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Yardley Wood Bus Garage 70th Birthday

motorman-mike

motorman-mike

Brum visitor who stayed.
Yardley Wood Omnibus Garage was opened by Birmingham City Transport on the 9th November 1938. To celebrate it's 70th Birthday, National Express West Midlands who operate from it now, will be opening the garage to the public on Saturday 29th of November from 10am until 2pm. Full details are still to be confirmed but it is intended to have buses old and new on display together with an exhibition of photos and artefacts of the garage over the years. There will be entertainment for children including a bouncing castle, clown and face painting. The garage canteen will be open for refreshments. There will also be a stall selling model buses. Older and retired Yardley Wood employees are being contacted to contribute reminicences of working there and to attend on the day. If you know anyone that worked there in the past please let them know this is taking place. There will be publicity in the press nearer the date. Any more info I can pass on I will.
 
The only person I know who worked there was John Homer but have no idea where he went.
 
motorman-mike said:
Yardley Wood Omnibus Garage was opened by Birmingham City Transport on the 9th November 1938. To celebrate it's 70th Birthday, National Express West Midlands who operate from it now, will be opening the garage to the public on Saturday 29th of November from 10am until 2pm. Full details are still to be confirmed but it is intended to have buses old and new on display together with an exhibition of photos and artefacts of the garage over the years. There will be entertainment for children including a bouncing castle, clown and face painting. The garage canteen will be open for refreshments. There will also be a stall selling model buses. Older and retired Yardley Wood employees are being contacted to contribute reminicences of working there and to attend on the day. If you know anyone that worked there in the past please let them know this is taking place. There will be publicity in the press nearer the date. Any more info I can pass on I will.
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I heard rumour yesterday that Health and Safety have put their high viz, safety footed boot down and said that joe public will not be allowed into the garage but must remain outside and taped off and that the visiting buses will be arround the back out of the way is it true or do I give my informant a good slap for wrongly informing me?
 
Mike

Do you think all the little buses are exited, because they know there's going to be a party.

Phil

YardleyWoodDepot.jpg


YardleyWoodDepotBatchofNewBuses1944GuyArabII5LWs.jpg
 
They certainly are Phil, that's why they are chasing to catch each other up for Conga practice round the City Centre.
 
Yesterday the cladding was removed from above the bus doorways to proudly reveal the original Birmingham City Transport lettering carved in the stonework as seen in Phil's post (#7) above. It will be covered up again after the Open Day on the 29th and new National Express identity take it's place. For the Open Day it is expected that visiting older buses will be inside the garage and the more modern buses will be in the canalside bus park. Final arrangements are still to be announced..
 
They were repainting the sign above the doors, very slowly, yesterday. What a shame it will be covered up again. The lamp posts were all being cleaned along the Yardley Wood Rd from Haunch Lane to Warstock Island too. Was this a coincidence or are they sprucing up the area for the 'big' day?
 
It has now been decided that the original BCT lettering will not be covered up again and from today new National Express ID boards have been placed above Birmingham City Transport. Luckily still in place, also carved in stone, is the original Birmingham Coat of Arms above the former main pedestrian entrance, that escaped the 1969 coverup when BCT finished operating. More news on Monday.
 
Bammot said:
I heard rumour yesterday that Health and Safety have put their high viz, safety footed boot down and said that joe public will not be allowed into the garage but must remain outside and taped off and that the visiting buses will be arround the back out of the way is it true or do I give my informant a good slap for wrongly informing me?
Click to expand...

Plans for the Open Day are gathering pace now. With the prospect of inclement (I like that word) weather, everything going on will take place within the garage. Dispensation has been gained from the H & S people for a cordoned off area of the garage where buses old and new will be on display as well as a West Midlands Fire Service standby fire engine together with a police car and a St John's Ambulance. Charity Tombola, bus interest sales stands and for the kids a bouncy castle will also be in this area. Photos and memorabilia will be on display in the Traffic Office area. The staff canteen will be open for the sale of refreshments to visitors..
Next Monday morning (24/11) a round trip in service with preserved BCT Daimler open platform bus 3225 on the 50 route from Druids Heath to City and back is planned. Time of this journey to be announced. Any fares and voluntary donations from Travelcard and OAP passholders during this trip will be donated to charity. More on this later.
 
