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Transport Museum, Wythall Sunday 1 April 2018 part two.

Posted: 13:23 Monday 2nd April 2018
by TimBrown
As the Easter Event was a Bristol bus and coach themed day, I have attempted a few descriptions and apologise in advance if I have given any incorrect information or owner's names as my PSV Circle Preserved Buses book was published in March 2015. Anyway here goes;

First off is Chris Samson's UFM 53F a Bristol RELL6G new to Crosville in 06/68 as no. ERG53 with ECW DP50F bodywork. This dual purpose motor ran very nicely and it is a comfortable bus to ride in. I think Adam and Phil both enjoyed their time at the wheel on a drive around the local countryside!
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Next up on static display we see the Transport Museum's Wythall based 802 MHW, a Bristol Lodekka FSF6G new to Cheltenham District in 10/61 as no 6037 with ECW H34/26F bodywork. It is seen in the company of DAX 610C a Bristol MW6G new to Red & White in 05/65 as no U765 with ECW B45F bodywork.
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The next shot is of Mr Roger Burdett's OTT 43, a Bristol LS6G new in 08/53 to Western National as no 2200 with ECW C39F bodywork. I had a ride on this coach and it was very comfortable; surprised how old it was when checking details for this photo. Note the roof mounted luggage storage pod, and the attractive Royal Blue livery.
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Here we see Mr Rob Sly's Bristol Lodekka FS6G 314 PFM in the livery of Carters, Wherstead. This bus has ECW H33/27RD bodywork and was new to Crosville as no DFG33 in 09/60. Apparently it was used as a mobile caravan for many years with a two stroke diesel and lorry 8 speed splitter gearbox! Thankfully it has been restored with a Gardner 6LX engine and Bristol 5 speed overdrive gearbox (and full set of bus seats), so it sounds and runs really nicely.
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Resplendent in Bristol Greyhound livery is Bristol MW6G BHU 92C, fleet no 2138, which entered service in 02/65 with ECW DP39F bodywork. It is owned by Mr Walker of Wells.
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A very rare coach indeed came to Wythall from The Isle of Wight Bus Museum in the form of KDL 885F a Bristol RESH6G new to Southern Vectis as no 301 in 02/68 with Duple Commander C45F coachwork. Most Bristol RE carried ECW bodywork and the Gardner power was the 6LX, but I am told this one has a 6LW engine. Can anyone confirm? Whatever, it was immaculately presented and gave a number of fully loaded rides for local enthusiasts.
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Another attractive bus owned by Mr Walker of Wells is this Bristol LH6L which was new in 01/72 to Bristol Omnibus as fleet no. 353 with ECW B42F bodywork. One website states that this was one of six LH buses built with semi-automatic gearboxes, all subsequent buses had 5 speed sychromesh 'stick' boxes and conventional clutches. It is seen having made a trip round the local area with a full compliment of passengers.
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56 GUO is a Bristol MW6G in the attractive Royal Blue livery. It was new in 06/61 to Western National as no. 2267 with ECW C39F bodywork and is currently owned by Mr Roger Burdett. It was a popular choice with enthusiasts and carried a healthy load on each of the trips it made into the local countryside.
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Finally, a trio of pristine Bristol VRT/SL6G double-deckers with distinctively different bodywork as follows;

FRB 211H entered service in 06/70 as Midland General no. 322 with ECW H39/31F bodywork and has recently been fully restored to immaculate condition by the Transport Museum at Wythall.

OWE 271K entered service in 08/72 as Sheffield no. 271 with East Lancs H43/30F bodywork and was restored to the original livery by owner Mr Phil Ireland.

NOB 413M entered service in 04/74 as WMPTE (West Midlands PTE) 4413 with MCW H43/33F bodywork and the owner Mr Kevin Hill restored it to the original livery as seen in the photos.
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Re: Transport Museum, Wythall Sunday 1 April 2018 part two.

Posted: 14:30 Monday 2nd April 2018
by MattW
I love that Bristol coach. Looked and sounded great!

Adam and Phil did very well with the semi-automatic in Chris' Bristol - both having prior experience of course! One day when I'm feeling better I might pluck up the courage to ask for a go! What impressed me most about riding in it was the total lack of rattles and groans as compared to many brand new buses and coaches I have been on. They don't build 'em like that any more.

Re: Transport Museum, Wythall Sunday 1 April 2018 part two.

Posted: 16:16 Monday 2nd April 2018
by AdamH
Yes, I am very grateful to ChrisS for letting me loose in his pride-n-joy. After we returned he told me how much the previous owner had spent on the restoration, and while I'm not going to repeat the figure here I will say it was more than I paid for my house... I will also add that the passenger seats were more comfortable than any in my house too! :lol:

While I have driven semi-automatic buses before, the last time would have been c.2003 when Leopard coach 853 was withdrawn from Worcester depot. It was clear within the first few yards behind the wheel of the Bristol that the skills required were rather rusty and it kinda left me feeling like I was sitting a driving test again. I think I just about remembered how it's done as we pulled into the Wythall car park!

