The Collection's Status

As we go into the 2011 Rally season, I thought that reader's would like a current update on the status of the Collection's vehicles.

At present the breakdown of vehicles is as follows:

Bedford OB 2 1 being restored
Bristol B 1 awaiting restoration
Bristol FLF 2 1 being restored
Bristol FS 1
Bristol K 1 being restored
Bristol KSW 4 1 awaiting restoration
Bristol L 2
Bristol LWL 1
Bristol LH 2
Bristol LS 1
Bristol LD 2
Bristol MW 5 2 awaiting restoration
Bristol RE 1
Bristol VR 1 1 being restored
Bristol Olympian 2
Leyland Titan 1 1 being restored

In total therefore we have 29 vehicles, 20 of which are ready and roadworthy for this season (barring, of course, breakdowns and running repairs), with one other, the K-type, C3386, expected at some time this year!

And another one.....!!

Martin Curtis and his son Tom have added another one to the collection! They have acquired former B.O.C. 5150, AHW201V, from David Hoare, where it was latterly used for special events under the name "Orangeade"! It is a 1980 dual doorway former Bristol City bus, and will be the first VR in the collection, although ABus's remaining VR is often included in the Collection's running days because it is of course owned by one of the Collection's members. A great deal of work is necessary to get 5150 back to its original condition, but Martin and Tom hope to have it running by the summer.

FIRST EVENT OF THE SEASON!

Everything went well on Sunday, March 27th, at the Bristol Vintage Bus Group's open day, and the Collection was represented by 353, C2736, L8089 and C8320,the latter two taing part in the timetable of free bus routes operated by the Group.

9552's night of fame!

On the weekend of March 17/18/19 9552 was used by The Avon Scouts to support their annual Night Navigational Exercise, for the "Rickard Shield": photos by Tom Curtis

9552 - a sanctuary through the night!

The season starts!

There has been no post here for a while, although behind the scenes things have been going on to ready the collection for the season. I will soon post some details of a new acquisition and what has been happening to the fleet during the really bad winter, but this post is to remind everyone that the Bristol Vintage Bus Group (www.bvbg.org.uk) is holding their first open day of the season this Sunday, March 27th, at Flowers Hill. The Collection will be represented by:

L8089, which will be brought up by Peter Davey
C8320, which was used earlier this week as a "backdrop" to the memorial service for former FirstGroup manager Alan Willoughby
353, which still has a slipping second gear, but arrangements are in hand to repair that.

The next major event for the Collection will be the Bristol Habourside Rally on May 22nd. If all goes well we hope to have up to EIGHTEEN vehicles there! More than some independent operators actually own!