There has been a change of minibuses within the fleet.
Joining is YS61MBV a Ford Transit M16 It was new in Janauray 2012 to AS Northern, Urmston, Greater Manchester.
Left the fleet is BW11KGE a Mercedes Sprinter 313cdi / Elite Conversions which came from Lloyd of Machynlleth.
As indicated in a post from September the firm have now taken delivery of the Mercedes Benz 513CDI Treka Mobility+ B24FL It was new in June 2015 to London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
Its original number was KN15XSZ but it has been registered to PCZ5691.
The MoT facility at the premises in Bagillt is now operational for Cars and Vans. It will be available for Buses and HGV in a short while.
The two vehicles recently acquired in orange livery have now had vinyls applied.
This firm has now six Caetano Levantes in the fleet.
FJ11GMF - Volvo B9R / Caetano Levante (C70FL) arrived in September. It was new to de Courcey, Coventry; (6/17) Blue Fox, Peterborough; (12/19) Compass Royston; (8/25) East Yorkshire;
(Photo courtesy Richard Hughes)
The sixth vehicle has only just arrived from Llew Jones and is still in white livery. It is FJ60HXV Volvo B9R / Caetano Levante (C70FL)
Joined the fleet is VN65DOA a Renault Master M16. It was new in December 2015 to AV Travel Coventry. (as A4NTV). It was with Pickering, Edinburgh in October 2021 (as 16MSP) then with Brockie, Edinburgh (9/24)
Two vehicles are about to join the fleet and are currently being upseated to 70 seats.
They carried the registration numbers GJ13FLM and YK13WTX and are Volvo B9R / Plaxton Panther 2. They were new in 2013 and have been with the MoD and are coming from Mistral, Knustford.
They are likely to be re-registered before arriving and will eventually be painted into the operators orange livery.
Arrived with the firm is BV24LMK a Volvo B8RLE / MCV eVoRa (B38F). It was new to Lloyds Coaches, Machynlleth in June 2024.
It will be joined soon by two further '24' plate similar examples and also with a '26' plate and these will then be utilised to operate the T8 TrawsCymru service Chester - Corwen.
Two vehicles are leaving the fleet.
Transport for Wales are having numerous public drop-in events in north Wales. Linked to these sessions is an on-line survey. The declared objective of the event is to help shape the future of bus services in North Wales.
I regret to say that I am very sceptical that the public will not actually have any say in the future planning of the bus network.
I attended two sessions so far and overheard a number of conversations where passengers were complaining that there were gaps in their needs for buses. In all cases the standard response was that there is no resources to re-instate lost services or to improve on the existing services.
I and others were informed that the only way to make comment was to complete the survey. I have now done so and found it most frustrating. It was asking me to comment on the proposed changes - which for Flintshire is zero change. For Denbighshire it is zero change and for Wrexham there are negative changes to the Wrexham To Chester via Holt and Farndon.
What worries me the most is that the greatest users and benefactors of the bus service are the elderly. Whilst some may be able to do so I am aware that most people will not be able to cope with the on-line survey - especially the registering process that is particularly onerous.
Lastly I am sure it was not intentional - but the Mold session was held at the library. I visited the library and there was no immediate evidence of the event. I had to queue to speak to a librarian and discovered that the event was being held upstairs. No signs to it whatsoever. To make matters worse the lift was not working and therefore a number of people would not have been able to visit the event - and this is public engagement!!
In addition to the new E200 single deck buses that are entering service in Wrexham mainly on the 1 Wrexham to Chester route a number of new buses are starting to enter service in Rhyl.
The new buses in Rhyl are Wright StreetDeck Ultroliners similar to the ones that came in April of this year and are being used on the T51 in TrawsCymru livery.
Some of these buses have been given a special Cymru Coastliner livery involving the 11 and 12 services from Rhyl to Chester and Rhyl to Llandudno. So far these have been 4759 (BN76CPO) and 4764 (BN76CPZ) captured together below.
The Cymru Coastliner logo was used by Crosville in 1965 and then the service was a limited stop L1 running from Chester to Caernarfon.
One of the batch 4760 (BN76CPU) has a livery "Come and talk to us about transport in your area". This vehicle was given the livery as it was used in a special function at the NEC before entering service in Rhyl.
