T h e W A Y B I L L September 2009 SeptemberSeptember that picture? that picture? get into he How did attendance! in Borg Colin a certain and with police and TV, travellers press, the of members various with 10 on Platform Tornado Right: embassy. Czech the to the way on London central of tour little on the faultlessly by performing proud Ensign us and did vehicles 4 All Station. Street Liverpool 10 at by Platform up lined Museum the from STL2377 and RT1 with Ensign from RT1431 Notting Hill Gate. Hill Notting near Embassy Czech at the special reception a passengers to the transferred then Ensign, RTs from post-war two by supported STL2377), and (RT1 Museum the from vehicles Two ceremony. a in moving Sir Nicholas 100-years-old the by welcomed were they where Station, Street at Liverpool Platform 10 relatives into their and evacuees surviving the of 22 carrying train later, new-build steam loco loco steam later, new-build years 70 London. in safety to them and bring Czech snatch to Winton Nicholas by organised journeys evacuee 1939 the of recreation the in part a play to was proud Cobham Above: (from left) RT4421 and and left) RT4421 (from Above: Jewish children out of the hands of the Nazis the of hands the of out children Jewish SeptemberSeptember The London Bus Preservation Trust Ltd Ltd Trust Preservation Bus London The A VERY SPECIAL AWAY EVENTVERYSPECIALAWAY A 2009 2009 2009 2009 TheE Number Number - Newsletter for Newsletter Tornado headed a headed Number 7 Number Number Number Number CCC C Reg’d Charity 1053383 Reg’d Company 1061762 1053383 Company Charity Reg’d Reg’d OBHAM BUS MUSEU OBHAM BUS MUSEU OBHAM OBHAM BUS MUSEU OBHAM BUS MUSEU OBHAM occasion. occasion. high-profile at this Museum the also represented Hibbs Kevin and Wickham Michael Duplock, Peter Chairman (STL2377). Borg and Colin Lewis and Tony (RT1) Smith Graham and Stagg Roger by crewed were vehicles Cobham The writes: organisers project the of One 77 7 so well done to everyone.” everyone.” to done well so splendid, coatedwere crews white their and buses the thought who Füle, Stefan morning, the in London to travelled I whom with Affairs European of Minister Czech and also the by buses the on travellers by times several “I was thanked

By post or at at www.lbpt.orgor at Bypost www.lbpt.org or Bypost By post or at at www.lbpt.orgor at Bypost www.lbpt.org or Bypost MMM M Members

THE WAYBILL, number 7, September 2009 page 2

Should We or ShouldnShouldn’t’t We? Here are some of the comments sparked off by our piece on and would be more interested in a vehicle theme.” the RT1 appeal in the last issue: Ah, but we cannot live on enthusiasts alone! We need to Well-known transport writer Michael H. C. Baker says: “For attract a wider audience if we are to raise the funds we need most people – ordinary passengers, anyhow – the body NOT to maintain our vehicles and speed up the pace of restoration. the chassis is the most important part of a bus. Thus RT1 is a So we must run events that appeal to families and individuals damn sight more authentic than practically every post-war RT, interested in heritage but without an enthusiast’s knowledge. which has neither the chassis nor the body it originally entered Hopefully some of these will become enthusiasts (and service with.” members!) as a result of their visit. Michael Wickham speaks for the CoM and the Events Committee when he says: “We Peter Bowen, who lives in Cheshire but manages to get to will never neglect the true enthusiast, but we have to balance most Cobham events, writes: “Having got this far we have no our events.” option but to continue and to make a great success of the appeal. Like others, though, I am concerned about the impact But back to should we or shouldn’t we? A number of people on the restoration of other vehicles. However, things like the made the simple point that the answer lies with our members. French T should certainly be obtained if the chance presents Jim Andress writes: “Surely the answer will come from the itself, even if they are in the restoration queue for a long time.” results of the appeal. If people think it’s the correct thing to do they will give. If not, they won’t.” The Waybill asked fundraising trustee Michael Wickham for a comment on this. “Hopefully there will be no impact on the Colin Fradd, a regular Cobham driver, lucidly expresses the restoration of other vehicles,” he says. “The availability of RT1 views of the antis: “Spending £150,000 (assuming it could be came up without prior warning, and given the need to react raised) on a single vehicle is a price too high to be paid from a relatively urgently, the trustees felt that the best option was to Museum appeal. This represents an average contribution in the seek to raise the funds externally – from enthusiasts and the broad order of £200 - £250 per CBM member, assuming no ‘interested public’ – without therefore impinging on our third party contributions, which I believe is a totally unrealistic existing restoration funds. expectation. There are other projects in the background, which, in my opinion, are far more deserving, perhaps none Peter also made a number of detail points about the appeal: more than the repainting of RTL139, which has gone wanting there’s not space here to go into them all, but the fundraisers for the sake of £2 - £3k. Looking closely at other vehicles, have acknowledged them individually. remedial works are desirable in a number of instances, which could be achieved at relatively modest cost. Overall, I consider Peter also raised a point about our events: “The aim is to see, that several very worthwhile projects could be realised for a travel on and photograph the vehicles rather than to visit other fraction of the price of saving RT1, and for this reason the attractions like a working farm (which I can do locally). I hope proposal to buy it does not have my support unless it could be to be at the August event but won’t be visiting country houses majority funded by some form of external support (eg: commercial sponsorship), with only minority funding from the membership.” Conductors Wanted! Well, at the time of writing over £92,000 has been given or Have you ever conducted a London Bus in service? Would pledged. If you’d like to contribute (or even to give another you like to conduct a London Bus in service? donation!), get your chequebook out now!

