Leicester

I was in Leicester this week for one reason or another. Quite sad to see the derelict remains of the old Leicester City Transport depot in Abbey Park Road which we sold for redevelopment some while ago. The economic climate has not allowed the development to progress and so for now you can still see most of this tremendous old depot (and still with our name outside!).

I can remember visiting it during its Corporation heyday and also to collect vehicles which they had sold.

Never mind, onwards and upwards, we have a sparkling new depot just around the corner which is very swish, excellent facilities and the staff there are doing a wonderful job in keeping it in tip-top shape.

I have also been to see the new ‘Suburbia’ exhibition at the London Transport Museum and which I highly recommend. If there are any FirstGroup staff who would like to visit it for free my office will gladly send you an admission ticket (for as long as stocks last). If you are staff you will know how to find me!

I am getting some questions about whether we are doing anything to celebrate 50 years of Routemasters on route 9. It was on 15th November 1959 that Poplar used their RMs on Sundays between Becontree Heath and Mortlake. (The whole story on Routemasters on route 9 by Colin Stannard is in Issue 80 of the Routemaster Operators' and Owners' Association Magazine which is free to members - so do join).
Our main problem is that it is also Lord Mayor’s Show weekend and volunteer labour is already a bit stretched, but we will see what we can do to try and have some sort of surprise.

Photo shows former Leicester City Transport 16 which was the last Leyland PD3 in service exactly 27 years ago!
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