Nigel Eggleton was next to take the wheel and I'm told he loved every minute of it. I was out riding on the D9 by the time he returned so I didn't get a chance to ask him.

MattW, Mechwr26 and myself were treated to a very detailed guide of some of the vehicles hidden away in the back of the workshop. These included the D10 double-deck and CM6T motorway coach. Both vehicles are currently off the road but we were shown around them and told some of the problems they are facing. It was the first time I have been inside either vehicle and to my surprise I found that the seats in the CM6T were even more comfortable than those in Chris' Bristol.

The photo below is rather grainy as it was dark, but it shows in the lower deck of the D10 with some of the seats removed ready to lift the floor and attempt to gain access to the engine...

Re: Transport Museum, Wythall Sunday 1 April 2018 part two.

Posted: 20:50 Monday 2nd April 2018
by MattW
The insiders tour was a great privilege. Some of the stuff hidden away is amazing! 8-)

Was nice to see the S21 again - I always think it has an expression as if it once saw something terribly sad that it can't forget, so I gave it a pat.

Some of the vehicles may not be restored even in my lifetime, but its better they're there then in their former lives as chicken sheds or caravans!

Re: Transport Museum, Wythall Sunday 1 April 2018 part two.

Posted: 21:28 Monday 2nd April 2018
by DD12
Thanks Adam for the photo of the "saloon" of the D10 !
-- only thing is, it's got me scratching my head a bit because I rode around Stafford on a D10 in the late '60s, and my memory is that it was 4943, and that (unusually) I chose to sit downstairs -- but I don't remember it having that seating layout at the back (something that would have been interesting to me).

I remember choosing a forward-facing seat on the nearside so that I could see the stairs and driver's area better, to remind me that I wasn't on an under-floor engined single-decker.

Now I'm wondering if in fact I was riding on 4944 ?
-- did it have a different layout downstairs ?

-- Mr.943KHA ?? :D

Re: Transport Museum, Wythall Sunday 1 April 2018 part two.

Posted: 21:43 Monday 2nd April 2018
by ChrisS
Hi all,
good to see everyone this weekend. You are all such a friendly bunch,reminds me of the old MRW from the 80s and 90s. The company may have changed but the camaraderie is very much still there.
Glad Adam and Phil enjoyed the drive,she is a tough old beast but will respond if driven hard and carefully. One of the nicest REs to drive even if I may say so myself. You are all welcome to drive her next time, and MattW you must if you feel up to it. The big boss was grinning like a Cheshire cat when he got off. Think he enjoyed it!

Tim, the RESH coach is a 6HLW, sounds a lot different to the HLX engines. Only other correction, you have spelled my surname wrong :cry: :cry: :cry:
Chris

Re: Transport Museum, Wythall Sunday 1 April 2018 part two.

Posted: 22:15 Monday 2nd April 2018
by 943KHA
The seating layout on 4943 is as original and to my knowledge never changed. The 'best seat in the house' was the nearside front giving good forward vision and allowing you to see the driver wrestling with the somewhat ill placed gear lever. 4944 had the same front seat but at the rear would originally have had the same seating arrangement over the rear axle as 4943 and thence the rear platform. When rebuilt the emergency door was at the rear as per saloons instead of being on the offside and hence only 2x2 seats at the back, not a five seater, thus H43/34F. 5656 will hopefully be back in use this summer after being out of use for four years; it has not been cheap this time round with the need to fit a new fuel tank and six new high speed radial tyres (and a few other vital parts). Very much my favourite toy. 4943 needs the interior overhaul to be completed and investigation into a somewhat large coolant leak on the top of the cylinder block (not frost damage but I suspect that one of the aluminium inspection plates has finally turned to powder. All takes time!

Re: Transport Museum, Wythall Sunday 1 April 2018 part two.

Posted: 11:28 Tuesday 3rd April 2018
by TimBrown
ChrisS wrote:
21:43 Monday 2nd April 2018
Hi all,
Tim, the RESH coach is a 6HLW, sounds a lot different to the HLX engines. Only other correction, you have spelled my surname wrong :cry: :cry: :cry:
Chris
Chris, my apologies I must have been thinking of the strong man in the Old Testament, at my age missing a Pee is not a good idea!
Hope you had a good day on Monday and a smooth journey home.

Re: Transport Museum, Wythall Sunday 1 April 2018 part two.

Posted: 18:02 Tuesday 3rd April 2018
by MattW
ChrisS wrote:
21:43 Monday 2nd April 2018
and MattW you must if you feel up to it.
8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

Thanks Chris.

Re: Transport Museum, Wythall Sunday 1 April 2018 part two.

Posted: 20:43 Tuesday 3rd April 2018
by DD12
943KHA wrote:
22:15 Monday 2nd April 2018
The seating layout on 4943 is as original and to my knowledge never changed. . 4943 needs the interior overhaul to be completed and investigation into a somewhat large coolant leak on the top of the cylinder block (not frost damage but I suspect that one of the aluminium inspection plates has finally turned to powder. All takes time!
Thanks Mr943KHA for all the info in the post above, and good luck with all the work.
I hope the arthritis is not too bad !