Bedwas and Machen

infobox historic subdivision
Name= Bedwas and Machen
HQ= Bedwas
Status= Urban district
Start= 1912
End= 1974
Replace= Rhymney Valley


PopulationFirst= 4,936
PopulationFirstYear= 1911
PopulationLast= 12,540
PopulationLastYear= 1971
AreaFirst= convert|6520|acre|km2
AreaFirstYear= 1912
AreaLast= convert|6179|acre|km2
AreaLastYear= 1961

Bedwas and Machen was an urban district in the administrative county of Monmouthshire from 1912 to 1974, In 1974 it became a community in the district of Rhymney Valley, Mid Glamorgan.

Bedwas and Machen Urban District was formed on October 1, 1912 from the parishes of Bedwas and Machen Upper, previously part of St Mellons Rural District. [County Census Report, Monmouthshire 1921] In 1935 the boundaries were altered when it exchanged areas with the neighbouring Mynyddislwyn Urban District. The urban district was abolished by the Local Government Act 1972, becoming part of Rhymney Valley District in Mid Glamorgan.

On the abolition of the urban district, a community with identical boundaries was formed, and a community council established. ["Local Government in England and Wales : A guide to the New System", HMSO, London 1974] On March 16, 1989 the community was renamed Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen. [ [http://www.lgbc-wales.gov.uk/community/communityboundarychanges_e.htm Changes to Community and Ward Boundaries from the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales website] ] On April 1, 1996 the Rhymney Valley District was itself abolished, and the community has been part of the county borough of Caerphilly since that date. At the 2001 census Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen had a population of 10,428

The urban district council began operating a bus service in 1922. The UDC was one of the smallest municipal bus undertakings in the United Kingdom, with an average fleet size of seven vehicles. [A. M. Witton, "Buses of South Wales", Manchester, 1982] The bus livery was powder blue and cream. The fleet was merged with those of Caerphilly and Gelligaer UDCs in 1974, when Rhymney Valley District Council was formed.

External links

*
* [http://www.welsh-transport-heritage.co.uk/bedwasmachen.htm Details & Photos of Bedwas & Machen UDC bus operation]
* [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp;jsessionid=7A626FA16F1DA65B6C368D79DECD46E7?u_id=10114871 Bedwas and Machen UD at Visionofbritain.org]
* [http://www.petergould.co.uk/local_transport_history/fleetlists/bedwas1.htm Bedwas & Machen UDC bus operations]

References