About Swansea Bus Museum Operated by the South Wales Transport Preservation Trust, Swansea Bus Museum restores, preserves and displays, both on site and at shows, buses of former public transport companies of South and West Wales. Our impressive collection comprises of buses from South Wales Transport (SWT), its associates and other companies, including United Welsh, Morris Bros., Rees & Williams, Swan Motor Co., Neath & Cardiff, Llynfi, Red & White, Western Welsh and London Transport. The museum also contains a small collection of other vehicles such as a Green Goddess fire engine and classic Scammell Scarabs. In 2010, the museum acquired the assets of the 447 Group, which was formerly housed at Pembrey Country Park, near Llanelli. These include the historically important 1950 Swan Motors Daimler CVD6 GCY 740, 1959 United Welsh Bristol Lodekka SWN 159 and London Transport Routemaster engineering support vehicle RM66. Also included were 5 other buses, certain of which had been heavily vandalised. These, as well as all our other vehicles, are described on the fleet page. The growth in the number of vehicles and the enthusiasm of all involved resulted in a move to much larger premises during the latter part of 2010. This enabled all vehicles to be stored, worked upon and displayed under one roof, and in February 2011 enabled us to launch Swansea Bus Museum. We're always keen to generate more interest, so visitors and helpers are always most welcome. The site is open to the public on Sundays when staffed by volunteers; during the remainder of the week visitors are welcome by appointment only. During the summer months our vehicles attend numerous rallies and events so it's best to check in advance whether the site is open on a particular Sunday. For details of how to get in touch, see our contact us page.

We also welcome organised groups and parties of visitors, particularly schools - please contact us in advance to arrange.

Planning a special event such as a wedding?
Certain of our vehicles are available for private charter, please see the hire page for more details.

This is very much a working bus museum. There is a toilet on site and we will shortly be improving our visitor facilities as part of the building refurbishment. Children are welcome but must be supervised by a responsible adult.

A brief history of South Wales Transport The South Wales Transport Company Limited began in 1914 as a subsidiary of the British Electric Traction Company Limited which already had a substantial electric tramway undertaking, the Swansea Improvements and Tramway Company, whose role was to provide not only trams but also to construct new streets and improve existing ones in Swansea.   Operations began in May 1914 but expansion plans were frustrated by the outbreak of the First World War.  After the war SWT faced stiff competition from the many flourishing independent companies.  Though the introduction of the 1930 Road Traffic Act helped major operators, SWT had yet to become the dominant company and by 1931 was trading at a substantial loss.  Gradually many of the stronger independents amalgamated under the Red and White company, which could not expand in its own area of south-east Wales. In 1936-37, South Wales buses replaced the trams, though SITC owned most of the fleet, but the Swansea and Mumbles Railway survived until 1960.  Around this time Ravenhill depot and works were also established.  Competition continued, however, with United Welsh Services Limited established in 1939 to amalgamate the Red and White associated companies around Swansea.

SWT’s operations survived the severe bombing of Swansea in World War Two, and SWT continued as a subsidiary of BET. In 1950 further amalgamation took United Welsh and Red and White companies into the state-owned Tilling group, with SWT and United Welsh exchanging some routes. In 1952 SWT acquired Llanelli District Traction which ran trolleybuses and motor buses, though the former were quickly replaced.  James and Son of Ammanford had been bought by BET in 1950, but falling traffic led to James being absorbed by SWT in 1962. The Tilling group and BET were taken over by the state with the formation of the National Bus Company.  Thomas Bros of Port Talbot, Neath and Cardiff Coaches of Neath, and United Welsh all became part of SWT in 1971. In addition, overlapping operating areas were rationalised, with NBC decreeing that all Western Welsh operations west of Pyle be transferred to SWT, including the Haverfordwest & Neath Abbey depots. "United Welsh" was adopted as the trading name for the combined company's coach services, with the Brewers operation being added following acquisition by NBC. The Transport Act of 1985 allowed the privatisation and sale of individual companies, and SWT was bought by its management team. SWT was acquired by First Group in 1996.  First Group, based in Aberdeen, was originally named First Bus until it became involved in rail transport and was renamed in 1995.  The company was formed from the merger of GRT (Grampian Regional Transport) and Badgerline.  Grampian Regional Transport was a council-owned city municipal bus operator which was purchased by its employees in a deal led by Moir (later Sir Moir) Lockhead.  Badgerline originated from the country operations of the Bristol Omnibus Company, and featured the badger logo on all its buses. First Group is thus the owner of, and successor to, South Wales Transport, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2014.