We are seeking members who would like to be trained as conductors for both our “free services” at events and route 462, which runs on event days between Station RT1 Running Plates and the Museum. BUSES magazine asked why the obscure 164A route was chosen for RT1’s displays at the Aldwych press launch. Mike Scott is running training days at the Museum on Reader Peter Mankelow said: “I have always thought that Wednesdays 7th and 21st October, commencing at 10.30 RT1 was given the 164A blinds just so that it could and lasting until about 16.00. Training will include safety, legitimately display A1 on its running plates.” customer care, ticket issuing and revenue protection, and a practical test. If you pass, you will be added to the list of Do any of our members know if A1 was exclusive to the appointed conductors who can work on Trust vehicles. You 164A, or whether it was also carried by other routes from will need to be reasonably fit (running up and down stairs Sutton? If it was, then the choice of 164A seems even more can be quite tiring!) and numerate – the ability to add and puzzling – unless there was an original intention to operate subtract is essential. RT1 in early service on a route well away from central London, so any teething troubles were less likely to be Places are limited, but if you would like to have a go please picked up by the press. Any bright ideas? email Mike on [email protected] , stating which date you would prefer. Further details will be sent to (A rumour has it that RT1 DID operate on the 164A on an odd you. couple of occasions in its early days, although the rumour doesn ’t specify which running number it carried at the time!) Give it some thought, your Museum needs you! THE WAYBILL, number 7, September2009 page 3

Horse Bus at BBeeeeamishamish One of the Andrews horse buses ran at a Beamish Museum event on 4th September. Curatorial trustee David Kinnear postponed his holiday to attend, and swears his wife didn’t mind!

Away Events Diary Above: on 19th July we went to Alton for Cobham vehicles have had a busy year Above: on 7th June we attended the Frimley the Watercress Line’s bus rally and running at Away Events. The following were Park Hospital to Farnham Festival of day. SMS369’s engine needed running in attended: Transport and road run with 3 vehicles, and is here posed with MB90 in the display RF395, G351 and Q83. Here, the 3 buses ground. STL441 went for service on the Several buses have been to the are seen lined up in the middle of the Medstead route 15, G351 went for display Museum on various dates Aldershot and District vehicles in Farnham and privately owned 738J was also there this year, some just for display and for display. Photo © Elliott Hibbs others to give rides. The rides generated several hundred pounds, which was shared between Cobham and Brooklands. These days gave us extra chances to show off our buses to greater numbers of people and to further the spirit of co-operation between us and Brooklands, thus cementing the relationship between the two organisations for the future. Above: GS34 attended the Amersham &

District running day at Hemel Helpstead on 16th August but here are some of the other buses in HH Bus Station. Beautiful weather made the day a delight and the array of buses in service was brilliant. As always, it was a great day out and the Museum shop took plenty of cash too!

More next time! If you want to attend Above: We attended both the and these days, helping in the shop, handing Above: although RML3 and RMC1461 did days on 18th July, carrying out leaflets or just for fun, please most of the rides at Brooklands during the the Lady Mayor to Byfleet on D142 with contact Richard Jones or Kevin Hibbs year, RTL139 did take its turn on 13th STL441 also in attendance. RF395, on The Waybill email address below. June. Here posed with Brooklands residents STL2377 and T31 went for display at RML2504 and the BOAC Atlantean. The Whiteley, with RMC1461 providing the service buses did show blinds connected “park and ride” facility. These days are with the days, with “Brooklands” in the part of the Museum’s “service to the ultimates at no extra expense! The WAYBILL community” requirement. Editor: Colin Borg Deputy Editor: David Kinnear Set out by: Kevin Hibbs Day T rips from the Museum Photographs by: Kevin Hibbs (unless Alan Heasman has been busy organising trips out from the Museum. The next one otherwise credited) is to Castle Point on 11th October. One of the Museum vehicles will go, departing Printed by: John Bull at 08:00 from the Museum. We invite a totally separate donation of £10 per Email: [email protected] person, which is not connected with the trip in any way, of course! Letters and other items for The Waybill may be emailed or posted to the Museum. On 18th October, RML3 will be going to the Isle of Wight Museum’s annual The Waybill is published by the London Bus Running Day, including this year no less than three Bristol Ks in service we are Preservation Trust Ltd for the information told! The charge for this trip will be £25 per person to cover fuel, ferry, etc. and enjoyment of its members. While every care is taken in the production And on New Year’s Day 2010, we will send something to the Friends of King of The Waybill, the LBPT Ltd will accept no Alfred’s Running Day in Winchester, departing at 09:00 from the Museum. Again, liability for claims arising from any errors or we will invite a totally separate donation not connected with the trip a little closer omissions. Opinions expressed by the to the time. contributors are not necessarily those of the LBPT Ltd. The LBPT Ltd reserves the right not to publish any submitted material If you would like to go on any of the trips listed here, please contact Alan Heasman judged to be detrimental to it, or to all or on The Waybill email address on the right. any of its members.