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 !

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.

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.

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

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

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 Withdrawn in 1968 it was sold to Express Motors of Rhostryfan, before later passing to Silver Star.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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 !).

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

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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

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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.

 

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