Created 15-Aug-19
Modified 8-Mar-24
Rhondda Buses took over a selection of Leyland Nationals from National Welsh. The latter had a large fleet of the type of which Rhondda only took over a small proportion. However, as they retained their National Welsh fleet numbers it meant that their fleet numbers were a rather jumbled collection. The picture was confused in the early days as Rhondda Buses took on more vehicles in a dealer capacity and some of these ran in service very briefly. I believe the list below to be accurate.
The detailed history of these vehicles before the takeover by Rhondda Buses will be dealt with in due course in the galleries relating to Red & White, Western Welsh and Jones, Aberbeeg with some of the history reflected in the photograph captions, so that part of their history will not be covered here.
All these vehicles joined the Rhondda Buses fleet at its formation in February 1992 except 621 which was part of the allocation of the final National Welsh depot and didn't transfer until May 1992.
There were eight 11.3 metre long semi-coach versions, which were 401/412 (KDW 347/358P) and 424-426/428/429/435 (NWO 458/460/462/463/469R). 401 was new as Jones, Aberbeeg ND3975 whilst 412 was new as Western Welsh ND5075 in October 1975. 424-426 had been new to Red & White and 428/429/435 to Western Welsh, being new from December 1976 to April 1977.
There were five 10.3 metre long bus versions, which were better suited to some of the Rhondda local services with tight corners. These were 473/475 (YBO 148/150T) and 476/478/479 (YDW 398/400/401T) and new to National Welsh as NS15/17/18/20/2179 in 1979. The short National only ever formed a small part of the National Welsh fleet, which had just twenty-one of this variant bought new (along with three National 2s).
Finally there were ten 11.3m long buses. These were 576 (NWO 492R), 606 (PKG 738R), 621 (SKG 925S), 629/636/638 (WUH 162/169/171T), 650/654 (BUH 215/219V), 657 (NHA 264M) and 660 (MAR 796P). 576 was new in November 1976 as N4776, 606 new in May 1977 as N4377 and 621 in January 1978 as N5877, all three being Western Welsh vehicles originally. 626/636/638/650/654 were all new to National Welsh in July 1978 (626), August 1978 (636/638) and November 1979 (650/654).
The other two 11.3m Nationals were ones bought secondhand in the final days of National Welsh. Both had come from Brewer's at Caerau but had very different origins. 657 (NHA 264M) had been National Welsh N657 when acquired but had been new in October 1973 as Midland Red 264. 660 didn't carry a fleet number prefix in its time with National Welsh and had been new in June 1976 as Eastern National 1774.
These Nationals were gradually withdrawn as new vehicles joined the fleet. Just one (475) remained in service at the time of the Stagecoach takeover and even that had been transferred to Parfitt's.
© David Beilby
