Up The Tumble

[Andrew Mann]

One of those rare moments of being at the right place, at the right time, to record the unexpected. Or put it another way, pure luck!

 

The vehicle is National Welsh RD6068 (OAX 4F), Bristol RELH6L/ECW new to Red & White as RC468. It’s appeared on this group before, and had a spell with Jones, Aberbeeg.

 

The location is known as ‘The Tumble’ and is on the B4246 mountain road over the Blorenge, from Abergavenny to Blaenavon. Members interested in road cycle racing may recognise the spot as a stage finish during the 2014 Tour of Britain. I have no idea why it was on this road. It appears to be working a National Express service, there are quicker ways of getting to Tredegar, and at the time was allocated to Brynmawr.

 

There was a Tuesday only service from Blaenavon to Abergavenny, but this wouldn’t be it.

 

The Tumble, June 1980.

 

Regards to all,

 

Andrew

[David Beilby]

What a splendid photograph, Andrew.  Definitely a case of "I wish I'd taken that"!

I'm sure that would have been a complete surprise to you as it would have been to me.  There are passengers on board and it has an Associated Motorways sticker in the windscreen and "Relief" on the blind.  I wonder whether it has come from Monmouth (where various feeder services ran to make connections) and is filling in gaps not covered by the service coach?  Another possibility is that the main road up to Brynmawr was closed and it is being diverted.  It probably was really going to Tredegar.  Unfortunately I haven't got National Express timetables for 1980, but to fit the suggested reason in 1976 it would have to be a late afternoon shot.

Must have sounded wonderful going up there!

Regards,

David Beilby

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