The B.C.N. Society Newsletter. Summer 1998 Number 19

Transcription

1 The B.C.N. Society Newsletter Summer 1998 Number 19

2 HELP TO SAVE ME Bristol RE number 147, the sublect of a future restoration project - see editorial opposite. This photo was taken on Burnley Bus Station with the vehicle in its original condition. Photo: With thanks to the Bristol Vintage Bus Group. '::ll::i::;iii':ii:.''::',,.f''''''i'';'","''""" "''"''' The B.C.N. Society has recieved a requg,ilf',, lifl Aiibensgatei.{$tbgeccjaih,,Bunfley,i and Pendle). Colne is due ioista$'e its annu.al ghtaidn,.june otit and wistres to inctuoo in its display aniitix B.C,tt:::;roqgllrlf any EUS bwner,::wish'ds to:'tdke part would they,,fldase ring. the :SrganisUi, fldiiato Leavefi,ibn for more details. Letters to the Editor Cover photo Big Guy number 212 reversing at the then Queen Street terminus in Harle Syke on May 22nd lt will be noticed that the Red lndian radiator cap is still in place. Photo: Jim Scott no.11 Dear Alan, As a new member of the B.C.N. Society, I would llke to meet other members who collect models of buses and in lime seek help to build some of the kits on the market. Being a female collecting bus models people look at me a Iittle strange, thinking it is either my husband I am buying them for or my children - they can't be for me - but they are! I am a serious collector and enthusiast and have been for a good number of years. So if you would like lo ring me I can be conlacted on Christine Fletcher no.94 page 2

3 The B"G.N. Society President. Bill Jelpke Chairman. Keith Baldwin Hon, Sec. Tel. Alan Catlow 'The Croft' 452 Kings Causeway Brierfield Nelson Lancashire BB9 OEU Hon, Treas. Tel. Barry Tyrrell 296 Barden Lane Burnley Lancashire BBlO 1JA Dear Member, As we approach the rally season once more, two new projects are getting under way. Andrew Rawnsley and his 1963 Standerwick Leyland Leopard should be ready to roll. lt was bought in a blue and cream livery as shown below and by now I fully expect that TRN 731 will have recieved its original poppy red and cream once more. Also as a result of our note on 'Free Buses' in the last edition various members have contacted me showing real interest. A small group in Nelson have been to Rainham in Essex to view nos and 149 with an aim to acquire at least one of them. lf any memberwishes to help them or even be slightly involved then please let me know and I will pass on your name and phone number. lt would be nice to have a selection of Burnley and Pendle vehicles within our membership - yes I know we have one already - no but the more the merrier. And to ex B.C.N. vehicles, after all that is what we are all about. Our oldest preserved bus, no.1 0 HG 9651 is 50 years old this year, sad to say its owner Roy Eckersall has recently suffered a heart attack so the actlvities of no.1 0 will be very much reskicted. We all hope to see HG 9651 out and about with its owner of course but at the moment nothing is planned. And finally following a request from an ex B.C.N. bus owner, vehicles numbers 25 and 70 will no longer feature in any of our publications while under that current persons ownership. 4L Hon. Sec. page 3

4 q ON /GD SY The Spotlight on number LHG 537 is a little different to other spotlights we have covered in these pages, as at the present time we know the bus is saved but we do not know just who ownes it and where it is. But what we do know is a great deal of its history up to Number 237 was delivered new to B.C.N. in 1961 and in the main ran from the Colne Heifer Lane depot on X28 Limited Stop services. After what would appear to be a relatively short time with us it was sold to Lancaster City Council in 1974 and ran in our colours for a time before being repainted in the blue and white of Lancaster. During its time with Lancaster it was joined by two more Leyland PD3s from B.C.N. or Burnley and Pendle as it had now become, these being 23 LHG and233-HHG 32 and HHG 33 respectively. All the three had identical East Lancs 73 seat bodywork. Four years later in 1978 LHG 537 moved out of Lancashire to a new home in another country, Wales. Llynfi is a company running various types of vehicles on school contracts and works services around Maesteg and LHG 537 joined these for a further five years. By 1983 LHG 537 had moved on to a new owner, Bevington Motors, the motor car dealers of Margam near Port Talbot. They used her as a mobile advertising machine and the photo below shows the bus parked in Porthcawl towards the end of December of LHG 537 at Porthcawl on Photo: Andrew Tucker no.89 page 4

