Created 26-Apr-19
Rhondda Buses Limited started operation from Porth depot on 5th February 1992, when a consortium led by Julian Peddle bought the Porth depot and the operations based there from the receivers of National Welsh. The depot at Bedwas along with the operations based on Caerphilly was bought on 12th February 1992. The consortium members went through their own changes over the years and prior to the Stagecoach takeover Rhondda Buses was partly owned by what were at the time the three major British bus groups. FirstBus had a stake through an initial investment by PMT, Stagecoach through Western Travel and Arriva through the Cowie ownership of Stevenson's of Uttoxeter.

Additional operations were acquired in Caerphilly on 15th May 1993 when Cyril Evans sold the stage carriage services and vehicles, but not the coach business, to Rhondda Buses.

The initial Rhondda Buses operation was using the operator's licence of Tellings-Golden Miller until Rhondda Buses could apply for their own and became the legal operator from 10th May 1992. At first coach services were rapidly relinquished but in 1994 the TrawsCambria operation was taken over from Tellings-Golden Miller.

The final acquisition was Parfitt's at Rhymney Bridge, taken over from 1st April 1995. The business was run as a wholly-owned subsidiary but in 1997 was gradually integrated into the main operation. Parfitt's coach interests were sold to Harris of Pengam in 1996. The Parfitt's services are not covered in this gallery and will be dealt with elsewhere.

Rhondda Buses inherited a rather motley collection of vehicles and were quite quick to rationalise and improve the fleet. The Bustler minibuses went very quickly and quite a few strategic secondhand purchases were made. In addition new buses steadily arrived with quite a large fleet of Dennis Darts being the most familiar.

The notable feature of the era was the relative lack of service changes. After many years of continual service revisions by National Welsh this provided a welcome degree of stability.

The Rhondda Buses era came to an end on 22nd December 1997 when the company was bought by Stagecoach Red & White.

The very varied fleet operated by Rhondda Buses has made it difficult to find a neat structure for the vehicle galleries - I hope what I have done is reasonably easy to follow. Where practicable I have included the fleet numbers of the vehicles featured but sometimes it was too complex a list to be worthwhile.

Minibuses originating with National Welsh

Visitors 42
45 photos
Created 23-Sep-24
Modified 23-Sep-24
Minibuses originating with National Welsh

Secondhand Ford Transits (19-26, 1063)

Visitors 18
15 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
Secondhand Ford Transits (19-26, 1063)

Leyland Lynx 2 (41/42)

Visitors 37
7 photos
Created 11-Jun-24
Modified 11-Jun-24
Leyland Lynx 2 (41/42)

Dennis Darts - low floor (54/56-58)

Visitors 27
13 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Dennis Darts - low floor (54/56-58)

Dennis Dart - Marshall body (59, 61, 68 and 69)

Visitors 23
19 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Dennis Dart - Marshall body (59, 61, 68 and 69)

Dennis Dart - dual-purpose Marshall body (60)

Visitors 15
5 photos
Created 11-Jun-24
Modified 11-Jun-24
Dennis Dart - dual-purpose Marshall body (60)

Volvo B6 (71, 73-76, 78, 79, 81 and 82)

Visitors 14
27 photos
Created 23-Sep-24
Modified 23-Sep-24
Volvo B6 (71, 73-76, 78, 79, 81 and 82)

Dennis Dart - Plaxton Pointer body

Visitors 39
23 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Dennis Dart - Plaxton Pointer body

Dennis Dart - Wright Handy-bus body

Visitors 37
46 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Dennis Dart - Wright Handy-bus body

ex-Parfitt vehicles

Visitors 37
31 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
ex-Parfitt vehicles

Dennis Dart - Northern Counties body (90)

Visitors 14
10 photos
Created 11-Jun-24
Modified 11-Jun-24
Dennis Dart - Northern Counties body (90)

Mercedes-Benz 709D (149)

