Sunday 28 April saw the group’s newly restored Leyland Leopard coach OUH177G set out from Barry Depot to make it’s public debut at the Bristol Harbourside Rally. Around fifteen members and our sales stand made the trip to Bristol, setting out from Barry at 8am and picking up at Coryton, and Magor before arrival at the rally site at around 9:30am. The vehicle performed very well and we were able to travel in comfort and at speed in our flagship coach (luckily there is no radio fitted but we did have the luxury of a working clock !). The rally was well attended, though the weather was a little chilly with a wind developing in the late afternoon but at least it remained dry though a little dull. A good number of interesting buses and coaches were present, among them a pre-war Bristol “B” chassis which arrived mounted on an Irish, Bristol Re running chassis, both very interesting exhibits. Naturally a large number of vehicles of Bristol manufacture were present, along with sales stands some doing brisk trade in photographs and model buses etc. along with Hot Dog and Ice Cream vendors. Free bus trips around the city were in operation, with one journey visiting the old Bristol Omnibus depot at Muller Road now in use as storage for redundant First Group buses. I think a good day was enjoyed by all in one of Britain’s finest cities.
Below, are a selection of the many buses and coaches on display at Bristol Harbourside on Sunday 28 April 2013 (photos by Paul Hamley and Mac Winfield)
