A GOLDEN START
Malcolm Keeley reviews the 2002 season so far
Even before the Museum re-opened at Easter, we had held our first enthusiasts’ tour for 2002. We intend to hold only one per year but the opportunity to take 5399 via the classic 144 route to the Malverns on 24 March was irresistible. The bus was due for light body overhaul and repainting, and the encroaching trees beyond Great Malvern mean that it could be many years before we feel inclined to take 5399 along there again. We were lucky to enjoy a superb spring day with early blossom making an appearance. The Malverns were not the only destination, 5399 also travelled to Pershore, Evesham, Broadway, and Willersey, a scenic selection for photo stops. After its many trips on Museum services to the Maypole, 5399 was actually posed by a real one, at Offenham. Special thanks to Phil Ireland who shared the driving with me.
Preparations for the new season as usual embraced Class 6 buses for inspections, rectifications and tests. Exhibits were washed or dusted. Bus services were registered and advertising placed. The shop was rediscovered and the cafeteria cleaned from top to bottom. Demand has continued to be sufficiently buoyant to hold the Easter Extravaganza on both Sunday and Monday. As before, visitors were bribed with chocolate as they came in and this strategy to put them in good humour worked just as well this year! There were no goofy rabbit suits, sadly, in 2002. Boring! Easter Sunday was the first cold day after a very mild spell and numbers were down but the Monday was up to standard.
Late April saw our first pair of days joining in the Thomas the Tank Engine festivities at the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway, Toddington - the second pair of days will be in August. Shock horror for us was the ingress of water where water shouldn’t be in the S16’s engine, which meant Bertie wasn’t able to go. We had discussed with Toddington before about a lesser-known bus character called Bulgy, a red double-decker. A hasty trip out by car revealed that double-decker operation was possible with a little care and the Trent PD2 thus became Bulgy. As ever, the days were great fun and very well organised by Toddington. Children were more than happy to accept Bulgy instead of Bertie. You will recall that part of the event is Bertie losing a ‘race’ with Thomas, like in the book. The children aboard Bertie can see the steam from Thomas and scream with excitement, urging Bertie along, while we try not to make losing too obvious. The substitution of Bulgy the double-decker meant the children on the train could clearly see the bus for the first time, cranking up the atmosphere aboard the train! Despite our best/worst efforts, signalling staff all too often delay Thomas, causing us to win and incurring the wrath of the Fat Controller.
The bank holiday weekend at the beginning of May has never been acknowledged by the Museum until now. A number of the younger volunteers escaped to Llandudno so it was a generally ‘maturer’ profile offered to those visiting us for our first operating days on this particular bank holiday. The days were advertised as ‘Celebrating the Fifties’, which was not a reference to the average age of the volunteers but referred to the decade of the Queen’s Coronation. Appropriate vehicles were lined up and a new display installed in the railway coaches. Three relevant buses provided rides around local lanes, Birmingham Guy 2976, Trent PD2 1256 and, for the first time in revenue earning service for decades, the Crosville Bristol L5G, looking very much the part. The weekend proved well worthwhile, actually outperforming Easter for admission numbers. As usual the Monday was stronger than the Sunday.
Historically, Spring Bank Holiday Monday sees us link with Aston Manor Road Transport Museum for Two Museums Day. Combining the growing event with a Bank Holiday has, in recent years, put us under severe pressure, especially in the cafeteria, finding sufficient bus crew, and accommodating cars. This year everything had to be different because of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, spread over Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at the beginning of June. There were therefore the additional hazards of road closures for celebrations, and over enthusiastic people attending them spilling about. Golden Jubilee Birmingham didn’t promise to be an appropriate place for a heritage bus service. The decision was thus taken to split the event. The Two Museums Day was operated on the last Sunday of May (i.e. the day before it would normally occur) and the three days of the Golden Jubilee would be further Celebrating the Fifties days (making a total of five - fans of the modern classic Bill Murray film will appreciate why I insisted on calling them Groundhog Days).
As usual we took responsibility on Two Museums Day for providing the half-hourly linking bus service. In addition to the Groundhog Days trio of buses, the service also benefited from Kevin and the Potts’ Red & White Bristol MW, South Staffs’ Alexander Northern Daimler CVD6 and two North Birmingham Busways Leyland Atlanteans. Separated from a bank holiday, not surprisingly patronage was reduced but we could totally focus the event on enthusiasts. The Model Bus Federation took over most of the Scania Hall for their biggest display yet and declared themselves well pleased with the event. They have written to thank us for all our efforts, not least clearing and cleaning the Scania Hall.
The question was whether the ‘missing’ people (i.e. non-enthusiasts, particularly families, that visit us on bank holidays) would turn up over the Golden Jubilee. With so many competing attractions, we had no idea how people would spread themselves, with particular doubts about the Tuesday. With Monday a disastrously wet day, Tuesday was actually the busiest day and the two combined accounted for the ‘missing’ visitors with those attending on the Sunday a bonus. Again the hourly service around the local lanes proved ideal. The expected spreading of demand meant volunteers could take at least one of the three days off although some chose to spend the whole of the Golden Jubilee among their friends at Wythall.
The ‘official’ route tour took place on 23 June. This required a BMMO single-decker and the engineers can explain how the proposals for the S23 or S16 eventually produced S15 5073, on its first job since attaining Class 6! The tour covered Shropshire and 5073 was a most appropriate choice, having been a Shrewsbury vehicle and had the right destination blinds for nearly all the posed photographs, which are such an important feature of these tours. The tour was a complete sell-out and the appearance of the S15 was an unexpected treat for the riders. The red and black livery looked wonderful out on the road and the passengers benefited from the generous seat spacing, even though bus seats are nowadays fitted. Immaculate timing meant the S15 met Boulton’s Leyland Tiger Cub working a Severn Valley heritage service. Lunch was taken at Bridgnorth, a toilet break at Church Stretton extended alarmingly for ice creams, and a tea break was enjoyed in Ludlow where 5073 briefly posed in front of the former Midland Red garage. No-one cared that we were becoming behind time because, despite lack of optimism from the weather forecasters, we enjoyed more and more sunshine as the day wore on and it was, after all, just about the longest day of the year. We chickened out on the Clee Hill option returning from Ludlow but the former 409 route via Burford and Mamble looked a treat in the evening sunshine. Special thanks to Kevin and Keith for the driving on the day, even if Keith did display the strange ability to turn traffic lights red.
In addition to all the above, the Museum has undertaken a number of private hires, particularly weddings, including one requiring two double-deckers. The guests on that one were initially distracted by an England World Cup match but the 3-0 win, concluded during the ceremony, certainly got the celebrations off to a fine start - I’m not sure how the reception would have gone if England had lost! Due to circumstances, volunteers have found themselves called upon to help on several events close together, which they have done without complaint. Sincere thanks to all of you. The calendar is less demanding for the rest of the season but the hard work so far has meant we have the promise of another good year.
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