Coaches Park Up

I return from a short holiday to find local holiday & coach excursion operator Clwydian Tours closes this weekend.

Though based at Llanrhaeadr between Rhuthun & Denbigh, the firm’s history is very much tied up with Rhuthun. For one thing, the firm has transported thousands of local students to schools & colleges. Those in their 40s will recall Clwydian Tours’ vehicles from the Vale of Clwyd to both Aston College (NEWI), Wrecsam, and Llandrillo Technical College, for example.

Those older still will remember that it was in 1955 or 1956 (depending upon which local newspaper you read) that the late Peter Evans, who hitherto had run a motor repair and agricultural services business, bought Rhuthun taxi and one-coach proprietor H & M A Roberts t/a Clwydian Tours. Roberts’ business had run from 6 Railway Terrace, Rhuthun.

Evans henceforward traded as Clwydian Tours, adding the name Peter Evans a'i Fab when his son, David, joined the business. David continues to run the motor repair and car sales operation. Known as Pentre Motors, it was first an Austin, then Austin Morris, then British Leyland, then Rover, then a MG Rover franchised main dealer, before transferring some 10 years ago to selling Fords, though Peugeot was understood to be interested at one point.

Pentre Motors also runs Rhuthun’s Dyffryn Clwyd (Esso) petrol station, near the farmers’ market.