New Book (2025)

Pleased to announce my newest publication, 'Brewers Motor Services & Llynfi Motor Services, The Maesteg Rivals'. Available to purchase on this website. 

ANOTHER NEW BOOK FORTHCOMING! - SEPTEMBER 2023

ANOTHER NEW BOOK FORTHCOMING! - SEPTEMBER 2023

I am delighted to announce my forthcoming publication, 'D' Coaches of Swansea, which is a story about the independent bus company ‘D’ Coaches of Morriston, Swansea, who were also known as Rees & Williams/West Wales; Morriston Travel Centre; Diamond Tours; Diamond-Glantawe; Diamond Holidays, and Brian Isaac Holidays. They were one of Swansea’s largest family owned passenger vehicle operators during the late 20^th century. The book is 272 pages with 365 photographs and other memorabilia, ISBN number: 978-0-9574045-9-5. It will be available to purchase on this website (secure payment via Paypal), or on Amazon. Please note that Amazon prices will be more expensive. 

NEW BOOK FORTHCOMING!

I am delighted to announce my forthcoming publication, The Laugharne Rivals, which is a story about the independent bus companies, Williams Brothers and Ebsworth Brothers, in the small town of Laugharne, Carmarthenshire. The book is 191 pages with 223 photographs and other memorabilia, ISBN number: 978-0-9574045-8-8. It will be available to purchase on this website (secure payment via Paypal), or on Amazon. Please note that Amazon prices will be more expensive. 

Another new book is FORTHCOMING

My next publication, 'FFOSHELIG COACHES LTD,  CARMARTHEN' is due to be released in October. 

This limited edition, 175 page book, gives a succinct history of the business, and has been produced to celebrate the company's centenary, together with the 25th anniversary of current proprietors, Debbie and Rhodri Evans.

After very many requests, and several months of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, I am pleased to announce that my latest publication, Rees and Williams Ltd and West Wales Motors Ltd, ‘The Friendly Rivals’, has been published and is now available to purchase! Thank you all so much for your support and interest in my work. I really do appreciate it, and your kind feedback to date has really meant a lot to me.

To read more about this publication, please select the title from the menu above, or select the purchase option if you wish to buy. 

Davies Bros (Pencader) Ltd

I am pleased to announce that my latest publication Davies Bros (Pencader) Ltd, is now available.

NEW BOOK Released, October 2017!

I'm delighted to announce the publication of my new book, Silcox Motor Coach Company Ltd. Pembroke Dock, which is my 5th book publication (my first being the very popular, 'James of Ammanford' book.). My new book on Silcox is now available to purchase through this website, via the 'Purchase Books' tab, above, for £22.00 + £3 p&p. Alternatively, it is available to purchase from Amazon, although you'll find all book prices cheaper through my website.

I hope you all enjoy my new book! Please do feel free to get in touch to let me know how you enjoyed it (or any other of my books), as I always welcome feedback!

Thank you for all the positive feedback!

Very many thanks to everyone who have both written to me and emailed such glowing feedback on my books. It really means a lot to me. If you enjoyed any of my books, please also feel free to leave feedback in the comments section of this website. Here are just some of the absolutely wonderful letters I've received most recently, regarding my Eynon's book (I've blurred out the names and addresses for privacy reasons). I've also received numerous emails, in addition to these lovely letters. Again, thanks ever so much. 

NEW 2016 BOOK RELEASE! - Samuel Eynon & Sons

It's been a little while since the release of my 'Images of Llanelli & District' book, which proved to be very successful. Over the past year and a half, since the release of the Images book, I've been busy writing a new book on Samuel Eynons & Sons, which I am happy to report, has just been published! It can now be purchased on this website, or from Amazon. I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing and researching it.

Now on Twitter!

My daughter has just set up a Twitter account in my name. Please feel free to follow or tweet any comments or questions to me at:

http://www.twitter.com/vernonmorganbus

My Twitter name is: @vernonmorganbus

Thanks.

Article published in the Llanelli Star newspaper

I am delighted that the Llanelli Star decided to run a story about my new book, which I will link to here. Many thanks to James Nicholas at the Llanelli Star.

http://www.llanellistar.co.uk/Sight-seeing-images-old-town/story-23023347-detail/story.html

Images of Old Llanelli & District - NEW BOOK RELEASE!

I am very pleased to finally announce the release of my new book, Images of Old Llanelli & District. It is available to purchase on this website, via the 'Purchase book' link, above, for £20 (plus £2.50 p&p), and will soon be listed on Amazon.

A New Book Is Forthcoming!

It is early days yet, but I can let you into a secret: A new book is due to be released in October. I am not giving anything away just yet, but I will reveal that it will make an excellent Christmas present for anyone with an interest in Llanelli and/or the Llanelli District. Watch this space!

First Group's Promotional Flier

South Wales Transport Co. 100th Anniversary Book Available for Purchase!

 

My new book has been published, and within a matter of just three days, I am delighted that 46 books were requested and sold, before the book was even publicly released! 

