Vintage buses destroyed by fire 08/12/2023

[DunsBus]

Some horrendous news breaking this evening.

Penton Mewsey fire: King Alfred bus destroyed in devastating fire
By Toby Oliver
@ChronicleToby
Reporter

EIGHT heritage buses have been destroyed in a devastating fire in a group of industrial units near Andover.

More than 10 emergency calls alerted Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service to the fire shortly after 2am on Friday, December 8, at the farm in Penton Mewsey.

One of the buses destroyed was Friends of King Alfred Buses's (FoKAB) groundbreaking 1950 Leyland Olympic JAA 708.

It was Hampshire’s first underfloor engine bus, rescued from Ireland and lovingly restored over many years before its relaunch in 2012.

This was the only King Alfred bus that was in the building at the time.

The other seven buses belonged to FoKAB’s members and fellow preservationists. They included four Hants & Dorset buses and a luxury coach. A FoKAB member had been working on one of the buses for 15 years.

James Freeman, chairman of FoKAB, said: “This is an appalling disaster and only underlines the importance of FoKAB’s never-ending quest to find a long-term safe home for its collection.


“The fire appears to have started elsewhere in another unit and was well alight by 1.30am. By the time I arrived on site there was little left but the walls and roof structure. The intensity of the fire was such that people living several miles away were woken by exploding fuel tanks and the like. Fire crews attended from all across Hampshire and from Wiltshire.

“Whilst it is fortunate that no-one was hurt, we now must come to terms with the loss of so many valuable, irreplaceable buses and coaches. We send our heartfelt sympathies to the owners who have lost their prized vehicles.”

A fire service spokesperson said: “Teams have been using jets, hose reels and compressed air foam solution to dowse the flames and extinguish the fire.

"The incident has now been scaled down with relief crews from Fareham, Whitchurch, Alton and Fordingbridge attending to take over from the firefighters who were first on the scene.”

Heritage buses destroyed in devastating fire at farm near Hampshire town

EIGHT heritage buses have been destroyed in a devastating fire in a group of industrial units near Andover.

www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk

 

[fgwrich]

Absolutely gutted. There's been some fine vehicles lost in that fire, at least one I know personally.

 

[Towers]

Very, very sad. To lose eight in one go is terrible.

I’m led to believe other casualties include a VR, an RE and an FLF Lodekka. A sad day. Thoughts & sympathies to the owners, keep your chins up gents

 

[37114]

That us very sad news, gutted for the owners, it must be heartbreaking

 

[Hullian111]

Frankly just terrible. Lately I’ve grown so concerned about ”outside storage” of preserved buses and the risk of damage or arson - see the attack on Reliance Bus Works as well as a preserved TWM stored at the roadside having its windows potted only this year - but I never thought that much about the risks of barn storage. Now I’m no preserved bus owner, but I suppose it all comes down to the issue of storage costs, space and an owner happy to have one or many buses stored on their premises. Not everyone can afford an industrial unit or old bus depot.

Not wanting to sound callous, but what is the B10M that got destroyed? I’m aware there’s a Stagecoach Coastline Buses PS B10M that has been at FoKAB events in the past, but the article also makes reference to a ”luxury coach” that was destroyed.

 

[Towers]

Not wanting to sound callous, but what is the B10M that got destroyed? I’m aware there’s a Stagecoach Coastline Buses PS B10M that has been at FoKAB events in the past, but the article also makes reference to a ”luxury coach” that was destroyed.

I’ve also heard there was a PS in there, I can’t think of that many of the type in preservation in this part of the world

 

[DunsBus]

Very, very sad. To lose eight in one go is terrible.

I’m led to believe other casualties include a VR, an RE and an FLF Lodekka. A sad day. Thoughts & sympathies to the owners, keep your chins up gents

The Lodekka lost was KRU224F, new to Hants &
& Dorset in July 1967 as its 1557. I remember it featuring in an edition of Classic Bus magazine some years ago as part of a head-to-head-to-head roadtest.

 

[Towers]

The Lodekka lost was KRU224F, new to Hants &
& Dorset in July 1967 as its 1557. I remember it featuring in an edition of Classic Bus magazine some years ago as part of a head-to-head-to-head roadtest.

Ah I gathered it might be. A crying shame, it was a welcome splash of colour in its poppy red. I presume the B10M/PS might have been L622 TDY? Edited to add that L622 TDY is confirmed as NOT having been involved.

 

[33011]

Very sad news. L622TDY was one of the B10Ms I used to fuel and shunt at Portsmouth Farlington depot and I remember when she was brand new. I have the original regeneration plates at home to her sister L621 TDY when she was re-registered 421 DCD. Does anyone know which other king Alfred buses were in there. I'm old enough to remember the Aec Renowns and the Leyland Panthers in service with Hants & Dorset.

