Bargoed

[Robert Evans]

Bargoeds new bus station was officially opened today,11/06/2011. Here are three old timers on view.

[Barrie Gilbert]

With yesterday's opening ceremony of Bargoed Interchange, here are a couple of recent shots of the current terminus at Hanbury Square, illustrating the gradients that vehicles have had to encounter over the years.

 

Both are of Stagecoach vehicles based at Blackwood depot.

 

33563 is a former Swanbrook Marshall Capital-bodied long Dart that was acquired last year from Stagecoach West, whilst 39607 is a former Islwyn East Lancs Myllennium-bodied MAN.

 

I recall that when Parfitts (under Rhondda Buses ownership) received Marshall Capital-bodied long Darts 56-8 (P56-8 XBO) for the Merthyr to Bargoed services, they could not turn at Hanbury Square for fear of grounding, and had to turn in the car park behind Ricci's Cafe.

 

Both (c)  Barrie Gilbert

 

 

 

 

[Luke]

That's where ferry lifts come in handy on newer buses! My old school had a similar problem turning in, as well as X55, 775 and X63 in Neath going under a railway bridge (although they seem to manage it now even not lifted whereas they often used to catch otherwise, I recall a few months ago I was sitting up the back when the front caught slightly and the back smacked the ground very hard, it genuinely hurts! It must have been altered inconspicuously since although you still have to be careful). In school First just gave up trying to avoid it because they knew it would always ground every morning so the driver would just grit his/her teeth, and South Wales Transport begun to refuse full stop to enter the school when they received their 4 new MCVs in 2009. It's usually safe to have it scrape the ground so long as it doesn't get beached, undercarriage protection is there for that.