Created 21-Jun-19
Modified 8-Mar-24
Like Atlanteans 512-520, these buses were ordered by Rhondda but not delivered until after the absorption by Western Welsh in January 1971, actually arriving in April 1971.
Originally intended to be Rhondda 325-334, they actually arrived as Western Welsh 2325-2334 (BTX 325-334J). By this stage Rhondda was no longer able to buy the Tiger Cub chassis so this batch were the closest equivalent, and were Leyland Leopard PSU4A/2R chassis with Willowbrook B45F bodies. The shorter PSU4 chassis would be needed as many of the routes that would be worked by these single-deckers had difficult corners with limited space.
This batch replaced the last of the 1954 and 1955 Leyland Tiger Cubs which had given exceptional service to Rhondda with operating lives much longer than the usual twelve years.
The batch led fairly uneventful careers, straying little, if at all, from Porth depot, latterly as National Welsh vehicles. In the 1974 renumbering they became U11-2071, numbers they then retained until the 1983 re-numbering. 2330, by then U1671, was withdrawn in 1980 but U11-1571 and U17-2071 became U1274-1282 although U1276 was only allocated the number and was withdrawn in 1982 before receiving it. Most of the batch was withdrawn in 1983 but U1277/1282 (BTX 328/334J) lasted until 1984.
U1274/1280 (BTX 325/332J) were loaned to South Wales Transport in August 1983 and probably didn't work for National Welsh again. Four of the batch were destined to survive longer as BTX 326/329/332/334J were selected to become towing buses. The conversion entailed losing most of their seats and having the rear overhang shortened. BTX 326J became E1072, BTX 329J became E1074, BTX 332J became E1077, and BTX 334J became E1080, with all being given the yellow livery used by National Welsh for service vehicles. However, BTX 326J's role was to prove relatively short-lived as it was withdrawn following an accident by early 1987.
© David Beilby
