Branksome Chine
"Thing of Beauty"
This wonderful machine is owned by the Stroud RE Group, and has quite a colourful past. Delivered to Bristol Cityline in 1976 as C5033 (JHW107P), she lasted about 3 years on city services before being sent to Weston-Super-Mare depot to work on the Weston & Wells services. in 1985 she was sent to Eastleigh (Hants & Dorset Works), and was de-roofed permenantley for the "Newly Established" and pioneering Bath Tour.
She then became BH8615, and spent many a year trundling round Bath on the City and Skyline tours. Nearing retirement, she was sent where most First vehicles end up, and that was down to Penzance to see out her days working the arduous Lands End/St Ives Open Top services.
Once First F&D decided to sell her, she was soon snapped up Chepstow Classic Bus, and has been plying her trade with them for the last year, before Mike Ede (Stroud RE Group), came in and bought her, and put her in this de-reg City of Gloucester livery, which of course she never carried, but if you ask me, she looks very smart in!?
Now Mike and the boys have the same thinking as me and the lads in our group, which is "Its my bus, I shall paint it as i see fit!", unfortunately this has only gone on to infuriate the purists, most of which dont own vehicles, and want to see eveything back to Bristol Green or Tilling Green and Cream, not me!
All I can say with this vehicle and many others that I know of around Bristol, and are owned by young and like minded enthusiasts such as myself is "WATCH THIS SPACE!" (LOL) ;-)
"Thing of Beauty"
This wonderful machine is owned by the Stroud RE Group, and has quite a colourful past. Delivered to Bristol Cityline in 1976 as C5033 (JHW107P), she lasted about 3 years on city services before being sent to Weston-Super-Mare depot to work on the Weston & Wells services. in 1985 she was sent to Eastleigh (Hants & Dorset Works), and was de-roofed permenantley for the "Newly Established" and pioneering Bath Tour.
She then became BH8615, and spent many a year trundling round Bath on the City and Skyline tours. Nearing retirement, she was sent where most First vehicles end up, and that was down to Penzance to see out her days working the arduous Lands End/St Ives Open Top services.
Once First F&D decided to sell her, she was soon snapped up Chepstow Classic Bus, and has been plying her trade with them for the last year, before Mike Ede (Stroud RE Group), came in and bought her, and put her in this de-reg City of Gloucester livery, which of course she never carried, but if you ask me, she looks very smart in!?
Now Mike and the boys have the same thinking as me and the lads in our group, which is "Its my bus, I shall paint it as i see fit!", unfortunately this has only gone on to infuriate the purists, most of which dont own vehicles, and want to see eveything back to Bristol Green or Tilling Green and Cream, not me!
All I can say with this vehicle and many others that I know of around Bristol, and are owned by young and like minded enthusiasts such as myself is "WATCH THIS SPACE!" (LOL) ;-)