5 After leaving Bevingtons and finding use with a building firm based in South Wales, LHG 537 ended up in a bus dealers yard were it was purchased by John Matthews who was looking for a traditional half cab double decker to convert into a diner bus. After having the PD3 painted and other conversion work done the whole proiect was halted and the bus ended up parked in a layby near Loughborough in Leicestershire. Whilst the bus was there it started to suffer from attacks by vandals and the next stage in its history was to begin with the intervention of Nick Larkin who had started the BBPG, a national bus preservation movement who's aim was to rescue and safeguard any risk vehicles. Nick had heard of the plight of this bus and made contact with John and he was willing to let LHG 537 go for scrap value, infact the bus was due to be towed away for scrap to compensate for an unpaid dept, so Nick Larkin was able to rescue this bus from the brink of deskuction. From the lay-by the bus was towed to safety to the premises of coach dealers Yeates and after some various repairs the bus was able to gain a new M.O.T. and during 1990 the PD3 ventured to a number of bus rallies. So what we all want to know now is - Where is LHG 537 NOW? The last we heard of it was when it was offered for sale in 1994 for by its then owner who had to sell it due to ill health, the bus was then residing in East Anglia. This then would make a good prolect for summer to try and locate it - see what you can find out for us. Andrew Tucker no.89 Number 237 on its way back to Colne from Keighley at Crosshills. Photo: Bob Mack. LHG 537 with its second owner, Lancaster City Council during when it was still in B.C.N. livery but renumbered 537.

6 With thanks to the Nelson Leader.

7 'Wicksey' no.1 84, the same bus as opposite in a more familiar colour scheme to us. This photo was taken al Bradford Transport Museum when working a free Private Hire for the 425 Preservation Group in 989. Pholo: Alan Catlow no.1 No.183, Another'Eastender'abroad, this time in Victoria, Canada. A further photo of this bus and location appeared in edition nine of our newsletter. Photo: Alan Catlow no.1 paget

8 News from Queensgate Bob Fergusson no.l7 Buses recently repainted in Stagecoach Burnley & Pendle livery include: (46) 404 (64) 408 (68) 789 (8e) 1042 (42) 1301/2 (10112) 'r 304 (104) 1312 (112) 2067 (167) 7e3t4t6 (93/4/6) Leyland National 2 Alexander Volvo ('Gondola') E Lancs Volvo Robin Hood Mercedes (in 'Zippy' Burnley & Pendle) E Lancs Leyland Leopard Alexander Volvo Citibuses (ex Blackpool Flyers) ECW Bristol RE (Returned from store This bus has not yet been in service, but is expected to be used on school 'specials'.) Former'Whizzard' Mercedes now in Stagecoach Ribble livery, based at Blackburn depot The MAN recovery vehicle is reported to be with Fife Buses, Scotland. The Leyland Hippo is still in use, without ownership markings of any kind. Two further Ribble (ex Hyndburn) Leyland 'Swift' 39-seater midibuses have ioined the B & P fleet (G767 GDU) & 299 (H397 YCW) The tyre and general store buildings occupying the rear of 9/1 0 roads in the depot have been demolished, and these roads are to be used as the exit from the bus wash, replacing 11/12 roads, which are now used for parking. A new, automatic, 'travelling' bus wash is being installed on 15/16 roads. Excavations for this have (sadly!) revealed that there was no truth in the legend that the former inspection pits were filled with parts of scrapped tramcars! A new, continuing, high brick wall has been built facing Ruskin St. and the remaining foundations of the former office buildings have now been cleared and concreted over, to form additional bus parking spaces Bob Fergusson no.17 page 8

9 Transport News from around the World by our very own lnternational Reporter - John Forshaw Back from my latest trip armed with a photo of the front profile of a DAF in Dutch City colours. It has original number plates and "Valkenburg" on the destination blind. The "give away" is the blue number plate. Number 53 is the new fleet number on the sides of the bus - Where is it then? - Yes you are correct, it is in Cuba in a small town called Moa. This is a "company" town run by a Canadian mining company. Not only do they transport the Saturday night to Monday morning, week following cover weekend working as well. This bus was one of several ordered to kavel to Santiago with the (communist) faithful to hear the Pope. The driver as a consequence lost his weekend off. They all live in banack style hostels when working. They get very little time at home with their families. Cost of accomodation is also Dutch City Bus DAF Double entrance doors, old fleet no. 53 on sides. Destination blind Valkenburg but probably is an ex Maastricht City Runner. Owned and operated by Canadian Mining Company in Moa, Cuba. Photo John Forshaw no.24 ( ) miners but they also run a comprehensive town service for the inhabitants. Each bus is allocated one driver and that bus becomes his responsibilty. Naturally the company wants the buses on the road and long, long hours are worked by the drivers. Example of time off (bus off road) is Friday night to Monday morning, following week, page I taken from their wages. Sometimes they get food provided - other times they buy their own (if they can find it). Another mining company close by uses new Mercedes long bonnet jobs. All part of the rich tapestry of this (to me) fascinating country. John Forshaw no.24

