In September 1928 , Gellygaer UDC commenced its first bus service running from Bargoed, which was the centre of operations for Gellygaer UDC, via Gellygaer village, to Ystrad Mynach, the route was initially operated by five Leyland A13 buses hired from Hall, Lewis & Co. of Cardiff, but later that year four new Leyland TS2 buses (Nos. 1-4) with Leyland B29D bodywork, and two Hall Lewis-bodied Albions (Nos. 5-6) replaced them. The first four vehicles were liveried red and cream, but the Albions introduced a red, green and cream, livery, reputedly based on the colours of the Welsh national flag, these colours forming the basic livery throughout the lifetime of the undertaking, although for a period after World War II, grey replaced the white.
Apart from minor modifications to timetables, the network of routes remained largely unchanged until August 1968, when a joint route between Newport and Rhymney Bridge, with Red & White , Western Welsh Omnibus Company, and Bedwas & Machen UDC commenced.
By this time the new depot had been constructed New Road, Tiryberth.
Throughout the lifetime of the undertaking operational costs were kept to a minimum and in the middle of the 1960's Gelligaer introduced one-man operation, using second-hand motor-driven 
Setright machines . The only vehicles at the time to have electrically operated doors were Nos. 33-34, two AEC Reliances of 1966, it often meant that drivers had to manually open the doors using a lever in the cab. The school bus ticket right was for Ruth Williams for her journey from Bedlinog to Ystrad Mynach, does anybody know Ruth, it would be nice to hear from her and her memories of those daily trips to school..
On the 1st April 1974, under local government re-organisation, Gelligaer UDC became part of Rhymney Valley District Council, and the fleet was merged with those of neighbouring Bedwas & Machen UDC and Caerphilly UDC, to form the new Rhymney Valley District Council fleet, thus ending over 45 years of Gelligaer UDC as a municipal operator in its own right.
Gelligaer U.D.C. 1928 - 1974
A Booklet will be published in 2008 to cover the operations of the municipal bus operation and its history. This will co.incide with the 80th Anniversary of its founding in 1928. We would welcome any new information, photos and contact with former employees to make this possible. Thankyou.
Contact Gelligaer@welsh-transport-heritage.co.uk.
Not the usual photo that we are used to, but Gelligaer 22 (UJU774), an AEC Reliance with 45 seat Willowbrook body was repaired after this unfortunate accident with a tree in suitable named Cherry Tree Way in Trelewis which had quite obviously jumped in front of the bus according to the accident report ! New in 1960, No. 22 was bought second hand from Jones of Aberbeeg in 1966 and was no.95 in that fleet ,eventually withdrawn in 1972. The driver was the late John Walker and his conductor on the day was Billy Summers . 
