Home»All Photographs»South Wales»Rhondda's Buses»Rhondda Buses Limited vehicles»Metroriders from London Buses (2118-2124, 2128, 2129)

This gallery, of the highest-numbered buses in the Rhondda Buses fleet, comprises a selection of MCW Metroriders bought secondhand by Rhondda Buses, Parfitt's or Cyril Evans but all ending up in the Rhondda fleet.

The first group had been new in June 1987 to London Buses (Westlink) and were MCW Metrorider MF150/14 with B23F bodies. They were used on minibus routes in Kingston but were a little too successful as the demand generated meant that bigger buses were required. They then moved around in London before disposal started:

2118 (D473 PON) new as London Buses MR13, to Rhondda Buses Sep-1992. Withdrawn end of 1996, to Phil Anslow, Pontypool.
2124 (D472 PON) new as London Buses MR12, to Cyril Evans Sep-1992, to Rhondda Buses May-1993. Withdrawn Aug-1997 and sold for scrap.
2125 (D479 PON) new as London Buses MR19, to Parfitt's Aug-1992. Withdrawn end of 1996, to Phil Anslow, Pontypool.
2126 (D481 PON) new as London Buses MR21, to Parfitt's May-1993. Withdrawn end of 1996, to Phil Anslow, Pontypool.
2127 (D482 PON) new as London Buses MR22, to Parfitt's May-1993. Withdrawn mid-1997 and sold for scrap.

Note that 2125-2127 only worked for the Parfitt's fleet but are included here for completeness.

The second batch of Metroriders started operation from North Wembley working the Harrow hoppa services, but later moved around the capital as many of the Harrow Buses routes were lost in tendering. They were MF150/14 models with B25F bodies. The ones in the Rhondda fleet were:

2119 (E132 KYW) new as London Buses MR32, to Rhondda Buses Aug-1992. Withdrawn mid-1995 sold to Bevan, Edge End.
2122 (E128 KYW) new as London Buses MR28, to Cyril Evans Aug-1992, to Rhondda Buses May-1993. Withdrawn end-1996, to Harris, Pengam.
2123 (E137 KYW) new as London Buses MR37, to Cyril Evans Nov-1992, to Rhondda Buses May-1993. Withdrawn mid-1995 sold to Bevan, Edge End.
2128 (E143 KYW) new as London Buses MR43, to Parfitt's May-1993, to Rhondda Buses late 1995 withdrawn early-1996. To Rossendale (43).
2129 (E144 KYW) new as London Buses MR44, to Parfitt's Apr-1994, to Rhondda Buses late 1995 withdrawn early-1996. To Rossendale (44).

2119, 2122 and 2123 had been new in Sep-1987 whilst 2128 and 2129 were new in Oct-1987.

2120 (E640 KYW) and 2121 (E930 KYR) were new as Bexleybus 40 and 30 respectively. 40 was an MF150/57 model with DP25F body new in Dec-1987 and 30 was an MF150/46 with a B25F body new the previous month. After Bexleybus disappeared they were numbered in the London Buses series as MR64 and MR54. Both moved in Aug-1992, E640 KYW joined the Rhondda Buses fleet directly in Aug-1992 but E930 KYR passed to Cyril Evans and didn't join the Rhondda Buses fleet until May 1993. Both were withdrawn in mid-1995 with 2120 passing to Bulwark Engineering, however 2121 returned to London with F. E. Thorpe of Perivale.