Last July I reported that Denbighshire County Council had taken over operating the Prestatyn flecsi demand responsive service and were using a minibus not capable of carrying wheelchairs.
I am pleased to now report that a few days after the report they brought into service WF26 POA a Ford E-Transit 425 Trend This all-electric vehicle has a suitable lift at the rear.
Last week Darren made an announcement that due to a health problem he has had to pass his business to Go Goodwins. Darren was concerned about very inaccurate rumours circulating so he wished to point out that he is hopeful that he can recover from the heart circulation issue he currently has but at this point of time he is unable to continue with his coach driving business.
His Van Hool Alicron coach BBZ232 has passed to Goodwins and he has ensured that all his customers have not been let down.
He and his partner Donna will still be involved with the transferred business and they will continue to take bookings and his programme of tours will continue. He has been joining a number of the tours recently but not as a driver.
Darren started his own business in November 2012 and before that worked for a number years for Jones Motor Service in Flint.
He has created an excellent reputation and has a very loyal customer base and is well respected by fellow operators. Whist he decided to limit his activities to one coach he worked extremely hard at building up the business and survived the very difficult period of Covid.
I would like to wish Darren a speedy recovery from his current health problems and I am sure that the dedication he has shown to the industry and his previous endeavours will result in his future success.
A few changes here
Acquired is YN14PNE a Scania K360EB6 / Irizar I6 (C57FLt) It was new in April 2014 to Craig, Campbeltown, Argyll, by April 2024 it was with Greenslades Tours (Exeter), Exeter and by November 2024 it was with BAM Travel, Tredegar.
It is not clear at this stage whether the coach will join the operational fleet or be sold on.
Left the fleet are two Levantes
Y8KNE (FJ07DWO) came to Keanes in May 2024 from Davies Leeswood. It has now gone to Bennett's Travel, Cranberry, Staffordshire 8/2026
K10BBT (FJ56PAO) Volvo B12B / Caetano Lavante came to the fleet in November 2022
As indicated in the Blog relating to Straffords the firm has taken delivery again of
YN54NYA Scania K114IB4 / Irizar C70F
It was new in November 2004 to Corbel, Edgware. It originally came to (11/20) Pats Coaches in November 2020 when it had a pink livery and it was sold to Windy Coaches, Pencader, Camarthenshire in July 2021 but returned to Pats in October 2021. It was sold to Straffords in January 2023 and it has now returned to Pats.
The firms have one in and one out.
In is YN71ZTD a Scania K320IB4 / MOBIPeople Explorer 330 C74FL. It was new in September 2021 to Plan Ahead, Borehamwood and in Sept 2012 was with Nash DJ, Cuffley, Hertfordshire.
Left the fleet but only gone down the road is YN54NYA Scania K114IB4 Irizar C70F
It came to Straffords in Jan 2023 and has now returned to Pats.
A few changes involving this operator. Two arriving and two departing.
Arrived is BF63ZSD a Volvo B9R / Caetano Levante 70 seater with a lift.
It was new in Dec 2012 to Luckett, Fareham; Nov 2018 with Worthing Coaches, West Sussex; Dec 2022 with Llew Jones, Llanrwst.
As can be expected from this operator it has been given fleet livery and vinyls before entering service and is looking quite splendid. It saw its first duties today
About to arrive is KN15XSZ a Mercedes Benz 513CDI / Treka Mobility+ ( B16FL) It was new in June 2015 to London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. This will also arrive in the firm's livery.
Left the fleet are :-
PCZ5691 reverted to KU13OKS before it left - Mercedes Benz O816D / Plaxton Cheetah 2 (C29F) been with the firm since July 2023. It has gone to Deveron Coaches, Kirkhill Farm, Boyndie, Banff
XIG7341 which reverted to YN12CZG before it left a Scania K320IB4 / Irizar (C68F). It came to the firm from E Jones and Sons, Rhosllanerchrugog in April 2018.
It has gone to Daves Coach Hire, Mountmellick, Co Laois, Ireland
A vehicle not previously reported but has been with the firm since May of this year is :-
BN11UGD a Mercedes Benz Tourismo C51FLt
It was new in March 2011 to Clarke, Lower Sydenham;
in December 2019 to Coach Travel, Farningham, Kent;
in April 2022 to Elite Travel, Ipswich
By coincidence it is a sibling of BN11UGB which came to George Edwards in 2019 via P and O Lloyd
On match days when Wrexham are playing at home a shuttle service is now offered from Ruthin Road to the ground.
