Created 17-Jan-20
Modified 8-Mar-24
A very important and also very diverse part of Rhondda's operation was the multitude of works services. It's ironic that it was the decline of the local coal industry that led to the explosion in works services, as people had to be transported further to find work. Even those remaining in the coal industry often found themselves no longer within walking distance of work as their pit closed and they were transferred to another some distance away.
When Rhondda first drew up a list of route numbers in the early 1950s there was a whole series of works services which had a W-prefix. It would seem that the numbers were allocated in a way to give a separate number to each area of Rhondda's territory to major sources of employment and may not indicate that such a service actually operated. Certainly only a fraction of that number appeared in the public timetable, but of course these services weren't aimed at the general public. Their infrequent nature and the lack of documentation combined with often rather unsuitable hours for photography, mean that these services are little recorded and what is here is just a taste of this very important operation.
The first major destination for works services was the Trading Estate at Treforest with services later serving the nearby Nantgarw Colliery and coking plant when that came on stream after the war. This continued to be an important destination throughout the time of Rhondda Transport although by the time of the Western Welsh takeover it generated a fraction of the traffic it once did. The estate was established just before the war partly to generate employment for the depressed mining valleys but it was also strategic and included many industries important to the war effort.
Early in the war a huge munitions factory was established as ROF Bridgend (Filling Factory No. 2). This is reputed to be the largest-ever British factory employing at its peak some 40,000 people and obviously had a massive transport requirement. Rhondda ran services from all districts and the timetable is interesting as in the tables final timing point has no name. The secrecy was well-meant but somewhat ineffectual as at the top of the table it said the service went to Bridgend! The factory closed in 1945 and although some replacement industry appeared on the same site it was on nothing like the same scale although there was still a need for works buses for many years. Also during the war bus services were operated over the mountain from Treherbert to Hirwaun.
Several new factories were established within the Rhondda with Polikoff's probably becoming the best known. Nearby EMI had a factory and works services also ran to Flex Fasteners at Dinas. Further afield there was the pencil factory at Pontyclun and last, but not least, the L'Oreal factory in Talbot Green, notable as this seems to have been the last dedicated works service running until at least 1990.
Whilst buses ran to many collieries over the years, the most notable in later years were to Nantgarw (as mentioned above), Fernhill (above Blaenrhondda), Maerdy, Cwm, Llanharan and Lady Windsor at Ynysybwl, the latter seeing Rhondda buses visit the latter place after they had ceased participation in the normal bus service there.
© David Beilby