motorman-mike said:
Plans for the Open Day are gathering pace now. With the prospect of inclement (I like that word) weather, everything going on will take place within the garage. Dispensation has been gained from the H & S people for a cordoned off area of the garage where buses old and new will be on display as well as a West Midlands Fire Service standby fire engine together with a police car and a St John's Ambulance. Charity Tombola, bus interest sales stands and for the kids a bouncy castle will also be in this area. Photos and memorabilia will be on display in the Traffic Office area. The staff canteen will be open for the sale of refreshments to visitors..
Next Monday morning (24/11) a round trip in service with preserved BCT Daimler open platform bus 3225 on the 50 route from Druids Heath to City and back is planned. Time of this journey to be announced. Any fares and voluntary donations from Travelcard and OAP passholders during this trip will be donated to charity. More on this later.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info. once again Mav. should be a good day at the Wood, who is driving 3225 next week, will it be you, and what time will it be leaving Druids Heath, any idea yet?. John.
 
motorman-mike said:
Plans for the Open Day are gathering pace now. With the prospect of inclement (I like that word) weather, everything going on will take place within the garage. Dispensation has been gained from the H & S people for a cordoned off area of the garage where buses old and new will be on display as well as a West Midlands Fire Service standby fire engine together with a police car and a St John's Ambulance. Charity Tombola, bus interest sales stands and for the kids a bouncy castle will also be in this area. Photos and memorabilia will be on display in the Traffic Office area. The staff canteen will be open for the sale of refreshments to visitors..
Next Monday morning (24/11) a round trip in service with preserved BCT Daimler open platform bus 3225 on the 50 route from Druids Heath to City and back is planned. Time of this journey to be announced. Any fares and voluntary donations from Travelcard and OAP passholders during this trip will be donated to charity. More on this later.
Click to expand...


Can I still give my mate a good slap?
 
Next Monday morning (24/11) a round trip in service with preserved BCT Daimler open platform bus 3225 on the 50 route from Druids Heath to City and back is planned. Time of this journey to be announced. Any fares and voluntary donations from Travelcard and OAP passholders during this trip will be donated to charity. More on this later.


(I E-mail N.E.W.M this is the reply I got today it would appear that we are awaiting on Mick
I emailed Yardley Wood garage as they run the 50 service and got the following feedback:-----------------This old bus will be going out on the 50 route next week, although I believe it is only running along the route and not picking passengers up. Mick knows all the details but he is not here, I will try to find out more information for you tomorrow.Regards----------------Once I receive this extra information I will forward it to you.ThanksCatherine)


It would be not to know the times of if only to photograph it as it would appear we will not be able to travel on it
 
It would be not to know the times of if only to photograph it as it would appear we will not be able to travel on it[/quote]

Re the proposed journey by 3225 along the 50 route. As I understand it this has been now ammended to leaving Yardley Wood Garage at 10-00am for Druids Heath terminus to depart 10-10am for City (Moor Street) then depart Corporation Street as a 35 to Pool Farm or Hawksley turning Circle for return to City Centre (Argos). Then from Corporation Street as a 2E to Yardley Wood Garage to finish at the Garage. Time permitting, a run along the 18 route may follow. 3225 is to be back in garage by 2pm. After leaving Druids Heath there are no specific timings and operation will be at the disgression of the drivers, taking in to account road and weather conditions on the day. The driving will be shared between a Driver Training Instructor and the Garage Union Chairman. It is intended that the public will be invited on at normal bus stops with a "conductor" on each deck collecting "fares" for charity.
Engineers are not happy with the prospect of possible interior vandalism (a sad reflection of the day and age we live in) so this may yet be revised. However with a guard on each deck and hopefully, at the time of day operating, all should be well. Watch this space
 
motorman-mike said:
It would be not to know the times of if only to photograph it as it would appear we will not be able to travel on it
Click to expand...

