NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 102
Buses to Llangollen and to Wrexham
Michael L. Roach
When the Ruabon to Barmouth railway line closed in 1965 the passenger trains were replaced by a bus service along the adjacent road route, going through all the same villages and small towns. The present T3 timetable has timing points at many of the names you would recognise from an old railway timetable for Ruabon to Barmouth. In 1965 the bus route would have been operated by Crosville, which was formed 120 years ago in Chester. At its peak Crosville operated a fleet of 841 buses and coaches. After passing through a number of owners Crosville eventually became part of Arriva who still operate a route from Llangollen to Wrexham only. Arriva gave up the route west of Llangollen many years ago and the T3 is now operated by Lloyds Coaches of Machynlleth, formed in 2001, and based at the former Crosville bus garage opposite the railway station in Machynlleth.
When we stayed just outside Llangollen in 2010 Arriva were still operating the T3 but there was also a local bus company called Bryn Melyn operating in the Llangollen / Wrexham area and they had very colourful buses. The firm had been established in 1921 and in 2007 had passed into the ownership of GHA Coaches who kept Bryn Melyn as a separate business – one of a number of subsidiaries, but GHA closed down suddenly in July 2016 at a time when it had more than 300 employees.
I would like to thank John Hutchinson of Norwich most sincerely for researching all the information used in the captions of the photos attached to this article. I am not really a bus enthusiast although I have been photographing them for more than 60 years, so why do I photograph them. The answer to that conundrum is that there is nothing better than a bus for enhancing the street scene and giving a clue to where the photo was taken. This was especially so when every major town and city had its own municipal bus company, and the colour of the buses would help to identify where the photograph was taken. In the 1950s I watched each year as Plymouth Corporation received the latest batch of new half-cab double-deckers from Leyland.
In Arthur Street, Montgomery, Powys is a well known ironmonger selling petrol and diesel across the footway of a public road. On 25 May 2010 we visited the town of Bala one of the major settlements on the Ruabon to Barmouth route despite a population of just 2,000 persons. In Bala there were two garages selling petrol and diesel across the footway in 2010 and they still are I believe. Now I thought the practice of selling fuel across a public highway was banned by Act of Parliament more than fifty years ago circa 1970 because of the risk of something going wrong. I assume that because of the risk the petrol or diesel is dispensed by an attendant rather than self-sevice.
Many railway enthusiasts are aware that the first successful railway-operated bus service was the GWR route from Helston Station to The Lizard which commenced on 17 August 1903. Less well known is the fact that just over a year later the GWR stopped the bus service. The Company announced in the October house magazine that the motor buses used on the Helston - Lizard route would instead be used in the neighbourhood of Kingsbridge, Teignmouth and Dawlish, but that did not happen. Just a month later the magazine announced that in fact the buses had gone to Wrexham and had started operating a bus route from Wrexham Station to Holt and Farndon on 10 October 1904. Now Helston to Wrexham is more than 300 miles so there is no way the buses would have been driven that distance at that time - they would have been taken north in a goods train on a flat wagon. In fact the railways had been delivering steam rollers and traction engines since they were invented in the 1850s. So why did the GWR abandon the Helston – Lizard bus route so soon after starting it. The answer was given in the November 1904 magazine (page 191) - “in consequence of the failure of the local authorities to properly maintain the road.” Four months earlier the magazine reported on page 119 that - “As is well known, roads can only be maintained in a sufficiently sound state to admit of the use of motor vehicles, by the employment of a steam roller to consolidate the metalling.” The then Helston Rural District Council declined to roll their roads at the time.
The website ronsbusesandcoaches.com has a very good section on Bryn Melyn; and Ron also has a really comprehensive website about Crosville Buses called crosville.org
When we stayed just outside Llangollen in 2010 Arriva were still operating the T3 but there was also a local bus company called Bryn Melyn operating in the Llangollen / Wrexham area and they had very colourful buses. The firm had been established in 1921 and in 2007 had passed into the ownership of GHA Coaches who kept Bryn Melyn as a separate business – one of a number of subsidiaries, but GHA closed down suddenly in July 2016 at a time when it had more than 300 employees.