The book has been produced to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of The South Wales Transport Company Ltd., once a subsidiary of the privately owned British Electric Traction Company Ltd.  

It includes a brief history of the company, together with a pictorial history with 400 views and a family tree which records the 168 companies involved in the structure of the company. 

SWT was inaugurated on 10^th February, 1914, and operated its first buses on 2^nd May, 1914, as a feeder service to the Swansea tramway system known as the Swansea Improvements and Tramways Company (SITC), and was operated by the British Electric Traction Company (BET) on behalf of the Swansea Council. 

 

Gradually, a process of amalgamation of many of the independent companies occurred, and in 1936/7 the company absorbed the Swansea tramway system, replacing it with 74 motor buses. 

The company continued to be privately owned by BET until 1967, when all the bus operating interests of BET passed to the Transport Holding Company, a state owned by NBC. This resulted in a management buy-out of SWT, and three years later the privatised SWT was sold to Badgerline Holdings. In June 1995, Badgerline Holdings merged with Grampian Regional Transport and formed First Bus PLC.

The SWT name and licences continued to be used by the new owners until 1999. 

To purchase my new book, please click here

Editing My Forthcoming Book On The South Wales Transport Company

The Christmas period has been busy this year, as I prepare for the publication of my new book in January 2014. The book will commemorate the 100th Anniversary of The South Wales Transport Company.

Watch this space for updates, and information on how to purchase.

'Vernon's Book is a Labour of Love' - Article on my book featured in Linked Magazine

A belated Happy New Year to all!

Following the success of my book, a number of newspapers and magazines have published articles about it.

First Group's magazine, Linked, featured this in their Winter 2012 magazine (Please click on the article to enlarge):

Fifth Reprint!

The fifth reprint of my book has just been ordered, following the large number of book orders and positive responses I have received so far.

Please remember to place your Christmas book orders now, to ensure you get hold of a book before this 5th batch sells out.

Thank you again to all who have purchased my book and given me such wonderful feedback.

My Book is at the British Library

My book on James of Ammanford, is listed on the catalogue of The British Library in London. My book has also been purchased by The National Library of Wales. I am overwhelmed and overjoyed by the positive response it has received, thus far, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has purchased my book.

I am still taking orders via this website, and a few books have been sold to local bookshops. My book is currently listed on Amazon, Waterstones, and Foyles, but I have taken the decision to hold back on supplying to large retailers temporarily, due to the commission that retailers take. I am already receiving a large number of orders via this website and by telephone, which I am always very happy in dealing with personally.

If you have enjoyed my book, please feel free to leave feedback on this website. I would be delighted to hear from you.

Memorable local Llanelli photo of the day!

18 Arrested During Ammanford Bus Riot!

This is an article about my book in the South Wales Guardian, Wednesday October 17th, 2012.
(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

'New Book Honours Bus Anniversary' (Article about my book in South Wales Guardian)

New Book Honours Bus Anniversary

Reproduced from the South Wales Guardian, Sunday 21st October 2012

THE history and sad demise of a legendary Ammanford bus company, which disappeared 50 years ago, is the subject of a fascinating new book by a Llanelli bus driver.

 

Vernon Morgan spent eight years researching the story of J James and Sons Ltd, Ammanford, and the fruits of his labours can be seen in his self-published work.

Illustrated with 112 photographs, the book is a limited edition to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the company’s demise and the 100th anniversary of their first vehicle.

Founded by John James, the company was not only the first bus operator in Ammanford, but also held the distinction of putting the first double-decker on the roads of Carmarthenshire.

“The name was synonymous with a high-quality, reputable omnibus service in the Amman, Gwendraeth and Swansea Valleys,” Mr Morgan, 68, told the Guardian. “It was a muchloved company whose name became a household word in the west Wales mining communities.

“At one time it was the county’s largest public service vehicle operator, running 54 buses on 21 services to Neath, Swansea, Llanelli, Burry Port, Lampeter and Aberystwyth.

“When it was absorbed by The South Wales Transport Company on September 1, 1962, a lot of Ammanford people were very sad to witness its passing.”

John James first became involved with public transport in 1900, when he bought a mews at Ammanford, diversifying from his grocery business in Wind Street.

Operating horse-drawn traps and brakes, he became a posting master – his clientele being the best-known commercial travellers in South Wales. Goods were also carried and the James family also ran a successful funeral business.

Switching to motor vehicles in 1912, James launched a service to Pantyffynnon and Brynaman which successfully competed against a passenger railway and fought off numerous competitors.

The book covers the historic six-week Ammanford bus strike, which led to a riot on Ammanford Square, bus windows being smashed and no fewer than 18 arrests.

● James of Ammanford, is available from Vernon Morgan, vernonmorgan44@gmail.com or ring 07751260069, priced at £18 (£2 p & p).

Welcome

Welcome to the bus pages of Vernon Morgan. The blog and website in general is a work in process, and there will be lots of photos and posts about local history and local transport uploaded in due course. In the meantime, please take a look around the rest of the site for information on my new book releases.