Subject: Rhondda 278 (MNY 539)
Chassis: AEC Regent III 9613A
Body: Weymann H30/26R
Location: Pontypridd, Bridge Street
Date: early-1950s

An immaculate 278 is only let down by a mis-used destination display (in typical Rhondda tradition). It has come down Ynysangharad Road and joined this road just where the car is disappearing in the distance, having just crossed over the Glamorganshire canal. The original bridge here was rebuilt prior to the building of the tram system in Pontypridd and above can be seen the overhead for the replacement trolleybuses leading to Cilfynydd. The building to the right was part of the Glamorganshire Canal Company Trallwn depot, from where the market boats ran to Cardiff.

What is noticeable about the bus in this view is that it looks so much cleaner in appearance than the rest of the MNY series in this gallery. That is because it doesn't have the additional mouldings that were added both upstairs and downstairs quite early in their life. Apparently when new they were particularly unpleasant to travel in with a lot of rattles and vibration and the extra mouldings would seem to be an attempt to control that, although it was at best only partially successful.

Photograph from the David Beilby collection/unknown