THANK YOU
As usual in recent years, our last event had Midland Red as its focus. The date has now been pulled forward to the second Sunday in October in an attempt to avoid the dreadful weather that has beset us on the last Sunday of the month as winter starts exercising its grip. The manoeuvre certainly paid off this year and we were rewarded with a good attendance of visitors plus guest buses, including our colleagues from the Worcester Bus Preservation Group.
Bob Archer and Colin Hawketts again brought their BMMO C1 coaches which just had to be parked together, a fine sight. The Midland Red line-up is a well-established feature of this event. It is a lot of effort but that is partly inevitable anyway as a precursor to setting up the depots for winter parking. The 1685 Group’s LD8 4031 has advanced to the stage that it could be exhibited outside for the first time, its resident spiders blinking in the sunshine after thirty years in a twilight existence. Another attractive addition was S14 4255 after its recent repaint. Meanwhile works tug GHA 333, with its rebuilt and repainted cab, accompanied SON 2418 (GHA 337). The Land Rover added further authenticity to the line. Other buses specially parked to best effect were two recent repaints, the Harper PD2 (which later ran for Midland Red) and the Midland Red West National 544 which was posed alongside Andy Walcott’s NBC-liveried National no. 126.
Visitors had the opportunity to ride on S15 5073, S16 5545 and D9 5399. The Trent PD2 did its best to be a LD8 class (or ex-Kemp & Shaw 4845!) but the 1685 Group hopes the real thing will be available before too long. Instead the Group gave visitors an unexpected treat by offering BCT Daimler COG5 1107 appropriately showing destination B82, operated jointly with Midland Red! Andy Walcott kindly completed the age spectrum with rides on his Leyland National.
Thanks to everyone who helped with this great day including, of course, the Elmdon Model Engineering Society whose trains were, as ever, a delight. Next year is Midland Red centenary year and we are determined that the line-up will be the best we have ever produced.
Malcolm Keeley
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
A registered educational charity no 507191
