Branksome Chine
Latest Member of the SWPG Fleet - No 9 (A652 UDG) - Offside in Peterborough Coach Park
Umm where do I start, at the beginning I suppose ;-)
For the last two weeks I have been making very discrete enquiries, and having many conversations with the owner of Peelings Coaches, about the prospect of the SWPG (well me!), having one of their coaches which they were due to scrap, and look into it possible preservation.
Thank goodness we still have some lovely family run companies, whose vehicles still mean something to them and the thought of seeing their member of the family scrapped would haunt them forever more. Well that is what was going to happen with UGB even though she still has 10 months MOT on her.
After lengthy and protracted negotiations, we were eventually told yesterday that she was ready to be collected from Tittleshall in Norfolk (Between Kings Lynn and Norwich). Johnathan Peeling even taxed the coach for 6 months and put 100 litres of fuel in it, a jesture that has been noted and won’t go unrewarded. SO after another 4.30am start and another trip on the 06.01 to London from Bristol Parkway, another tube journey on the Cirlce Line and another journey from “The Cross”, we eventually arrived in Norfolk at 11.00am.
The journey back to Bristol took 6 hours, with 4 stops and not wanting to rant her I sat at about 57/8 most of the way back, and traversed many local roads and A roads in Norfolk, before having our first break in Peterborough. We then took the A47, A605, A14, M6, M42 & M5 stopping at Corley and Strensham, before arriving back in the yard for 7pm.
SO why did I want another coach after getting rid of the Tiger a lot of you will ask, and some of you have that right. Well quite simply I have missed having a coach due t its comfort, and I think a group of our size needs it.
A652 UDG (Plaxton paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M) started out life with Park’s of Hamilton, in their gaudy Blue, White and Orange livery with the Trafalgar Tours logos attached to the side, before a few years with West Coast Motors in North Scotland. She was then sold to C J Down in Mary Tavy (Devon) where she spent quite a long time before being sold to a dealer in Leicestershire who sold her to Fowlers of Holbeach (Another coach in the group that has been at Fowlers!), before being sold to the Wonderful Peelings of Tittleshall, who have kept her rather immaculate. This coach has been stood for 2 months, and started on the button, and drove like a front line motor!
There are plans, but I won’t be shouting my mouth off about them, you will all just have to wait and see as I also have the Fleetline to get done (Which WILL NEVER BE SOLD!!!!!) ;-).
Latest Member of the SWPG Fleet - No 9 (A652 UDG) - Offside in Peterborough Coach Park
Umm where do I start, at the beginning I suppose ;-)
For the last two weeks I have been making very discrete enquiries, and having many conversations with the owner of Peelings Coaches, about the prospect of the SWPG (well me!), having one of their coaches which they were due to scrap, and look into it possible preservation.
Thank goodness we still have some lovely family run companies, whose vehicles still mean something to them and the thought of seeing their member of the family scrapped would haunt them forever more. Well that is what was going to happen with UGB even though she still has 10 months MOT on her.
After lengthy and protracted negotiations, we were eventually told yesterday that she was ready to be collected from Tittleshall in Norfolk (Between Kings Lynn and Norwich). Johnathan Peeling even taxed the coach for 6 months and put 100 litres of fuel in it, a jesture that has been noted and won’t go unrewarded. SO after another 4.30am start and another trip on the 06.01 to London from Bristol Parkway, another tube journey on the Cirlce Line and another journey from “The Cross”, we eventually arrived in Norfolk at 11.00am.
The journey back to Bristol took 6 hours, with 4 stops and not wanting to rant her I sat at about 57/8 most of the way back, and traversed many local roads and A roads in Norfolk, before having our first break in Peterborough. We then took the A47, A605, A14, M6, M42 & M5 stopping at Corley and Strensham, before arriving back in the yard for 7pm.
SO why did I want another coach after getting rid of the Tiger a lot of you will ask, and some of you have that right. Well quite simply I have missed having a coach due t its comfort, and I think a group of our size needs it.
A652 UDG (Plaxton paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M) started out life with Park’s of Hamilton, in their gaudy Blue, White and Orange livery with the Trafalgar Tours logos attached to the side, before a few years with West Coast Motors in North Scotland. She was then sold to C J Down in Mary Tavy (Devon) where she spent quite a long time before being sold to a dealer in Leicestershire who sold her to Fowlers of Holbeach (Another coach in the group that has been at Fowlers!), before being sold to the Wonderful Peelings of Tittleshall, who have kept her rather immaculate. This coach has been stood for 2 months, and started on the button, and drove like a front line motor!
There are plans, but I won’t be shouting my mouth off about them, you will all just have to wait and see as I also have the Fleetline to get done (Which WILL NEVER BE SOLD!!!!!) ;-).