CEC Tour August 2021

Page 4 - Dolgellau

1. The very first excursion that the CEC organised, on 24th September 1967, included Dolgellau. It was in CMG 34, driven by Eric Manley of Chester depot, who continued to fulfil that role for the Club for many years. The 1934 depot, built on part of a timber yard, was behind the coach.

2. Before the depot was built in 1934, Crosville services in the area were worked from Barmouth and Blaenau Ffestiniog. GWR and Western Transport had probably used railway land north of the river. The layout of the depot has been superimposed on a 1901 Ordnance Survey map base.

3. Part of the 1934 depot in March 1950, by a company photographer. There was covered accommodation for six sds (height limit 10ft 5 inches). On view are (left to right) Bristol LL5Gs KG189/192/161. Clearly the brick building to the right is the basis of the later 1960s office, and the workshops were built on part of this shed probably in the mid 1960s.

4. The depot in July 1987 : the workshops are on the left ; the office building has a white clad roof. Bristol ERL 310 and Leyland National SNL 573 are newly painted in Crosville Cymru livery with Gwynedd CC red fronts. In between is either ELL 23 or 29 : the pair of Leopard/Willowbrook dual purpose saloons that were to be painted into special liveries for route 94. (AM)

5. This was taken in Eldon Square in 1924 and could well be of the first Crosville bus between Barmouth and Dolgellau. If it is FM 2615, it would be a Leyland 30.A9. Roberts Butchers was already long-established, and to the right is the Nannau Estate Office.

6. At the same spot in July 1950 is 1931 Leyland LT2 D31. Roberts Butchers has installed the lettering that is still there. (J P Williams)

7. The final days of Arriva operation of route 94 : Volvo/Wrightbus 2794 calls at Eldon Square on 30th November 2013. It was one of seven that started with KMP, Llanberis, whose operations were absorbed by Arriva in 2008. (AM)

8. Dolgellau depot also worked summer-only services that had been started by the GWR. CMS continued them till the 1939 summer, after which they was suspended. One was to the “Foot of Cader Idris” (Grid Ref SH 697 153), begun in 1929. This is the 1935 tt, which had a demand-responsive element. It was clearly intended to resume ; see the 1947 Tilling 2-piece blind.

9. This 14-seater Morris Commercial was allocated to the Cader Idris service from new in June 1929. It was the very last bus that the GWR bought and shortly after passed to Western Transport. It became Crosville 921 then U13 and was withdrawn in 1935, passing to a showman.

10. The service became worked by Crosville Leyland Cubs. N89 is returning to Dolgellau from the Foot of Cader Idris in the late 1930s, passing a Merioneth CC steam roller (C F Klapper)

11. After deregulation, the Dolgellau-Machynlleth service was coupled to Dolgellau-Blaenau Ffestiniog, and in 1988 was diverted via Tabor between Dolgellau and the Cross Foxes. Williams Bala Freight Rover Sherpa (D108 NOJ) was new to Manchester Minibuses, seen climbing out of Dolgellau, in 1989. (AM)

12. Williams Bala Iveco Turbo Daily F696 GMA leaving Cross Foxes towards Tabor shortly before it passed to Crosville in November 1988 via Williams’ receivers. It became MRF 249. (AM)

13. On the last day of the old 701 Bangor-Cardiff service, 24th September 2003, the unique Arriva Cymru Mercedes 344 was climbing to the Cross Foxes southbound from Dolgellau. (AM)

14. Johns Travel, Blaenau Ffestiniog Ford K722 UTT new to Thames Transit in Eldon Square on 19th September 2003 working the tendered route 33 to Machynlleth. (AM)