THE M & D AND EAST KENT BUS CLUB
The
Avon Rambler 12th July 2003
Tour report by Lee Crust. (first published in Invicta 613 August '03)
The
day began with good and bad news. The good news was that the sun was shining and
the bad news? An accident had closed the M25 and a re-routing was needed. Our
concerns that this may cause delays and curtail our day’s activities proved
unfounded though.
Our
first call was to South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach. After donning our
obligatory safety jackets, we saw several ex-London Titans, East Lancs Olympian
coaches, an ex-Lothian Olympian, Lynxes, Mercedes minis and a Dart in Severn
Beach Rail Link livery. Of note were several low floor single decks in Orange
mobile phones livery for a major staff contract and five Bristol REs, a VR and
an MW in preservation.
We
moved on to Bristol City Centre where Barbie livery was relieved by A-Bus, Park
and Ride, South Gloucestershire and Bristol City Line liveries. Special interest
came with some ex-CentreWest red double deckers just cascaded to Bristol.
Next
we boarded a former Western National Bristol K to go to A-Bus. Here we spotted
Optare Solos in Park and Ride livery, several ex-Eastern National VRs and an
ex-Cardiff Olympian. Pride of place went to the unique Iveco Citybus double
decker on which we took a short ride to A-Bus’s other site. This yielded a
motley collection of vehicles in various states of disarray including more VRs
(two were ex-Lincoln 33ft vehicles), Tigers, StarRiders and some elderly
Bristols. Particular attention was paid to ex-East Kent 7650 in pseudo-London
livery with offside doors fitted.
We
then travelled to Bristol Vintage Bus Group’s site. Here most of its small
collection was moved for photographs including blue-liveried Bristol K GHT 154,
a Bristol L and a Leyland PD1. The Group’s LS was also present.
Members
took advantage of a former Bristol highbridge Bristol K for the journey to Bath
Bus Company. Here ex-London Olympians and Darts plus VR open toppers were seen
but two Atlanteans (from Lothian and Southampton), a Mac Tours FS, a preserved
MW, Routemaster RM1783, the last of the company’s Leyland DAB bendy buses and
ex-East Kent Regent V GJG 757D added interest.