Visitors 10
3 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
Mercedes-Benz 709D (149)

Mercedes-Benz 700-series (150/152-171)

Visitors 21
29 photos
Created 23-Sep-24
Modified 23-Sep-24
Mercedes-Benz 700-series (150/152-171)

Mercedes-Benz 800 series (151)

Visitors 0
3 photos
Created 23-Sep-24
Modified 23-Sep-24
Mercedes-Benz 800 series (151)

Secondhand Mercedes-Benz 800 series (251/252)

Visitors 16
8 photos
Created 11-Jun-24
Modified 11-Jun-24
Secondhand Mercedes-Benz 800 series (251/252)

Long Metroriders (253-258)

Visitors 26
20 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
Long Metroriders (253-258)

Leyland Leopards originating with National Welsh (369, 388, 391, 392)

Visitors 26
19 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
Leyland Leopards originating with National Welsh (369, 388, 391, 392)

Secondhand Leyland Leopards (377, 385-387, 393, 394)

Visitors 15
13 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
Secondhand Leyland Leopards (377, 385-387, 393, 394)

Leyland Nationals taken over from National Welsh

Visitors 113
63 photos
Created 24-Sep-24
Modified 24-Sep-24
Leyland Nationals taken over from National Welsh

ex-Cyril Evans Leyland Nationals (480-486)

Visitors 18
18 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
ex-Cyril Evans Leyland Nationals (480-486)

Dennis Lancets originating with Taff-Ely (495-497)

Visitors 10
19 photos
Created 11-Jun-24
Modified 11-Jun-24
Dennis Lancets originating with Taff-Ely (495-497)

Leyland Lynx (500-504)

Visitors 43
22 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
Leyland Lynx (500-504)

Optare Prisma (550-551)

Visitors 20
10 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Optare Prisma (550-551)

Leyland Tigers originating with Rhymney Valley (695-699)

Visitors 18
21 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
Leyland Tigers originating with Rhymney Valley (695-699)

Secondhand Leyland Tigers (700-703)

Visitors 13
20 photos
Created 24-Sep-24
Modified 24-Sep-24
Secondhand Leyland Tigers (700-703)

Volvo B10M coaches (704, 705 and 900)

Visitors 39
14 photos
Created 11-Jun-24
Modified 11-Jun-24
Volvo B10M coaches (704, 705 and 900)

Bristol VRTs from National Welsh (717, 819, 828-830)

Visitors 35
21 photos
Created 23-Sep-24
Modified 23-Sep-24
Bristol VRTs from National Welsh (717, 819, 828-830)

Secondhand double-deckers (850-852, 861-862)

Visitors 29
16 photos
Created 11-Jun-24
Modified 11-Jun-24
Secondhand double-deckers (850-852, 861-862)

Leyland Olympians originating with National Welsh (851, 853-860)

Visitors 43
33 photos
Created 23-Oct-24
Modified 23-Oct-24
Leyland Olympians originating with National Welsh (851, 853-860)

Leyland Tigers originating with National Welsh

Visitors 28
37 photos
Created 24-Sep-24
Modified 24-Sep-24
Leyland Tigers originating with National Welsh

National Express coaches originating with National Welsh

Visitors 10
14 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
National Express coaches originating with National Welsh

Metroriders originating with Inter Valley Link (2101-2117)

Visitors 25
66 photos
Created 24-Sep-24
Modified 24-Sep-24
Metroriders originating with Inter Valley Link (2101-2117)

Metroriders from London Buses (2118-2124, 2128, 2129)

Visitors 18
22 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
Metroriders from London Buses (2118-2124, 2128, 2129)

Vehicles on loan to Rhondda Buses

Visitors 27
7 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
Vehicles on loan to Rhondda Buses

Ancillary vehicles

Visitors 22
5 photos
Created 22-Sep-24
Modified 22-Sep-24
Ancillary vehicles