ENGINEERING ENDEAVOURS
Two Trust owned buses passed their Class VI tests in May, followed by a further two in July.
The May pair were WMPTE Fleetline 6311 and the Cheltenham District Bristol RE. The latter was prepared for test by Stagecoach and, as reported in the last 'Omnibus', used by the company for the 75th Anniversary of Associated Motorways. Although it has currently returned to Wythall and has been used on our services, the RE is due to journey back to Cheltenham in September when Stagecoach will be having a special running day to promote the introduction of new buses on local services. Our Bristol Lodekka will also take part and has already gone to Cheltenham where, similarly to the RE, Stagecoach is doing the work necessary for it to gain a Class VI test.
The two buses gaining Class VI tests in July were the Birmingham Guy, 2976, and the Midland Red S16. Thanks to Dick Lolley and Jeremy Price and Lloyd Penfold respectively for checking them over prior to the tests.
As reported in the last edition of 'Omnibus', the Soudley Valley Tiger Cub is currently in the workshop being prepared ultimately to join the operational fleet. As well as the work documented last time, Dick Lolley has been attending to a lot of the minor faults - and some not so minor - identified during a pre-test check-over.
The Barton Leyland PD1 is being worked on when the opportunity arises. The focus is on the upper deck nearside where all the windows have been taken out and refitted with new rubber. Some rotten wood in the ceiling needed dealing with but fortunately most of the framing is sound. A start has been made on cleaning some of the fancy aluminium decoration on the outside of the bus; a job that also is to be undertaken on the Red and White Guy prior to it being repainted.
Metrobus 6835 has recently been turned round so that its right side can now be repaired.
My Sheffield Bristol VRT finally received all its exterior vinyls in July, some difficulty having been experienced in getting exactly the right style. Lloyd Penfold kindly resolved a steering problem, allowing the bus to pass its test in mid-August.
Phil Ireland
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
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