A Very Special Away Event
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The E -Newsletter for CCCOBHAM BUS MUSEU MMM Members The London Bus Preservation Trust Ltd Reg’d Charity 1053383 Reg’d Company 1061762 September 2009 Number 777 By post or at www.lbpt.org A VERY SPECIAL AWAY EVENT Cobham was proud to play a part in the One of the project organisers writes: recreation of the 1939 evacuee journeys organised by Nicholas Winton to snatch Czech “I was thanked several times by travellers Jewish children out of the hands of the Nazis on the buses and also by the Czech and bring them to safety in London. 70 years Minister of European Affairs with whom I later, new-build steam loco Tornado headed a travelled to London in the morning, train carrying 22 of the surviving evacuees and Stefan Füle, who thought the buses and their relatives into Platform 10 at Liverpool their white coated crews were splendid, Street Station, where they were welcomed by so well done to everyone.” the 100-years-old Sir Nicholas in a moving ceremony. The Cobham vehicles were crewed by Roger Stagg and Graham Smith (RT1) and Tony Lewis Two vehicles from the Museum (RT1 and and Colin Borg (STL2377). Chairman Peter STL2377), supported by two post-war RTs from Duplock, Michael Wickham and Kevin Hibbs Ensign, then transferred the passengers to a also represented the Museum at this high-profile special reception at the Czech Embassy near occasion. Notting Hill Gate. Above: (from left) RT4421 and RT1431 from Ensign with RT1 and STL2377 from the Museum lined up by Platform 10 at Liverpool Street Station. All 4 vehicles did us and Ensign proud by performing faultlessly on the little tour of central London on the way to the Czech embassy. Right: Tornado on Platform 10 with various members of the press, TV, travellers and police with and a certain Colin Borg in T T h eL A LW B Y I attendance! How did he get into that picture? 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 Weybridge 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 Brooklands 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.