Subject: Rhondda Buses Q389 UHB
Chassis: AEC Mammoth Major 6 TG6R
Location: Porth depot
Date: mid-1990s

This AEC lorry chassis was new around 1970 to the Royal Navy, with whom it was registered 27 RN 17. It was initially bought by South Wales Transport but transferred to National Welsh in November 1983.

The conversion, using Leyland National body components, was done at the Bulwark workshops in Chepstow, following which it was allocated to Porth depot as T1097. It operated on trade plates until 1987 when it received the registration seen here. It passed to Rhondda Buses in 1992 and received Rhondda livery instead of the original National Welsh yellow.

This vehicle was fitted with a replacment cab at some point after conversion - this one has the plainer grille fitted to later Ergomatic cabs whereas originally it had one with surrounding trim. This also probably explains the "Mercury' badge indicating that the cab originated on a four-whel chassis. The illuminated sign on the cab roof was another change and was likely to be something specified by the original operator of the Mercury -it wasn't something the Royal Navy had much need for!

This vehicle has since been preserved.

From an original negative in the David Beilby collection, photographer unknown