...AND CONTINUES ON THE SOUTHPORT LEYLAND PD2
It is some considerable time since I produced a report on progress on the Southport Open Topper. I apologise to readers of Omnibus, the renowned literary publication issued by BaMMOT. With shortages of material, I realise that it leaves the door open for more coverage of milk floats and electric vehicles. I would have thought that the Editor would have some jurisdiction to censor or ban such propaganda. I’d better include an apology here to Mr.Gray and his band of Merry Men. Being as he is a sensitive chap, I should hate him to be offended. On the contrary to what I have said, his work in finding and restoring these vehicles for presentation to the populace is most creditable, and shows another positive aspect in the Museum’s progress to show varied transport vehicles.
Back to the work in hand, that is to tell you about PD2 progress. Mention of the word “WORK” and I hear some of you ask, “Where’s Pete disappeared to?” Well he also has been busy with buses, private work, and recently, supervising the erection of the parts storage building at the rear of the Shire Hall. With many members giving up time on their normal projects to give assistance, the building is coming along well.
Since my last report, the bus has been turned and the offside panelling stripped. Many areas of corrosion were found, along with rotted wood in the lower body. Pete has managed to do some repairs to the metalwork and I have been making new timber components to commence the rebuild. Brackets are still to be fabricated to strengthen and stabilise the upper deck body. The woodwork for the lower deck body side has been replaced in the three panels below the windows rear of the cab. Next job will be for Pete and I to concentrate on the area around the rear wheel arch and work to a corroded panel abutting the staircase. Work has also started to remove the aluminium floor panels in the cab for attention. All may be re-usable and a little bird has let on to me that a certain person, who shares his initials with the title of the leader of the Government, has a new toy with which he can rectify small flaws in the aluminium.
The cab is also having the paint stripped so we can ascertain areas that may need repair. The inner wheel arch is one such place that we shall have to see to. A new cab entrance wooden threshold has been made, and Pete is making a metal bracket that attaches to the bulkhead and secures the offside front wing. Progress has been slower than had been hoped, but being self-employed, Pete has to do other priority work, and so I carry on with other tasks until the welding can be done. I recently discovered we had another problem as I removed some lower deck furniture to get at a stress panel that needs replacing. The offside bench seat back, above the wheelarch was showing disturbing signs. At first I accused Pete and Kevin of using the seat as a backplate for their dartboard, but examination revealed a serious infestation of woodworm. Other seats appear OK and all the bench seats have been given multiple treatments to eradicate the problem, although we may have to make a new seat in due course.
In between actually working on the bus, I have spent time sourcing and locating items we will need for the completion of the restoration. Being open topped, we needed a set of waterproof seats, and a possible source from a person in Lowestoft came to my notice. The seats were supposedly from a Southport bus, and enquiries suggested this was so. However, it transpired they were from a 1957 Orion Leyland and were not of the same style as those at present in the lower saloon. As always, Saviour Pete made enquiries and found some that will suit the purpose. I also acquired some unused window pans from the Manchester Museum, and these are identical to existing pans. We have been able to replace pans that were too corroded to repair, so the lower deck has completely sound window frames. We are now searching for a firm that can produce the correct profiled rubber for securing the glass. I have found outlets that hopefully will be able to recoat certain handrails and if necessary the steering wheel, in cellulite or plastic; one company in Swindon, and one in Middleton. I've also found places where signs and notices on Bakelite or other materials can be reproduced on modern equivalents. Most signage will be vinyls or signwritten.
So as you can see, the restoration is moving on, albeit slowly. Hopefully as soon as Pete is able to have time to complete the welding, and I finish the framework, we can move to the next objective, in repanelling the offside. I think that concludes this report for the time being and I may have some more positive news next time. Meantime, I have to find a way to tell Paul that I require the space occupied by his present project to be used as a painting area for the Southport.
Alwyne Marsden
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
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