DD12 Revival

Discussions about the Bus and Coach Preservation scene for Midland "Red" Motor Services and related companies.
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AdamH
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DD12 Revival

Post by AdamH » 16:32 Friday 13th October 2017

Let’s be clear about one thing, this post is about the DD12 vehicle, not the enthusiastic forum member by the same name. However, he may we’ll need reviving once he reads this!

Daimler Fleetline DD12, fleet number 6015, will soon be returning to it’s former home at Padmore Street depot in Worcester. Once there Worcester engineers will set about the vehicle getting it back on the road. As I’m sure you all know, the vehicle is owned by The Transport Museum, Wythall, and although it runs it has not been road worthy for many year. Obviously they only have limited resources and skilled man-power is in short supply.

First Midland Red will help with their engineers following a similar project at Leicester which gained the company some positive publicity.

So what work will be done? I should know this as I went the the museum with Worcester engineers in August to inspect it, but with so many other things to look at I got distracted and wandered off to look around! However, the First Midlands MD was also there and he seemed happy to go ahead.

The vehicle will arrive at Worcester soon. I understand the museum is sorting a low-loader for that job. Watch this space...

943KHA
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Re: DD12 Revival

Post by 943KHA » 19:35 Friday 13th October 2017

Adam, I was just about to write something similar on behalf of the Museum. Yes, it's all true regarding what you have said. I am pleased that First are taking this bus into its care for restoration works. Whilst from the exterior it looks very presentable beneath the skin it is not so healthy! As we speak my colleagues at Wythall are putting together a stock of spare parts that it certainly needs. I expect it to leave the Museum around 28th October, but will keep you informed so that you may throng to the streets of Worcester to welcome its return.... It will be nice to have this fine bus back in service at Wythall to put these rather boring blue and cream liveried ones in their place........ :lol:

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AdamH
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Re: DD12 Revival

Post by AdamH » 19:44 Friday 13th October 2017

JP, that bad news there will be a photograph of you on the front page of this website very soon... :lol:

DD12
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Re: DD12 Revival

Post by DD12 » 19:47 Friday 13th October 2017

Luckily, I had picked-up on a couple of hints that had "blown my way", - including what I'd been told by that woman down at "Fresh Fruits, in The Shambles" -
- (I am now also a member of the museum) -

- otherwise the shock of reading the above post REALLY could have blown the two remaining light-bulbs in my head !
- I would have had to check to see if it was April 1st, and then tried to "suss" whether Adam was just teasing me (big-time) !

If nobody had said anything, and I had seen it suddenly turned-up at WR garage, the shock REALLY could have killed me !

- Circa 2008, when the Transport Museum, Wythall restored the bodywork on 6015, I asked them if there was any chance that it might also be made roadworthy sometime in the future, and the answer was basically - "no chance" !
So, in my mind, the only chance of that ever happening would be for me to win big on the lottery !

Back in 1984, I took a couple of tentative steps towards buying and storing 6052 JHA52E, but the realities of money,- and the fact that I have no relevant skills, put a stop to it.
(I may also have been aware that 6015 had just passed into preservation).

Obviously, I'm extremely grateful to First, especially IF they succeed in getting it up to MOT standard, and I never thought I'd ever see it back in Worcester garage !!

Also, "we" will be taking delivery of this almost new looking DD12 almost exactly 50 years after WR took delivery of it's last new DD12s 6092- 6096 LHA592-596F.
(It would be another 48 years before WR got any more new DDs).

And thanks v.much to Mr 943KHA, and all at Wythall.

:) :)

943KHA
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Re: DD12 Revival

Post by 943KHA » 21:49 Friday 13th October 2017

Thanks Adam H for the photo, think I should have gone into 'makeup' first!

DD12
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Re: DD12 Revival

Post by DD12 » 14:28 Thursday 26th October 2017

943KHA wrote:
19:35 Friday 13th October 2017
...... I expect it to leave the Museum around 28th October, but will keep you informed ......
Rather ironically, the steam loco "The Flying Scotsman" WAS due to appear in Worcester this Saturday the 28th, but has developed a fault -

It would be a bit of a "publicity coup" for First, if they could get Scottish-bodied 6015 parked on a low-loader, outside Shrub Hill station "instead". :D

TimBrown
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Re: DD12 Revival

Post by TimBrown » 16:41 Thursday 26th October 2017

DD12 wrote:
14:28 Thursday 26th October 2017
943KHA wrote:
19:35 Friday 13th October 2017
...... I expect it to leave the Museum around 28th October, but will keep you informed ......
Rather ironically, the steam loco "The Flying Scotsman" WAS due to appear in Worcester this Saturday the 28th, but has developed a fault -

It would be a bit of a "publicity coup" for First, if they could get Scottish-bodied 6015 parked on a low-loader, outside Shrub Hill station "instead". :D
There is a very worthy replacement booked on the charter in the shape of LMS 46100 'Royal Scot' which most of the local enthusiasts are looking forward to. Just hope it makes it into Shrub Hill at 11-22. Like many I tend to look upon 60103 as a 'Flying Circus' which has become a bottomless pit that has already devoured nearly £10 million in acquisition from the scrapheap in USA and subsequent restoration. It is the opportunity cost in that it would have taken only a fraction of that sum to restore something like the GWR 'Lode Star' or that lovely old GNR 4-4-2 which have been languishing in the National Museum for decades.

Who says 'Flying Scotsman' is the most famous locomotive in the world? What about LNER 'Mallard', GWR City of Truro', GWR 'Caerphilly Castle', and LMS 'Coronation' just to mention a few. Has the marketing machine got the name of the TRAIN 'The Flying Scotsman' muddled with the locomotive because any number of top link LNER 100 MPH classes of 4-6-2 locomotives hauled it from Kings Cross to Edinburgh from around 1935 to 1965 (ish). Surely the most famous British train of all is the Southern 'Golden Arrow' from London to Paris?

Meanwhile 60103 is at The Nene Valley Railway having remedial work done to the driving wheels which need turning and possibly new steel 'tyres' and is booked and promised for a charter 11 November from Norwich to Kings Cross.

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AdamH
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Re: DD12 Revival

Post by AdamH » 18:32 Saturday 28th October 2017

Well I took my camera to work today in the hope of getting a photo of 6015... Alas no. :cry:

943KHA, Any idea when it will arrive?

943KHA
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Re: DD12 Revival

Post by 943KHA » 19:23 Saturday 28th October 2017

The best things in life are worth waiting for.... The current plan is that Rogers Rescue will be collecting 6015 from Wythall on Tuesday 31st October but this will be confirmed on Monday. I spent today removing a halfshaft (for towing), finding 5 outriggers and four pairs of brake shoes (not forgetting the partridge in a ...) and countless other bits including 75ft of air piping which I know will not be enough. All of that plus running an open day as well!

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AdamH
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Re: DD12 Revival

Post by AdamH » 19:45 Saturday 28th October 2017

943KHA wrote:
19:23 Saturday 28th October 2017
The best things in life are worth waiting for...
Oh I agree with that!

Tuesday suits me fine as I'll be working in the office all day and I'll be able to see it arrive! :lol:

Thank you.

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