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Welcome to the KELLS TRANSPORT MUSEUM
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IRELANDS OPERATING BUS MUSEUM |
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PERU RAILWAYS - PERURAIL - FCCA - YAURICOCHA - CERRO DE PASCO - ENAFER |
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It appears that the Northern Ireland Bus Message Board has suffered a fatal heart attack. JP has opened an absolutely super new Northern Ireland Bus Message Board Site and we strongly recommend it to everyone. Go have a look and contribute. It is at:
www.members.boardhost.com/jp/
MOGEELY RALLY - JULY 18TH.
March 18 2010. Mogeely Rally this year is going to be on July 18th. and of course the museum will, as always, be strongly represented. Mogeely is a small village about six miles from Midleton near Cork and is eighteen miles from Cork. It is the typical rural rally with loads of friendliness, tractors, threshing, vintage cars, motor bicycles and small engines not to mention the museum buses.
So do come and if you come from the UK, we will collect you from Cork Airport or the train station. We do not yet know what buses will be there but we would like to have R 913 and will of course have a Tiger or two also. We will keep you posted.
R 913 RESTORATION REPORT.
March 17 2010. We have discovered that the engine is definitely a 600 and accordingly are now chasing spares. We think replacing No. 5 piston and possibly the liner together with valve overhaul will do the trick. I had a look and took the following photos. You can see there is a vast amount of work. However, she will be beter than new. What is interesting is that there is very little corrosion other than the stairs as they sure built them like tanks in those days! The rear platform is also sagging so we will completely rebuild this. I am not sure that people realise the amount of work involved in overhauling what, by museum standards, is an excellent bus. Christy Power is also in charge of this project.
Upstairs stripped and ready for the new floor.
The blinds area.
Downstairs being stripped.
The offending No. 5 piston!
The left side seems OK!
Another view!
Radiator area has very little corrosion and radiator itself is fine.!
One side of the head is fine ...but
Here is where she dropped the valve.
Components are very good, as these views show.
Gearbox area is good.
The stairs is a big problem needing total rebuild..
And this is what she will look like when Christy gets finished - returned to her former glory!
KR 9 RESTORATION REPORT
March 16 2010. I had the pleasure of driving KR 9 for the first time since her restoration and she is really super. The original seating has now been installed and she really looks authentic. I took the following photos.
Looking well
Webmaster at wheel
Inside
Drivers Area
Engine Department
DENNIS TOWTRUCK RESTORATION REPORT.
March 15 2010. Christy Power has rebuilt the engine on this machine which dates back to 1979 and originally was a fire engine.
He has started on the body and is about 60% of the way through it. I took the following photos.
Front with primer
Rear View
Drivers Area
Cab behind drivers.
DO NOT USE FIREFOX BROWSER.
March 12 2010. We have discovered that this site does not open properly with Firexfox Browser. We are working on the problem but apart from knowing that it has to do with the table arrangement, we have not a clue. IN THE MEANTIME ONLY USE INTERNET EXPLORER.
ARRIVAL BRISTOL RE 2449.
March 12 2010. Thanks to Mark Byrne Bristol RE 2449 has been turned out in superb condition. Many people do not realise what goes on behind the scenes and the amount of work that goes into restoring a vehicle and this is a nice surprise. She has been totally repainted in Ulsterbus livery and looks superb. Thanks Mark.
As a matter of interest she joins her Ulsterbus sisters to give a museum fleet of:
POI 2156
POI 2180
POI 2187
POI 2192
WOI 2449
XOI 2525
AXI 2531
AXI 2538
AXI 2547
BXI 2569
It's a nice collection. They are all in good shape apart from 2182 which needs an engine change. We have the engine.
MANY MANY BUS MOVEMENTS THIS WEEKEND.
March 7, 2010. We have had so many movements this week and weekend that it is almost impossible to show them all. However, for the record, it is important, and here goes in no particular order.
