Created 17-Aug-19
Modified 8-Mar-24
These Bristol VRTs were in two groups, the standard ECW-bodied version bought new by National Welsh and a trio of East Lancs-bodied examples which had been new to Rhymney Valley and had been taken over by National Welsh.
The two that were new to National Welsh were both Bristol Bristol VRT/SL3/501 chassis with ECW H43/31F bodies, they were different in that 717 was a low height version whilst 819 was just three inches higher. They were also, oddly, never in the Rhondda Buses fleet at the same time! 717 (GTX 741W) had been new as LR8044 in September 1980 and was renumbered LR1717 in January 1983. Its earlier years seem to have been spent at Cwmbran depot. It was renumbered LR717 in February/March 1986 finally becoming 717 around 1991. Latterly it was based at Barry and remained there until the National Welsh era finally closed in August 1992. It was then acquired by Rhondda Buses and saw out double-deck operation by Rhondda Buses, being withdrawn in May 1997. It didn't travel far as it was sold to Thomas, Porth, who had bought the old bottom garage at Porth. It lasted with them until 2000 when it was sold for scrap.
819 (VHB 679S) had originally been National Welsh HR4478 and seems to have spent its time mainly at Porth depot. New in July 1978 it was renumbered HR1819 in January 1983 and became HR819 in February/March 1986. It joined the Rhondda Buses fleet at formation but does not seem to have operated for very long at all. It was sold to Southend Transport in May-1992 but they didn't use it and it was sold on, re-registered MIW 2422 in August 1993 and exported to the Netherlands, remarkably, in August 2018.
In March 1981 Rhymney Valley District Council took delivery of three Bristol VRT/SL3/6LXB chassis with East Lancs H44/32F bodies 84-86 (GHB 84-86W). These were some of the vehicles National Welsh retained when they took over Rhymney Valley in 1989 and they were allocated numbers XR828-830 in that fleet but for some reason actually carried numbers HR828-830. They ran for a very short time in the first weeks of Rhondda Buses operation (whilst still using the Tellings Golden Miller operating licence) before disposal to a range of operators. The former RVDC 85 was acquired for preservation but unfortunately was damaged in an accident when in storage and had to be scrapped.
© David Beilby
