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MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM  YOUR COMMITTEE. SEE YOU IN  2023

A Flash back to 1985, and 171 in the GWR 150 year celebration livery. The 1980s bus club Christmas party outing to Liskeard and local places of railway interest. Then a buffet party outside Dingles as a last chance to drive through the city centre before being pedestrianised

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members present L to R Jim Sykes, Rodger Mathews, Dale, Pam And Paul Burch, Susan, Edward, Jimmy, Philip Heseltine and Terry Whittard

 SUNDAY 4TH DECEMBER  MEMBERS SOCIAL OUTING FOR BACON BUTTIES

We took 283 out for a trip around the local Dartmoor area, stopping for Breakfast at Yelverton. Then continuing to Burrator reservoir, back road through Horrabridge, over to Mary Tavy and back to Tavistock Bedford hotel. Where 283 generated some interest from passers-by.  

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WED 12TH OCT 
COLLECTING 7552 FROM M.O.T

We collected 7552 from its M.O.T at Guscotts of Halwill junction, having had a pass.

 Logistics meant travelling to Okehampton on the reopened service from Exeter st Davids, and then by road to Halwill Junction, this being miles from anywhere.

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SUN 9TH OCT  
A.G.M AT THE FUTURE INN 

 

 We had our first A.G.M in 3 years because of Covid. Dan will mail out minutes from the meeting.

 The opportunity was taken to bring Atlantean 9 out for a short trip down to the Tamar bridge and around Ernesettle, one of its old routes

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SATURDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER

TV&GWT KINGSBRIDGE RUNNING DAY

In glorious sunshine, we attended the 15th TV&GWOT running day with 283 entered to run 2 trips on the narrow lanes of the southwest coast of the South Hams. The first journey was Bantham beach, followed by a tour to Salcombe, R.A.F Hope cove, Bolberry Down, Inner/Outer Hope, Galmpton, South Milton, Thurlestone. 

 The event as ever attracted many hundreds of enthusiasts, with most services well loaded.

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 Busy scenes at the start of the day. Bristol FLF 468FTT being readied for service and a very rare beast Bristol LSX. NHU2 was the original prototype for the LS series and all other underfloor engined Bristol single deckers. 

 With our trips not scheduled until the Afternoon, we were able to jump on a service with N.C.B liveried Bristol LHS 1560 FDV790V which took the short but very narrow route to East Allington, seen here waiting outside the Fortesque pub

Back at Kingsbridge, buses were now returning from their 1st trips and returning to the Tally-Ho depot for lay overs before their next trip. London Country A.E.C Regent 4 RF NLE627, Bedford - Beadle HOD66 which was new to Western National in 1949. But famously the stalwart of Millbrook steamboat company local service to the Cremyll ferry from Rame peninsular from 1958 

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Our first trip to Bantham, followed by the tour of the coast 

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            Bantham turning circle

  Salcombe, Shadycombe rd terminus             R.A.F Hope cove national trust car park

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 The very isolated Bolberry Down                          Thurlestone village stores                       At rest with Western National  628 L628VCV

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Devon General Leyland olympian A686KDV     Devon General Albion Nimbus XTA839             Bristol H FJ8967 built in 1933

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ex London Transport Leyland PD2 7RT KGU284                                  Becoming a favourite final stop, Flete Estate

        in Barton Chilwell, Nottingham livery

SUNDAY 31ST JULY  MEMBERS TRIP AND PLYM VALLEY RAILWAY 

                              DOUBLE PACER/SKIPPER RUNNING DAY

After a committee meeting on Mercedes minibus 283 at Coypool park and ride site. We had a members trip around  Milton Combe, a Stop at Yelverton for breakfast Bacon rolls, Burrator, Meavy, Cadover bridge, Lee Moor. Although a rather wet morning, it was good to get out on the road again.

