ENGINEERING ENDEAVOURS
The saga of repairs to the Wendaway BMMO S23 was recounted in the last edition of 'Omnibus'. Dave Parry has now repaired its semi-automatic gearbox and this is reinstated in the bus and ready to go. Building work means the bus is stuck on the pit and a test run will have to await the completion of work on the yard. Meanwhile, Dave has completed the rebuilding of a gearbox to replace the ailing one in the BMMO S15. This should be transplanted soon, giving another bus to be road tested as soon as it is possible to get anything out of the shed!
With space at a premium on site the last thing wanted was another bus! However the offer of free - "get rid of it for us as soon as possible" - WMPTE Fleetline with valuable parts was too good to resist. It is a horrendous shade of pink and last used as a playbus. Collected by James Munro and Kevin Hill in late November, it currently resides on the car park. Its fate is yet to be decided but it seems likely it will be retained as a mobile source of Fleetline spares replacing a more decrepit spares bus. Oh, and then we were offered two more buses on more-or-less the same basis.
Meanwhile, the Tilling Stevens TTA2's nearside lower-deck panels have been cut to shape and fitted, and the 'gap' between them filled to leave an apparent single panel the length of the body. Undercoat has been applied together with the first topcoat to protect the woodwork for the winter. A second coat will be applied as early as possible in 2007 - weather permitting. Finishing touches to the beading mentioned in 'Omnibus' no.175 will also be completed.
The staircase and platform area of the WMPTE BMMO D9 (4871) has been given its first topcoat although a second topcoat will not be applied until various panels by the back emergency door and saloon bulkhead have been repaired or replaced. Work continues on the upper deck seatframes with twelve are now primed, undercoated and topcoated with a further four now being processed.
The refurbishment of Wolverhampton Guy Arab SUK3 continues. Among other jobs, proper route number and destination apertures have been cut in the front panel, replacing the "painted on" display of recent times.
Phil Ireland, Bob Williamson & Dave Taylor
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
A registered educational charity no 507191
