Nick Larkin was one of the invited guests who attended the official opening of the Delaine Museum
The Delaine Museum, featuring five buses and countless artefacts, was officially declared open during a special ceremony at the Lincolnshire operator’s premises.
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Delaine Buses Ltd of Bourne is celebrating its centenary this year and the museum was “a dream come true,” Managing Director Anthony Delaine-Smith told the 70 invited guests. “Unlike most businesses we are fortunate to have all the ingredients to establish a museum with the buses as its centrepiece. I would like to think that our museum would ensure the name Delaine lives on in perpetuity.”
The museum would give future generations the chance to look back at a local company in the age of the combustion engine and paper receipts. Anthony added that his late father Hugh “will be looking down with a big smile on his face.”
Hugh’s decision 40 years ago to preserve the company’s last halfcab bus, 1960 Yeates-bodied Leyland PD3, RCT3/1, formally began the family’s involvement with the heritage bus movement. “He always welcomed bus enthusiasts and photographers to the premises as he believed they were recording the history of the company and if you look around today at some of the articles and photos you can see now right he was,” Anthony added.
The Delaine Heritage Trust was set up in 2015 to run the museum from purpose-built premises. The many highlights include a loving recreation of Hugh-Delaine-Smith’s office, destination blinds, a complete collection of local Notices and Proceedings, company ledgers and much more.
Buses in the collection also include KTL780, a 1956 Leyland Titan PD2/20 with Willowbrook bodywork new in 1956, ACT540L, a 1973 Leyland Atlantean AN68 with Northern Counties bodywork and 1987 Leyland Tiger/Duple E100AFW.
The newest vehicle is M1OCT, a 1995 Volvo Olympian with East Lancs body – the last step entrance Delaine bus, operating until 31 December 2016.
On loan from Leicester Museums is 1958 Leyland Tiger Cub with Yeates bodywork, MTL780.
Open day guests were treated to a tour on RCT3. A plaque was unveiled by Editor of Buses magazine, Alan Millar.
Visit: www.delaineheritagetrust.org
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