A century of improvement

22/03/2022 WebSupport Features, Industry Heritage

The Albion posed in front of the royal residence in the Highlands, Balmoral Castle. FGHT

We test a lot of modern buses with all the newest technology, but what were the latest developments almost 100 years ago? Jonathan Welch takes a look

Here at CBW, we try to cover the broadest possible range of goings-on in the coach and bus industry as possible. There’s always something happening, whether it be the exciting launch of a new coach model, the delivery of a fleet of new buses, changes to funding streams, or regulatory news to name but a few. And in the course of our work travelling the country to bring you the latest news, we get to visit places that most people don’t. It is always interesting to go ‘behind the scenes,’ whether that means listening to the latest discussion of the Transport Select Committee, taking out the newest vehicle type for a test drive, or looking inside the gates of respected operators’ premises. And of course, we like to be able to take you, our readers, with us.

For our feature in issue 1512 looking at the upcoming resumption of the Bus Driver of the Year competition in October, I found myself speaking to Bus Driver of the Year chairman Joe Mackie. Having spent his career working for FirstGroup and its predecessors, Joe is also current chairman of the FirstGroup Heritage Trust.

Some might see ‘old buses’ as something solely for preservationists and enthusiasts, and whilst to a degree that might be the case they also play a vital part in helping the industry as a whole engage with users and non-users alike. At a time when passengers need to be won back, engaging ‘hearts and minds’ will be vital, by as many means as possible. Organisations such as the FirstGroup Heritage Trust, along with the closely affiliated Aberdeen & District Transport Preservation Trust at their joint base at The Bus Collection at Alford help maintain a link with the past, whilst engaging with modern-day users via private hires of the fleet.
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