Cornwall Bus Preservation Society

With less than two weeks to go before our Running Day in Penzance, here is the latest news from the CBPSCornwall Bus Preservation Society - formed by a group of bus and coach enthusiasts who are involved in maintaining, restoring and preserving a number of buses which saw operational service in Cornwall that have been bought, donated or even loaned to members of the group. I am pleased to say that our LeylandLeyland Bus was a British bus manufacturer. It emerged from the Rover Group (formerly British Leyland) as a management buyout of the bus business. It was subsequently acquired by Volvo Buses in 1988 and the name finally disappeared in 1993 OlympianLeyland Olympian was a double-decker bus built by British Leyland/Leyland Bus in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1993. 34754(A754 VAF) passed her MOT on 24 March 2011 without so much as an 'advisory' from the testing station. Well done to Steve and the gang who worked hard to make her look her best. Work is now moved onto our Bristol LHBristol Commercial Vehicles Light Horizontal engined 716(MUO 328F) with her MOT next week, just before the Running Day. We will be working on Bristol VRBristol VR was Bristol's rear-engined bus chassis, designed as a competitor to the Leyland Atlantean and Daimler Fleetline. 1003(VDV 141S) and the Vario 52529(S529 RWP) making sure they are ready for the big day.  

The vehicle entry list for this years event is more or less as before with Bristol VR's 1056(OTA 290G), 1075(BFJ 175L), 1003(VDV 141S), 1106(SFJ 106R), 1128(XDV 608S), 1157(AFJ 764T), 1168(FDV 780V), 1200(LFJ 844W), 1203(LFJ 847W) and 1211(LFJ 858W). Our OlympianModels of double decker bus built by Leyland and Volvo: * Leyland Olympian * Volvo Olympian * Volvo Olympian (low-floor), also known as Volvo B9TL , 1807/1754/34754(A754 VAF) and 9009/34969(G909 TWS) but it seems that Volvo CitybusLivery used on Plymouth City Buses 5708/38008(D708 GHY) may be unable to attend. However, Martin is bringing his Bristol LD 1943(VDV 760) and Colin aims to get his Bristol FLF 1969(468 FTT) there. Single decked buses attending are Bristol LH's, 716(MUO 328F) and 1318(BDV 318L), Bristol LWL 1613(LTA 772), Bristol LHS's 1254(VOD 124K) and 1560(FDV 790V) with Leyland National's, 2869(AFJ 708T) and 2813(HTA 844N). On static display will be Colin's fully restored 1927 Guy FBB 1268(YF 714) which was operated by Great Western Railway Road Motors and is in brown and cream livery. A photo opporunity with the Guy and 1003 VR will be arranged during the day.

We have had to address some health & safety issues this year as too many people were crossing the bus station yard area to take close-up photogrphs of the buses. This year, no members of the public will be permitted in the bus yard area so enthusiasts will have to remain on the pavement section. Our marshalls will enforce this because it will still be a working bus station on the day. Returning buses will pause at the front of the waiting area to give photographic opportunities.

Membership forms will be available from a stall together with programmes, calendars and picture cards for sale. There are more routes this year so get your programme early and plan out your journey's. We will endeavour to run everything as marked in the itinary but last minute changes may have to be made to the vehicles operating. If we get the weather we had last year then it will be another great day. See you on Sunday 17 April.