The Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust had a record year in 2023, reports Ed Bonner
More members, more visitors, more passengers than ever and a mighty supply of bacon rolls and burgers which if strung together would stretch from the Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust’s Bridgeton Bus Garage to George Square and back: the Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust (GVVT) is about much more than just classic buses, and celebrated 2023, its 21st year, with a staggering set of superlatives.
The Trust’s membership is the largest it has ever been, up a remarkable 26% on 2022 from 654 to 824 – that’s 170 new sign-ups. Attendance at events and tours soared to 9,627 from 7,243, a 33% rise – Bridgeton’s biggest. The number of passenger journeys on free services leapt 42% from 13,906 to 19,765, the highest total yet. And our freshly refitted Clippies Cafe sold out all stock at every major event, thanks to the sterling efforts of the catering team.
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Records tumbled at the year’s main events. The Open Weekend on 14 and 15 October drew a highest ever 3,436 visitors over its two days, with more than 40 guest vehicles attending from across the UK, whilst another 1,721 people plus countless free-entry under-fives poured through the doors to be greeted by Darth Vader and the troops of the Western Desert Recce Group to the Trust’s biggest yet Family & Community Day.
Meanwhile, increasing demand for public guided tours of the garage saw a record-breaking 25 take place over the year.
GVVT services operating out of Riverside for Glasgow’s West End Festival carried 2,491 passengers, while Glasgow Life selected GVVT to stage a display at Kelvingrove Gallery & Museum between June and December which was seen by countless thousands of visitors.
All of that required an army of blue-vested guides, guards and helpers, and 1,426 volunteer hours were given at 10 principal garage events.
GVVT chairman Steven Booth said: “I can’t thank everyone enough for all the help and support provided, whether member, visitor, friend or supporter. Each individual makes a unique contribution to our success. What a tremendous year 2023 turned out to be. The Family & Community Day and our Open Weekend had record attendances. We broke new ground with our residency at Kelvingrove which opened the door to new audiences, membership is at a record level, and all the time the process continues of restoring the vehicles of our past.”
Contrasting histories
Those vehicles are at the core of GVVT activity, with two new arrivals in particular reflecting the span of eras represented. New in 2013 but with a massive million-plus miles on the clock, Sir Brian Souter’s 52-foot VanHool Astromega sleeper coach is the youngest, and longest, in the shed. Meanwhile, 78 years the Astromega’s senior, the quaint and quirky 1935 Albion mobile shop is our third-oldest resident.
After countless hours of skilled and painstaking work, several buses returned to the road, including unique Glasgow Corporation open-topper FYS 8, Western Scottish National SHH 389X, A1 Ailsa PSJ 825R and Tayside Ailsa WTS 276T.
With the restoration of Leyland Atlantean XUS 575S complete, the owners have launched into 2024 with their next project, the rebuild of MCW Metrorider E186 BNS, and after years on the sidelines, huge progress has been made on West Coast Motors’ Bedford Plaxton VSB 164M.
The quality of Bridgeton-based buses, lorries and fire appliances make them welcome visitors throughout the UK, and in 2023 they were enjoyed at events from Kirkby Stephen to Biggar and from Whitehaven to Dundee.
Social outreach
The team at Back on the Road, the GVVT’s social inclusion programme which helps provide rehabilitation and re-integration into the workplace, made strides with ex-Glasgow National GGE 173T, and hopes to unveil the Dennis Dart-based children’s driving experience at April 2024’s Open Sunday.
A burgeoning Outreach and Community Development programme continued to boost public awareness of the Trust’s work, with more visits than ever to schools and care homes, and a growing number of guided group tours of the garage.
In August, GVVT made the news when Elena Whitham MSP, Minister for Drug and Alcohol Policy, made a dual-purpose visit to Bridgeton to see the Back on the Road project in action and to discuss the release of annual national drug death statistics. The Trust also featured in several interviews and features in print, on air and online which boosted its profile amongst the general public.
As we enter 2024, a high-tech bus simulator is being installed close to the newly opened ‘Wee Happy Shop,’ a new building manager is in place and a museums consultant is at the forefront of work to develop the archive. Steven added: “The year promises more exciting opportunities for the Trust. We will celebrate an important milestone in terms of buses, 100 years since the introduction of motor buses by Glasgow Corporation Transport.
“We have new activities for kids in the pipeline and we will be working on feasibility studies for the future of Bridgeton Bus Garage in collaboration with Clyde Gateway as we continue to explore our aim of providing a museum alongside our operational garage. We never take the great support we receive for granted, but I hope we can count on it again for what is shaping up to be a busy year ahead.”
At 21, GVVT has the key to an exciting future. See you on the journey.
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