Re the proposed journey by 3225 along the 50 route. As I understand it this has been now ammended to leaving Yardley Wood Garage at 10-00am for Druids Heath terminus to depart 10-10am for City (Moor Street) then depart Corporation Street as a 35 to Pool Farm or Hawksley turning Circle for return to City Centre (Argos). Then from Corporation Street as a 2E to Yardley Wood Garage to finish at the Garage. Time permitting, a run along the 18 route may follow. 3225 is to be back in garage by 2pm. After leaving Druids Heath there are no specific timings and operation will be at the disgression of the drivers, taking in to account road and weather conditions on the day. The driving will be shared between a Driver Training Instructor and the Garage Union Chairman. It is intended that the public will be invited on at normal bus stops with a "conductor" on each deck collecting "fares" for charity.
Engineers are not happy with the prospect of possible interior vandalism (a sad reflection of the day and age we live in) so this may yet be revised. However with a guard on each deck and hopefully, at the time of day operating, all should be well. Watch this space[/quote]
Thanks Mike for info again, hope it goes well, as you say what a bad reflection on days we live in now when you have to worry about vandalism from mindless yobs, when it will only be out for 3 or 4 hours, and not even on a night service, John .
 
I heard yesterday that now, passengers may not be picked up on the 3225 run so it seems that we won't know until tomorrow morning at the start of the run what the final decision is!
 
Hi. Mike. Does that mean passengers who get on at the garage can travel on it, or is it just going to run without any passengers, if so cant see the point in it running at all, what are they worried about, is it health and safety again poking their nose in?, frightened some one may fall off the back. frustrating Eh. Regards. John.
 
john70 said:
Hi. Mike. Does that mean passengers who get on at the garage can travel on it, or is it just going to run without any passengers, if so cant see the point in it running at all, what are they worried about, is it health and safety again poking their nose in?, frightened some one may fall off the back. frustrating Eh. Regards. John.
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I think they are worried that the waitng passengers will tip the bus over when they cannot get on the bus..., this normally happens on a Tuesday not on a Monday
 
As I post this 3225 is on the road and carrying the public on the 50 and 35 routes.
It has also been decided it will randomly work on the rest of the Yardley Wood operated routes at two per day each day until Friday at some time after 10am each morning. The routes will be - in no particular order - 2/12/18:4/6:49/69: 84/27(via Maryvale Road and Cadburys link road to avoid low bridge). The idea of random operation is to surprise the public when 3225 pulls up at their stop.
On saturdays Open Day 14 visiting preserved buses have been promised to attend ranging across the BCT, WMPTE and WMT eras at Yardley Wood.
 
motorman-mike said:
As I post this 3225 is on the road and carrying the public on the 50 and 35 routes.
It has also been decided it will randomly work on the rest of the Yardley Wood operated routes at two per day each day until Friday at some time after 10am each morning. The routes will be - in no particular order - 2/12/18:4/6:49/69: 84/27(via Maryvale Road and Cadburys link road to avoid low bridge). The idea of random operation is to surprise the public when 3225 pulls up at their stop.
On saturdays Open Day 14 visiting preserved buses have been promised to attend ranging across the BCT, WMPTE and WMT eras at Yardley Wood.
Click to expand...


The problem is knowing were it is going to turn up my tiny hands, feet, nose, and other parts of my anatomy, were froze this morning waiting for it to turn up on the 50 it would have been nice to get a photo of it in Brum there are times with N.E.W.M. I could scream and scream till I was sick, N.E.W.M. must be due for a name change as they have not changed their fleet livery and name for a couple of months, or am I all twitter and bisted
 
i happened to be traveling up haunch lane earlier today and a greet big gleaming bus was coming towards us a sight for sore eyes looked fantastic.
no 70 on the front for the event and a well turned out driver in nice new uniform,
Mof 225 nice looking bus. regards and happy birthday hope to be there regards dereklcg.
 
Bammot - You should have been with me this morning :) Was shopping along Kings Heath High Street and like dereklcg, looked up and suddenly there it was. A lovely old type bus. It certainly did look fantastic! All the nostalgic memories of decades ago came flooding back.

motorman-mike - Don't know why I've only just noticed this thread:rolleyes: Didn't know about the 70th birthday until today. Just showed the posts my husband and we will defininitely be there on Saturday. He collects the old Birmingham buses.

All the best....Florence :)
 
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