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 37
13 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Minibuses originating with National Welsh

Secondhand Ford Transits (19-26, 1063)

Visitors 18
9 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Secondhand Ford Transits (19-26, 1063)

Leyland Lynx 2 (41/42)

Visitors 37
7 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Leyland Lynx 2 (41/42)

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

Visitors 25
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 20
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 13
5 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Dennis Dart - dual-purpose Marshall body (60)

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

Visitors 13
26 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Volvo B6 (71, 73-76, 78, 79, 81 and 82)

Dennis Dart - Plaxton Pointer body

Visitors 37
23 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Dennis Dart - Plaxton Pointer body

Dennis Dart - Wright Handy-bus body

Visitors 35
46 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Dennis Dart - Wright Handy-bus body

ex-Parfitt vehicles

Visitors 35
27 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
ex-Parfitt vehicles

Dennis Dart - Northern Counties body (90)

Visitors 12
10 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Dennis Dart - Northern Counties body (90)

Mercedes-Benz 709D (149)

Visitors 10
1 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Mercedes-Benz 709D (149)

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

Visitors 20
27 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Mercedes-Benz 700-series (150/152-171)

Mercedes-Benz 800 series (151/251/252)

Visitors 15
10 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Mercedes-Benz 800 series (151/251/252)

Long Metroriders (253-258)

Visitors 24
19 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Long Metroriders (253-258)

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

Visitors 23
15 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Leyland Leopards originating with National Welsh (369, 388, 391, 392)

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

Visitors 14
10 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Secondhand Leyland Leopards (377, 385-387, 393, 394)

Leyland Nationals taken over from National Welsh

Visitors 103
53 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Leyland Nationals taken over from National Welsh

ex-Cyril Evans Leyland Nationals (480-486)

Visitors 17
14 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
ex-Cyril Evans Leyland Nationals (480-486)

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

Visitors 9
19 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Dennis Lancets originating with Taff-Ely (495-497)

Leyland Lynx (500-504)

Visitors 42
20 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Leyland Lynx (500-504)

Optare Prisma (550-551)

Visitors 19
10 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Optare Prisma (550-551)

Leyland Tigers originating with Rhymney Valley (695-699)

Visitors 17
20 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Leyland Tigers originating with Rhymney Valley (695-699)

Secondhand Leyland Tigers (700-703)

Visitors 11
20 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Secondhand Leyland Tigers (700-703)

Volvo B10M coaches (704, 705 and 900)

Visitors 35
14 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Volvo B10M coaches (704, 705 and 900)

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

Visitors 34
19 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Bristol VRTs from National Welsh (717, 819, 828-830)

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

Visitors 29
16 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Secondhand double-deckers (850-852, 861-862)

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

Visitors 38
30 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Leyland Olympians originating with National Welsh (851, 853-860)

Leyland Tigers originating with National Welsh

Visitors 27
30 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Leyland Tigers originating with National Welsh

National Express coaches originating with National Welsh

Visitors 9
8 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
National Express coaches originating with National Welsh

Metroriders originating with Inter Valley Link (2101-2117)

Visitors 21
64 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Metroriders originating with Inter Valley Link (2101-2117)

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

Visitors 16
19 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Metroriders from London Buses (2118-2124, 2128, 2129)

Vehicles on loan to Rhondda Buses

Visitors 27
7 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Vehicles on loan to Rhondda Buses

Ancillary vehicles

Visitors 19
3 photos
Created 9-Mar-24
Modified 9-Mar-24
Ancillary vehicles