Nick Larkin reports on the end of season event at the West Midlands-based museum and its plans for 2020
Transport Museum Wythall (TMW) is gearing up for next year’s activities after a highly successful 2021 season closer in the form of a Twilight Running Day. Some 500 people attended – twice as many as last year’s event – to enjoy bus rides into night time on vehicles with traditional tungsten bulbs blazing.
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Highlights included Stephen Morris’ magnificent 1935 new to Scottish Motor Traction (SMT) Leyland Tiger TS7 WS 4522, which carries the Cowieson body originally fitted to 1934 SMT AEC Regal FS 8584. Birmingham City Transport was represented by a 1950 Leyland PS2 with Weymann body, fleet number 1685 (out for the first time since a full repaint), and single deck PS2/1 2245, supported by BCT Daimler Standard 2707. Several of TMW’s older Midland Red vehicles, including S12 3744 and SON 2718, were joined by now unique Midland Red D10 prototype 4943, also making a welcome appearance to end the year alongside D12 Fleetline 6015.
1937 Trent AEC Regal 714 (with 1948 body), newly returned to service in 2021 after decades as a static exhibit, completed the TMW list.
Visitors included Badgerline Volvo B10M D113 GHY, owned by Malcolm Holmes; former National Express West Midlands (NXWM) Dennis Trident 4126 Y717 TOH with ‘Bus Driver Jade’ Jade Cox at the wheel; and Roger Burdett’s Midland Red D9 EHA 424D, which ran the museum service from central Birmingham alongside the Leyland TS7. NXWM, always a welcome TMW supporter, brought along its Pride-liveried ADL Enviro400 4905, BX13 JW.
TMW’s season is now over for 2021, but exciting developments face visitors in 2022 with a new extension to the Scania Hall underway and a focus on Birmingham City Transport and West Midlands vehicles in advance of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in the city. New events planned include a London Bus weekend on 18-19 June.
