ASTON MANOR TRANSPORT MUSEUM
MUSEUM NEWS No. 69 January - March 2012
Quarterly review
It is good to be able to revert to a quarterly format after last year‟s trials and tribulations. Evacuation of the old premises in Witton Lane was completed with the removal of the lower saloon of Birmingham tramcar 107 on the morning of December 28th, with a hand over of keys to the premises taking place a few hours later.
For those that don‟t know, the vast majority of items and vehicles stored at Witton moved to Unit 3 Beecham Business Park, Northgate, Aldridge WS9 8TZ. While we are not presently open to the public, the opportunity has been taken to work on a number of vehicles, reports of which will appear later. A start has also been made on accessioning all documents, archives, artefacts etc., a job that we never got properly round to whilst at Witton, and one for which a proper “Collections Development Policy” is being created. If we are able to reopen then we would be looking to seek Museum‟s Accreditation of which this policy document would form an important and crucial start point.
For a change I will include some sub headings in this review to highlight certain important areas in this review period. There are still a significant number of supporters who made pledges and for those who are not also members I am sending you an abridged version of this newsletter. Pledges remain „live‟ even though our efforts to save Witton failed. We will require funding to create a new museum if we can agree terms with our landlords, but at this stage I do not consider it appropriate to call in your pledge while there is no „deal‟ actually on the table. However, if you wish to rescind your pledge on the basis that „Witton‟ was what you wished to support, I would appreciate you letting me know so I do not keep sending you information about Aldridge.
MUSEUM EGM – MARCH 11th
This meeting was attended by around 40 members, many of whom were „Friends‟ at the time, but sufficient full members were present to ensure all the resolutions were passed. While I will cover some of this with separate subscription renewals, the main points were that from April 1st 2012 there will just be one class of member – Full members of the Museum Company. A new subscription rate will apply from this date of £25pa. Friends will have the option of immediately applying for membership with an additional fee of £10 that then covers to 31.3.2013. „Friends‟ will be wound-up at 31.12.2012 with the option to then apply for full membership at £25 to expire 31.3.2014. There are one or two „Friends‟ under the age of 18 and it will be necessary to create some form of junior membership as the Company‟s Articles of Association preclude young people under the age of 18 as being able to apply for membership.
PLANNED EVENTS
We have been allowed to have 2 events, and subsequently a third has been added in.
The first event is due on Sunday April 15th and will be a running day. A timetable is enclosed, but there will be a one-off service from Birmingham Moor Street at 9.45am from the 50 bus terminus (opposite the station), returning from Aldridge at 4pm. This is being provided by Roger Burdett, but no guarantee can be given that there will be room – however, the 997 service is close by, although only hourly on Sundays if Aldridge is the destination and you are unable to join Roger‟s trip. An opportunity to view the collection inside its new setting will also be possible and there will be a number of sales stands and other attractions.
Next up is a Two Museums‟ event on Tuesday June 5th with a free service on a half-hourly basis from Wythall to Aldridge via B‟ham City Centre using the stops adjacent to the Alexandra Theatre on Suffolk
1
Street Queensway. This has been initiated principally by the private vehicle owners at Wythall so will not involve their Museum‟s Class VI buses. What stupendous support for our new venture!
Finally, we are retaining the long standing July Open Day, this year on Sunday 8th. Guest vehicles particularly welcome, although an official entry form is required for this.
Please note that for all these events on-site car parking will not be feasible for visitors, there will be barely enough room for volunteers. Car parking is possible on local side roads, while all bus services presently planned will go via the town centre where you can board for the short journey down Northgate. We will also be opening at 10.30am, rather than 11 for all these events.
WHEN WILL THE MUSEUM REOPEN?
Towards the end of last November we signed a Tenancy at Will agreement with Jack Allen Holdings Ltd., owners of the site, on a free rental basis, but with liabilities for a significant service charge, business rates, buildings insurance cover, electrical and water usage. This is all subject to a more permanent agreement where Volant PVS will sign a lease with JAH Ltd. and then sublet to us. Our initial expectations were that this would have taken place by now but Volant‟s plans are taking longer to come to fruition and with other issues to be resolved we may not be able to open this year.