 

[90sWereBetter]

JAA708 was FoKAB's flagship vehicle, it's an absolutely devastating blow to the charity. Clutching at straws I know, but I wonder if the front of the vehicle could be salvaged as a display piece, quite like the B7TL/Gemini front at the London Transport Museum.

There was a fire a few years ago which affected the Cardiff Trolleybus Group, which destroyed a Lodekka. By the grace of god the two Cardiff trolleybuses they were restoring were only cosmetically damaged, but it shows the dangers of bus preservation and storage.

 

[DunsBus]

JAA708 was FoKAB's flagship vehicle, it's an absolutely devastating blow to the charity. Clutching at straws I know, but I wonder if the front of the vehicle could be salvaged as a display piece, quite like the B7TL/Gemini front at the London Transport Museum.

There was a fire a few years ago which affected the Cardiff Trolleybus Group, which destroyed a Lodekka. By the grace of god the two Cardiff trolleybuses they were restoring were only cosmetically damaged, but it shows the dangers of bus preservation and storage.

Indeed. I know of friends who lost an ex-Edinburgh Tiger Cub in similar circumstances back in 2007 as its restoration was nearing completion. To say they were gutted is putting it mildly!

 

[JonathanH]

Does anyone know which other king Alfred buses were in there.

Only one King Alfred bus reported in the news story above.

Information about the four Bristol vehicles here.
https://bcv.robsly.com

***TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION AT PENTON MEWSEY***
I am so sorry to have to report the tragic news that eight historic buses were destroyed last night (December 7th/8th) in a fire at a storage unit close to Penton Mewsey in Hampshire. Several of my friends in the preservation movement have been directly impacted by this event and I send my heartfelt sympathy to each and every one of them. It is almost unimaginable to think of the emptiness and loss that they must be feeling after years and years of time, effort and money sunk into their cherished vehicles. It reminds each and every one of us who owns a preserved bus or coach that every effort must be made towards fire prevention, but in the end it mostly comes down to sheer cruel bad luck. The sad role call of lost Bristols covered by this website are dual-purpose RELL XLJ726K, semi-auto FLF KRU224F, nearly restored VRT JWV273W and Irish RELL AXI2534. We also send our condolensces to the Friends of King Alfred Buses and the other vehicle owners affected.

 

[DunsBus]

Only one King Alfred bus reported in the news story above.

Information about the four Bristol vehicles here.
https://bcv.robsly.com

A real shame. Didn't JWV273W feature in Bus & Coach Preservation fairly recently?

 

[Towers]

JAA708 was FoKAB's flagship vehicle, it's an absolutely devastating blow to the charity. Clutching at straws I know, but I wonder if the front of the vehicle could be salvaged as a display piece, quite like the B7TL/Gemini front at the London Transport Museum.

There was a fire a few years ago which affected the Cardiff Trolleybus Group, which destroyed a Lodekka. By the grace of god the two Cardiff trolleybuses they were restoring were only cosmetically damaged, but it shows the dangers of bus preservation and storage.

I was thinking exactly the same, seeing as the front end seems still vaguely recognisable. At least it would allow some sort of legacy to live on, in some small way.

As regards the storage issues, I agree “buses in a barn” has its risks, although in this instance it is reported that the blaze began elsewhere. If only the money existed to store these precious items in premises with sprinklers and wired alarms and so on.

 

[John Webb]

.....As regards the storage issues, I agree “buses in a barn” has its risks, although in this instance it is reported that the blaze began elsewhere. If only the money existed to store these precious items in premises with sprinklers and wired alarms and so on.......

Sprinklers would be good, but probably not viable, especially if the building is unheated in Winter. But fire detection linked to an external monitoring centre should be reasonably easy to fit, but a reasonable mobile phone signal is required for the connection. And/or a simple wi-fi CCTV system linked to people's smart phones or computers can also provide both security and fire protection, although not as good as an alarm system.

 

[pm2304877]

Ex Warrington Corporation Leyland Titan PD1 EED5 was destroyed in a fire some years back. The only tiny piece of good news was spares for other PD1s were supplied from this bus.
So many buses are preserved but secure land is needed to keep vandals at bay.

 

[DunsBus]

Ex Warrington Corporation Leyland Titan PD1 EED5 was destroyed in a fire some years back. The only tiny piece of good news was spares for other PD1s were supplied from this bus.
So many buses are preserved but secure land is needed to keep vandals at bay.

Even secure land is no guarantee of safety. Ruddington in 2007 comes to mind.

 

[AndrewE]

Sprinklers would be good, but probably not viable, especially if the building is unheated in Winter. But fire detection linked to an external monitoring centre should be reasonably easy to fit, but a reasonable mobile phone signal is required for the connection. And/or a simple wi-fi CCTV system linked to people's smart phones or computers can also provide both security and fire protection, although not as good as an alarm system.

