22nd March 2026 – Not much to post of late of the restoration of the buses due to preparation of the vehicles for the running day on Easter Monday 6th April.

One outstanding job from the last running day was the engine bonnet of Bus 94. This suffered from the issue of seized hinges rendering collapse of the surrounding fibreglass. Ex bus 97’s bonnet was secured and hinges rebuilt (as posted in a previous post) with just the fibreglass and paintwork to prepare. Work is well underway for the painting back into its Chester Victoria Maroon and fitting to the bus.

When preparation of the paintwork was taking place, several coloured layers where found showing its history. Starting from the right is it’s Chester Cherry Red (1980-83), followed by Victorian Maroon (1983-97), Open Top Cream, Guide Friday Livery Green, Sightseeing Tour red (all 2000’s) and finally a different shade of red which the bus received when it spent its time in Western-Super-Mare as an advertisement for an Italian Restaurant.