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Buses on Duty at the 1982? N.E.C. Motor Show

This film was taken at the first time the Motor Show was staged at the NEC, it was November 1978 and car parks were set up at variuois locations around the NEC such as Packington Hall and the unopened M42 with visitors being bussed in to the NEC. It was held at NEC every other yeasr between 1978 and 2004.
 
I am not certain that it is 1978 I would think that there are too many Metrobuses for that year?


PB7229 said:
This film was taken at the first time the Motor Show was staged at the NEC, it was November 1978 and car parks were set up at variuois locations around the NEC such as Packington Hall and the unopened M42 with visitors being bussed in to the NEC. It was held at NEC every other yeasr between 1978 and 2004.
Click to expand...
 
Yes you are right, it can't be 1978. I jumped to that conclusion as I was involved in the '78 Motor Show and the memories of all those buses came flooding back. WMPTE only had five Metrobuses in November 1978 and one of those was an exhibit inside the NEC. I would revise the date to 1980 on the basis that all the Metroibuses present are Mark l examples and that they are in the original livery with matt black skirt panels. Mark ll Metrobuses started to appear towards the end of 1980 but none are present in the film, this does not mean that a Mark ll wasn't there just that it wasn't filmed, and the simplified livery was being introduced. 1982 saw the WMPTE operation being scaled down somewhat and I'm not sure if the animal symbols for the car parks were still in use. It was a most interesting operation and the first one, 1978, was heavily over bussed with some drivers spending all day parked up without turning a wheel. The SMMT were however very pleased with the contract and renewed it for a number of following events but the attendence by road gradually reduced and at the same time the car park availability increased.
 
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