New Year... New Blog.... New Site

Well we have finally got the new website up and running which for the first time houses all our vintage and PH fleet on one site and allows me to put the blog there for a wider audience to view...

So if you go to

www.ensignbushire.com and click on the blog section you will see the latest post and whilst you are there you can have a look about the site.

Cheers

Steve

Happy New Year

Well indeed all the fun and festivities are over, so certainly time for an update.



First up is our backlog or poorly engines has started to be unblocked. The first to get its reconditioned lump put back in was RTL453 that we had running on Christmas Eve, and she sounds superb, and was a great Christmas present for us all here. This vehicle has not been out and about as much as we would have liked and we have some jobs for it in the New Year so we can now at last concentrate on getting the interior brought up to speed.



Well as everyone knows we are never averse to the odd acquisition, and this month has been no exception with a few vehicles joining us. First up was RB51 one of the Green Line AEC Duples. Sadly we could not get it ready in time for our own running day, as to Class 6 it took some time, happily however it did debut in Southend on New Years Day, which is quite fitting as I remember the old 795 running there in years gone by and of course later the X1 became a Green Line service, albeit after the hey day of the service.



One that we did get ready in time for our running day was RF319 which joined us in very late November. The vehicle is in wonderful condition and makes a nice change from our ususal basket case condition. The vehicle is seen here on its debut on our running day in a photo taken by Russell Young and kindly sent in. If anyone does have any shots of this vehicle from the past be really grateful.



At the same time we collected the RF and had a family day out, we also bought back a superb addition to the fleet. A wonderful 1937 ex Southdown, Harrington bodied Leyland TS7. Taken at Clacket Lane services on our final run for home, it proved faultless on the drive back. The vehicle has some rot and requires some attention in places but is a fantastic survivor of a by gone era and one we look forward to having on the road sooner rather than later.



Another lucky survivor is the STL breakdown tender that we recovered from Florida and which finally arrived back in the UK on December 28 and here in PT the following day. Our fitters instantly took a shine to it and decided it was far more appropriate than our Transits or Scanias. The intention will to to retain it as a service vehicle, as whilst the attraction of owning it as Bluebird STL175 is there, we would be into the realms of replcas rather than restorations, so as 739J she will remain.





Last but not least is the Cub restoration here which is nearing completion. The vehicle has been run a few times but is smoking quite heavily so we are completing all the exterior work now before it is moved to the specialists who reconditioned the engine so they can resolve the smoking issue. Once that is done it will be returned to us for bonnet and front mudguards to be fitted before once again moving on for painting.

I will update a few more of the jobs that have been done on the buses as winter maintenance as they prepare for the summer season as well as an update on the 10T10 which is coming along very well in my next update.

Cheers for now

Steve

October...

Been a very busy period with some personal projects as well as some company disposals that have kept me away from the PH fleet more than ususal, but as always we have been busy...



First up we are off to sunnier climes, Florida to be precise, where 739J the former STL175 has spent her time since 1994, the humid climate having taken its toll... To svae the vehicle being loaded on a container ship, we need her to be able to drive to qualify for a ro-ro boat. So one of our chaps was despatched and after 48 hours had it running. All things being equal later today he will oversee the loading of its departure from Florida and onwards to the docks in Georgia. I will keep you posted on progress with some more detail on the journey when shes back.





Couple of pictures to try and show the strides that have been made in both the improvement of the area the operational buses are garaged and their all round presentation. The new arrangment means that all the buses are far more accesible then they have ever been and we ae able to get any bus out without having to move numerous other vehicles. They are also away from the body and restoration bays which helps with far less dust gathering on the vehicles. Also a full time member of staff dedicated to presentation, restoration and cleanliness has helped no end.



But sadly this has been a period about engines... RT1499 overheated badly on the road during the October heatwave which left the engine in a poor state. As such whenever we reach that point we take a vehicle off the road, as a tired engine is repairable, a blown one is not. So 1499 had its engine removed and had a replacement out of scrap RT3865 put in. At the same time we alos fitted an isolator to 1499 to save on battery wear and also an alternator to replace the old style dynamo. This was all completed within 10 days and 1499 is now fit and sounding great. The tired engine will go away for recon this week and be swapped over with the now ready engine for T499, when complete the reconditioned engine will go into RT624 which has been off with its own engine issues for to long.



