Western Welsh
Encyclopedia
Western Welsh was a Welsh bus
operating company, based in Cardiff
covering South Wales
and the northern parts of the West Country
. Formed in 1920, it was nationalised and became part of the National Welsh Omnibus Services in 1969.
Established in 1919 in Cardiff by a brewing family, South Wales Commercial Motors grew by acquisition, eventually operating bus services in South Wales as far west as St David's
and Tenby
in Pembrokeshire
, and as far north as Brecon
via the South Wales Valleys
. In 1927, the company came to an agreement with the Great Western Railway
to takeover their bus services
in both South Wales, and areas of southern Gloucestershire
and northern Somerset
surrounding Bristol
and Bath. In return, the GWR took a minority share holding in the renamed Western Welsh.
In 1931, the GWR sold their bus company shareholdings to British Electric Traction
, who continued expansion of the company by acquisition. As with other BET companies, Western Welsh's fleet included a significant number of AEC and Leyland
types, including AEC Bridgemasters and Albion Nimbuses, all of which appeared in the company's familiar all-red livery.
Although entire UK railway network was nationalised in 1948 when they passed to the British Transport Commission
, many bus services remained in private hands.
In 1969 all of BET's operational subsidiaries were nationalised with the formation of the National Bus Company, with Western Welsh's operations forming the core of National Welsh. In 1970, NBC transferred Western Welsh's operations west of Bridgend
to its subsidiaries South Wales Transport and Crosville.
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
operating company, based in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
covering South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
and the northern parts of the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
. Formed in 1920, it was nationalised and became part of the National Welsh Omnibus Services in 1969.
Established in 1919 in Cardiff by a brewing family, South Wales Commercial Motors grew by acquisition, eventually operating bus services in South Wales as far west as St David's
St David's
St Davids , is a city and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Lying on the River Alun on St David's Peninsula, it is Britain's smallest city in terms of both size and population, the final resting place of Saint David, the country's patron saint, and the de facto ecclesiastical capital of...
and Tenby
Tenby
Tenby is a walled seaside town in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales, lying on Carmarthen Bay.Notable features of Tenby include of sandy beaches; the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse ; 15th century St...
in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, and as far north as Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
via the South Wales Valleys
South Wales Valleys
The South Wales Valleys are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales, stretching from eastern Carmarthenshire in the west to western Monmouthshire in the east and from the Heads of the Valleys in the north to the lower-lying, pastoral country of the Vale of Glamorgan and the coastal plain...
. In 1927, the company came to an agreement with the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
to takeover their bus services
GWR road motor services
The Great Western Railway road motor services operated from 1903 to 1933, both as a feeder to their train services, and as a cheaper alternative to building new railways in rural areas...
in both South Wales, and areas of southern Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
and northern Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
surrounding Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and Bath. In return, the GWR took a minority share holding in the renamed Western Welsh.
In 1931, the GWR sold their bus company shareholdings to British Electric Traction
British Electric Traction
British Electric Traction Company Limited, renamed BET plc in 1985, was a large British industrial conglomerate. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but was acquired by Rentokil in 1996, and the merged company is now known as Rentokil Initial.- Early history :The company was founded as...
, who continued expansion of the company by acquisition. As with other BET companies, Western Welsh's fleet included a significant number of AEC and Leyland
Leyland Bus
Leyland Bus was a British bus manufacturer. It emerged from the Rover Group as a management buyout of the bus business...
types, including AEC Bridgemasters and Albion Nimbuses, all of which appeared in the company's familiar all-red livery.
Although entire UK railway network was nationalised in 1948 when they passed to the British Transport Commission
British Transport Commission
The British Transport Commission was created by Clement Attlee's post-war Labour government as a part of its nationalisation programme, to oversee railways, canals and road freight transport in Great Britain...
, many bus services remained in private hands.
In 1969 all of BET's operational subsidiaries were nationalised with the formation of the National Bus Company, with Western Welsh's operations forming the core of National Welsh. In 1970, NBC transferred Western Welsh's operations west of Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
to its subsidiaries South Wales Transport and Crosville.