From a financial point of view, we need to be able to trade on a regular basis again; presently we are eating into reserves. I have prepared a 3 year cashflow projection based upon being open similarly to Witton, although that is the minimum position, and this indicates we can trade satisfactorily. Let‟s hope we have the opportunity to prove that.
Richard Gray - Editor
CHAIRMAN’S NOTES
A warm welcome to all of you for 2012.
I was particularly pleased to see so many Friends and Members at the EGM held on March 11th and the very positive support that this enforced move to Aldridge has been creating. There is still some distance to go, but I do feel that the future could be very positive for all of us, not least with the opportunity to start afresh at a completely different site.
There are fresh volunteering opportunities with specific tasks to be completed, so if you would like to be a part of helping set-up a new museum do let myself, or one of my colleagues, know.
You will also have seen details of the 3 events lined up over the next few months. Come along and see the progress being made to vehicles and artefacts and find out more about the plans we have for the future.
Without your continuing support, both in the final few weeks at Witton and now the first few months at Aldridge, none of this would have been possible.
I do look forward to seeing you at these events and perhaps be able to tell you more of how the future is looking. Yes, and don‟t forget the shop – we will run a sales stand at these events, there is still some stock of all types remaining and I can still order you die-cast requirements. Just let me know!
Geoff Lusher - Chairman
Subscription renewals / reminders
It was very pleasing to have so many renewals from Friends, but there are a number who have not renewed. A further renewal form is attached, but if you have decided to renew but would wish to as a full member, details appeared above but I will forward a Member‟s application to you.
For Full members, it is also now time to renew. Those of you who have vehicles at storage sites must renew as part of the arrangement. A renewal form is therefore enclosed with this newsletter. If you have any queries over this, then please come back to me.
RHG
2
The unique Guy LUF / Saro LJW 336 was the last bus to leave Witton. Richard Gray
NatEx West Midlands have refurbished a number of Volvo B6‟s of which 669 is one. Richard Gray 3
RM506 – a star of daytime TV?
At the start of the year, the physical move to Aldridge was virtually complete and the reality of our situation was becoming clear - for an indeterminate period, the Museum would have substantial outgoings and little or no income. What could we do to find alternative income streams? Out of the blue, in the first days of January, came the enquiry, “Could the BBC use the Routemaster for one day for shooting an episode of „Doctors‟?”. With some past experience, we knew that long hours of boredom could result, but it seemed an offer we couldn‟t turn down.
After an agreement was reached, all went quiet for a couple of months, until an e-mail arrived; one day on set had become two, preceded by an hour of „familiarisation‟ for the actors who would have to drive on set. This all caused a bit of personal diary reorganisation, but, at 8:30 on the Tuesday morning, a black Galaxy arrived at Aldridge bringing Natasha Carlish, the producer, with regular cast member Lorna Laidlaw (Mrs Tembe) and guest star Aleksander Mikic, a Bosnian who has appeared in a range of dramas over the ten years or so that he has worked in the UK.
Familiarisation went well, both cast members professing to enjoy the experience, though it was very clear that Lorna in particular had taken the RM to her heart. During the session, it emerged that the script called for Mrs Tembe to say that the bus needed a change of sparking plugs, not a regular component of an RM (though I seem to recall in the very distant past an lpg experiment - but not on RM506). An alternative scenario was quickly worked out, with an air lock in the fuel pump suggested - though the Museum maintenance team is unhappy at the suggestion that any such thing should happen to our Routemaster! Even at this late stage, the shooting location for the next day was undecided - all I knew is that it would be in a park, in Birmingham and early!