And to make the point about 624 still being in sick corner here it is... However its engine will soon be back with us, the parts for RTL453 are due in anytime to get her back on the road, and the PS1 engine went away for recon this week as the Cub engine (below) was returned to us. Hopefully this run on needing engines reconditioned will now end and we can catch up on putting them back on the road!



Lastly the Cub engine, which has been our bottle neck on this project for sometime now is back with us. We are hoping to have it in and fitted by the end of the week. If all is well and systems are all good, we can hopefully push on to finish the project relatively quickly.

We are also now working on a new vintage/hire website which will be going fully live shortly and where this blog will then move to allowing for more interaction and photos to be put up, quicker and easier but I will post all the details up here, once the move is ready and some one has explained it to me!

Until then Cheers for now
Steve

Aug 2011

I'm getting used to apologising for missing deadlines, but holidays, work commitments here, running day and just about everything else have eaten away my time.



Of course on of the downsides to running vintage vehicles in service is that they sadly get pranged from time to time. RML2405 had its rear end taken out by a colossal speed bump at the bottom of a hill and what a mess it made. In the end we had to strip off the entire rear end and fit a complete new framework to the vehicle.



The work took approx 10 days but fortunately no lasting damage done. We took the opportunity to then do other body work on the vehicle and decided to repaint it as well, as its a very popular performer on PHs and is now at the three year point since last repaint. A few amendments have been made to its livery, which you can see below, yes I know not authentic LT but eyecatching and a good advert for our vintage fleet and by getting work for them we can keep them on the road.






I have been asked to keep everyone abreast of how other projects are moving on, and one which there is great interest on is the 10T10. The vehicle is being done off site and such has been the workload here I have not got down to look over the actual project this month. However, one part is with us, which is the front axle, seen here getting new bushes and brake cylinders readied. The engne is also away being restored and should be ready for collection and refit onto the chasis shortly. I will certainly endeavour to get down and see it later this month.



Talking of engines and projects, these are the reworked pistons and new rings and pins for the Cub. The Cub itself has been delayed by having to recover, find, restore and build many of the engine components, not a quick task. The completed engine is expected back with us mid to late September, at that point the project will be able to move on to system testing and into the final stage as 90% of the interior is done and its now largely complete on the exterior with the windows being the latest to go in. I will focus a bit more on that next month, when hopefully the engine refitting can be covered.



With it being the celebratory 50 year of the RML, heres on of the first resting after having been out on wedding duties. The vehicle itself is one of our most popular for hires and very popular with drivers as it is a lovely vehicle to drive. We have as those of you who know the site here moved most of the vintage fleet into the opposite 'barn'. This is due to the fact that we are carrying out more and more work in the original barn and dust is becoming an issue, so the front line fleet are now stored together as can be seen in the background.



Sadly and despite our very best efforts, our RTL453 failed to make the running day following a very nasty engine failure. Despite us sourcing another engine, time was aganist us and the replacement engine not fit enough to go straight in, so an in house rebuild of the original is taking place. Seen here from the offices looking forlorn with its front ened removed, she awaits the road again...



But for everyone that doesn't make it we try and get something else new into our running day... This year was no excpetion with our Royal Blue Bristol, making its debut back in passenger carrying service after many years out. We like vehicles witha colourful history and this one is no exception. Having completed its life with Royal Blue/Western National it went through various owners before ending up with Asian Greyhound, doing a UK to India service! Now thats quite a run, even by our standards and the vehicle even used to boast 'jacked up' suspension to cope with the road conditions. Seen here in far more sedate Lakeside on its inaugrual journey back in service in a photo kindly sent in by Mark Lyons, many thanks.



