Created 2-Apr-20
Modified 8-Mar-24
This collection includes the Leyland Tigers in the Rhondda Buses fleet that didn't come from National Welsh. They came from a diverse range of sources and almost have to be dealt with individually:
700 (F311 RMH) was a TRBTL11/2RP chassis with a Duple 300 B55F body. It had been new in August 1988 to Jim Stones, Glazebury. It was sold to Whitelaw, Stonehouse and then passed to Kelvin Central as their 1281. It joined the Rhondda Buses fleet in early 1994 and after just over a year it was re-registered A17 RBL. In the Stagecoach fleet it was numbered 918 and after it left that fleet it moved to Blue Bus with whom it lost its cherished mark and was given the new registration F816 OVU.
701/702 (F603/604 CET) had both been new to Whitelaw, Stonehouse in October 1988 and were also TRBTL11/2RP models but this time with Plaxton Derwent 3000 B54F bodies. They moved to Kelvin Central as 1283/1284 before moving again to Thames Transit as their 993/994. They arrived at Rhondda Buses in mid-1994. They received cherished marks A19/20 RBL in early 1995 but 701 reverted to its original mark in mid-1997 prior to a rather complex subsequent history. It was sold to South Lancs Transport, St. Helens (very soon to be known as Arriva Lancashire) and was re-registered 49 XBF when with that fleet and numbered 849. The Arriva Lancashire operation was soon absorbed into other parts of the group and it then transferred to Arriva North West. Later it moved to Arriva Midlands North, first numbered 1649 then 3039. Its final disposal, by then once again united with its original registration F603 CET, was to TM Travel who painted it in a livery not unlike one it would have received had it been painted in the final version of the Rhondda Buses livery.
702's later story is much simpler - it remained with Rhondda Buses until the takeover and became Stagecoach Red & White 920. It was sold to GHA Coaches in June 2000 and remained in use for a long time, not going for scrap until October 2013.
703 (G399 PNN) had a rather unusual pedigree as it started life as van in the Prison Service, new in June 1990. Unlike the other Tigers it had a Cummins L10 engine and was of chassis type TRBL10/2RZA. When acquired at the beginning of 1995 the original body by G. C. Smith was removed and replaced with an East Lancs DP49F body. It was the only one of this group of Tigers to receive the later livery incorporating more cream. Towards the end of 1995 the seating was changed to DP53F and in early 1996 it was re-registered A13 RBL. It passed to Stagecoach as their 913, later moving to Southlands Travel, Bromley then Boomerang Bus Company (Warner's of Tewkesbury) who re-registered it AAL 520A. Curiously, this registration had been carried by National Welsh Leyland Tiger UC1208 which went on to become Rhondda Buses 908. The final disposal was to Ogden, St. Helens.
© David Beilby
