Blackwood service returned to its original route via Treharris.
The service continued well after deregulation and was numbered 7 in the later years of Islwyn when route numbers started to be shown on their vehicles.
© David Beilby