For the record other vehicles taken for a run were:
2620
385
340
1143
1271
1282
1288
1310
1311
1312
1313
and Fire engines
79 CE 77
2755 ZF
729 DNI
Blue Ford Tractor
and of course our two recovery vehicles:
Foden
ERF
March 8, 2010. We always suspected Ross was a little on the heavy side but this photo of him at Ingliston Truckfest in August 2009 is something special.
Ye Gods!
March 8, 2010. Here is a super photo of many, many, many Tigers at the depot this weekend while we were giving them a run. Left to right 460, 468, 1311, 1313, 1310, 1309, 1312, 2648.
March 5, 2010. Today we took 1312 and 2648 to Knockraha to duplicate Bus Eireann service 221. They are both beautiful machines. I drove 1312 and she is probably the nicest driving Tiger of the lot.
Bus Eireann VWL 11 pulls in front of the two parked Tigers.
VWL 11 loading. Unfortunately there did not seem enough passengers for the two Tigers so they returned directly to the depot!
Left to right, Ross, Lukasz and Marta.
Ross, Marta and Michael.
There was a further delay due to Ross getting wedged between 1312 and 2648 when he tried to get out. We have recommended a suitable weight loss course! On the other hand maybe he should not park the buses so close!
Ross at the wheel of 2648.
March 7, 2010. When 1271 arrived it was dreadful weather and we had no decent photos of her. So, today we took her for a good run and she look splendid.
She looked really well.
Front view.
Another View.
Inside Lookiing Back.
Inside Looking Forward.
Frivers Area.
March 6, 2010. We also took 1282 for a run and again a superb machine.
Front View.
Side and Rear View.
March 5, 2010. Tiger 1288 stretched her legs today and she is a really nice machine.
Coming out of the depot.
Marta with 1288.
Front and Side.
Rear View.
March 6, 2010. 1312 went to knockraha for a run today.
Coming out of the depot to Knockraha.
Another view.
March 5, 2010. People who criticise us never really know of work that goes on in the background. Take our Ford Transcontinental 806 LIF which could only be described as in deplorable condition. Take one look at the photos and you would think she could never be restored.
Well, Pat O'Sullivan has taken her under his wing and here she is being loaded on the flatbed to go to the Mallow Raod yard. Now believe it or not but we had the engine running the next day! We have got a cab from the UK and plan to swap them and hopefully we will have a beautiful looking Transcon ready this summer. She will join the 1947 Leyland Beaver. But just take one look at the photos and you will see the work involved.
The Renault alongside was acquired for a spare engine in case it was needed.
The vehicle is a little the worse for wear! Pats son Andrew in picture.
Pat O'Sullivan driving the loading vehicle..
The cab is knackered but the mechanicals are fine.
Getting it on board.
March 3, 2010. Dennis Fire Engine has come back to the depot to complete its restoration having been away for bodywork. She will be nice when complete. We will keep you posted on progress.
Back View.
Side View. Ready to have doors reinstalled.br>
March 10, 2010.
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A fine machine in excellent condition.
March 5, 2010. We took Baby leopard 117 for a run today and she looked really well. You cannot beat a 680 for willingness to start.One wishes that Volvos were as easy. Such is progress.
Coming up the yard.
Passenger side.
Drivers Side.
March 6 2010. The heading picture today is somethinq we only dreamed off. It is the "Ballymena Five", 1309, 1310, 1311, 1312 and 1313 all lined up together just like they did in Ballymena Garage. Who would have ever thought it possible? Tomorrow, or when the sun next comes out, we will add 2648.
March 6 2010. We have been told that some people have troubles reading our website in that the text integrates into the menu making the page a right mess. The only thing which we have identified is that this seems to be Firefox browser problem and does not occur on Internet Explorer. Is there any chance of some feedback from readers, and particularly any Firefox ones who get it displayed correctly? And if anyone is more expert out there and knows anything about the problem and its solution then please let us know. Thanks.