Late on Tuesday evening, the phone call came to say that the venue was the Nature Centre car park entrance into Cannon Hill Park and the bus needed to be there for 07:30. Hence, a departure from Aldridge by 07:00 was needed, and the RM mixed it with early morning rush-hour traffic for the first time for many years - driving conditions in which it feels so well-suited. On arrival on a cold overcast, damp March morning, we were greeted with a show of bunting and flags, as we had to believe it was early June and the Diamond Jubilee was underway. The RM made its entrance, in Alex‟s hands, through the gates into the park - though I had to reverse it back out through the gates for each of the numerous takes - and filming was underway. During the day, we took the bus down the Pershore Road to the next entrance, once used for the Outer Circle Rally entrants, as the bridge would not accommodate the RM - more shooting, this time a chase, with me at the wheel masquerading as Alex - while the weather first became more like June, then reverted as quickly to winter, as hail turned the grass white. Back to the first entrance for another scene, then, as darkness fell, driving somewhat gingerly down to the MAC buildings for the final scene of the day, pretending to be outside a small suburban house. Eventually, at something after 18:30, shooting was over and, after turning in the pitch black with the lake all too close, it was away - or as far as the gates, where the start of an Indian firework festival had brought large numbers of cars to a previously empty area. The manoeuvrability of the RM was to the fore as we squeezed out, and a somewhat tired driver headed back to Aldridge, knowing it would all happen again tomorrow.
After a little confusion about the venue, thanks to the film crew‟s concern about a particular tree (they didn‟t know I‟d been under it the day before), 07:30 on Thursday saw us back on site. The driver of one of the large motor caravans used to support the actors and crew called out to me by name to offer coffee and a chat while I was waiting - typical of the whole cast and crew, who were really friendly and helpful. Over the two days, I was invited into various production control vehicles that were being used to mastermind the recording and to discuss technical aspects of the filming; unlike the only similar filming experience I‟d had, where you were made to feel a very insignificant part of the set-up, the „Doctors‟ crew and actors were intent on making me feel part of their team, which made what many feel can be a boring day interesting and educational.
Fairly early in the day, Lorna had to do her driving session and, as expected, went for it with alacrity, being happy to reverse the RM down a long curving track, with me walking alongside offering encouragement! Later, in the breakdown scene, she checked the story we had concocted to replace the script and then literally threw herself under the bonnet - I do hope it comes out as funny on the screen as it really was. The team worked through the hazards of numerous cyclists and joggers, a large helicopter landing on the adjacent police Tally Ho! Sports field in the middle of a take and over-interested children until, eventually, the session came to an end and we left, negotiating the hill and hairpin bend to leave through the tight
Russell Road entrance to the park and back into the evening rush hour traffic.
After two days of filming, the only casualty was one platform light bulb, broken when Alex was a bit over- 4
A montage of photos taken by Martin „on location‟
5
enthusiastic in throwing another character and his belongings off the bus; the winners were the BBC in having a starring bus for „Doctors‟ - to work out how an RM, in full London livery and showing, as ever, 207 Southall blinds, comes to be in a park in the Midlands as part of the story, you‟ll just have to watch on June 1st (I think), when the Diamond Jubilee storyline is shown. The other winners were the Museum, with a valuable cheque for two days local work helping out the cash flow and the potential for the provision of other vehicles in the future, to say nothing of direct contact with many passers-by who stopped to learn more about the bus and the Museum. For me, I had two fascinating days of filming with actors and crew who went out of their way to be friendly and inclusive. Aleksander, while possibly not quite as enthusiastic as Lorna about driving the bus, clearly enjoyed the experience and, on the final day when he had to leave the site early, made a special effort to come and say good bye and wish us well with our efforts; Lorna insisted that I e-mail her all the details of the open day on 15th April and has confirmed that she has every intention of coming and seeing us and re-acquainting herself with „her‟ Routemaster. We look forward to it! (Selection of pictures on Facebook - linked to the Keep Aston Manor Transport Museum Open page, or on my Flickr site http://www.flickr.com/photos/preselector/, then open the set „Filming for BBC Doctors‟).
Martin Fisher
Fleet News at 23.3.12
National Express West Midlands & Coventry
Hot on the heels of the 2011 deliveries, all of which bar accident damaged 2013 (B7RLE) have been delivered, sees further B7RLE‟s going firstly to Wolverhampton and then Pensnett where they are operating on the 120 service from Dudley to Birmingham. This batch should commence at 2053, but the lowest noted is 2059 at Wolverhampton. It may be that the preceeding 6 have gone to Dundee. The Wolverhampton batch have „61‟ registrations but many of the Pensnett examples are „12‟ registered with the highest 2089. Apparently 96 of these are due.
