BUS LANE
(Miscellaneous)
PUBLICITY MATTERS:- For the first time, the Museum has an all-colour publicity leaflet, and most excellent it is too. Help with distributing these to information offices, libraries and other museums throughout the region would be most welcome.
EASTER:- Preliminary information is that the number of visitors at the Museum on Easter Sunday was down on last year, but Easter Monday was more encouraging. Generally, when the Museum opens for two days at Easter attendances are better on the Monday. This year, after a few sunny days, the holiday weekend was rather chillier, which might have discouraged some visitors.
DATA PROTECTION:- You might have noticed that the envelopes in which your copies of Omnibus are dispatched now have printed addresses. These are simply printed out from a word processor file and are not linked in any way to any other data held by BaMMOT. We believe this is allowed within the scope of the Data Protection Act. However, if anyone has any serious objections we will remove his or her name from this address list, though such addressees might find dispatch of “Omnibus” is delayed. We would also ask that everyone checks that the printed address is correct, and to notify us promptly of any changes.
RED ARROW:- A new arrival at the Museum is London Transport MBA588 (AML588H), an AEC Merlin with Metro-Cammell bodywork. It is a private-owner project, and by its appearance is in need of considerable restoration work. Metro-Cammell built several hundred similar bodies on both the Merlin and the shorter Swift chassis for London in the late 1960s (at Elmdon) and early 1970s (at Washwood Heath).
DERBY BUS STATION:- The latest news in this saga is that a member of the public has mounted a legal challenge to the proposed redevelopment of the site. It is reported that the person concerned is unemployed and therefore is entitled to Legal Aid to pursue the case.
BARTON BOTHIES:- There are three ex-Barton coaches, with what appear to be Plaxton bodies, in the middle of a field north of Kingston-on-Soar and east of the railway at Ratcliffe-on-Soar. Two have been there for some considerable time and the third has joined them in recent months. Presumably they are used as rest rooms for the local farm workers. Does anyone have any details of them?
X99:- Omnibus is trying to compile a history of the erstwhile X99 service between Birmingham and Nottingham, together with predecessors, successors and other variations. This project was first mooted several years ago, but has recently been prompted by drafts for another article. The Editor would be pleased to receive any information about the service, in particular about the development of the Birmingham – Tamworth – Ashby section prior to 1928, and the hiatus between the end of the X99 and the start of the current X73.
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
A registered educational charity no 507191