Linking in buses with international connections and the running day here is a picture of RLH61 under the moody showery skies we had here on Saturday and kindly sent in by Russell Young, as is the phot below of RM371 which we got out for a rounder in between showers to enjoy the last of the summer sunshine, on a very enjoyable day

June Update

The old and the new. ER882 is one of the early batch of RML's of which there were 24 of, she was the third one. The first three were originally given the ER designation rather than RML, but this was soon changed. They are interesting vehicles as they carry many of the early RM body features on an RML, for PH duties its a great vehicle as the capacity is higher than an RM, it has a Cummins engine but yet still enjoys many of the earlier looking features. Its always a popular vehicle and is this year celebrating its, and the RML's 50th birthday.



Its been a busy period for private hires and many of the buses have been out and about a lot, being the height of the wedding and open top season. Derby Day saw all manner of vehicles head off to Epsom including our own RM371 amongst others. Somebody mentioned 371 is the lowest numbered open top RM, I cannot believe thats right but perhaps someone out there knows better either way? We have also taken to moving many of the front line operational vintage fleet to the barn opposite where they were kept, this is due to there being less dust in that area as no body work is carried out there and thus it assists in keeping the PH fleet far cleaner.



But worrying about dust is not really an issue when it comes to the next major project which is at early stage restoration... T499 has now completed strip down and the tide has turned so to speak and bits start going back together like a giant jig saw! The chassis has been sand blasted and painted, the gearbox is going back in, the engine has gone away for reconditioning and the front bulkhead is going back on about now. We have made some interesting discoveries on the strip down but more about them next month once I have some photos to accompany my ramblings...



Vehicles here continually run through various maintenance procedures and M1 is nearing return to the road, RMC1485 has just been retested and RT624 will shortly have its engine reconditioned as it developed a bad oil leak early last year. We are also now owkring on a new Ensign Vintage Hire website and vehicle history section and are on the look out for any really good shots of any of the fleet out and about, so please if you do have any feel free to send them in!!

Cheers for now
Steve

Spring update Part 2

At the other end of the restoration road 1935 London Transport, Leyland Cub, C4 is ever nearing completion. Problems with the emergency exit have slowed us down and getting some of the parts required for the engine is proving troublesome but in the meantime, the body work gets smoothed ever finer in readiness for its painting. We are still hopeful that late summer is realistic as long as the engine parts can be found.



From buses that we are starting on, to those we are finishing to one that we have finished but like all old buses they require a lot of attention to keep them roadworthy. RT8 has a minor water leak from the pump which has had to be stripped once again. It would appear part of the solution is going to lie in washing machine seal technology and so the first ever AEC/Zanussi water pump will be refitted and trialled next week.



And staying with water pumps, DM2646 had a number of delays for its MOT largely caused by water pump issues, but as can be seen in this shot taken from the offices looking down on to the test lane she was up for test and has now had all those issues resolved.



Well that largely covers most of what has been going on here with the exception of routine MOT's and servicing.

Cheers
Steve

Spring update Part 1....

Firstly apologies for the lengthy delay, various subsidiary companies that we have recently sold have meant a lot of time and has spent on dealing with other matters rather than the vintage fleet, but hopefully now monthly updates can be reinstated.

First up today being Royal Wedding Day, most of the worlds media is pointing at the happy couple, and I like everyone else wish them all the very best for the future, they seem a great pair, but I do feel a little sorry for the other brides getting married today, must be quite a show to follow! But even Royalty don’t have a PS1 to take them home, which was today being cleaned ready for a wedding as I entered the office.



Keeping it topical (to both the Royal Wedding and the extended absence of this blog) and linking nicely is that as a part of the sale of Bath Bus Company, heritage RM25 returned to us and now form its stay in Cardiff as a PH vehicle to become part of the private hire fleet here at PT. Its first job was with four of our other RM class vehicles and two of our Darts taking the elite competitors to the start of the London Marathon. Seen here in a picture taken by Glyn Matthews passing through Admiralty Arch at the top of the Mall, something not to many double decks get to do, and of course scene to mass flag waving and pomp and ceremony today.



Onto half cab single deck classics and what vehicle is more than handsome than a 10T10, (well I certainly cannot think of many) and our very own returned from Australian exile, T499 has now commenced its long journey to be returned to the UK roads after an absence of some 60 years. I will update on this as we go along but here a couple of pictures of the initial strip down to give you an idea of the task ahead.







It would appear that I am going to have to do this post in 2 parts....

Steve