One of the reasons for these entering service so quickly is that Birmingham City Centre will no longer permit Euro 3 engined buses, or earlier, and this means that all B6‟s, Excels (rarely seen in any case), B10L‟s, Mercedes 0.405N‟s and Plaxton President bodied B7TL‟s will not be allowed. I gather this takes effect from July; AG‟s Presidents will go on the Outer Circle, while BC‟s could prove more difficult as they are used on City Centre routes and only West Bromwich of the Black Country garages has a regular allocation of this type and not the capacity to take all of BC‟s.
NEWS IN BRIEF
1. All 18 of the hybrid „deckers are operating from BC mainly, but not exclusively, on the 22 and 23 that go through Harborne. 2. Reallocations with the 50 Enviro 400‟s have seen the 0.405GN artics at Coventry withdrawn and replaced by 4830-42. PB‟s subsequent 14 seem to have replaced single-deckers, while Walsall‟s 4857-79 have seen all the Tridents received recently from YW return there, where they have replaced B10L‟s and the „gas‟ buses. Walsall now only has Tridents from the earliest batch, of which at least one has moved on to Wn. 3. Single-deck withdrawals have seen further inroads into the B6‟s, the B10L‟s, Mercedes 0.405N‟s and some of the original TWM Excels of the 684-718 batch. Solos are also very thin on the ground with just Wn, PB and possibly Coventry operating any. 4. An all-over red (well almost) Trident 4177 branded for the 97, appears to have received orange „cotton buds‟ which have not, in the silver version, appeared on repaints (or new deliveries) for some time. This is a test livery which may not be perpetuated as new deliveries are still in red and white. 5. Mercedes 1640 has had an LED display fitted for continuous use at Pensnett. With the type starting to decline this may be a one-off. 6. News from Miller Street is that one former D/P former trainer Metrobus has gone, all of the former Dundee Scania and Volvo single-deckers also, although the few remaining OmniLinks that retain fleetnumbers 7019-33 and have yet to enter service, are also stored on site. Just one Plaxton President B7TL remains there (4088?), while 2 others, including one-time show exhibit 4028, have returned to service after a lengthy lay-off. 6
OTHER OPERATORS
Black Diamond (Rotala) have received a batch of Optare Versa hybrids for route 56 that actually brings you from Birmingham City Centre to the closest point of a bus route to our new site. It goes down Northgate from the town centre and turns right at the first mini roundabout. I believe the stop to get off is just prior to that. One of these Versas has a green overall vinyl application. Many of the Blue Diamond fleet remains in Central Connect colours and those with branded liveries have appropriate vinyls applied over them, although this hardly improves their appearance.
Travel de Courcey still had former TWM Metrobuses 2740 and 2961 in service a few weeks ago, but 2961 (the first Tracline 8101) is now off with a defective engine.
Midland, formerly Choice, have acquired a couple of former East Lancs bodied Tridents from Nottingham, who have disposed of almost all their Tridents in quick time.. Midland have not previously operated double- deckers. Nottingham’s later deliveries were of Scania Omnidekkas, but this is a type that will no longer be available, so it will be interesting to see what future double-deck deliveries are.
Cedar of Bedford have at least 2 of the 3 former TWM Scania „deckers – 3212 is still around in addition to 3206. I am not aware of any of this smallish batch being preserved, but believe some of the Centrebus examples may still be in service in Leicester.
Richard Gray
Restoration News
A large amount of work has been possible and this includes work on a temporary new addition on site at Aldridge. With a measure of uncertainty as to our future, various requests for room on this site have, for the present, been sidelined. These notes are in no particular order – just as I go through all the vehicles on site.
Birmingham tramcar 107 One of a number of „local‟ helpers has taken this on with a view to a cosmetic restoration of what remains. Trials using hardboard panels has seen a replica of the livery and legal? lettering for the then tramways supremo, A.C. Baker. A display is also being organised around it and if we stay, this will include a revised tramway layout masterminded by Dave Wall.
F685 YOG – MCW Metrorider ex-Travel West Midlands 685 One of the 2 most significant projects taken on, 685 has seen the side panels stripped off to reveal further rotten framework with new sections now welded in. These full length panels are stretched on and to enable that to be done, the rear roof dome has also been removed, together with the rear window. The frame from behind that is rotten and needs complete replacement, while the emergency door has also required much reframing. A start was made on repainting – the bus will return to Metrowest livery that it carried for a brief period in its varied but relatively short service life.
