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The concept {{As of the |2020}} SVR member John Giles owns a 3-ton Mechanical Horse tractor unit, with an easily detached articulated trailer, was conceived in the early 1930s by Napier & Son. The London and North Eastern Railway had approached Napier's, the quality car and aero-engine makers, for an answer to the problem of replacing horses for local haulage purposes, while retaining the flexibility of changing the wagons and the manoeuvrability of the horse and wagon.roadworthy condition<refname=PF>SVR Facebook, 3 June 2018Paul Fathers via email</ref> .
==On the Buses events==
In 2009 the SVR ran a trial event to see if there was there was an appetite for a 'busfest' type event. From 2010 the SVR has held annual 'On the Buses' events from Bewdley and Kidderminster. Typically it features visiting heritage or celebrity buses on display or offering rides between stations or around the local area, together with sales and information stands selling a range of bus related items and memorabilia.
===Prior events===
The SVR's first Kidderminster-based heritage bus-themed gala event, the "Kidderminster Historic Road/Rail Rally" was held on 12 October 1985. It was organised by [[The Erlestoke Manor Fund]] in aid of the restoration of [[7802|7802 Bradley Manor]] and featured over 70 vehicles including vintage cars and other commercial vehicles as well as buses. A vintage bus service operated at half-hourly intervals between Kidderminster and Bewdley using a 1940 Trent single deck bus and a 1950 Bedford Duple coach.<ref>SVR News 78</ref>
Similar events hosted by the EMF were then held annually at Kidderminster until 1990, becoming known as the 'Classic Vehicle Day' or 'Vintage Vehicle Day'. In 1988 the SVR ran a separate 'Classic Vehicle Day' for the first time, it having previously been combined with the autumn diesel gala.<ref>SVR News 86</ref>
In 1991 the event was organised jointly by the SVR and the Worcester Bus Preservation Society. The second such event, the 1992 'Vintage Vehicle Rally' on 11 October at Kidderminster, was attended by more than 100 classic vehicles including some seventy buses, thirty cars and a dozen commercial vehicles. Eight single decker and four double decker buses provided a shuttle between Kidderminster and Bewdley.<ref>SVR News 106</ref>
The joint SVR / Worcester Bus Preservation Society events continued in the same format until the twelfth and final 'Classic Vehicle Day' which was held on 14 October 2001. It included "...''the usual 'Bewdley Shuttle' and Green Street 'Park & Ride' services''".<ref>SVR News 139</ref> The latter service allowed the SVR public to park in a hired car park in the town and catch a classic bus to the Railway, while the classic vehicle event took place on the station car park. In early 2002 the agreement to use the town car park was withdrawn and the October 2002 event was reduced in scope, becoming a "Classic Car & Bike Day" with no buses.<ref>SVR News 142</ref> Shortly before that time, a passenger was injured after falling from the platform of a bus as it was pulling away, caused by them doing something unexpected and that they should not have been doing or even considering. This uncovered an issue about the responsibility of insurance cover for the buses and other vehicles attending the festival, which contributed to its demise<ref>[https://forum.svr-online.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1737&highlight=buses SVR Forum thread] (Retrieved 18 July 2020)</ref>.
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The vehicle was first registered on 31 August 1949 by its original owner, the late Mr. Oliver Gibson, of "Weardale Motor Services", Frosterley, County Durham, where it was used until 1969. It was then stored before being acquired by Dr. Michael Taylor and driven down from County Durham to [[Bewdley]] by Don Wilcox on 19 August 1970. The vehicle was sufficiently roadworthy to pass its MOT and convey a party of SVR members to Didcot for the GWS open day on 19 September 1970.<ref>SVR News 18</ref>
It was later repainted in original livery and advertising panels produced advertising the SVR services in 1971. It made a number of trips to other heritage railways and elsewhere.<ref name=SVR19>SVR News 19</ref> This included a trip to the Crich Museum in 1977.<ref>[http://www.hatspics.co.uk/type_years_photos.php?type=SVR%20Social&year=1977 Alan Thwaites] (retrieved 15 July 2020)</ref>It sent some time in the [[GWR Bus Garage (Ex Bridgnorth)| GWR Bus Garage at Bridgnorth]].
The vehicle is now preserved as part of the Science Museum Group collection<ref>[https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co26318/leyland-titan-pd2-1-bus-1948-omnibus Science Museum Group] (retrieved 15 July 2020)</ref>.
