Alpine Travel

Legal name:-      Hughes Bros (Llanrwst & Trefriw) Limited

Operators licence no:-                  PG0007217/SI         [80/80/80/6- 80]

address:       Central Coach Garage, Builder Street West, Llandudno, LL30 1HH

Rhyl depot:       Central Coach Garage, Marsh Road Industrial Estate, Marsh Road, Rhyl, LL18 2AD

Llanrwst Depot:       Central Garage, Betws Road, Llanrwst, LL26 0HE

Flint Office:       Jones Holidays, 11 Church Street, Flint, CH6 5AD

web address : www.alpine-travel.co.uk

The business 'Alpine Travel' was started in March 1972 by Bryan and Pat Owens when they took over the bus and coach business in Llanrwst of R O Edwards. In 1977 the business was significantly extended when they acquired the business of Hughes Brothers  which was also a well established firm in Llanrwst.  The business of Alpine Travel was incorporated as a limited company in 1987 using the name of Hughes Brothers (Llanrwst and Treview) Limited which remains the legal entity today.

Expansion continued especially in the private hire and tours areas.  By 1985 the company had acquired the rights to use the prestigious 'Royal Red' trading name and this followed with the other established trading name in Llandudno of 'Creams'.

The main operating centre was established by 1986 in Builder Street West, Llandudno which remains the principal base of the company,

Following the deregulation era starting in 1986 expansion occurred in the provision of bus operations. This entailed a network of services along the north Wales coast towards Rhyl and the fleet was duly expanded involving a variety of second hand single and double deckers and also a number of new mini-buses. However in 1995  this side of the business was sold to Crosville Wales Limited (later to become Arriva Buses Wales). This enabled the firm to concentrate on the coaching side of the business and also school and college contract work.  To assist with the increased work into this area the firm of Empire Goldstar was acquired and also in 1998 Regina Coaches of Blaenau Ffestiniog was subsumed which enabled expansion further south. A depot in Marsh Road Rhyl was also established in 1994.

The involvement into the holiday and touring business was increased in 2014 with the acquisition of Silver Star Holidays. Also after an arrangement of operating the tours on behalf of Jones Holidays Flint since 2011 this holiday business was fully acquired by Alpine in 2017.  The company also acquired the Conwy-based Abacab Coaches in April 2019.  Five vehicles transferred. 

Until the business was taken over by the Coach Travel Group in 2024 it had always been managed by the family. In addition to the founders, Christopher, the brother of Bryan, was involved in the management and he took over when Bryan and Pat retired in 2007.  He himself retired in 2012 and then the company was run by the founder’s son Chris with his wife Sally.

In the past the company operated numerous interesting double deck vehicles sourced from various operators.  These have given way in favour of high capacity single deck coaches. However the fleet still has great interest involving a number of 'vintage' and 'classic' vehicles some of which can be seen operating tours around Llandudno.

Today the business operates a diverse bus and coach operation involving significant school and college contracts, holidays and excursions, private hire and also tours around Llandudno involving both vintage buses and a franchise with City Sightseeing.  They also operate a fflecsi (demand response service) in the Conwy Valley and Uwchaled area covering Llanrwst, Penmachno. Ysbyty Ifan, Cerrigydrudion and journeys into Corwen. There are three minibuses dedicated to this service.

The fleet livery has changed over the years but currently the main coach livery is a prominent red colour with an iconic dragon.  The Jones Holiday fleet has a similar blue livery and the standard coaches mainly used for school and college contracts have a white livery.  

In June 2024 the firm were bought out by the Coach Travel Group which consists of numerous other coach companies including Barnes Coaches, Coatham Coaches, JH Coaches, Johnsons Coaches including Whittles, Swans Travel and the Ready Group including Readybus, Arena Travel, Turbostyle and LJ Edwards.   This ended the family involvement with the business with Chris and his wife retiring.

Fleet History

The table below gives a list of all recorded vehicles known to have been with this operator.  

I am indebted to David Donati for his dedicated work in compiling this data and enabling me to present it.

In the 'Links' column - where available - there is a link to a photograph of the vehicle.  The photo will open in a new window.

Chassis and body numbers can be seen by scrolling to the right.