BristoL Vintage Bus Group
Registered Charity number 1083056
ANNUAL REPORT
2023 / 24

BristoL Vintage Bus Group
Registered Charity number 1083056
ANNUAL REPORT 2023/24
The Executive Committee is oLeased to report on another very succe5sfuL year for the Group
and presents this report to members.
Outreach
Some school involvement was again possible this year, although they are generaLly not happy
for us to provide rides owing to their safety concerns because our vehicLes Lack seat belts,
ALthough these are avaiLabLe on hired coaches, they aren't fitted to Service buses
50
presumably the chiLdren are never taken on these eithefft We did manage to pay visits to three
primary schools in the area during the year to show the pupils what pubLic transport looked
Like years ago.
Under the auspices of the respective Parent Teacher Associations, we were abLe to provide
free rides for the Year 6 (eLeven-year-oLds) pupils of two LocaL schools as part of the children's
Prom ceLebrations.
We have aL50 been fostering a link with the Museum Service's working exhibits, based at L
Shed on the harbour5ide. Our involvement with them is Listed in the Events piece beLow and
we hope to deveLop this further in 2024/5.
Gettin
Out and Abo
STALL
The 5talL made appearances at the bu5 raLLie5 at ALton, Barry, Cotswold Barn, Stroud and
Yatlon. It was a￿0 in attendance at the two harbourside bus dispLays that we organized as
weLL as, of course, our own mini running days in ApriL and October. We also had a particuLarLy
profitabLe time at our big event at the BrisLington Park & Ride site in JULY.
We have successfuLLy introduced card payment5 to the list of skiLLs acquired by the saLesforce,
BU
RALLIES and EVENTS
Firstly, at the end of November 2023, there wa5 a repeat of the previous year'5 Twilight Run
through the city centre, finishing up at the Cribbs Causeway maLL. There was some confu5i0n
about the route, which Led to the 5maLL convoy breaking into two parts twice and originally
terminating in two different parking places at Cribb5 but, overaLL, a thoroughly enjoyable
experience. We shaLL definitely be repeating it in 2025, hopefuLLy minus any misunderstandings.
The 2024 raLLy season attendances were as foLLows'.
On l ApriL we held our season-opening event at FLower5 HILL. One week Later than usuaL
because of the earLy Easter holiday, Another 5maLL, but successfuL event, in spite of the
growing problem of other parked vehicLes on the trading estate,
May Saw u5 rnount a Sunday dispLay of buses outside the M Shed museum on the Bristol
harbourside, the Ryde Bu5 Museum weekend event was attended by Lionel Tancock's Bristol
L coach and the Group supported a bus rally at Yatton railway station.

June featured attendances at the Barry FestivaL of Transport, a di5pLay of buses at the
Aerospace Museum at FiLton, the Royal Blue Run entered by Lionel Tancock with his coach,
and our staLL and a bu5 at the Stroud Vintage Bus Show.
July had us at a CLassic Coach Gathering in CheLtenham, with LioneL Tancock's and Richard
Avery'5 coaches and a bus at the ALton Bus RaLLy. The 28th was the date of our Bus Show
at the BrisLingtor) Park & Ride site. Once again there was a good turn-out of buses and
coaches for the event, we managed to offer a good number of free rides, Julie Tancock's
refreshment5 team did brisk business (thanks to them for aLL their hard work during the
year) and both exhibitors and visitor5 seemed happy with the day. Thanks are aL50 due to
the marshaLs and other5 who made the whoLe thing possible. We were aLs0 once again
extremely grateful to Alan Peters and Mike WaLker for their sponsorships.
The first weekend in August was the GLoucestershire Vintage & Country Extravaganza at
South Cerney. Another very enjoyable (and profitable) weekend. Congratulation5 to the crew
who stay with the vehicles acr05S the three days. The month also saw Richard Avery's MW
bus attend the Victory Park Summer Picnic in Brislington and we attended the Cotswold
Bu5 RaLLy with a bus and our staLL.
September Saw attending the CrickLade & Swindon Railway for the first running of a
restored AC RaiLbus, travel there being by MW bu5. There was a Second buses dispLay of
the year outside M Shed, this time on a Saturday to judge any diffference in footfaLL. Lionel
Tancock's coach attended the Kingsbridge 7,6" event and we had a bus on dispLay at
Museum Square and sorne free 5huttLe runs aLong CumberLand Road to link Museum Square
with UnderfaLL Yard on Historic Harbour weekend at the end of the month.
Vehicle5
Concerning the Group'5 own vehicLes, at the start of our reporting year..
the RE was finaLLy back on the road.
The Mercedes sat idle for a 51gnificant part of the year owing to 155ues with her rear
brakes. RepLacement cylinders were not easy to obtain but the work did eventually get
done only for her to need replacement cabLe5 for the parking brake by year end.
The step Dart repeatedLy reminds us of her presence. The fuel pump needed attention
after Leaking on a trip to get an MOT test - turned away - and the injector pipework
was replaced. New front tyre5 were fitted and the wind5creen5 and destination box
gLass removed and refitted with new rubbers. The fuel pump subsequentLy failed on
the second trip to get an MOT test carried outl The Lengthy job of replacing it was
started in the current year,
The VR on extended Loan from the Aer05pace Museum had a Leaking radiator, which the
volunteer5 at Aer05pace were happy to mend. This turned out to be a protracted business and
in the meantime the Group acquired another second-hand to get her back on the road. The
originaL is now back with us. Some attention was paid to the indicator wiring so that She could
be (succe55fuLLy) presented for an MOT test.
There wa5 a bus added to the colLection when Culina advised that they were disposing of a
BristoL-engined Bristol Omnibus FLF. She was open topped when di5P05ed of by BOC and had
subsequently been converted into an event hospitality vehicle, with catering faciLities in the

