THE M & D AND EAST KENT BUS CLUB

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VEHICLE PRESERVATION by Nicholas King

The Club became involved in vehicle preservation during the early years of the movement. Ex-Chatham & District Bristol K5G/ Weymann GKE 68 was purchased by Club members Brian Smith (a former C&D conductor) and Brian Baldry on 18th December 1960, and after renovation this appeared on the road in 1962 with financial support from the Club.

During the 1960s, as the preservation movement gathered pace, thoughts turned to the Club acquiring its own vehicles, both for preservation and for use on Club trips. On 2nd July 1966 CJG 959, an all-Leyland PD1A of 1947 with L27/26R bodywork, was collected from East Kent. This vehicle had fortuitously been given a light overhaul and repaint during the previous summer for its final season of operation, and so was in particularly good condition; it saw regular use in its early days with the Club.

On 6th May 1967 a further vehicle was collected from Maidstone & District in the shape of HKE 867, a Bristol K6A of 1945 with Weymann H30/26R bodywork of 1953. After similar initial use, this was repainted into its original livery, which included cream relief beneath the window levels of both decks and light green separation bands. Both these vehicles were funded by the selling of £1 shares to interested parties, who received a dividend, based on the size of their shareholding, against the annual subscription to cover rental and maintenance costs.

Interest was also shown at this time in Maidstone Corporation's Sunbeam W/Northern Coachbuilders trolleybus HKR 11, which was eventually to be kept for preservation by the Corporation itself. It was later placed on indefinite loan to the Sandtoft Transport Centre, where it has returned to display this summer after 20 years of renovation, although its original registration (albeit still carried on the vehicle) was transferred to an MCW Metrorider by Boro'line Maidstone in 1989 and has since appeared on other vehicles elsewhere following disposal.

Both CJG 959 and HKE 867 made regular appearances at the Brighton rally during the late 1960s and early 1970s, as well as being used for Club trips. Regular maintenance and repaint was carried out chiefly during the winter months. From 1973 privately-owned ex-Maidstone & District (originally Chatham & District) Bristol K5G towing wagon GKE 65 was used for a few years to support activities, and a Commer van was purchased from a local bakery to act as a store at the site where the vehicles were kept.

By the mid-1970s, it was clear that the regular use of the two vehicles was inappropriate in view of their age. Plans were evolved to purchase a second-hand coach which would enable the Leyland PD1A to be laid up for long-term heavy overhaul, whilst the Bristol K6A would continue in limited use before in its own turn undergoing overhaul when the PD1A had been finished. Accordingly, AEC Reliance/Willowbrook DP49F 32 YKK was purchased from Maidstone & District on 10th December 1976, and bore the brunt of the Club's trips in the 1977 and 1978 seasons. This was done on a full psv basis, in the name of some members of the then Club Committee. To help in covering standing costs, some private hire work was also undertaken. 32 YKK was named "The Maid of Kent".

It had been hoped that the purchase of a newer vehicle would inject fresh interest and helping hands which would assist overhaul work on the preserved vehicles, and whilst there was some initial upsurge of help, not all of this lasted. After two seasons' work, the need to update the coach became increasingly desirable, and it was replaced in April 1979 by ex-Maidstone & District FKL 129D, an AEC Reliance/Harrington C47F of 1965 (first licensed in 1966) which had been with Ebdon's of Sidcup since sale by M&D in 1978. This too served for two seasons before being replaced by another ex-M&D vehicle, Leyland Leopard/Duple (Northern) C48F
RKM 620G of 1969, purchased direct from the Company on 3rd September 1980. This was sold into private ownership in March 1985.

Meanwhile, Maidstone & District and East Kent had, under the benevolent leadership of the late Len Higgins, arranged for a number of their heritage vehicles to be preserved internally. These included the ex-Hastings Tramways Company Guy BTX60/Dodson O26/31RO trolleybus DY 4965 of 1928 ("Happy Harold"), which had been fitted with a Commer TS3 engine in 1959, East Kent's Guy Arab IV/Park Royal H33/28RD MFN 888 of 1956, East Kent's Leyland TS8/Park Royal C32R JG 9938 of 1937 (after long-term use as a mobile office), and M&D's "Knightrider" coach NKN 650, a Commer Avenger/Harrington C16F limousine of 1951.

During the second half of the 1970s, the Club was closely involved alongside Company staff in the operation and management of these vehicles, and they were a frequent sight on the rally circuit. Sadly, changes of Company management led to these vehicles gradually being offered for disposal, and despite strenuous efforts by the Club to secure them as they became available, all except NKN 650 (which lasted until sold by Arriva Kent & Sussex in 1999) passed into private hands. All are, however, happily still active with their latest owners.

The projected overhaul of CJG 959 became ever more distant on the horizon during the 1980s, and lengthy discussions were held as to its future. Should it be kept, in the hope that fortunes would turn, or should it be sold into private hands which might, or might not, be able to make a better fist of its restoration? Meanwhile, as the management climate changed again at the major companies, the Club was able to gain some involvement in further Company heritage projects, including Leyland Atlantean/Metro-Cammell H44/33F 558 LKP of 1960, and retained input for several years into the fortunes of trolleybus DY 4965 when this passed into the ownership of Hastings Borough Council.

Perhaps the most notable preserved vehicle event to arise from these arrangements was the East Kent 75th anniversary rally at Folkestone in September 1991, when more than thirty former East Kent (and several other) vehicles made a major impact. These and other activities helped to keep the Club's involvement in vehicle preservation alive, although in the background CJG 959 continued to decay without attention.

The success of the Folkestone event and a number of similar occasions turned out to herald a new policy in which running days were organised at which vehicles were drawn in from private owners. Twelve such vehicles provided a service in and around Maidstone for the Club's 40th Annual General Meeting in November 1992, and many such similar events (though none so lavish) have been organised since.

During the Club's current golden jubilee year, there has been especial input into the running days at Deal on 23rd June, Herne Bay on 28th July and Tunbridge Wells on 8th September. The Club has been particularly glad to liaise with other preservation groups such as the Friends of the East Kent, Club members and other private owners of vehicles.

Of the Club's own vehicles, a decision was finally taken to pass CJG 959 into new ownership, its planned overhaul clearly being beyond current resources, and this has been owned by Dover Transport Museum Society since March 2000. HKE 867 remains a regular participant in the rally scene, and next year reaches its fiftieth anniversary in its rebodied form. All vehicles in which the Club has had earlier involvement remain in preservation, together with its former coach FKL 129D.

Much credit is due to all who have spearheaded the Club's involvement in preserved vehicles, especially in the earlier years. Names are invidious, since many have been involved, either in direct terms or with financial support , but amongst the most prominent have been Roger Banks, Alan Chidwick, Phil Evans, Paul Hollingsbee, Andrew Howe, Richard Lewis, Ian Paterson and Paul Smith. Their work has been amply supported by many others, including current and retired members of the Companies' staff with specialist knowledge and experience.

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