Another Holiday in Caernarvonshire 1973

Another Holiday in Caernarvonshire 1973

A while ago I posted a gallery of photopraphs taken on a family holiday in Llanbedrog in 1967.
I revisited the area again in 1973 and here is another selection of local independents' vehicles that I took on that occasion.
I have used the placename spellings which were current at the time of my visit and so apologise now to any Welshmen/women who may disapprove !

XKT 997 - Clynnog & Trevor - 1956 AEC Reliance/Weymann B42F ex-Maidstone & District SO220

Operating their principal service between Pwllheli and Caernarvon, which alternated with Crosville's N82, C&T's buses deviated from the main road to serve their home village of Trevor. Turning off at Penlon by Merbwll Farm - where the family had stayed in 1965 and I had first become acquainted with C&T's delightful fleet - and running down a narrow twisty lane into the village, it passed their depot in the centre then returned up a different straighter road to rejoin the Crosville route which is what XKT 997 is about to do.

YKR 237 - Clynnog & Trevor - AEC Reliance/Beadle ex-Maidstone & Distric SO237.

These Beadle bus bodies were uncommon and were similar to those used on the integral Commer/Beadle 'Chatham' model. Seen on the main road heading towards Pwllheli somewhere between Caernarvon and Clynnog.

255 BKM - Clynnog & Trevor - AEC Reliance/Harrington ex-Maidstone & District SO255.

Harrington bus bodies were also relatively uncommon. This one is caught negotiating the narrow winding village street in Trevor.

YKR 225 - Clynnog & Trevor - 1957 AEC Reliance MU3RV/Beadle B42F ex-Maidstone & District SO225.
NBL 732 - Silver Star - Bristol SC4LK/ECW B35F ex-Thames Valley.

In between trips, independents operating into Caernarvon laid over on the parking area below the castle and beside the quay.

FMO 23 - Silver Star - Bristol LL5G/ECW FB39F ex-Thames Valley.

New to South Midland as their 548, a Bristol L6B with Windover C33F body, in 1958 it was lengthened to 30ft and fitted with a Gardner 5LW engine (turning it into an LL5G) and rebodied with an SC-style FB39F body. It was then transferred to Thames Valley as their 819. Withdrawn in 1968 it was sold to Express Motors of Rhostryfan, before later passing to Silver Star. Seen here negotiating the streets of Caernarvon.

GHD 747 - Silver Star - 1961 AEC Reliance 2MU3RV/Marshall B43F ex-Yorkshire Woollen District 240.

A familiar bus originating from my own part of the world, this rather plain looking standard BET-style single decker is seen waiting on the quayside parking area.

LTT 913 - Whiteways - 1949 Bedford OB/Duple Vista new to Sunbeam, Torquay and now preserved.

Whiteways had a number of OB's - some bought new, some acquired. This one looks quite diminutive surrounded by much newer mostly 36-footer coaches - Greenslade's Bristol LH UUO 451J is alongside, and Berry, Taunton's Reliance MYD 599L to the right.

GWP 577 - Whiteways - - Bedford OB/Duple Vista.

One of the secondhand purchases seen outside the depot at Waunfawr. I have no information as to its origins.

MHU 50 - Whiteways - 1949 Bedford OB/Duple Mark IV B30F ex Bristol Omnibus Co. in 1957 and now preserved.
ACC 712 - Whiteways - 1951 Bedford OB/Duple Vista new to Whiteways and believed also now preserved.

Bus and coach versions of Duple's OB bodies. Duple's first postwar bus body for the OB - the Mark II - was a development of the very basic wartime utility body for the OWB with a bit more curvature. After building only a few they found themselves having to concentrate on meeting the insatiable demand for coaches and passed production of the Mk II to Mulliner's who went on to build around 500 to the same design. However in 1949 Duple re-entered the field with the very much smarter Mk IV (not sure what the Mk III was) - like this one on the left - which incorporated much of the Vistas styling features. Seen parked beside Whiteways depot.

TPY 65 - AEC Reliance/Duple Brittania of about 1959 or 1960.

Parked up and abandoned on the roadside - I think it was on the road between Pwllheli and Llanbedrog, and with an 'On Hire to Crosville' sticker in windscreen, I'm afraid I did not record the owner's details (Over to you Neville Mercer !).

SJJ 314 - Caelloi Motors - 1956 Leyland Tiger Cub PSUC1/2/Harrington Wayfarer C37C new to George Ewer's Grey Green Coaches of London N.16.

Another once fine coach parked up on the roadside near Pwllheli. The livery was an an acquired taste which I'm afraid I failed to acquire !

 

John Stringer
10/2012


22/10/12 - 16:59

My mouth is still watering and I've already looked at these photographs half a dozen times - every one of them would have looked great in my North Wales book. As far as I can tell the Reliance/Duple Britannia is actually TPY 85 (not 65), chassis number 2MU3RA1960, delivered new to Sunter Bros of Northallerton in 1959. Three years later it passed to Caelloi Motors of Pwllheli which is how it came to be in North Wales. In May 1970 Caelloi sold it on to the Clynnog & Trevor Motor Co which explains why it is red rather than pink. Don't have any further details of it after 1971, although your photograph indicates that it was still with C&T in 1973. Does anybody have details of its fate?
Incidentally, in PSV Circle news-sheets back in 1962 (when its move to Caelloi was recorded) the vehicle is described in three separate entries as having PLAXTON C41F bodywork, so anybody searching for its more detailed history should be aware of this error and save themselves the thankless chore of going through Plaxton body lists trying to find it! I speak from experience.

Neville Mercer


23/10/12 - 17:08

Thanks once again Neville for your appreciative comments.
I've had your book on order ever since it was announced. Now I finally have it and must say that I'm very impressed, as I was with the Staffordshire and Shropshire books. I just wish I'd known about the North Wales book whilst you were still writing it, as you could mostly certainly have used any of my photos.

John Stringer

 

A Holiday in Caernarvonshire 1967 can be viewed here.

 


 

Comments regarding the above are more than welcome please get in touch via the 'Contact Page' or by email at obp-admin@nwframpton.com


If you have any bus related photographs that you would like to appear in a gallery on this website please send them to me by email at obp-admin@nwframpton.com


Quick links to  -  Galleries  -  Comments  -  Contact  -  Home

All rights to the design and layout of this website are reserved     

Old Bus Photos from Saturday 25th April 2009 to Wednesday 3rd January 2024