Red & White reinstated

[Andrew Mann]

In 1984 National Welsh decided to reinstate the Red & White name for operations from Chepstow, Cinderford and Ross-on-Wye depots, serving parts of Gwent (Monmouthshire), Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.

 

The Company decided to make an event of this, rather than just an overnight fleetname change. So a launch date was set for 20th October 1984 at Lydney bus station. I think the date and location were chosen as it coincided with the Dean Forest Railway Rally weekend at Norchard Steam Centre. At the bus station, a few N.W. staff, assisted by some willing volunteers, including yours truly, bombarded the good people of Lydney with timetables and other assorted leaflets.

 

To mark the occasion, a couple of former Red & White vehicles that were restored and owned locally attended. These were Lydney coach bodied Leyland PS1/1 C350 (HWO 323) and Bristol RELH6L/ECW coach RC968 (OAX 9F).

 

The attached shows dual purpose Leyland National ND1405 (KDW 351P new to R & W as ND575) entering Lydney bus station on a Gloucester – Cardiff 73 working on the day.

 

Regards,

 

Andrew