Created 16-May-19
Modified 8-Mar-24
In 1952 Rhondda bought some late pre-war AEC Regals from Devon General. These were bought primarily to provide vehicles for a contract with the NCB resulting from major improvements at Cwm Colliery but also assisted in the clearing out of some of the miscellaneous pre-war single-deckers that were still in service.
The connection with Devon General is interesting. Both the Rhondda Tramways and Torquay Tramways were built by the National Electric Construction Company (NECC) which also went on to own the associated bus operations, those in Torquay becoming Devon General. The NECC merged with the BET group in 1931 (BET also owning Western Welsh, South Wales and Thomas Bros. of Port Talbot).
There seems to have been a lot of Devon General buses ended up with South Wales BET operators. Two Daimler CWG5 came to Rhondda in exchange for Guy Arabs in 1944, whilst 1952 saw a Devonian invasion. Twelve AEC Regal III coaches went to Western Welsh, Rhondda took thirteen pre-war AEC Regals whilst another fifteen from the same batches went to Thomas Bros. The following year Thomas Bros. took an additional four AEC Regals, this time 1946 examples with Weymann bus bodies. Finally in 1960 Western Welsh took ten AEC Regent III double-deckers, one of which can be seen in the Cardiff to Maerdy service gallery.
The thirteen Regals bought by Rhondda were numbered 1-10 and 12-14. The previous number 11 was still in service at the time. They were in a rather random order, 1 to 10 were registered ETT 996, DOD456, DUO 324, ETT 993, DDV 428/33/34/37/48/49 and 12-14 were DOD 462/68/76. Of these 1-10 had Harrington B35F bodies (1 and 4 had originally had C33F bodies which were rebuilt by Longwell Green to B33F in 1945) whilst 12-14 had Weymann B35F bodies, those on 12 and 13 being also rebuilt by Longwell Green but in 1948. 3 and 14 had been rebuilt by Devon General themselves in 1947 and 1950 respectively, whilst 5 to 10 had been sent to Portsmouth Aviation for rebuild in 1948. 2 had been a 1939 show bus and wasn't rebuilt.
The combined purchases by Rhondda and Thomas Bros. saw them take a lot of the vehicles from the various batches involved that hadn't already been rebodied by Devon General. Of those that remained with Devon General, most were shortly afterwards rebuilt and fitted with Weymann Orion double-deck bodies.
Most of these Regals lasted just until 1954, but 13 lasted until 1955 and 14 hung on until 1957, albeit as a driver training bus since the beginning of 1955. All went for scrap.
© David Beilby
