Museum events for 2015 to add to your diary (updated)

Dundee Museum of Transport has published a list of planned events for 2015 on the Events Dairy website page.

Further events which the Museum will be attending, but not organising, will be added to the list at a later date.

Support Dundee Museum of Transport by buying your 2015 calendars and diaries from our Museum shop or click to buy online now.

   

West End Christmas Fortnight Car Cavalcade - 22 November 2014

Dundee Museum of Transport is taking part in the West End's Christmas Fortnight celebrations by providing vehicles for the Vintage Car Cavalcade taking place on Saturday 22 November 2014 which is sponsored by Barnetts Motor Group.

The parade leaves Barnetts Car Showrooms, Riverside Drive, Dundee DD2 1UG at 1pm and follows the route shown on the map below.

   

Event update: Preston Watson book launch - 5 December 2014 (updated)

On Friday 5 December 2014, from 7pm to 8:30pm, Dundee Museum of Transport will be hosting the formal launch of a book about Preston Watson, Scotland's aviation pioneer (1880-1915). This will take place in our temporary premises at Unit 10 Market Mews, Market Street, Dundee DD1 3LA.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase on the day and the event is open to the public.

More information about Preston Watson can be found on Wikipedia here (external link).

Support Dundee Museum of Transport by buying copies of this book from our Museum shop or click to buy online now.

   

Dundee Museum of Transport Secures Maryfield Tram Depot after Four Year Campaign

Dundee Museum of Transport has today announced their successful bid for the Maryfield Tram Depot after four years of campaigning. The category B listed building has been marketed by Scottish Water since 2005 and has been on the agenda for the group since negotiations began in 2010. The organisation now aim to begin a funding drive after which the group will restore the building to its former glory and relocate from their current premises by the end of 2017.

Jimmy McDonell outside the Maryfield Tram Depot.  Photo: Alan Richardson

Dundee Museum of Transport’s chairman, Jimmy McDonell said: “We are thrilled that we have succeeded in our mission to secure the depot for use as our permanent home and we thank Scottish Water for making the right decision and also to all the support we have received from Dundee City Council, MP’s, businesses and the local community.”

“The news also came on the day that we received a full-sized licensed replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for a long-term display so it puts meaning to the saying that good things come in two’s”

The museum opened its current premises in April to critical acclaim, receiving a 3-star rating from Visit Scotland and rocketing into the top 5 visitor attractions in the Dundee area on review site TripAdvisor. Led solely by volunteers from the local community, the organisation focuses on the restoring, preserving and displaying transport-related memorabilia and vehicles, including Dundee’s last remaining horse drawn tram from a garden in Perth earlier this year.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang licensed replica which is now on display until next year.  Photo: Alan Richardson

Discussing the future of the museum, committee member Matthew Jackson said: “We are pressing on with our sustainable business study which was funded by the Historic Lottery Fund and alongside our consultants will include a refresh of the feasibility study to produce a quality plan for Maryfield as we progress towards the next stage of funding”

“This is an exciting time for Dundee and our project and we will be looking to consult with the local community as soon as possible to get the very best out of this excellent opportunity.”

National Express, the museum’s main sponsor also welcomed the sale. Managing director Phil Smith said: “I’m extremely pleased that Dundee Museum of Transport’s bid for Maryfield Tram Depot has been successful - it’s great news for this excellent visitor attraction. Transport is an important part of Dundee's past, present and future. I wish them the very best of luck with planning their move into this fantastic historic building.”

The museum will remain open at their current premises on Market Street throughout the development and already have a line-up of events for the 2015 season.

To read more about the Maryfield Tram depot click here.

New buses 59 years apart

In 1955 Dundee Corporation introduced thirty-five Daimler CVG6 double-deck buses with open rear platforms, mainly to replace withdrawn tram services. Their registration numbers were DYJ431-DYJ440 and ETS960-ETS984. Only one bus of this type still exists and ETS964, fleet number 184, is the oldest bus in the collection of Taybus Vintage Vehicle Society (TVVS), a registered Scottish charity (external link).

In November 2014 Stagecoach Strathtay put into service two New Routemaster buses more commonly seen on the streets of London. These double-deck buses can also be configured to have an open rear platform and are currently operating on the Tayway service between Dundee and Arbroath for a trial period.

Recently the buses were brought together for the first and possibly only time to show just how much bus design has changed over the past 59 years.

(from right to left) 1955 Dundee Corporation Daimler CVG6 ETS964 (fleet number 184) alongside 2014 New Routemasters LTZ1312 (fleet number LT312) and LTZ1313 (fleet number LT313).

TVVS Secretary John Fraser said “We were delighted to receive permission to photograph some of our vintage buses alongside the New Routemasters as this is a chance we are unlikely to get again. We are very grateful to Stagecoach for their continuing support and to everyone who has helped us get the Corporation bus back on the road after being laid-up for a long time at the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum following engine problems. We never cease to be amazed by the public’s reaction when they see it being driven around; it’ll be sixty-years-old next year and we hope to take it to as many local events as possible.”

More photographs of the New Routmasters can be viewed here (external link), alongside three older Taybus buses here (external link) and on the first day of service here (external link).