Winter work carried out.

At the front we needed to replace some of the old wiring loom, especially to the lights. Repositioned the Electronic speedometer, from where the Installer fitted it, to where it is now visible to the driver. Replaced most of the brackets that join the wooden safety boards under the bus, between the wheels. (front to rear). Replace the worn out overflow header tank, with a new invention!

Rejoin the rear wheel arches to the chassis. Front still to do.  Carry out repairs to near side rear panel, corrosion had rotted away the swivel pins. (for gaining access to spare wheel).  Secure off side rear corner panel (rivets missing) and replace rotten timber in all four corners, those holding panels to bus.Checking tension on all nuts & bolts holding the seats to the floor and handrails to floor & ceiling.

Additional work

After our trip to Wales in early June, we had to rebuild  our doors after someone kicked them in. Then to add to our miss fortune, we got hit in the back by a Caravan, after we got home. We now have a job of painting over lots of rivet heads, in yellow paint to finish off. The floor has had another thick coat of red paint, which should last to the end of the year.

Below I have listed the proposed Rallies that we hope to attend this year.
March 19th 2005..... Vehicle of Yesteryear. Pevensey Bay (Sussex). April 3rd 2005..... Cobham (Surrey). May 2nd/3rd 2005..... Eastbourne (Sussex). May 22nd 2005..... Hastings (Sussex). June 12th 2005..... Barry Island. Seats Available. June 26th 2005..... North Weald (Essex). July 3rd 2005..... Bluebell Railway (Sussex). July 14th 2005..... New Forest (Wessex) July 31st 2005..... Worthing Seafront (Sussex). Aug 27th 2005..... Festival of Transport (Local). Aug 28th 2005..... Festival of Transport (Local). Sept 4th 2005..... Bognor Regis Transport Fest. Sept 18th 2005..... Duxford Showbus.

At long last, I have got pen to paper, so to speak, got a report on this years’ events.  

Firstly, we managed to do a grand total of  17 Bus Rallies, and won a First Prize at Bognor Regis in the PSV class.  We also won, at “SHOWBUS”  Duxford, Prize for the Best Bus on Show, built between 1951 & 1959, and a Special DOYEN class Award for Individually owned Buses. 

We brought the Bus down to Wales, just twice this year.  The first trip, in February, was to meet up with …….  Noble, Presenter of BBC Wales morning show at The Big Pit, on St Valentines Day. This was the opening of the season, and the BBC decided to do a live outside broadcast from there.  Somebody onsite, saw our Bus in the car park, and contacted the owner of an old ex-Western Welsh restored Grenadier Coach, and they brought their Coach up to the car park, to see us. Alledgedly, the following morning, we got a mention on BBC Wales programme, about our visit to the Pit.

Our second visit, which lasted 4 days, included a visit to the Barry Island Bus Rally. As usual, we took a few “locals” with us.  The day before the Rally, we got our doors kicked in, at the car park of where we were staying for the duration of our break.    I can’t remember Mr  Nobles first name. !!! 

In March, we did a local Rally, and provided a free bus ride service around the town, all day. 

All of the other Bus Rallies, we were there as static entries.

Just before Christmas, I got a phone call from the Farmer who owns the barn that I keep the Bus in. He said that he had had an accident involving his tractor and the side of my Bus. He was carrying a railway sleeper to make a partition next to my Bus, when it fell off of the forks and went straight through a rear window and bounced out and damaged a side panel. Photos will be sent later.  I have since had an estimator from Eastbourne Buses to see if the Bus can be repaired. It looks like we have some structural damage as well. 

The two photos show our doors after they were removed for repair work. Hopefully, it should be done in time for our first Rally this year in March.

We have hopefully overcome our continual overheating problems by drilling some rather large holes in the front panel, to let some cold air in to lower the temperature in the radiator, which is halfway down the bus. Since we had a new speedometer fitted in May, 2004, we have covered over four thousand miles. ( a lot of those were to & fro Wales !! ).

We won’t be doing the Barry Island Bus Rally, this year, due to the increased running costs, but hope to come down in September for the Merthyr Tydfil