SCOTTISH VINTAGE BUS MUSEUM

THE SCOTTISH VINTAGE BUS MUSEUM - BXA 464 B

DETAILS

Chassis: Bristol Lodekka FS6G, built 1964, No. 214188

Body: Double Deck, Eastern Coachworks H33/27RD, No. 14389

Engine: Gardner 6LX 6-cyI diesel, 10.4 litre

First Licensed: 1/6/64, BXA 464 B, Fleet No. FRD 199

(Wanted, any photos of the bus in Fife service!)

'Racing' Thomas the Tank Engine leaving Bridge of Dun, in July 2003 during the Caledonian Railway 'Thomas the Tank Engine' event when 199 took the role of 'Bulgy the Bus'

BACKGROUND HISTORY

The F Series Bristol Lodekka appeared in production form in 1959 to replace the L series, which was first introduced in 1949. The F series appeared in short (FS) and long (FL) versions and continued in production until 1968. Engine options were available with Bristol, Gardner or Leyland engines. Therefore this FS6G is an F series, short, with a 6 cylinder Gardner engine.

IN SERVICE
Dunfermline St Margaret's Bus Station in the Spring of 1965 on service 306 to Leven (Would whoever gave this photo to Eddie Taylor at the Open Weekend please send his name - we would like to credit him)	Kirkcaldy 06/06/70 (Iain MacGregor) The setting is the bottom of Charlotte St, Kirkcaldy at its junction with the Esplanade directly opposite the old Esplanade Bus Station. The building behind the front of the bus is the old Trocadero Cafe, a well known local landmark for Kirkcaldy travellers. (Eddie Taylor)

HISTORY OF THIS VEHICLE

FRD 199 was numerically the last of a batch of 34 FSs to enter service with W. Alexander & Sons (Fife) Ltd from 1963-64. It initially entered service at Cowdenbeath for operation on local service in that town. Thereafter it was transferred to Kirkcaldy where it remained till the end of its service days. FRD 199 was one of only four surviving rear entrance double deck buses in Fife when it was offered for sale in late 1980. It was purchased by a preservation group in West Scotland but in 1983 was purchased by Stagecoach of Perth. At some point with Stagecoach, its Gardner 6LW engine was replaced with a Gardner 6LX producing a considerable turn of speed. In November 1989 the vehicle was transferred to Magicbus operations in Glasgow. The present owners purchased it in November 1990.

Left: Inverness, September 1990, a few weeks before purchase for preservation. (Eddie Taylor)

RESTORATION DETAILS

As with all bus restoration, the problem of storage was first priority. The vehicle was initially stored at a farm near Coalsnaughton by Alloa, where no work was carried out due to the limitations of space. In July 1991 it was transferred to Rennies of Dunfermline for temporary storage, where some minor electrical work was carried out. From September 1991 to May 1992 it was stored at the Fife Scottish depot in Dunfermline (returning home?) prior to transfer to the previous site of the SVBM at Whitburn. Once at Whitburn, the majority of work carried out to concerned the bodywork.

Left: Whitburn, alongside a similar vehicle of 1957 vintage. (Eddie Taylor)

It was driven to Lathalmond in 1995 when the museum transferred to the new site and immediately claimed a place in the workshop so that work started at Whitburn could continue

Right: Just after the move to Lathalmond in 1995 (Eddie Taylor)

It has been a long slog at Lathalmond. Several deficiencies were attended to, including brakes, suspension and battery box. But the vast majority of time was spent completely removing all body paint down to bare metal and fitting a few new panels. Owing to the active partners being involved in all and sundry other projects and activities at the museum, this was only finished in December 2000. However, no sooner was it done than the filler was applied and sanded down and the undercoat was applied - then filled, sanded and painted again in various places – ready to be repainted to its original Fife livery of Ayres Red and cream, with full lining out in black and white.

Left: Lathalmond, April 1999 (Jim Crichton)

2001: As this photo and the one at the top of the page shows, the bus is now back in original livery - complete with hand-painted period adverts. The bus was put through a Class 5 MOT in July, but unfortunately failed on two points - a fuel tank leak and excessive play in the steering drag link. These faults were rectified and the bus was re-tested successfully on 6th August.

Right: Lathalmond, April 2001 (Jim Crichton)

Moving into place for her inaugural service trip to Dunfermline on the Saturday of the 2001 Open Weekend.

Photo: Jim Crichton

Little did we know that within half an hour a broken front off-side leaf spring - possibly broken on the trip - would cause a steering fault that resulted in a collision with a barrier on approach to Dunfermline Bus Station.

Right: Back in Lathalmond (Mike Chapman)

We didn’t really need any incentive to get the damage fixed, but we got some in the shape of an invitation to show her at ‘Corgi Classics Scotmodel 2001’ in the SECC, Glasgow. The spring was removed, sent for repair (new leaf) and refitted. The fibreglass nearside wing and front panel were filled, sanded and repainted. The offside metal wing was removed and a new one made and fitted by Tam Loggie and Matt, and painted. We were back in business – and had also repaired a gearbox leak that we originally intended dealing with in 2002 – with ten days to spare - ready to roll .....

Photo: Jim Crichton

..... on Sunday 25 November, in the Lathalmond blackness of 6:30am. The intrepid crew of Mike Chapman, Jim and Steven Methven, my two grandsons – Scott and Andrew - and I set of for ‘Dear Auld Glesga Toun’.

The photo sees us south of Kincardine Bridge at Bowtrees petrol station, where we stopped for newspapers.

Photo: Mike Chapman

We journeyed uneventfully (we thought) into Glasgow, arriving at the SECC around 8:30 as instructed and got into position before being moved as someone hadn’t turned up. It had rained pretty heavily on the road through so the ‘cloots’ were out as we all mucked in to make our pride and joy look her best. Then it was time for free hot drinks and bacon butties. We also tried unsuccessfully to find a replacement for a headlamp bulb that had blown on the way.

Photo: Jim Crichton

The bus was greatly admired by the hoards of visitors to the exhibition, which is really a model fair with some life-size exhibits and side attractions such as ‘James Bond’ with ‘Jaws’ and ‘Oddjob’. We were visited by a fair number of SVBM members during the day.

Corgi released a model of our bus in Early summer 2002, in their ‘Original Omnibus’ range.

The trip back to Lathalmond was straightforward and we arrived about 7pm, having left the SECC around 5:30pm. Having only one headlamp was cause for concern but Mike had his digital camera ready to show any traffic police that we were fully operational when we left.

Photo: Jim Crichton

On the weekends of 5th & 6th and 12th & 13th July 2003. 199 took the role of 'Bulgy the Bus' in the Caledonian Railway's 'Thomas the Tank Engine' weekends. Thomas ran from Brechin to Bridge of Dun and Bulgy ran from Montrose to Bridge of Dun. The train and bus left Bridge of Dun Station at the same time and ran a mock race for a short distance before parting company to go their separate ways. The kids loved it and were very disappointed that Bulgy didn't have a face (owing to the offered face completely covering the radiator). As it was, Bulgy took sick on the last journey on the second Saturday and had to be nursed home. His place was taken the following day by the museum's 'Rory' the Leopard.

Left: Bulgy at Bridge of Dun station, awaiting the arrival of Thomas the Tank Engine from Brechin
(Jim Crichton)