Terry wrote (August 2008): "... a photograph of the bus garage in Coleford, after it had been taken over by Red & White. Obviously a Sunday morning, as no buses were out. The buses are, from left to right, S948, L142 and UC551.

S948 is an Albion Valkyrie, GWO 870, with a Lydney Coachworks body.

L142 is a wartime Guy Arab 1, EAX 644, (rebodied by Bristol Tramways Brislington body works); it was Red & White 444 before the 1951 renumbering.

UC551 is a Leyland Royal Tiger, JWO 129, with a Lydney Coachworks body, one of the last to be completed by them, before work was transferred to Bristol Tramways Brislington body works

I'm not sure of the date, but my guess is that it was taken in the late 1950s, probably in 1957 or 1958 because it was not printed by me.

Roger Dennis added (Sept 2008): "Not being a bus spotter, I have no background knowledge. Can anyone shed more light on a family story I was told. John Watts sent my master carpenter maternal grandfather, William Edward Ernest Pritchard, of 2, Oxford St and 44, High Street, to coachbuild the first Red and White buses. It was in S. Wales somewhere. His trade, on being discharged from the Royal Engineers, was listed as wheelright, which would certainly qualify him as a coach builder. A good story, or is there some basis in fact for this?".

Brian John Bunker added (Sept 2008): "I believe that the Red and White company was formed by Watts pre-war - if you check the Watts website it should confirm this. Most transport was nationalised in 1948. When I lived in Lydney 1952-62, it seemed that John Watts owned eveything !!!".

Thanks to Mike Stephens who added (Oct 2008): "The Coleford depot of RED & WHITE was closed in the late 1960s and services were transfered to Cinderford, Lydney, Monmouth, Chepstow and Ross depots".

Terry further added (Nov 2008): "The PSV Circle have a history of Red & White in preparation. By the nature of them, there is a vast amount of information to collate. The origins of Red & White lie in the late 1920s, when John Watts and his partner started running buses in one of the South Wales valleys. The Hereford to Lydney service was running by 1930, and I used to have a timetable headed 'Hereford Red & White' from about that time".

Stephen Davies added (April 2015): "... my father was one of the bus conductors out of Coleford and worked with a Mr ALf Bradley".

Paul Green added (July 2016): "... I spent the early sixties in Aylburton, and my dad Douglas Green drove for Red and White out of Lydney depot, I spent happy days when dad in the summer, drove holiday coaches to Tenby, Portcawl, etc, I used to wait for him in Aylburton, and jumped on amongst the day trippers who used to spoil me! I was only 12, very fond memories, regards to u all, Paul".

Angela Mackay added (Aug 2016): "... My paternal grandfather, Harry Williams, was the bus depot engineer in Coleford for many years and as a young girl I remember the Red & White buses, in particular the tiger buses. My grandfather was also Chairman of Coleford parish council for several years".

John Lewis added (January 2018): "... I'm quite sure that my father, Fred Lewis, drove for Red-and-White on the Hereford to Lydney service in the 1930's. He caught my mother's eye as he passed through Coleford, and they married in 1939 and settled in my father's home, Hereford".

Robert Thomas added (November 2018): "... My Dad Roy Thomas drove for Red and White out of the Coleford depot sometime after National Service with his PSV licence gained whist serving. It must have been 1956 to 1958 ish. He also met my Mum Beryl Cooper whilst driving the bus and used to avoid pick ups to be there to meet her leaving work!"

David Watkins added (February 2021): "...Hello, I'm 85 and re-living here on Lockdown things of Long Ago! when I lived in Abercynon and had two choices of Bus,Red&White and Phillip's. The R&W bus I longed to ride on had a raised back seat. But behind the Driver was a notice that read..Tickets were to be retained at all times to be SHEWN!!!to the Inspector. When I used that spelling on a school essay I was marked down. In 1953 I was called up for the Army and in 1955 I came home from the Far East,and resumed waiting in the rain for the Pontypridd bus,when a familliar face, asked me if I had lately caught an earlier bus. Two Years had flown by!! "

Roger Smith added (Feb 2023): "... I am probably the last driver to have driven from the Lydney Depot"

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