Thames Valley & Great Western Omnibus Trust

	HOME	SUPPORTERS
	ABOUT	DONATIONS
	EVENTS	SHOP
	VISITS	WEDDING HIRE
	OUR COLLECTION	CONTACT

OUR COLLECTION

We currently have some 20 vehicles in our care, spanning an operational period of more than eighty years, between 1910s and 1990s, across the entire area of TV&GWOT interest including Slough, Reading and the Thames Valley, Bournemouth, Taunton, Exeter and Penzance

We also have the use of a significant number of vehicles from private collections which, together with an extensive archive and museum facility, enable us to offer a comprehensive education in the evolution of road transport through the twentieth century.

A copy of TV&GWOT’s Collections Development Policy can be found here.

Click below to find out more about our vehicles, and their current status.

VEHICLES

	A collection of pre first World War vehicles and components acquired from the LT museum and the late Michael Banfield’s Collection. Includes the chassis of a 1912 AEC B type which passed to the National Omnibus & Transport Company in 1922 and was transferred to Taunton to inaugurate a tramway replacement town bus service. The collection gives the potential to recreate up to three vehicles from this era.

	1927 Guy FBB Bus Great Western Road Motors 1268 (YF 714) Further information from To and Fro' 001, Summer 2015		1927 Leyland Lion Bus National Omnibus & Transport Company 2407 (VW 203) Further information from To and Fro' 003, Winter 2015/16

	1927 Tilling Stevens B9A Thames Valley Traction Company 152 (MO 9324) Further information from To and Fro' 010, Autumn 2017		1929 AEC Reliance Coach Royal Blue (Western National Omnibus Company) 3615 (RU 8805) Further information

	1941 Bristol K5G Bus Western National Omnibus Company 345 (FTA 634) Further information		1946 Bristol K6A Bus Thames Valley Traction Company 446 (DBL 154) Further information from To and Fro' 002, Autumn 2015

	1948 Leyland PD1A Bus Southern National Omnibus Company 2932 (JUO 992) Further information from To and Fro' 009, Summer 2017		1950 Bedford OB Coach Western Omnibus Company/Royal Blue 1409 (LTA 748) Further information


	1950 Bristol LL6B Bus Thames Valley Traction Company 556 (FMO 938) Further information about the restoration Further information about 556		1951Bristol LL6B Coach Southern National/Royal Blue 1264 (LTA 893) Further information - additional material in To and Fro' 023, Winter 2020/21

	1952 Bristol LS6G Coach Royal Blue 1286 (MOD 973) Further information from To and Fro' 005, Summer 2016		1953 Bristol KSW6B Bus Southern National 1852 (LTA 995) Further information from To and Fro' 011, Winter 2017

	1960 Bristol FS6G Bus Western National Omnibus Company 1967 (519 BTA) Further information		1960 Guy Arab IV Bus Exeter Corporation Transport 74 / Western National Omnibus Company 274 (974 AFJ) Further information

	1965 Bristol FLF6B Bus Southern National Omnibus Company 2065 (BOD 25C) Further information		1966 Bristol SUL4A Bus Southern National 692 (EDV 555D) Further information from To and Fro' 007, Winter 2016/17

	1969 Bristol VRT/SL1/6LX Bus Western National 1056 (OTA 290G) Further information		1976 Bristol VRT/LL3/6LXB Bus Reading Borough Transport 38 (NDP 38R) Further information from To and Fro' 008, Spring 2017

	1979 Bristol LHS Bus Western National 1560 (FDV 790V) Further information from To and Fro' 015, Winter 2018/19

ARCHIVES

This Coronation Year Travel Souvenir from the TV&GWOT archive was issued with the compliments of The Western and Southern National Omnibus Companies Ltd and Royal Blue Express Services in 1953. As King Charles is crowned, it gives a perspective on life then and progress from the era where television was a wonder of the age. TV&GWOT is proud to have a Royal Blue LS under its Collection umbrella, described 70 years ago as the “latest Royal Blue Luxury Coach”.

It still provides comfort for long distance coach travel and will be part of the fleet embarking on TV&GWOT’s annual Royal Blue coach run, fittingly in 2023 heading to the West Country from Salisbury to Penzance taking in many Royal Blue destinations en route.

Our Archive - An extensive collection of documents and ephemera which tell the story of passenger transport "fro' Paddington to Penzance." Much has been donated by transport companies, private collectors and enthusiasts and is being thoroughly catalogued. The material provides a rich resource for developing displays and informing the articles on operational history that TV&GWOT prepares for its event programmes. Read more about the events and programme booklets.

BUILDINGS

TV&GWOT has rescued and re-erected some important Thames Valley buildings and put them to use for the Trust’s purposes

The waiting room & ticket office was built in Bridge Avenue, Maidenhead near the Rialto Cinema in 1928, later being re-positioned on the bus station site. Replaced by a superior building at the Thames Valley terminus in 1952, it was moved to Blue Coat school, Sonning to become a cricket pavilion. By 2003 it was no longer required so we arranged to dismantle and transport it back to Maidenhead. It was re-erected by TV&GWOT in 2014-15 and now provides a facility for a range of Trust activities.

Thames Valley Traction Co.’s dormy shed at Princes Risborough was built in 1932-3 to house two double-deck buses. The building was later taken over by a car hire company but their use for it ran out in 2009. TV&GWOT dismantled it and re-erected it in 2012 and it is seen in 2013 accommodating the Great Western Guy No. 1268 and former Royal Blue, Southern National No. 1218.

Company Registered in England No. 5035702. Registered Charity No. 1125980