Sunday 11th May 2003...The Journey Back to Abertillery..
We had been preparing this trip for months now, preparing to return our classic bus, if only for a short time, back to the valleys it once served all those years ago. With phone calls to local authorities obtaining parking permission at the different venues and accommodation booked, we were ready to go. Sunday morning arrived and to any onlookers, you would think it looked the film "Summer Holiday" with Bus, provisions and friends onboard. Still with 240 miles ahead of us, it was into gear and "Abertillery South Wales" here we come! It's never uneventful when we take to the road and this time was no exception. Heads would turn and the sound of vehicle horns could be heard as we journeyed towards South Wales. If we made a comfort stop, we would usually attract a small crowd eager to look around and take photos. Over the Severn Bridge and through the "Gateway to Wales" we travelled, up into the Welsh valleys. Passing Aberbeeg (The heart of Jones Omnibus Service "Past") and Abertillery, finally arriving at the "Queens Hotel" and our accommodation for our stay. Monday 12th May..........Newport Bus Station With all of us not knowing what the day would bring, we enjoyed breakfast, checked over the Bus and left Blaina around 10 o'clock, heading for Newport. Our aim was to journey down the old Aberbeeg/ Llanhilleth road, one of the roads that Jones' buses once travelled regularly over years ago. We turned left at the Aberbeeg roundabout and travelled only a few hundred yards up the hill before being stopped by a police patrol man. There was a house/building fire ahead and all traffic had to go back, go back! Oh well, I wasn't driving, but my chauffeur made a lovely job of reversing the bus back down the hill, with traffic still backing up behind us. Eventually, we arrived at Newport Bus Station, but I felt we were given a very poor vantage point to stay, which was probably the reason only a few people managed to find us. After a while, we decided to move on, and we were invited to call at the bus depot to see their preserved collection of buses. It was definitely well worth seeing, and all the staff couldn't wait to take a good look round ours. From there, we went to a Railway Museum at Griffithstown, location unknown, and we ( nine of us ) went for a well earned cup of tea. We had only just settled down, when I was called back to the bus. Thinking something was wrong, I exited the cafe to be greeted by Mr Gordon Jones, of the Jones family. We had a sit in the bus and had a long chat, it made a pleasant ending to the day. Our return run back to our hotel, took us over the top of Trinant, not a ride for the faint hearted. Pouring with rain, poor light and a steep hill, but nevertheless, lots of people were waving from their doors as we went by. That evening, we met up with a fellow bus enthusiast at our hotel for a drink, saying that he would meet up with us at Ebbw Vale on Wednesday morning. After such a busy day bed was now calling us. Tuesday 13th May..........Abertillery This was what it was all about, "Abertillery". It started at around 10.15am. We pulled into the precinct, escorted by Mrs Osland, the traffic warden, who had our parking spot all coned off ready. It was a fantastic feeling, nine months of planning, and we were here! The people started to arrive in no-time, and they didn't stop all day, it was everything we could have imagine . The bus filled up with people chatting and looking over the bus. Photos were being taken inside and out, front and back, it was never ending and brilliant. We think that somewhere around a hundred people visited the bus, because I gave away 110 keyrings during the day. It was a great pleasure to see so many ex-Jones staff visit us at such short notice. It all ended far to soon and before we new it it was time to pack up and head back to the Hotel. We left just after 5.30 and went back for tea, via the lakes at Cwmtillery, a lovely end to a perfect day. Wednesday 12th May..........Festival Park and Ebbw Vale Arrived at the Festival Centre at Ebbw Vale in bright sunshine. We were greeted by the Mayor of Blaenau Gwent and presented with a commemorative plate (with engraved plaque), a bottle of wine and a very smart tie. At lunch time we went to the town centre and parked up at the old Jones bus terminus near the police station. We stayed there until tea time and came home via a scenic route out of Ebbw Vale.
In the evening we went to the Jones' reunion party at the Penndragon Club, which was the finale' of our four day courtesy visit to Wales.
Jones Buses Reunion Wednesday May 14th 2003 at The Penndragon Click on the thumbnails for larger images.
		Some names of those attending the reunion. Stewart Jones, Anthony Jones, Graham, Richard, Samantha, Sarah, Desmond Warren, Tom Cornock, Mike Owens, Richard Young, Rita Purnell, Jill Robinson, Tracy Breakwell, Lorraine White, Selwyn Smith, Lyn Rice, David Jayne, John Badcock, Don Clarke, Tom Day, Mike Williams, John Richings, Alan Russell, Wyndam Brutten, Val Brutten, June Hancock, Eric Thomas, Steve Bryant, Martyn Rice, Harry Rook, Colwyn Breakwell, Neil Bryant, Kevin Cornock, Mel Hockey, Brian Griffiths, Royston Davies, Raymond Jones, Colin Ponting, Terry Wakins, Gerald Jones, Joan Hall, Pat Shroll, Sally, Anthony Cummings.