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LLANGOLLEN, the home of the Welsh Eisteddfod music festival, provides the delightful operational base for two psv operators.
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Bryn Melyn Motor Services have been operating rural bus services in the Vale of Llangollen since 1921 when the company's first bus, a Model T Ford with aircraft-type seats, was bought. A picture on a wall in the firm's head office, a converted chapel, shows a 1925 Dodge bus with a handsome young driver standing beside it. This driver, although now retired, is still a regular visitor to the office.
Happy with Bedfords
Mrs Beryl Davis has managed Bryn Melyn (which is Welsh for Yellow Hill, the name of the founder's house) for the past 26 years. The bus fleet consists of some 14-seat Ford Transit minibuses and three 41seater Willowbrook-bodied Bedford SB service saloons.
Mrs Davis and her drivers feel that these Bedfords are ideal for rural bus operations. They are functional, simple to maintain and very reliable. It is hoped that the oldest vehicle in the fleet, registered in 1971, will soon be replaced by a new vehicle to the same specification.
Bryn Melyn Motor Services are owned by local businessman Teddy Broadhurst. Mr Broadhurst is a firm believer in private enterprise and as such Bryn Melyn Motor Services run rural stage carriage services with no local authority subsidy at all.
Mrs Davies speaks very highly of the team of drivers Bryn Melyn employs. Many have been employed for many years and help with vehicle maintenance as well as building up good passenger relationships.
Profit sharing
A profit-sharing bonus system is operated which gives a fair bonus reflecting the year's business to each driver at the end of the year.
School contracts and four regular stage carriage services are operated. Many villagers around about rely on Bryn Melyn Motor Services for getting to Llangollen.
At one time Bryn Melyn Motor Services operated many day tours and excursions, although when Dr Beeching axed Llangollen railway station it was decided to dispose of this side of the business. In 1 964 the tour licences of Bryn Melyn Motor Services were bought by Roberts Coaches of Cefn Mawr near Ruabon.
This brought about the birth of Vale of Llangollen Tours and Holidays which are now run by the Roberts family. Increased tourism as well as a strong local clientele has caused the healthy growth of Vale of Llangollen Tours.
Mike Roberts runs the coach and travel business with advice from his father, Theo Roberts, now semi-retired but still advising on the course of the business, and brothers Russell and Ralph who take care of maintaining and repairinc vehicle fleet.
Tourism has brought a diversification; sister Gi Roberts for the last 15 mc has operated a Pony Trel centre offering inch_ holidays in the ValE Llangollen.
The partners Roberts now are Inning on opening a hotel to mplement the coach and liday business they operate. Vale of Llangollen Tours erate eight modern lul Vale of Llangollen coaches o often assist National Travel press coaches during the siest periods of the summer ison. The annual Eisteddfod olves Mike Roberts in organig transport arrangements for to 1,850 competitors as well many thousands of visitors. Natural diversification has ) led to a thriving travel office Llangollen selling Vale of igollen's own tours as well )eing agents for other holiday rata rs. ihe firm earns its bread and ter with local stage carriage /ices from the town of Cefn wr, Clwyd County school itracts and local industry -ks contracts. Tourism pro)s the jam. s, full private-hire book helps p the Vale of Llangollen ch fleet busy and also pro)s extra work for its fleet of r double-deckers used on Doi contracts. A Ford Transit sts the stage carriage sers. Vale of Llangollen ches also operate on the e carriage services. found it refreshing to see thriving passenger -ations operating together in same area, both providing worthwhile and necessary ices complementing each r as well as Crosville, the I National Bus Company • Noel MillierTags