===Midland Red UHA 255===
[[File:Midland 015 (15163955611).jpg|thumb|300px|right| UHA 255 at Wythall (Wikimedia Commons)]]
UHA 255 is a single deck Midland Red S14 built in 1955, fleet number 4255. It was mainly based at the Worcester Garageuntil withdrawal in November 1970.
The vehicle was acquired by Bob Sim in 1971, the bus company agreeing to the sale on the understanding that the bus would not be used for "private hire or gain" and would be well preserved in its original colour. The While at the SVR, the vehicle was based at Bewdley where it was used for railway maintenance work and from time to time as a general transport vehicle for company workers.<ref name=SVR19/> It was also used in conjunction with KPT 909 to bring private parties from BR railheads to [[Bridgnorth]] for trips on the SVR.<ref>SVR News 20</ref>
UHA 255 is now at the Transport Museum, Wythall, ownership having passed to the Museum's predecessor society in early 1977<ref>[http://www.wythall.org.uk/vehicles/vuha255.asp Wythall Transport Museum , UHA 255]</ref>.
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===Leyland Tiger JOJ 255===
[[File:S0700_JOJ_255.jpg|thumb|300px|right|JOJ 255 at Bewdley (David Cooke)]]
JOJ 255 is a Leyland PS2/1 single deck bus, chassis no. 495585, body no. M4634, ex-Birmingham Corporation Transport no 2255. Birmingham City Transport bought 30 Leyland PS2/1 Tiger single deckers in 1950 with 'O.600' 9.8 litre engine and synchromesh gearbox. They were fitted with Weymann 34-seat front-entrance bus bodies and several distinctive features, including a route number indicator box half-way down the nearside roof. It was allocated when new to Selly Oak garage as no. 2255, and withdrawn from there in May 1969, yet transferred to West Midlands PTE when it absorbed Birmingham City Transport on 1 October 1969.<ref>[https://www.classicbuses.co.uk/bham.html Classic Buses website] (Retrieved 19 July 2020)</ref><ref name=PS>Information provided by Peter Share</ref>
It arrived on the SVR in 1971 in good working order having been acquired for preservation by SVR member John Berry.<ref name=SVR23>SVR News 23, p. 36.</ref> It is now at the Transport Museum, Wythallprivately owned elsewhere<ref name=PS/>.
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===Daimler JOJ 707===
[[File:Ruston Hornsby 402812 Yellow PerilJOJ_707_20200822.jpg|thumb|300px|right|2707 is seen at Wythall in the background of this 1975 photograph2020]]JOJ 707 is a Metro-Cammell bodied double decker, with Daimler engine, built at Elmdon in 1952 and ex-Birmingham Corporation Transport no 2707. The 56-seat vehicle spent most of its life at Liverpool Street garage. It arrived on the SVR in 1971 under the custodianship of the late Maurice Newman.<ref name=SVR23/> It is now at After several other owners it became part of the Wythall Transport Museum, collection in 2017<ref>[http://www.wythall.org.uk/vehicles/vjoj707.asp WythallTransport Museum JOJ 707]</ref>.<gallery mode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">Ruston Hornsby 402812 Yellow Peril.jpg|2707 is seen in the background of this 1975 photograph</gallery>
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The Friends of Kidderminster Town Station in 2019 referred to this vehicle as a future project, the chassis and parts of which were in storage shed to dry out and enable them to examine in detail the amount of repair required<ref name="FoKTS"/>.
===Scammell Mechanical Horse ELH 490(3-ton).===In the early 1930s the LNER approached Napier & Son, the car and aero-engine manufacturers, with a request for a solution which would do away with the use of horses for local haulage purposes while retaining the manoeuvrability of the horse and wagon and the flexibility of changing the wagons.<ref>[[Filehttps:Scammell ELH 490//en.jpg|thumg|300px|right|Scammell ELH 490 at Kidderminsterwikipedia. Photo: SVRorg/wiki/Scammell_Mechanical_Horse Wikipedia]][[File: FoKTS_Scammell_20150214.jpg|thumg|300px|right|Thornycroft </ref> The resulting three-wheeled tractor unit, known as a ''Nippy' information poster]]Scammell Mechanical Horse ELH 490 is maintained by the [[Friends of Kidderminster Town Station]]''', had a single front wheel giving excellent manoeuvrability in tight spaces. This type of three-wheeled tractor unit It was used with a detachable open trailermeaning that, unlike a lorry, the tractor unit did not need to stand idle while the trailer was loaded and unloaded. The GWR operated two types of these articulated vehicles in the 1930s, the Scammell Mechanical Horse and the Karrier Cob. They both had the same couplings and were available in 3-ton and 6-ton variants.<ref name=SVR33>SVR News 33</ref> They were a common sight at main line stations such as [[Kidderminster mainline station|Kidderminster]] where they were used to move goods around the station yard and to make deliveries to local customers.<ref name="FoKTS"/>A 3-ton Scammell Mechanical Horse (type M.H.3.) was the first Mechanical Horse on the SVR in preservation, arriving in 1970 having been acquired by Bob Timmins and Phil James. Several trailers of different types were purchased to fit the M.H.3 which saw regular use around the site at Bewdley.<ref name=SVR33/> The M.H.3. variant was powered by Scammell's own side-valve 1125cc petrol engine.
