Created 10-Jun-19
Modified 8-Mar-24
The 1964 Leyland Tiger Cubs (386-394 WTG) although seemingly one batch, comprised two variants. All were recorded as on Leyland Tiger Cub PSUC1/11 chassis with Willowbrook bodies. The first six (386-391) were B45F buses but the remaining three (392-394) were DP41F dual-purpose vehicles.
These Tiger Cubs replaced the remaining Royal Tiger buses and also the three Strachans-bodied Tiger Cub coaches.
The buses were in the standard red livery and then later received the NBC standard poppy red with a white band. The dual-purpose vehicles saw more variety in their livery. When new they had red below the windows and cream round the windows and roof. In 1967 they received the new Rhondda green and cream coach livery and then in Western Welsh ownership at least two received a version of their red and cream dual purpose livery. The three all in due course received the NBC dual-purpose livery of poppy red and white.
388 was involved in a serious accident on March 1st 1969 when descending from Penrhys Mountain towards Ystrad as the driver suffered a fatal heart attack and the bus ran out of control on the steep descent, leaving the road at some speed. The damage was so severe that the bus was rebodied by Willowbrook with an identical body, entering service again in 1970.
386-391 had 2000 added to their fleet numbers on absorption by Western Welsh as 2386-2391 and were further renumbered U28-3364 in 1974.
392-394 similarly became 2392-2394 and in 1974 were renumbered UD1-364, being further renumbered UD34-3664 in 1975. Finally at the end of 1976 UD3464 (originally 392) was downgraded to a bus and numbered U3464.
The batch was withdrawn in 1976 and 1977 and all went for scrap apart from U3264 (390 WTG) which was sold to the National Coal Board.
© David Beilby