Arriva held an event in the Eagles Meadow, Wrexham today (22nd August) and was advertised as
Today has seen some chaos in Mold with the visit of the Women's Tour of Britain Cycle Race which started from the town this morning. The High Street and some adjoining streets were closed to traffic and unfortunately the signage was poor and many drivers were seen having to reverse from difficult areas because of lack of advance warning that the access was closed.
There was a Park and Ride organised but again the signage left a lot to be desired with signs for the car park after the turning and no indication at the County Hall site where parking was allowed with many visitors complaining that signs were indicating "permit holders only" at all locations.
M & H Coaches provided the efficient free bus service from the County Hall Car Park into the town and two buses provided a 15 minute frequency service which did have a few passengers.
The end of an era
Elias Jones was originally a coal merchant in his home village of Rhosllanerchrugog obtaining part of his business in the 1950s from Edmund and Charles Wright of Penycae who ironically decided to make their main business buses and coaches.
Elias had in total five sons, David, Selwyn, Gareth, Gwyn and Barry and to various degrees they played a part in his businesses.
The bus and coach business began in about 1968 when an almost new Bedford CA minibus was purchased. The business gradually grew with more minibuses and later with larger buses. The work was primarily school contracts, factory runs with some private hire. The last two sons to join the business were Gwyn, who had served an apprenticeship as a fitter with Gresford Garage, and Barry, who had been a panel beater and he returned from Australia to join the firm when the business began to grow.
Elias died in 1978 but the business continued under the name of E Jones and Sons (EJS).
Two significant firms were involved in the history of the growth of EJS. Hughie Phillips, who traded as Phillips of Rhostyllen, retired in 1979 and whilst the service work was taken over by Crosville EJS purchased five vehicles and the work associated with the coaches was acquired. In 1986 Clifford Evans who traded as M A Evans retired and the buses and routes of this firm were acquired by EJS.
1995 saw a split within the firm of EJS and the family. Due to a disagreement as to how the business was to operate the firm split into two with David and Selwyn and David’s son Gary running one business and Barry and Gwyn the other part. David and his son Gary eventually traded as D Jones and Son operating from Acrefair. Barry and Gwyn retained the name of E Jones and Sons. The business of D Jones and Sons ceased in December 2017 and David died in 2022.
Selwyn died in 2000 and Gareth died more recently.
Barry and Gwyn concentrated on school contracts and private hire and have operated from their depot in the village of Rhosllanerchrugog where they have run a fleet of around 10 coaches. One interesting contract they have is conveying passengers on their the return trip on the Llangollen canal.
They have now decided to retire and although Barry will oversee the transfer of the business to Pats Coaches they will retain their premises in Rhos where they will continue to be involved with classical cars and motorcycles.
Three of the E Jones and Sons coaches will transfer to Pats Coaches and their contracts, current work and the goodwill of the firm will transfer to Pats.
Barry and Gwyn are offered very best wishes for their new era.
This company has been featured in a number of Trade and Enthusiast publications of late and in particular the August Edition of Buses has an 8 page article written by Graham Ashworth that offers a brilliant history of this very interesting firm.
Recently joined the fleet are - 2 vehicles that have come from Roadrunner which carry the orange livery of that firm.
B12PSV is a Volvo B12M / Plaxton (C53FLT). It was new to Park,Hamilton in March 2006. In May 2009 it was with Trathens Travel Services, Plymouth. In August 2011 it was with Hartley Travel, Aintree and it was with Roadrunner, Warrington since March 2023. It has previously carried the numbers KSK978, SF06WDY, and LSK612.
A22RRT is a Volvo B9R / Caetano Levante ( C70FL). It was new in July 2012 to Edwards,Llantwit Fardre. In October 2019 it was with Go-Goodwins at Eccles [Fleet no.10] and it transferred to Mayne Travel, Warrington in October 2023. It went to Roadrunner, Warrington in December 2023 and has returned to Goodwins. It has carried the numbers FJ12FYG, WSV553 and WSV487.