March 6 2010. We are extremely happy to announce that our Bristol VR has been recovered undamaged from Clondalkin where it was found in an industrial estate this afternoon. She will be moved to Cork later this coming week in case anyone else has a sudden urge to borrow it!
March 5 2010. This beggars belief but one of our latest acquisitions, A Bristol VR has been stolen from the yard at Newcastle, Co. Dublin. When we went to take it to Cork it had gone. The matter has been reported to the Gardai and we appeal for any help in locating it as being an ex-Ribble it was very valuable for us. If you have any information or saw it please call me at 086-0444-017. Somebody must have seen it as it is massive. When we find the perpetrators we will prosecute them and seek to put them in jail.
Our last photo of it.
PLEASE HELP. ANY INFORMATION GRATEFULLY RECEIVED.
CULTRA BUS RALLY APRIL 17
February 28, 2009. Cultra Bus Rally will be held this year at Cultra, near Bangor, on Saturday April 17. It is without doubt the best rally in Ireland and we highly recommend a visit. A flavour of it can be seen in the above photograph as our immaculate 2610 left Cultra for Cork after the 2009 rally shown above followed by our baby Leopard 1902.
So do come and enjoy a day out and visit us. We do now know what we will have there yet but hopefully two Tigers, a Leopard and possibly KR 9.
Our other Rally plans for this year will include Mogeely for definite, possibly Charleville, Robertscove and Innishannon. We also hope to take a Tiger to some Welch rallies with the advent of the new Swansea Cork boat service which cuts driving mileage to a rally by some 600 miles, which makes all the difference.
CURRENT RESTORATION PROJECT - R 913
February 26, 2010. For those interested we are well through our current major restoration project - R 913. She went to Dublin where we took out the downstairs ceiling, which was rotten. We are now replacing this and will shortly replace the rear platform which has sagged badly, as is common on this type of vehicle. The engine has also just had a major overhaul. Christy Power has taken on the massive job of rebuilding her as he has now come full time but it will be quite a job! When the bodywork is complete she will go to the paint shop to receive a new paint job and will then look like new. We are hoping she will be back in service by July and hopefully make her debut at Mogeely Rally. It will bve nice to get her back in service.
OUR SPRING PLANS
February 27, 2010.
There is a rumour around that Spring has arrived and hopefully we will have some weather where we can work outside. As usual we have many plans.
One of the effects of the rather unusual winter seems to have been the deposit on our vehicles of green slime. So we have started a plan where every bus will be washed and polished to make them look like new. We will start with the Ulsterbus Tigers, followed by the Leopards and then the rest of the fleet will follow. We do have a new high speed steam washer and this should be a great help.
Next, we have to finish the tarmacadam of the drive. The entrance drive is 1.2 miles long and we have put on a solid surface over it all and tarmacadam over one third. We will tar the remainder as soon as we can. As one can imagine this is a major project and a costly one.
Our maintenance shed should start erection and this is desperately needed. It will hold 24 buses.
We have been debating what to do about exhibiting the buses and in particular the Tiger Fleet. Owing to the sheer size - over 100 Tigers - it seems impossible to have them all lined up together. We think the best way is to take a totally new area and to put the Ulsterbus Tigers in there lined up as they would in an Ulsterbus Garage with sufficent distance between them so that people can see them individually but also so that they can be taken for a drive easily. The big problem which is developing is the length of time taken to crank the Volvo Tigers which requires external power to start. This means leaving a space between them of some ten feet so that we can drive in our external start vehicle but that eats up a lot of space. We do not know yet if the slow Volvo start problem is due to the cold winter or if it will persist in normal summer conditions. We will see and welcome advice.
Next we have to consider our fire engine division which has grown to ten or twelve vehicles and will probably be about twenty by the end of 2010. We are going to set up a separate exhibit area for these in the new section of the depot.
Lastly to our surprise, no doubt due to the appalling weather, we have to resurface a major section of the main yard which in places resembles a mudheap at times. We estimate we will need about 5,000 tons of hardcore here. This will be done in the next month as a matter of priority.
