Created 17-Aug-19
Modified 8-Mar-24
National Welsh bought just ten Leyland Olympians, ONLXB/1R models with ECW H45/32F bodies. They were new as HR8207-8216 (MUH 281-290X) and delivered in March to May of 1982. The batch gained new numbers HR1851-1860 in the January 1983 renumbering and in February/March 1986 became HR851-860. The first five were allocated to Barry depot with the other five being based at Porth. When new they were fitted with ventilators in the upper saloon front windows but these were removed quite quickly, the last to lose them being HR1856 (formerly HR8212) in February 1984.
HR852 was withdrawn following a fire at Barry depot in August 1986 but the remainder survived to the end of National Welsh. They were given numbers 851/853-860 in the Rhondda fleet but the picture is a little complicated. 851 and 856-860 joined the Rhondda fleet from the outset in February 1992 but 853-855 operated at Barry depot until the final demise of National Welsh. Of these 854 joined the Rhondda Buses fleet but the other two did not, but have been reported as being used occasionally whilst Rhondda Buses owned them in their capacity as dealer.
Instead 853 and 855 passed later in 1992 to Southend Transport, joined at the same time by 851 and 856 which had been in the Rhondda fleet. 854 and 857-860 all left the Rhondda fleet in 1995 with all but 859 moving to Luton & District, although operating with several associated fleets. 859 was sold to Armchair Coaches of Brentford and moved about after that. It had a very long active life, seeing almost thirty years's service before being bought for preservation by The Cardiff Transport Preservation Group in 2011. It has since been restored to original National Welsh condition.
© David Beilby