 Returning to the Plym Valley Railway in time for the official launch of their Pacer and Skipper pair running in service

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Milton Combe turning circle
Milton combe, one of only 2 prefab concrete bus shelters left in the Plymouth area
Buckland Monachorum
Yelverton, Very tasty Bacon rolls on a Sunday morning
Nosworthy bridge turning point
Burrator dam, you can see how much water has been lost!!
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Lee Moor village
ex- west country skipper unit, now 36 years old. Its hoped that one day it will return to the original Chocolate and cream livery

SUN 3RD JULY  PLYMOUTH CAR SHOW,ELBURTON

We attended the Plymouth car show at Albion Oaks Rugby club, Elburton with 9 and 283 as a static display. A good number of people came along to see a wide variety of cars and commercial vehicles, including the only Rolls Royce bus in existence     

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NEW WEBSITE BEING BUILT. HOPE YOU LIKE IT. 

SORRY FOR THE ABSENCE OF THIS MEDIA OUTLET. BADLY LET DOWN BY PREVIOUS WEB HOSTING PROVIDER

SAT 2ND JULY PLYM VALLEY RAILWAY

We attended the Plym Valley Railway with NDR 509J as a static display.  The occasion was the unveiling of their newly acquired Class 143 Pacer unit from First Great Western Railways. This partners up with their class 142 Skipper unit 

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ROBEY TRUST STEAM FAIR TAVISTOCK JUNE 5TH

Leyland Atlantean PDR2 NDR 509J has made it 1st public appearance for P.C.T.P.G since its 9 year restoration. We attended The Robey Trust steam fair in Bedford car park, Tavistock. Along with the traction engines we ran trips around the town and carried over 200 passengers 

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RAME BEER AND BUSES 3RD JUNE

We attended the inaugural Rame Beer & Buses with Mercedes 283. A new idea and we're sure a permanent fixture for years to come. Based on the Isle of Wight Beer & buses, put together by Laurence Mayhew & Dave Jory. 3 routes ran from the Torpoint rowing club to Cremyll via Whitsands, Millbrook via Antony and St Johns, and St Germans running until 10pm.

 From our group's 6 return trips to Millbrook, we carried 142 passengers who enjoyed connections between Carbeile inn, Carew arms and the St John inn, not a journey that can be made normally. 

 The Cornwall preservation group as well as Plymouth citybus provided several buses. 358 "sir Francis Drake" providing to connection on the Plymouth side of the Tamar.

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APRIL 17TH 2022

AFTER 2 YEARS OF RESTRICTIONS, WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO HOLD A GROUP OUTING.

 WE USED MERCEDES 283  TO ATTEND THE PENZANCE RUNNING DAY HOSTED BY THAMES VALLEY GREAT WESTERN OMNIBUS TRUST AND  CORNWALL BUS PRESERVATION SOCIETY.

 THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME 283 HAD BEEN OUT IN SERVICE SINCE IT WAS ACQUIRED FOR PRESERVATION 10 YEARS AGO.

IT HAD ALSO JUST BEEN REPAINTED BY CAR TO COACH REFINISHERS BEFORE 2020 LOCKDOWN.

SHE RAN BEAUTIFULLY, SPENT THE WHOLE DAY IN SERVICE AROUND PENZANCE AND UP OVER THE NORTH CORNISH COAST TO ST IVES. THERE WE HAD TO RESCUE PASSENGERS FROM ANOTHER SERVICE WHICH HAD BROKEN DOWN, SO WE WERE FULLY LOADED BACK TO PENZANCE.

 

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MARCH 2022

PLYMOUTH LEYLAND ATLANTEAN NDR 509J HAS FINALLY HAD ITS FULL BODY REPANEL AND AMAZING REPAINT BY GRANT AT CAR COACH. ON ITS RETURN PHIL AND MYSELF SET TO WORK ON INSTALLING THE UPPER DECK CEILING, THE FINAL BIG PROJECT ON COMPLETION OF 8 YEARS OF HARD DIRTY WORK!! THERE WILL BE A DEDICATED PAGE FOR OUR RESTORATION JOURNEY.  A FEW NIGGLING PROBLEMS STILL TO OVERCOME AND WE WILL BE OUT ON THE ROAD. 

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AN ORIGINAL PARK ROYAL PUBLICITY PHOTO, SO WE'VE MANAGED A PRETTY GOOD RECREATION

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