Adrian Morton reports from the CPT’s North Weald Ride and Drive event
Monday 29 July took me a good way south to North Weald Airfield in Essex, for the flagship Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) Ride and Drive event. It was 2017, when I still had Mortons, when I last attended, so it was certainly nice to be back and to see many friendly faces, including organiser and CPT stalwart Karen Tiley.
The previous one I attended, I remember being on a Friday evening, which led to a horrendous journey round the M25. Thankfully, at the request of many, possibly for the same reason, the event is held earlier in the week and as previously, usually just after the schools have finished for their summer break. The event gives operators a great chance to enjoy some complementary food and drink and unwind over a natter with fellow industry colleagues. It’s a very relaxed environment that also affords a great opportunity to network.
The event is of course attended by many suppliers and manufacturers, those with vehicles bringing them along so that test drives can be undertaken on the airfield’s runway. For some, being on private land, it is their first real opportunity to get behind the wheel of a bus or coach if they don’t possess the relevant qualifications to drive on the road. Coincidently, it was 1992 at North Weald Airfield where I drove my very first bus, at the tender age of just 15 or 16, when they held a ‘drive a bus event’ for members of the public, as part of an established vintage vehicle rally. Sadly, someone ruined it for everybody else and it wasn’t repeated. That was in a London Transport BL Class Bristol LH; I’m sure many of you will now be going away and hurriedly googling exactly what that is!
Adding to the excitement and introducing some competition to those who like to up the ante, National Express provided a Wright-bodied Volvo B7RLE that had been converted to include a driving simulator. Similarly, First Bus also provided a Wright Volvo B7RLE training bus on a course, where you could pitch your skills against other like-minded individuals. There were prizes to be won on both!
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