Created 2-Apr-20
Modified 8-Mar-24
Rhondda Buses operated three Volvo B10Ms which came from very diverse origins indeed although the original operators of all three were Scottish. In addition there were five that came from National Welsh which only operated a couple of months - these are covered in a separate gallery.
704 started life as one of a pair of Volvo B10M-50s new to Fife Scottish which had unusual Alexander RVC-type CH42/28F bodies. They were FRA75/76 (B175/176 FFS) in the Fife fleet and carried a livery of yellow with three shades of blue - Scottish Citylink livery but with Fife branding. FRA76 (B176 FFS), the one that would become Rhondda 704, was exhibited at the 1984 Motor Show at the NEC.
FRA76 received Fife Scottish fleet livery in later 1985 as it was no longer used on Citylink services, this livery changing in detail more than once. In September 1987 it was transferred to Western Scottish where it became V176 and it once again received Citylink livery. It was re-numbered V999 in mid-1990 and about the same time was re-registered WLT 444 using a registration from a Routemaster in the associated Clydeside fleet, transferred shortly before withdrawal of the Routemaster fleet. In October 1991 V999 was renumbered V899 and in December 1991 it lost cherished mark WLT 444 and received new mark B660 EGG.
Both these vehicles had followed similar paths until the end of 1994. However, whilst the former B175 FFS went on to become a playbus(!) the former B176 FFS, now registered B660 EGG, was sold to Rhondda Buses and rebodied with an East Lancs DP53F body and entered service in November 1995. In early 1996 it received its fourth registration mark, becoming A14 RBL. Following the Stagecoach takeover it became 744 in that fleet and operated from Brynmawr for some time. It was numbered 20001 in the national numbering scheme and ended its days back at Porth as a driver training vehicle. It later passed to GHA of Wrexham.
705 had a simpler life but was another unusual vehicle, being one of just two bus versions of the Van Hool Alizée body imported into the UK and on Volvo B10M-56 chassis. It was new to Hutchison of Overtown who bought both examples of the type registered B947/948 ASU. B947 ASU passed to Henderson Travel, Hamilton in 1991 before moving to Rhondda Buses as 705 in mid-1995. It was re-registered A15 RBL in early 1996 and became Stagecoach 745 on the takeover. It had a long life passing to GHA, Wrexham in 2000 where it was re-seated to B64F and then in 2010 it moved to Carson (WJC) of Chapelhall, near Airdrie where it lasted at least another three years, being nearly thirty years old at that point.
900 differed from the other two in being acquired for coach use. It was a Volvo B10M-61 with a Van Hool Alizée body that was new to Park, Hamilton registered MSU 571Y and was the first of their intake for the 1983 season. They sold it to Scarlet Band, West Cornforth and it subsequently passed to Tellings-Golden Miller where it was numbered 73, having gained a new registration mark of YLP 528 along the way. When they transferred operation of the 701 TrawsCambria service to Rhondda Buses at the end of 1994 this coach was also transferred. It remained for about a year and was then transferred again, along with the service, to Parfitt's at Rhymney Bridge who were by then owned by Rhondda Buses. It became 748 in the Stagecoach fleet on takeover and lasted until 1999 when it too joined the fleet of GHA in Wrexham.
© David Beilby
