NorthWestVRT Annual Running & Open Day 2019
With the great success
of our previous DVD programmes filmed at this excellent event, our cameras have
returned to record the event again in 2019.
The Annual Running & Open Day is organised by the North West Vehicle
Restoration Trust. As usual this event
is centred on the Trust’s premises on the Kirkby Industrial Estate near
Liverpool, Merseyside.
As always we
start our filming early in the morning as the vehicles are positioned and the
visiting vehicles arrive for the day’s action. There is always a large variety
of buses and coaches for you to see and enjoy.
This year is no exception - companies represented include local
independents, GMT, Crosville, PMT, Midland Red, MPTE, Merseybus, Liverpool
Corporation, Wallasey Corporation, St Helens Corporation, Widnes and Warrington
Corporations as well as Ribble, Arriva, Stagecoach and many, many more! Our first bus ride of the day is in the cab
of the superbly restored Fareway of Kirkby Leyland Olympian 165 (F456
BKF). This 85-seat Olympian has a
Northern Counties body and looks very smart in its blue and yellow livery. This former local operator was Merseyside's
first substantial newcomer in the post-deregulation era. We travel to Prescot railway station, returning
to Charleywood Road via Hornhouse Lane in Kirkby where the Fareway garage was
situated before the company was taken over by MTL Holdings in early 1993. More action is filmed along Charleywood Road
where the Trust’s premises are situated. As is usual at this event, the “Big
Launch 2019” took place at 12.30.
This
year we had the pleasure of seeing three projects being launched to an eager
waiting public! First out of the depot
was 6538 (M538 WHF), a Volvo B10B-58 with a Wright B53F body, which is restored
in its MTL Merseybus livery branded for Route 86. Next out was former Wallasey Corporation 6,
now 206 (FHF 456) a 1959 Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1 with a Metro-Cammell H77F
body finished in the Wirral version of the Merseyside PTE livery of blue and
cream. Last, but not least at the ‘Big
Launch 2019’ is former Ribble Motor Services 249 (HRN 249G), a Bristol RELL6G
with an ECW B41D body. Restored to the National
Bus Company livery of poppy red with a white band, this bus celebrating 50
years since the formation of the NBC and of course 2019 celebrates 100 years of
the formation of Ribble Motor Services.
Our cameras take a ride on the Ribble RE around the industrial estate
and then a ride on the Atlantean to Kirkby railway station and back. Further rides are taken on the beautifully
restored Ribble ‘White Lady’ Atlantean 1274 (RRN 423), with a Weymann CH59FT
body and SNL816 (WFM 816L) a former Crosville Leyland National. Filming is concluded with action on Gores
Road, Lees Road and Acornfield Road as the visiting buses leave for home. We
would like to thank the NWVRT for organising this excellent event and we hope
you enjoy watching our film.
