Bus Garage
A new style 'Georgian' house was recently built where the old Pioneer Bus Garage used to stand.
The garage was the newest building on King St and built in 1949, and the only building in the area that wasn't listed.
The garage was built on land leased from Browns Hotel by returning WW2 war hero, Tom Ebsworth.
When Ebie Williams, who owned Pioneer buses, bought Browns in the 1950s he evicted his rival and so Ebsworth and buses moved to Clifton Garage,
and Pioneer buses moved in. Browns was decorated inside and out to match Pioneer's livery - blue and cream.
Locals recall buses parked on King St pumping out diesel fumes whilst the engines warmed up, but more fondly remember the hourly service from eight until midnight to Carmarthen as the two bus companies fought for control of the route. The garage later became home to the Laugharne Pottery, which closed in 2011.
In 1977 Bryn Woodworth, a Pioneer bus driver from Laugharne tragically lost his life in Pendine when his bus lost control on a steep hill and crashed into the sea wall. His heroism meant all but one of the passengers survived. A memorial plaque commemorating his bravery can be seen above, on the sea wall at Pendine.
Here's Pioneer bus passing at Mariner's corner, and below are two buses in the garage and the old petrol pump, which remained in place until 2019.
The pic is of the Laugharne Players who were involved in the NTW play, Raw Material: Llareggub Revisited which began in the bus garage, and many locals of the township (never say 'town' or 'village' in front of a Laugharnie!) came to see in 2014.
Many locals were involved creating or appearing in the 2014 NTW production, including Annie Hardy who knitted the Under Milk Wood characters that were sprinkled in windows around Laugharne. Here the dolls are photographed in the bus garage.
Laugharne Pottery machinery
The view from the street, c. 1960,
and below the site today - the property
aptly named 'Pioneer House'
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