Subject: Islwyn B. T. 21 (UDW 939S) Chassis: Leyland Leopard PSU4E/2R Body: Willowbrook B45F Location: Treharris, Glan-y-Nant Date: 4-Sep-1980
Although Islwyn had, on paper, a fairly standardised fleet by the date of this photograph (with the last PD2s about to be withdrawn), there were many detail differences between them even disregarding the fact that almost every batch was on a Leopard chassis with a different designation from the previous one. A small way these differences manifested themselves was the position of the front fleet numbers - sometimes on the blue, sometimes on the white and, for quite a few like this, this rather odd location across the two colours.
The position was constrained a little in the case of this bus by the position of the Willowbrook badge. What nobody was aware of at the time this pair of Leopards were delivered was that these would be the last in a long line of Willowbrook bodies for West Mon/Islwyn (a total of 48 including two on acquired ex-demonstrators). All future Leopards bought new would be bodied by Marshall.
The road changes here following the closure of the railway resulted in the demolition of the house named Glan-y-Nant which used to be where the bit of road the bus has just driven over is.