lower 5aLoon and the top deck used as an open viewing platform, with raisabLe plastic cover.
Work was commenced on stripping her out and removing the awning fixed to her nearside.
The intention is to re-equip her with seats on both decks and to return her to the road a5 an
open-top bus. She definitely needs a repLacement clutch and some refurbishment of other
part5 of her running gear is going to be nece55ary.
A photograph of the bus in 'as delivered, state is shown on the front cover of this report.
Work on members, vehicles continued apace..
a fuLL OIL change on the 'J' type seem5 to have cured the strange noise that the engine
was making.
GHT 154, the BristoL Tramways K5G, needed repairs to her radiator. This ultimately got
sent away for professionaL attention, including fitting a modern core.
the Western NationaL K6A is another bus in need of a new cLutch.
bodywork repairs were virtually compLeted on the LeyLand PDI. This has left a Lot of
fiLLing and sanding to be done before a repaint. Her rear spring5 were sent away for
refurbishment and subsequently refitted, as were a new Set of tyres.
Towards the end of the year, it was decided that we needed to move on the LS coach formerLy
owned by the Late John Grigg. MechanicaL work had been carried out on her by John and body
paneLs replaced before a repaint. She had been completely stripped out internalLy, Mowever,
and with aLL the other work involved with the fleet there wa5 no way we saw her being restored
under our ownership in a reasonabLe timescaLe. Having advertised her for sale we weie very
pleased that she was bought by a weLL-known preservationist, Roger Burdett, who is in the
proce55 of completing her restoration,
Premises
Various work has been carried out on the FLowers HILL buildings incLuding the regular chore
of cleaning out the vaLLey gutters. We were contacted by Avon Fire & Rescue as they needed
to carry out an inspection of our premises. This threw up a number of issues, most of which
we were aware of, but some of which need attention sooner rather than laterl This has meant
that major work on the eLectricaL instalLation in Unit H has been put on hold whiLst the more
pressing i55ue5 are addressed.
Media
Josh Hughes has done a sterling job enhancing our social media presence, monitoring the
situation for any probLematic material. We have a presence on X, Facebook and In5tagram.
Finance
Members WILL note from the Annual Accounts that we had another sat￿SfaCtory year.
Governance
At the Annual General meeting in March 2024 Richard Avery stepped down as Secretary and
thi5 role was subsequentLy taken up by Aled Ree5. Nick Sommer wa5 Co-opted by the
committee to fiLL the vacancy and subsequently took on re5ponsibiLity for the rllinutes.

Bristol Vintage BLJS Group
Income and Expenditure Account
Year ended 31 October 2024
2024
2023
INCOME
RaLLy sales
Stock saLes
111 Other sales
(21 Storage charges
Donations
MisceLLaneou5 income
13) Membership subscriptions
Total income
5,238
862
10,040
5,900
2,165
2,575
1,190
3,860
404
1,437
7,616
3,453
1.260
1,576
27,970
19,606
EXPENDITURE
Stock
Rally expenses
141 VehicLe expenses
151 Propety expenses
Sundry expenses
Administration expenses
TotaL expenditure
5urpLus (Def icit) for the year
240
930
7.717
7,463
412
418
1,092
857
12,844
12,650
814
386
17,180
28,643
10.790
-9,037
BaLance5 at end of year..
Current account
PayPaL account
52,766
589
53.355
41,897
331
42,228
TotaL
Notes..
(l) The late John Grigg left the Group his BristoL LS coach. A5 there wa5 no prospect of our having
the time to restore her. she was soLd on to a well-known presepdationist for £IOk.
(2) John's death meant that the Group lost £IOO/month of storage income, so depite charges rising a
year ago, less money was raised. The space 15 now being Daid for again.
(3) The proportion of Life membership5 grows as the total membership decreases. There may be a
need for a recruitment campaign.
(4) The previous year's exceptionaL items have not been reoeated.
(5) An overcharge of £2.5k for electricity in the previous reporting year was refunded in this and we
continue to find ways to reduce utility C05t. eg.. fitting LED lighting.
Dayley Lawrence
Treasurer
g March 2025

Bristol Vintage Bus Group
Annual Accounts 2023124
Inde
endent Examiner's Re
ort
I confirm that, with the information provided to me by the Bristol Vintage Bus Group,
these Accounts are a true and fair representation of the financial situation of the
Group.
Anita Manning (Mrs)
69 Duckmoor Road
Bristol
BS3 2DH
24 August 2025