A Busy Week

The first week in June was a busy week for us with 64 – FTR511 going to 4 events over the week. Also there was a work party mid week at ‘Mini Portswood’. As always a lot of planning goes into any event and having 4 events means making sure everything is planned down to a tee.

The first event 64 went to was just a small one, that being the Friends of Riverside Park Litter Pick on Saturday 1^st, where 64 was on display and while at the park 64 was very popular with park goers. Then on Sunday 2^nd, 64 was back out again and this time heading out of Southampton and off to Gosport to take part in their Big Day Out that they have every year. 64 was used to provide a tour from Stokes Bay to Lee-on-Solent and back again. During the day around 430 people were carried.

 

(Riverside Park)

 

 

(Stokes Bay)

  

During the week a work party was held at ‘Mini Portswood’ where a number of tasks were carried out. One of the major jobs was to put the starter motor back into 432 - NLP 389V which was taken out for repair as 432 has been suffering electrical problems since March. Other jobs included getting 1 – JOW 499E ready for the Copythorne Steam & Vintage Rally which took place the following Sunday. 133 – TTR 167H has been away for a few weeks having its chassis clean and painted to protect it from rust. So it was arranged that 133 would be collected on Wednesday afternoon from Reynolds Commercial Body Repairs in Totton. A few months ago 1- JOW 499E was given the same treatment.

                                                

            (133 emerging from Reynolds shed)

On Saturday 8^th, 64 was out again and this time it was out of to town to be on display at the Ejectorseat Arts Festival, which is a music festival that was taking place in Palmerston Park, featuring all different types of music from around the world. 64 was quite a crowd puller with a lot of people enjoying having a look at the open top bus, which dates back to 1949. The Copythorne Steam & Vintage Vehicle Rally took place on Sunday 9^th, with both 1 – JOW 499E & 64 – FTR 511 heading over to the New Forest for the show. No. 1 was on Park & Ride duties from Copythorne Parish Hall to the show at the Scout Headquarters and Field in Copythorne. Whilst 64 was used on open top tours of the New Forest.

(64 in Palmerston Park)

 (No. 1 at Copythorne )

One last job was to return 64 – FTR 511 to where it's stored in deepest darkest Hampshire. Luckily the monthly meeting of the Trust took place on Monday 10^th June and was being held at the same location. 64 headed off in the earlier afternoon and later in the evening other members of the Trust join up for the monthly meeting to discuss a number of matters which included events and rallies coming up, work being carried out on buses and a number of other matters. It’s now time again to put our feet up for a rest after a busy week but not for long as there is a few events coming up in the next few weeks.