10 Did you know???...that, unlike other bus garages, the parking bays in Queensgate are known as'roads', because this is a tramway term refening to the time when the depot housed the Burnley Corporation trams?...that our drivers' duty rosters are called 'diagrams', because this is a rallway term, dating from the days of the steam trams of the Burnley & District Tramways Company? Thanks to Driver Geoff Lupton for this information. Bob Fergusson no. l7!iii, i s Nos.36 and 177 in the old Dock Shed General shot of the big garage at Queensgate Photos: Jack Rose no.93 page 10

11 BURNLEY COLNE AND NELSON JOINT TRANSPORT LIST OF ROUTES - CIRCA 1955 Colne Area K 9 Colne-Keightey. 12 Colne Waterside. l3 Colne Foulridge. 14 Colne Earbv. R 15 Colne Coln; Bailway Station. '16 Colne Colne Grammar School. 252 Colne Barnoldswick. 261 Colne Barnoldswick via Kelbrook. 262 Colne Barnoldswick (BanKield Shed). 271 Colne Barnoldswick via Klondyke. 281 Colne Skipton. 294 Colne - Gisburn. R X43 See route 281 Main Line RP?9 Laneshaw Bridge - padiham (Memoriat park). RP 21 Trawden - Padiham (Slade Lane). RH?? Higherford - Mitton Street (padiham). BH 23 Colne - Higherford. Burnley Area 29 Burnley - Sycamore Avenue. 30 Towneley Bosehill via Todmorden Road. 3l Towneley Bleak House via Todmorden Road. 32 Towneley Rosehill via Branch Road. 33 Towneley - Bleak House via Branch Road. RW 44 Worsthorne Rosegrove via Brunshaw Hill and Stoops. RW 12 Merectough Foselrove via Brunshaw nilt ano Stooits. RW 46 Worslhorne Rosegrove via Brunshaw Hill and Gretna. RW 47 Mereclough - Roselrove via Brunshiw Hiii inj oretnr. R t9 Purnley - Holme Chapel via Ridge Avenue.!0 Harle Syke Lowehouse via Accrington Road.!1 Harle Syke - Rosegrove via Accringlon Road. 55 Burnley - Rosegove via Gannow Line. 60 Nelson Reedley Halt via Marsden Cross. 61 Nelson - Burnley via Marsden Cross. 62 Burnley Reedley Halt. R '150 Burnley Blackburn. R 227 Burnley Clitheroe. R 228 Burnley Barnoldswick. R 237 Burnley Sabden. R 279 Burnley - Barley via Newchurch. R 3 Nelson - Blackburn. 70 Nelson Harle Syke. 71 Nelson Sackville Street. 72 Nelson Valley Mills. 73 Nelson - Barkerhouse Road Top. 74 Nelson Hallam Road Top via Barkerhouse Road. 75 Nelson Marsden park via Leeds Road. 76 Nelson Marsden park via Regent Street. 77 Nelson Hodge House. 81 Nelson Carr Hall Road. 82 Nelson 83 Lomeshaye. Nelson Colne Grammar School via Barrowford. R?8O Nelson Barley via Noggarth. R 283 Nelson Padiham via Higham. R 284 Nelson Barley via NewChurch. R 289 Nelson Clitheroe via Blacko and Riminoton. R 299 Nelson - Clitheroe via Blacko_ Nelson Area K Keighley-West Yorkshire Joint Service. R Ribble Joint Service. BW Ribble Joint Service between Burnley and Worsthorne or Mereclough. RP Ribble Joint Service behveen Burnleir and padiham. RH - Ribble Joint Service between Nelson and Higherford. page l l

12 COLLECTABLE DIE-CAST REPAINTS IN B.C.N. LIVERY. ALL YOUR MODELLING REQUIREMENTS ARTHUR GARNETT Home 2 Sun Sbeet, Colne 8 Brown StreetEast, Colne Lancashire, BB8 OJJ Lancashire. BB8 9BB Workshop & Showroom 107o DISCOUNT TO OUR MEMBERS ON PRODUCTION OF CURRENI MEMBERSHIP CARD. STOCKISTS OF:- CORGI - EFE - LLEDOS - REVELL SOLIDO - BBURAGO - DINKYS - Etc. PORTER WYNN MODELS HO, HOn3 & G scales. Specialist American Model Railroading 7 Woone Lane, Clitheroe, Lancs., BB7 1BG Tel. O12QO Shop Hours - Thursday I Friday 0930-'1700 Saturday Society Member THIS NEWSLETTER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: ALPHA COMPUTER SYSTEMS. Sales. Repairs.Accessories. TelephonelFAx Atherton (01942)