33 + 4TC Waterloo to Imber Village

[HillsideDepot]

Oh yes, all correctly set blinds, not least because in the early years the Western Area Traffic Commissioner used to attend in person! Even Sunday's one-off 23C had special blue "Express" blinds on the Routemasters.

Here is part of the 23C convoy very much off the public highway near Quebec Farm

 

Sir Peter proves the speed of his Euro 6 engined RM1005 by leaving the rest of us behind

And although it is a modern LT it did carry a wheelchair user on the 23C and had been fitted with special vintage style Stagecoach Holdings fleet names. It also had LT Buses style roundels but with Imberbus wording. The bus is also carrying Imberbus adverts.

Of the "curiously named spots", Gore Cross Interchange is a bus station in a field where the various legs of the 23A converge. Buses run on from there to Brazen Bottom (named after the nearest farm, which isn't even visible from the terminus) and on via Market Lavington and West Lavington back to Gore Cross and then usually on to New Zealand Farm Camp. Other buses come from Imber to Gore Cross and run on to serve Tilshead (where people can and do connect with Salisbury Reds service 2) and Chitterne. With two or three buses scheduled on most journeys and all buses in all four directions meeting up at Gore Cross it can be a busy place. It was also this year the location of Thamesdown's towing wagon, which was unused. Routemaster mechanical support was provided by an RML owning enthusiast in his Land Rover and was likewise not needed. Finally Wright Bus always send a support engineer to look after the LT "Boris Buses". He was needed; to tighten a mirror arm! Given the sophistication of the LT vehicles it is useful having someone with the necessary laptop on site, but his presence is more than repaid as each of the buses is constantly feeding data back to the factory in Ballymena so they are collecting information on a style of operation which LTs don't normally do, just in case Imber & District Omnibus Co Ltd ever order a fleet of them..

It is a fun day, but hard work because it is a bus service and has to be run in a disciplined way. Everyone does it on a voluntary basis, from private vehicle owners through to subsidiaries of Stagecoach, GoAhead, Arriva, First and RATP and all the staff who give their time. They make it all possible. 

 

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, Bernard Lamb said:

Another place that is only open to the public on a few occasions is Foulness.

Also of a military nature with "Give way to tanks" signs and a fifteen minutes or so briefing before you are allowed onto the island.

Bernard

Foulness had (possibly still has) a nominally public bus service to the village at the end of the island.  Thorney Island in Hampshire likewise which is also within military land though I know that service ceased a number of years ago due to lack of use.

 

Both of those (Southend Transport route 14 and Southern Motorways, later Emsworth & District, route 11A) were advertised in the public timetable with no hint as to the need to be in possession of particular paperwork in order to travel through the military areas.  No doubt that was to avoid attracting the Wrong Sort of Attention.

 

A friend reported that he once boarded the Foulness bus and booked to the terminus.  The driver didn't question him nor was he asked for ID or his pass.  It was only when the sentry boarded the bus at the gate that he realised everyone else was carrying their passes.  In the lesser security which prevailed at that time the sentry, who rode on the bus, allowed him to travel out and straight back provided he did not attempt to leave the vehicle or take photographs.

 

Wilts & Dorset (Morebus) for many years ran a public bus service through Blandford Military Camp near Pimperne.  The 184 Salisbury - Weymouth bus entered through the security checkpoint whereupon two armed guards boarded but no passes were required.  After circling the camp picking up and setting down at numerous bus stops the bus then returned to the public road leaving the escort at the gates.  There was also a dedicated route into the Camp from Blandford which, because it was not passing through, might have required users to carry their authorisation.  The 184 now remains on the main road and no longer serves the camp directly which is a recent change.

 

In other news the name Imber is repeated near Hampton Court where Imber Court is its much less well-known neighbour.  The name appeared on the blinds for at least LT route 206 (Fulwell Garage / Hampton Court - Claygate) so seeing "Imber" on London bus blinds is not new at all.

 

 

[Bernard Lamb]

11 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Foulness had (possibly still has) a nominally public bus service to the village at the end of the island.  Thorney Island in Hampshire likewise which is also within military land though I know that service ceased a number of years ago due to lack of use.

 

Both of those (Southend Transport route 14 and Southern Motorways, later Emsworth & District, route 11A) were advertised in the public timetable with no hint as to the need to be in possession of particular paperwork in order to travel through the military areas.  No doubt that was to avoid attracting the Wrong Sort of Attention.

 

 

 

 

The 14 is still in the timetable with one bus around 7 am and another around 6 pm.

It does mention the need for a pass.

I think that you need a good reason before you well be issued with a pass.

At one time a visit to the pub with a valid booking would have been acceptable, but the pub is long gone.

Bernard

[Wickham Green]

......... and talking of pubs - and back on topic, almost - 

 

 

 

...... shame that car's so conspicuous - but it was the only angle I could get the bus with appropriate blind and the pub sign in shot ......... and without stepping too far away from my pint ! ( again 2017 )

Edited August 21, 2019 by Wickham Green