In short a museum our size has a never ending set of demands and it is matter of priority - not to mention money! By the end of 2010 we should have between 500 and 600 vehicles. We are planning for a maximum size of about 1,000 vehicles when we just might stop collecting!
ULSTERBUS 2648 ARRIVES
February 16, 2010. Tiger 2648 arrived at the depot today and was delivered by our Barney Yourell as usual. She is our first Volvo Q Tiger and we are delighted to have her and are very proud of her. She is currently the queen of the fleet.
The following are her details:
Registration Number: SXI 2648
Chassis Make: Leyland
Chassis Model: Tiger
Chassis No.: TR00
Body Make : Alexander Belfast
Body Model: N
Body Number:
Engine: Volvo
HP:
Seating: B53F
Date service entry: 1992
On the Motorway.
Taking the slip road to Glanmire.
A beautiful shot with the bridge.
At Sallybrook.
On the Hazelwood Roundabout.
Another Shot.
Approaching the depot.
Barney and Michael with 2648 on arrival.
Rear View Left.
Rear View Right.
Inside Looking Back.br>
Inside Looking Forward.
Drivers Area.
ULSTERBUS 1282 ARRIVES
February 10, 2010. It was delivered by our Barney Yourell as usual.
The following are her details:
Registration Number: OXI 1282
Chassis Make: Leyland
Chassis Model: Tiger TRBTL11/2RP
Chassis No.: TR00
Body Make : Alexander Belfast
Body Model: N
Body Number:
Engine: Leyland TL 11
HP:
Seating: B53F
Date service entry: July 1989
1282 at the depot.
Another View.
The Other Side.
Rear View Left.
Rear View Right.
Inside Looking Back.br>
Inside Looking Forward.
Drivers Area.
Febuary 10, 2010. Ulsterbus 1282 arrived at the depto today driven as usual by Barney Yourell. Full details and photos to follow.
On route she looked well.
At Knockraha with Peter.
Febuary 1, 2010.
The following are her details:
Registration Number: EZV 9
Chassis Make: Bombardier
Chassis Model: KR
Chassis No.:
Body Make : Bombardier
Body Model: N type
Body Number:
Engine: DAF
Engine Number:
HP:170
Seating: B45F
Date service entry:
Originally Delivered to: Bus Eireann
As Fleet No. KR 9
Dakota tribal wisdom says that when you discover you’re riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount. However in business we often try other strategies with dead horses, including the following:
Buy a stronger whip.
Change riders.
Threaten the horse with termination.
Say things like, “This is the way we have always ridden this horse".
” Appoint a committee to study the horse.
Arrange to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses.
Lower the standards so that dead horses can be included.
Appoint a tiger team to revive the dead horse.
Ride the dead horse “outside the box.”
Buy a commercial off-the-shelf dead horse.
Create a training session to increase our riding ability.
Reclassify the dead horse as “living-impaired.”
Compare the state of dead horses in today’s environment.
Change the autopsy report to declare that “This horse is not dead.”
Kill all the other horses, so this one will look the same.
Name the dead horse “Paradigm Shift” and keep riding it.
Ride the dead horse “smarter” not harder.
Hire outside contractors to ride the dead horse.
Harness several dead horses together for increased speed.
Do a time management study to see if the lighter riders would improve productivity.
Declare that “No horse is too dead to beat.”
Call the dead horse a “joint venture” and let others ride it.
Provide additional funding to increase the horse’s performance.
Do a cost analysis study to see if contractors can ride it cheaper.
Purchase an aftermarket product to make dead horses run faster.
Declare the horse is “better, faster, and cheaper” dead.
Form a quality circle to find uses for dead horses.
Declare that “This horse was procured with cost as an independent variable.”
Get the horse a Web site.
Promote the horse to a supervisory position.
Thanks to Eunice Kron for the above.
UPDATED ON 18 MAR 2010 at 150,318