I would like to thank John Hutchinson of Norwich most sincerely for researching all the information used in the captions of the photos attached to this article. I am not really a bus enthusiast although I have been photographing them for more than 60 years, so why do I photograph them. The answer to that conundrum is that there is nothing better than a bus for enhancing the street scene and giving a clue to where the photo was taken. This was especially so when every major town and city had its own municipal bus company, and the colour of the buses would help to identify where the photograph was taken. In the 1950s I watched each year as Plymouth Corporation received the latest batch of new half-cab double-deckers from Leyland.
In Arthur Street, Montgomery, Powys is a well known ironmonger selling petrol and diesel across the footway of a public road. On 25 May 2010 we visited the town of Bala one of the major settlements on the Ruabon to Barmouth route despite a population of just 2,000 persons. In Bala there were two garages selling petrol and diesel across the footway in 2010 and they still are I believe. Now I thought the practice of selling fuel across a public highway was banned by Act of Parliament more than fifty years ago circa 1970 because of the risk of something going wrong. I assume that because of the risk the petrol or diesel is dispensed by an attendant rather than self-sevice.
Many railway enthusiasts are aware that the first successful railway-operated bus service was the GWR route from Helston Station to The Lizard which commenced on 17 August 1903. Less well known is the fact that just over a year later the GWR stopped the bus service. The Company announced in the October house magazine that the motor buses used on the Helston - Lizard route would instead be used in the neighbourhood of Kingsbridge, Teignmouth and Dawlish, but that did not happen. Just a month later the magazine announced that in fact the buses had gone to Wrexham and had started operating a bus route from Wrexham Station to Holt and Farndon on 10 October 1904. Now Helston to Wrexham is more than 300 miles so there is no way the buses would have been driven that distance at that time - they would have been taken north in a goods train on a flat wagon. In fact the railways had been delivering steam rollers and traction engines since they were invented in the 1850s. So why did the GWR abandon the Helston – Lizard bus route so soon after starting it. The answer was given in the November 1904 magazine (page 191) - “in consequence of the failure of the local authorities to properly maintain the road.” Four months earlier the magazine reported on page 119 that - “As is well known, roads can only be maintained in a sufficiently sound state to admit of the use of motor vehicles, by the employment of a steam roller to consolidate the metalling.” The then Helston Rural District Council declined to roll their roads at the time.
The website ronsbusesandcoaches.com has a very good section on Bryn Melyn; and Ron also has a really comprehensive website about Crosville Buses called crosville.org
SN03 DZZ is seen crossing the River Dee on route 5 to Wrexham bus station, on 22.05.2010 This was a Transbus Dart which was new to Lothian Buses in 2003. Purchased by Arriva, before it moved on again, and here it is being operated by GHA Coaches – clearly not on its intended branded route of Connect 88 which was Altrincham to Knutsford. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Bryn Melyn R669 UCC is working the 64 to Chirk on 22.05.2010. I could not find such a service currently. This was a Mercedes 814D with Marshall bodywork which Bryn Melyn bought new in September 1997 and withdrew from service in May 2015. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
R32 GNW is about to cross Llangollen Bridge. This was a DAF SB220LF with Plaxton bodywork which previously worked in Eastbourne (as a demonstrator) and in Preston (with J. Fishwick). Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Arriva CX05 AAE is seen on the Barmouth to Wrexham service in the centre of Bala on 25.05.2010. Then numbered X94 the service was being operated by a 12-metre VDL SB200 (originally a DAF SB200) with Wright Commander bodywork. Arriva took more than 90 percent of the 315 built. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
In 2010 this filling station was selling fuel across the footway on the south side of the main A494 through Bala town centre; towards the east end of the High Street. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Further west down the High Street was this much larger Texaco filling station also selling fuel across the footway. It is now a Gulf branded filling station. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A Bryn Melyn double-decker F201OPD stands in the main car park at Llangollen alongside a visiting Shearing's coach on 26.05.2010. This interesting bus was a Dennis Dominator with East Lancs bodywork; new in November 1988 to London & Country at Leatherhead; it came to Bryn Melyn in May 1998 and was scrapped at Corwen in 2011. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
On the last day of rail passenger services to Helston, Saturday 3 November 1962, Western National 1811 stands outside the station building on route 26 to The Lizard. The bus is a Bristol KS6B with 8-feet wide bodywork dating from 1950. Note how the radiator has been partly covered to prevent too much cooling in the coming harsh winter of 1962-63, which was very necessary as it turned out. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A Cornish holiday
Roger Geach
34028 crosses Cornwalls tallest viaduct, St. Pinnock with The Great Britain XVIII. 18.04.2026, copyright Roger Geach.
