On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 1918, the guns fell silent, 100 years ago.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them !

Editorial

This is a shorter than usual page but with a bumper edition next Sunday, November 18th. However there are a couple of pictures which I would like to include in this issue.

Mother lived in Kent as a young girl and could remember the noise of the guns in Belgium and France echoing across the eastern side of England in the quiet of an autumn morning. I, along with many of you, find this hard to even imagine! 100 years on, this is worth a quiet moments thought for all those who did not come back!

Even for those of us who have read history and seen pictures of those buses of a hundred years ago, will find it surprising that some many London B type buses went to France at carry our troops. Mike Penn has sent some interesting Old Bill pictures for this week's issue. Those now far off times saw the first ladies employed as conductresses on the buses in London and other parts of the U. K.

Having checked back for information on the use of B type buses in the First World War it seems that over 1000 went to France. It is hard to imagine 1000 LT type modern buses being commandeered by the War Office for service in a conflict in Europe but that is the equivalent of what happened over 100 years ago!


There were M E T Daimler London Buses used in France. This one is D218.
I always wonder how and if our soldiers, who got very wet in the rain, ever got dry. Some were as young as 18 and even 17!

Mike writes "In view of events taking place this weekend I thought you might like these photographs.

The photo shows it as modified to re-create its First World War journey into France and was photographed at the Brooklands museum on October 19th 2014.

At the end of September the London Transport Museum mounted a display of four B type buses outside the museum at Covent Garden – probably the first time so many had been seen together for a considerable number of years.  Not all the photos were taken on this occasion.

B43 (LN 4743) was the original “Ole Bill” and has been in the Imperial War Museum for many years although I believe it was moved out while the museum was being refurbished.  It was photographed outside the Covent Garden Museum on September 29th.

B340 (LA 9928) has been in the Covent Garden Museum for many years and was photographed on the occasion mentioned.

B1609 (LF 8375) is privately preserved and was photographed at the troubled Showbus rally at Woburn Abbey on September 20th 2015.

B2737 (LH 8186) was photographed at the Regent Street cavalcade in London on June 22nd 2014 as it was first restored into London General livery.

When I was young man I do remember that much of the traffic, especially in cities and towns stopped for two minutes and such places became so very quiet. In today's modern hurly burly such practice's would be impractical but at least many areas do remember not only those from the 1914-1918 war but also conflicts involving our service personnel over the years since.

Following on with this theme I include various pictures from contributors recording buses and coaches displaying poppies in one form or another.  

POPPY BUSES & COACHES 2018

 
Arriva HV389 works route 2 by Gavin Francis on November 8th.


Stagecoach South East Scania 15442 decked out with Poppies by Joshua Houselander. This bus was once an Oxford depot bus!


Lest we forget! - Stagecoach South 27843 with Poppy branding - picture from the South company.


A nice touch by the Oxford tube (a first I think) 50280 carries poppy branding seen on November 8th from James Freeman.


A contribution by Gavin Francis - tube 50262 shows of its Poppy branding on November 8th.