THE SCOTTISH VINTAGE BUS MUSEUM - 2000 STAGECOACH CARLISLE OPEN DAY

Our first trip on Duple Dominant Leopard RRS 46 R this year took us to the Stagecoach Carlisle Open Day. We left the museum at 8am, heading for Hamilton Services on the M74, where we were to rendezvous with a contingent coming from the west. There was a fair load, so we hoped there was enough room for those joining at Hamilton. We travelled via Bathgate to collect a lucky couple who had had an extra hour in bed. For once we managed to get away from the museum without any hitches.

Above: RRS 46 R pictured leaving for a previous rally

The two buses arrived within minutes of each other, and when we saw the load transferring we thought we might be in trouble, but they all fitted in comfortably. We stayed long enough for a comfort and cigarette stop, changed drivers, and headed for another pickup at Lockerbie.

After the Lockerbie stop, where we changed drivers again, it was straight down to Carlisle, where we were directed to park-up next to three other visitors, an ex West Coast Motors AEC? Coach, an ex Ribble Atlantean, and a half-cab decker. (I'll really need to start taking notes of buses photographed.) Ex Ribble RRN 405 took part in the shuttle to Carlisle town centre from where we were lucky enough to catch it for a trip back to the garage/site.

If we thought we were getting our first trouble-free trip - we had to think again. We came through terrible weather between Carlisle and Lockerbie and just as we turned on to the M74 slip road after the drop-off in Lockerbie, the engine became sluggish then cut out. Springing into action - overalls on, panels opened, tongues wagging - the problem was investigated from two angles - as the photos show. Luckily it was fairly quickly found to be a dodgy fuse which was repaired in a similarly dodgy manner - I'm not sure if it was weather related - and we were on our way again. A bonus for me was that when we pulled into Hamilton Services for a comfort stop, a change of drivers and - as I thought - a redistribution of passengers, I discovered that we were to drop the westy passengers in Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow. A bonus as I was taking over the driving, and as a Glaswegian had never taken a bus into the main Glasgow bus station - sad eh? After Glasgow we headed back to Lathalmond via Bathgate without further hitch.