Good light at Forder as 34028 returns the tour the next day. 19.04.2026, copyright Roger Geach.
Mondays 6G09 at Middleway behind 66734. 20.04.2026, copyright Roger Geach.
Many thanks indeed Roger - great to see some pics from you back on 'home turf'!
Ivybridge Clay
Clive Smith
Royal purple liveried Union Jack embossed GBRf 66734 'Platinum Jubilee' passes Palace Lane Bridge in Ivybridge running 70 minutes early with the 6C53 15.35 Par - Exeter Riverside clay JIAs which started at Par Harbour. 22.04.2026, copyright Clive Smith.
Nice shot Clive - many thanks.
Helston Station
Stewart Frazer
I have long held an interest in the Helston Branch line since I attended the grammar school in the town in the 1950s and would get off the bus at the station yard and walk a few hundred yards to the school. We would often meet our friends there arriving by train from Praze and Nancegollan. I travelled on the line a few times myself, to visit friends, on school trips and to scout activities at the Trevarno Estate. My interest was piqued by a photograph of the station attributed to Sid Sponheimer that I came across on this website. It shows a Western National double decker, route number 28. This ran between Helston and St Keverne, I think that name is discernible on the destination board below that of Helston. That bus however often started it’s journey in Porthallow on the coast and was thus known to us as the “Praller” bus, using the vernacular term for that village.
Our bus that I boarded in Manaccan was on route 29 and the daily issue was whose bus would get to the station first. The 29 would join the St Keverne - Helston road at the T junction at Double Lodges and from there the race was on!
Our bus that I boarded in Manaccan was on route 29 and the daily issue was whose bus would get to the station first. The 29 would join the St Keverne - Helston road at the T junction at Double Lodges and from there the race was on!
Sid Sponheimers photograph of Helston Station showing a Western National double decker, route number 28. Copyright Sid Sponheimer.
Fantastic memories and a great story Stewart, thanks for sharing it with us. I'm glad that Sids photo rekindled some memories.
'Judy' on tour!
Steve Widdowson
A picture of Bodmins "Judy" during the Severn Valley Rly steam gala taken on 18th April. It's top and tailed with a 'Pug' and has arrived with the 1320 shuttle from Bwedley. Copyright Steve Widdowson.
Many thanks Steve, little Judy a long way from home there!
April 1976
Part 23
Roger Winnen
 Looking down on the line from Lee Mount. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen. |  Dawlish from Lee Mount. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen. |
A Western with a freight at Dawlish. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
Looking down on Dawlish. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
 A Peak on a freight at Dawlish. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen. |  Peak at Dawlish. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen. |
A DMU calls at Dawlish. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
Camping coaches at Dawlish. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
Exeter Cathedral. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
 Lympstone Station. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen. |  Lympstone Station. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen. |
Lympstone Commando Station. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
A Western departs Exeter St David's. 23.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.