Ford Transit EEA 508D The other significant restoration many would say was long overdue as we plan to use it as a service vehicle. It has seen several weeks on axle stands as hubs and brakes are rebuilt. Sourcing parts has not been easy, but it will be back on all fours for April 15th, even if further work is still required, e.g. petrol tank – it has been run up during this time.
WLT 506 – AEC Routemaster – London Transport RM506 See Martin Fisher‟s article above.
JOJ 222 – Leyland PD2/1 / Park Royal ex-BCT 2222 The front brakes and hubs have been overhauled and, finally, 2222 was able to move under its own power. Since then, the rear hubs have been stripped down and it joins the other two on blocks while this work continues. A110 WVP MCW Metrobus West - Midlands P.T.E - 8110 Seat frames are gradually being repainted, while the floor covering in the lower saloon has been removed and the correct spec. now being cut to size to replace. It might be ready for the July event as it has a current MoT. 7
The COG „Bank‟ bus and Morris Dictator awaiting low-loading on the Villa coach park. Richard Gray
One operator, a forklift and extendable low-loader at Aldridge with 107. Richard Gray
8
Work proceeding on the Transit around a month ago – rear wheels now back on. Richard Gray
The inevitable results of stripping panels off – major rot exposed as on 685. Richard Gray
9
VAL 466G – Bedford VAL70 / Plaxton Elite ex- Smith’s Imperial Coaches The one-time Smith’s Imperial DOE 111K, subsequently Magical Mystery Tours SCK 56K and the present registration gained with its last owner The Running Footman. This is John Watkins‟ return to the Bedford VAL and generally the coach is in good condition. However, stripping down the o/s rear hub following signs of an oil leak has revealed more serious problems. These should be rectified by the 15th and, if so, it may take part in one of the services.
6370 HA – Midland Red D9 - 5370 Work still needs to be done to resolve the overheating problems although it has not travelled far enough to test that again. In the meantime, both it and S21 5870 have had some touching up to paintwork, although there will now be the risk of a patchwork quilt appearance, as both were painted over 20 years ago.
334 CRW – Daimler CVG6 / MCW – Coventry 334 Following a mishap when reversing into Unit 3, repairs have been undertaken by Roger Burdett‟s team at Field and 334 has gone to Roger‟s own site so that it is locally available for the Coventry celebration events due to take place in the near future. It may well reappear at Aldridge for at least one of the events and it will be used on services.
DDA 70 – Guy Wolf ambulance Work has also started on this although fuel problems have so far meant it has not started. It is likely to go to Tower Farm for further work in the near future, but we may gain a very different vehicle in the meantime.
FOR THE RECORD The following vehicles were moved to the Tower Farm storage site, rather than Aldridge – the COG5 „Bank‟ bus, the Morris Dictator and my Sentinel, GUJ 608. If appropriate at some time in the future they may move to Aldridge.
Richard Gray
My Experience of driving the Harper’s Seagull
On my first drive of the Seagull taking it to MOT test I remember saying to my friend accompanying me “What on earth have I done? I‟ll never master this gearbox.” My only drive of a crash-box vehicle was in an Andy‟s coaches Bristol Lodekka some 30 years previously. However with some advice from former Harper Brothers drivers I did improve and although my gear changes were better, just when all was going well I would get a surprise crunch, not knowing where I was going wrong. This was to change.
Three years ago I was given an old article from a Commercial Motor magazine explaining the use of a clutch brake. Evidently lots of similar gearboxes have such a thing but not being very mechanically minded I didn‟t know what it was, but the article explained all.
The clutch was dismantled, serviced and the clutch brake adjusted. For successful gear changing the following must be adhered to.
First park the vehicle on a slight downward gradient in a low gear with engine off and handbrake applied. Then release the handbrake the vehicle being held by the gearbox. Keep your hand on the released handbrake lever and slowly press the clutch pedal until the vehicle moves forward then re-apply the handbrake remembering the position of the clutch pedal for reference later. If you continue to press the clutch pedal without reapplying the handbrake the vehicle will come to a stop, probably with a shudder as the clutch brake comes in acting as a transmission brake.
