Part 2: Book Launch

After the previous day’s activities of surprising one of our members, we were back out the next day on Sunday 30th June. This time we were at a different event; a book launch. The book that was being launched was 'A 1950 Southampton Childhood' written by local authors James March and Penny Legg. Our involvement with the book dates back to late October 2012 when we received an email from Penny asking if we had a suitable bus image to complement the chapter on buses in the book.

After searching through the archives we found a suitable image to use. The bus which was to be used in the book was 204 – GTR 466; a Guy Arab III with Park Royal body. This was new to Southampton Transport in 1950. Due to the picture having to be scanned at high resolutions so that when printed in the book there was no problem with the quality of the picture, Tom, who did not have the equipment to scan the picture, arranged to take the picture to Penny and James to scan at high resolutions. As there was a deadline for the book to be finished we managed to find the picture for the book and have it to Penny and James a little over a week after they first contacted us.                                       

                                                            (204 - GTR 466)

After a few months of not hearing from Penny and James we received an email in February 2013 saying that the book was going to print in the next few weeks and they were going to arrange a launch for the book in May at The Dolphin Hotel in Southampton, and asked us if there would be any possibility that we could being 71 – LOW 217 along to the launch to allow guests at the launch to reminisce about buses in 1950s. After considering the request we obliged and agreed to help. Originally the launch was going to be on Sunday 19th May but due to delays in the printing of the book the launch was subsequently delayed also, until the book was ready and a new date was set. The new date was finalised and the launch date became Sunday 30th June.

On Tuesday 16th April David and Tom attended a meeting at The Dolphin Hotel along with Penny and James and Hotel manager Neil to go through the details of the launch. Also as part of the launch it was decided that guests would go for a small ride on 71 around town and stop off for a picnic along the way. The first choice to have the picnic was Mayflower Park in Southampton but for a number of reasons this could not happen so another location was looked for. The location that was chosen was Royal Victoria Country Park just outside the city in nearby Netley.

So after the original email some eight months ago the day of the launch had arrived. After the previous day’s busy activities, it was an early start with drivers and conductors arriving at ‘Mini Portswood’ just after 10:30am. Due to the number going to the launch it was also decided that 1 – JOW 499E would make an appearance. Just after 11:30am the buses arrived at The Dolphin Hotel and picked up the guests of the launch and headed out of the City over the Itchen Bridge and along Weston Shore to Royal Victoria Country Park.

                                           
                                                          (1 - JOW 499E & 71 - LOW 217)

A lovely hour or so was spent at Royal Victoria County Park where guests enjoyed the picnic and learning about the buses. We all headed back to The Dolphin Hotel where Penny and James gave a talk about the book. After an enjoyable time we headed back to the yard but a request by our chairman David was to picture the buses in Queen's Terrace in the city as major road works are currently being carried on Queen’s Terrace and the road system is to be changed. He wanted to get pictures of the buses before the roads are changed.

                                         
                                                       (1 - JOW 499E & 71 - LOW 217)

If you have a request that you think we could help with, why not contact us via email or via our social media – Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. In recent weeks to keep up to speed with the modern world we have uploaded some information to Wikipedia about Southampton Corporation Transport. If you have some information that you think needs to be added to it why not edit it or let us know and we can add it to the article. Also just to let you know that both Facebook and Twitter now use Hashtag # and our Hashtag is #oldsotonbus.