Sprinklers can work in sub-zero temperatures if the system is dry and charged with compressed air, which lets the water up the main if a glass gets melted.

 

[pm2304877]

In 1976 the former Blue Bus fleet , by then having been bought by Derby Corporation was wiped out in a blaze A Dennis Loline which was away being attended to at the corporation's depot escaped the fire but among the losses was 7000 HP the ex demonstrator first Daimler Fleetline of 1960 was the main casualty.

Even secure land is no guarantee of safety. Ruddington in 2007 comes to mind.

I accept your point as the former Tailby & George Blue Bus fire of 1976 springs to mind.

 

[DunsBus]

In 1976 the former Blue Bus fleet , by then having been bought by Derby Corporation was wiped out in a blaze A Dennis Loline which was away being attended to at the corporation's depot escaped the fire but among the losses was 7000 HP the ex demonstrator first Daimler Fleetline of 1960 was the main casualty.


I accept your point as the former Tailby & George Blue Bus fire of 1976 springs to mind.

In a cruel irony the main casualty in the Ruddington fire was the last-built Fleetline, ex-South Notts SCH117X.

 

[psalborough574]

Very sad news. L622TDY was one of the B10Ms I used to fuel and shunt at Portsmouth Farlington depot and I remember when she was brand new. I have the original regeneration plates at home to her sister L621 TDY when she was re-registered 421 DCD. Does anyone know which other king Alfred buses were in there. I'm old enough to remember the Aec Renowns and the Leyland Panthers in service with Hants & Dorset.

Having just spoken to the owner of L622TDY who Is a colleague of mine I can confirm that this bus was not the one involved in the fire and is parked up safe and sound at its storage location. The B10 caught up in the fire was a B10 coach

 

[Towers]

Having just spoken to the owner of L622TDY who Is a colleague of mine I can confirm that this bus was not the one involved in the fire and is parked up safe and sound at its storage location. The B10 caught up in the fire was a B10 coach

Oh thank heavens for that, I do love a solid old PS! Thankyou for the clarification, I have edited my initial, incorrectly speculative, post!

 

[fgwrich]

I was thinking exactly the same, seeing as the front end seems still vaguely recognisable. At least it would allow some sort of legacy to live on, in some small way.

As regards the storage issues, I agree “buses in a barn” has its risks, although in this instance it is reported that the blaze began elsewhere. If only the money existed to store these precious items in premises with sprinklers and wired alarms and so on.


I must stress that’s only my speculation, as yet unconfirmed. But it would be a massive shame, yes. Lovely machines. As above, no other FoKAB vehicles, but several Hants & Dorset examples reportedly. Aside from the Lodekka I understand DP RE XLJ 726K may have been the second bus visible in the press images, behind the Sherpa van. Again, this is unconfirmed chatter, although the remains are clearly an ECW RE.

Very sadly XLJ726K is the RE behind the Sherpa. A favourite of mine to travel on, and to work on to. It's not been the best of weeks for me as is and to find out we lost it on Friday evening was devastating. Here it was in much happier times, at one of the Winchester running days in the long demolished bus station in 2016.

 

[BVW]

There were two other Hants & Dorset ECW-bodied lowbridge deckers which perished, 1947 Leyland PD1A GLJ 957 and 1949 Bristol K5G JEL 257. A horrific turn of events and my sympathies go out to all involved.

 

[Towers]

There were two other Hants & Dorset ECW-bodied lowbridge deckers which perished, 1947 Leyland PD1A GLJ 957 and 1949 Bristol K5G JEL 257. A horrific turn of events and my sympathies go out to all involved.

That’s devastating. I presume both were undergoing long-term restoration?

Any news on the I.D. of the B10M coach?

 

[GCH100]

I am sorry to hear this, the loss of any historic vehicle is sad, but eight is devastating.

 

[alex397]

I feel very bad for the owners of these buses. It must be devastating after spending years, and in some cases decades, lovingly restoring them.

 

[Whiteway215]

It’s heartbreaking to hear of the awful destruction of so many lovely old buses. My thoughts are with the owners.
In my mind it would be even worse to hear it was arson.

 

[GusB]

It’s heartbreaking to hear of the awful destruction of so many lovely old buses. My thoughts are with the owners.
In my mind it would be even worse to hear it was arson.

Has there been any suggestion that it was arson? I haven't seen anything posted that has indicated what the actual cause of the fire was. I assume that the fire service will be carrying out an investigation to establish this, so perhaps it's a little bit early to speculate.

Whether it was deliberately started or accidental, it doesn't really change the outcome, sadly.

 

[WibbleWobble]

The Lodekka lost was KRU224F, new to Hants & & Dorset in July 1967 as its 1557.

The sad irony of this was it was one of the buses saved from the Bournemouth Bus Station fire back in 1976, and was owned by the gentleman who saved it.