Gear change speeds on the Seagull are on level ground 1st-2nd 5mph {just rolling} 2nd-3rd 15mph. rd th th th 3 -4 25mph and 4 -5 37-38mph.
To change up; press the clutch ALL THE WAY DOWN, moving the gearlever into the next gear with your fingertips. Then release the clutch. This operates the clutch brake and acts as an early equivalent to synchromesh without the need to double de-clutch; with practice and patience a nice smooth change can be made.
To change down; press the clutch pedal HALFWAY DOWN to the position remembered from the first exercise. With fingertips move the gearlever to neutral, revving the engine to more revs than you need for the lower gear, then press the clutch HALFWAY DOWN to the remembered position and immediately afterwards almost as one movement, with fingertips, move the gearlever to the lower gear. If you are gentle and speeds and revs are right it will go in almost on its own like a knife in butter.
10
If you press the clutch too low it will operate the clutch brake, slowing the input down just when you are trying to give more revs to speed it up for the lower gear. This is when you get the surprise crunch.
John Watkins
SERVICE 6 - APRIL 15th MUSEUM SITE @ NORTHGATE ALDRIDGE via Northgate, Anchor Road, Portland Road, Erdington Road, Little Aston Road, Aldridge Road, Walsall Road, Four Oaks Road, Lichfield Road, High Street, Mill Street, Victoria Road, Lower Queen Street, South Parade, Lower Parade and return.
Museum (inside grounds) 11.15 12.15 13.15 14.15 15.15
Aldridge Crown 11.18 12.18 13.18 14.18 15.18
Sutton Coldfield L. Parade arr. 11.33 12.33 13.33 14.33 15.33
Sutton Coldfield L. Parade dep. 11.35 12.35 13.35 14.35 15.35
Aldridge Crown 11.50 12.50 13.50 14.50 15.50
Museum (outside) 11.53 12.53 13.53 14.53 15.53
SERVICE 53 MUSEUM SITE @ NORTHGATE ALDRIDGE via Northgate, Anchor Road, Portland Road, Walsall Road, Birmingham Road, Barr Common Road, Longwood Road, Beacon Road, Queslett Road, Queslett Road East, Thornhill Road, Hardwick Road, Little Hardwick Road, Barr Common Road, Birmingham Road, Walsall Road, Portland Road, Anchor Road, Northgate to Museum.
Museum (inside grounds) 10.45 11.45 12.45 13.45 14.45
Aldridge Crown 10.48 11.48 12.48 13.48 14.48
Horns of Queslett 10.58 11.58 12.58 13.58 14.58
Hardwick (Church) 11.08 12.08 13.08 14.08 15.08
Aldridge Crown 11.20 12.20 13.20 14.20 15.20
Museum (outside) 11.23 12.23 13.23 14.23 15.23
SERVICE 55 MUSEUM SITE @ NORTHGATE ALDRIDGE via Northgate, Anchor Road, Portland Road, Walsall Road, Station Road, Redhouse Lane, Bosty Lane, Daw End Lane, Lichfield Road, Lichfield Street, Littleton Street, Stafford Street, St. Paul‟s Street to Hatherton Road, return via Hatherton Road and Lichfield Street.
Museum (inside grounds) 10.00 then half hourly to 16.00
Aldridge Crown 10.03 then half hourly to 16.03
Walsall Hatherton Rd. arr. 10.18 then half hourly to 16.18
Walsall Hatherton Rd. dep. 10.20 then half hourly to 16.18
Aldridge Crown 10.35 then half hourly to 16.35
Museum (outside) 10.38 then half hourly to 16.38
Newsletter compiled by and reproduced on computer by Richard Gray with information and contributions from: -
Richard Gray Geoff Lusher Martin Fisher John Watkins John Gillespie
Next newsletter due to appear towards the end of June – all information / articles should be sent as below by June 16th 2012
If you are on the Internet, articles, fleet news etc. can be emailed direct to: [email protected] – a pdf file of the newsletter is also available, now, if required.
…… and don’t forget to view the web-site. We will try to keep everyone updated with the latest news. Thanks to Barry Whitelaw for his efforts with this.
Published by Aston Manor Transport Museum, Flat 4 Baxter Court, 96 School Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 9TP. 0121-449 4606
11