Subject: Islwyn B. T. 38 (GAX 138W)
Chassis: Leyland Leopard PSU4F/2R
Body: Marshall Cambus II B45F
Location: Nelson, Caerphilly Road
Date: 21-Mar-1987

38 shows off its new livery - it had been the first to receive this style after a nearly-new Tiger was modified to the same style.

The road had been straightened here as part of the general improvement of this important inter-valley route. The original route can still just be made out from a retaining wall off-camera to the left side of this image, nowadays well hidden by trees that grow where the cariageway once was.

Just off to the right behind the bushes was once Wernganol Colliery, connected to the nearby railway by a short tramway. Opened in 1913 it was worked by a man and his son and a donkey. As the man was deaf when he worked on his own his wife came with him to listen for rock falls. It was the scene of an unusual accident when they had some dynamite that had frozen so they put it on a shovel over a fire to warm up! The consequences were as you may expect, although they were serious rather than fatal.

Photograph by courtesy of John Jones