===Scammell Mechanical Horse (6-ton)===[[File:Scammell ELH 490.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Scammell ELH 490 at Kidderminster. Photo: SVR]]In 1971 a derelict Mechanical Horse was purchased from Star Containers in Smethwick for the sum of £10 and moved to Bewdley to provide spares for the M.H.3. However on arrival it was discovered that this vehicle was the 6-ton (M.H.6) variety which had almost no interchangeable parts with the M.H.3. It lay derelict at Bewdley for a year before owners Mick Yarker and Paul Fathers decided to restore in its own right. The restoration was completed by 1974, with a picture of '''BNX 833''' and the owners appearing in SVR News. It carried the fleet number C6314. Once restored it was used regularly around the site for clearing up and moving spares, even shunting two coaches at a time.<ref name=SVR33/> A picture of BNX 833 can be seen on flickr [https://www.flickr.com/photos/aceanorak/8144663767 (External link)]. Some years ago Mick and Paul presented their Mechanical Horse to the [[Friends of Kidderminster Town Station]] and since that time Mick has adjusted the cab and bonnet to a flat windscreen version.<ref name=PF/> The Mechanical Horse maintained by the [[Friends of Kidderminster Town Station]] is now numbered '''ELH 490'''.<ref>SVR Facebook, 3 June 2018</ref> Mechanical Horse '''ALN 367''' briefly appeared in the TV Series [[The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries]] filmed at Kidderminster and first restored broadcast in 19741993. The Internet Movie Cars Database states this is a 1947 6-ton variant.<ref>[https://www.imcdb.org/v035795.html IMCDB] (retrieved 21 July 2020)</ref> Circa 2011, ALN 367 was pictured on the FoKTS projects page with a short note "Some basic work has now started on buying in the hardwood required for the rebuild"<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110716052419/http://www.kfriends.org.uk/ FoKTS]</ref>. It therefore appears that BNX 833, ALN 367 and ELH 490 are the same Mechanical Horse at different times. <gallery mode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left">Inspector Alleyn screenshot Scammell.jpg|ALN 367 (Inspector Alleyn screenshot, 1993)FoKTS_Scammell_20150214.jpg| FoKTS information poster shown (2014)</gallery> ===Scammell Scarab===In the late 1940s the Scammell Mechanical Horse was displayed superseded by an upgraded model, the Friends '''Scammell Scarab'''. A larger 2090cc side-valve petrol engine was used for both the 3 and 6-ton models. Scammell also introduced diesel engines to the range, using the Perkins 4-199 for 3-ton and 4-203 for 6-ton models.<ref>Wikipedia</ref> Circa 1974 a number of members of Highley station staff purchased a 1953 6-ton Scarab from the Halesowen Steel Company. They also acquired two conventional trailers and one logging trailer, in 2014spite of the efforts of their "Bewdley Rivals". At the time it was intended to restore the Scarab into BR 'Blood and Custard' livery.<ref>SVR News 34, "News from Highley and Arley", Brian Moone</ref> It was also in green livery at which one time it <ref name=PS/>. ===Scammell Townsman===The Scammell Townsman replaced the 3-ton Scarab (there was receiving no equivalent 6-ton version).<ref>Wikipedia</ref> SVR member John Giles owns (or owned) a major overhaulTownsman<ref>Heritage Railway issue 267 (May - June), p.87.</ref><br clearref name="all"PS/>.
===Lister Auto-Trucks===
An SVR member is also restoring an '''Auto-Truck at [[Bridgnorth]]'''.
==See also==
*[[AEC bus model]]
*[[The Severn Valley Railway in preservation]]
*[[Vintage transport events]]
==References==
==External links==
[[Category: Miscellaneous articles]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]
