LEICESTER BRANCH REVIEW
Once again, the Leicester branch have enjoyed another highly varied season of meetings , the highlight being briefly as follows:
January starts off the year with our traditional Great British Bus Quiz, followed by our annual slide and photo competition. For Birmingham area members not familiar with this seasonal offering, the first half is a trivia quiz, which somehow yours truly ends up compiling some bizarre questions, and after coffee break members enter three slides and prints into a light hearted photo competition. Winner of the quiz this year was Dick White, who also won the print competition with a view of an Eastbourne AEC Regent V, whilst Simon Gill won the slide competition with a Midland Red C5
February saw Trevor Follows giving us his local news round up of happenings in bus and rail of local interest, never an easy task given the rapid change of liveries and vehicles. He was ably assisted by Dave Pritchard who seemed to have taken the stooge role that day.
March saw our first guest speaker, Peter Hammond, who gave us a very in depth talk on the development and operations of the South Notts bus co. The anecdotes of the various personnel whom he had come into contact whilst working there as a part time driver was fascinating. I for one had not realised that they had a large lady conductress affectionately known as Broad Marsh.
For our April meeting, which was held on 1st April, Malcolm Keeley came with a rendering of operators that began with the letters A and B. Plus, to coincide with the day, he bought along some joke slides, although the bodybuilders concerned had obviously thought different when designing(?) them.
Simon Gill gave us our May show, with local shots taken twenty years ago and then contrasted them with shots taken ten years ago. Amazing how time flies, just looking at them.
June saw us take our annual study tour, a one off event which I believe took place some 14 or 15 years ago, and has happened each year since. It always slots into the June schedule and this year Dick White provided his ex-Midland Red C12 class Leyland Leopard/Plaxton 6451 (AHA 451J) , which has been restored into National White, to the Lincolnshire Vintage Vehicle Society premises at Lincoln. Very enjoyable.
July's meeting was a transition for us. We had been using the Fosse Neighbourhood Centre in Mantle Road for many years, but local political shenanigans had meant that this facility was to have been withdrawn from April, eventually the July meeting to be at our re-located venue of the West End Centre in Andrewes Road. In the event, both sites had been booked, the caretaker still present at Mantle Road informing us he thought the centre had closed but no one had told him, and some members turning up to Andrewes Road. Fortunately, the two centres are quite close and so with Dick Whites show belatedly starting , we saw seventeen members bidding farewell to our venue of many years
In August we were well and truly installed into Andrewes Road and guest speaker Andy Izatt gave us a fascinating show into the current transport delights of Cuba. Yes, Leyland Olympics are still to be found in various guises, whilst the meeting ended with various members thoughts on the possibility of what happens if and when traffic cones are introduced , such was the obvious absence of traffic and such modern obstacles.
September was a double bill, Mike Greenwood showing Sheffield in the 60s and then Simon Gill showing Manchester and Automation, May 2000.
In October, Brian Dicks showed buses operating on various services up and down the country with route numbers 50-99. One aspect of our new venue are the variety of other users, and the second half of this particular show was augmented by some ear-shattering music from an Asian wedding party next door, which actually blended in quite well with some of the slides.
On to November and guest speaker Peter Cordwell gave us a showing , from his apparently very extensive collection, entitled Buses where they shouldn't be. This showed mainly Yorkshire operators, using hired-in buses and other unusual workings. Another first at this meeting was our first gate crasher at the centre, when a 'gentleman' user of the centre attempted to sleep off the night before using the rather sumptuous seating we now have. Fortunately Ken Williams coaxed the offender from the settee, looking as though he had had previous practice of this, although I suspect the rear seat squab of an Atlantean is not quite as comfy.
Thanks as always go to Mike for arranging the meetings, the speakers providing the shows and to Rob Pike for the venue arrangements. All members are cordially welcome and with all the chit chat before and after, together with the banter during, I can safely say we always have a relaxing morning.
We are now up to meeting number 229, with top three appearances being
1-Mike greenwood 220
2-Peter Newland 212
3-Phil Hayman 204.
Brian Dicks
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
A registered educational charity no 507191
