50th ANNIVERSARY REUNION EVENT

Saturday 5th April 2008 by John Day

Saturday 5th April started off brightly with Committee members gathering around the welcome table in eager anticipation of a bumper attendance. Fred Ward, Graham Hardinge and myself had spent a few hours on Friday setting up the photographic, ephemera and artefacts display and going over the last minute arrangements with the Museum. That done we set about putting the April Journal and “The First Fifty Years (1957-2007) booklet into manageable packs ready to distribute as people signed in. What we did on Friday obviously worked as Saturday ran very smoothly from the start. Members and guests started arriving about 10 o’clock and from the outset it was obvious the day was going to be one of new and renewed friendships as some of our former members arrived. We won’t go into the number of years that have passed between many of us but believe us the total would be quite large. Whilst many attending were from the local area, Ipswich, Felixstowe, Woodbridge, other east and west Suffolk, south Norfolk, and north Essex districts we must thank those who made the effort and travelled from further afield. These were; John Marson (Milngavie – Glasgow), Alan Valentine (Newcastle), Chris and Judith Hurricks (Billericay), David, Amanda and James Knights (Acton – London), Eric Mouser (Reading), Rodney and Angela Barnes (Southsea) and John Strutt (Befordshire). David Love made it on Friday from Sleaford but had to return home early as his wife was unwell.

Back at the Museum tea and coffee flowed freely as people mingled around the various displays and ITM exhibits stopping frequently to say their helloes or just to look at the rolling visual Power Point display produced by Brian Dyes and the ITM team. Photographs from the last 50 years, or should I say from the first 20 years, showed a number of dubious individuals (who shall remain nameless) sporting even more dubious fashions and dare I say it – plenty of thatch! Comments of “did we really do that?” or “no – that isn’t me!” could be heard echoing around the Museum for most of the day.

The event was always intended to be informal but some things had to be programmed, and this started with the first of the day’s vintage bus trips through town. At 11.00 AEC Regent V ADX 63B (1964) left for Whitton Maypole via Heath Road, Rushmere Heath, Spring Road, Electric House and Norwich Road whilst at the same time the Bristol K KNG 374 (1949 vintage) left for the same destination via Felixstowe Road, Derby Road, Grove Lane, Grimwade Street, Turret Lane, Old Cattle Market, Civic Drive and Norwich Road, returning via St Matthews Street to the Old Cattle Market then Great Colman Street, Woodbridge Road, Golden Key, Cauldwell Hall Road and Derby Road to the ITM. ADX 63B returned via Electric House, Woodbridge Road, Argyle Street, Bishops Hill, Nacton Road – AIRPORT (site of Terminus at Cranes) and the Thrasher roundabout to the ITM.

Once the two vehicles were safely back at Cobham Road it was quick change to the car park for the naming of Ipswich Buses Dennis Dart No 90. Mark Smith had been diligently cleaning No 90 ready for the ceremony. Our guests for this were Rosemary Humphries (HNJ’s daughter), her husband David and two sons and three grandchildren. There was a speedy press photocall featuring six year old Ethan (fully kitted out with conductor’s cap and ticket machine) and three year old Erin Crooks, Rosemary’s grandchildren, HNJ’s great grandchildren, before moving to the official ceremony.

John Day thanked Mark Smith for his efforts to coordinate the naming with Ipswich Buses and then introduced Nigel Daniels (IB Engineering Manager) and Dean Robbee (IB Operations Manager) thanking them for their involvement in this historic event. The naming ceremony for IB No 90 – ‘H.N.”Jimmy” James’ was then performed by Ethan and Erin who unveiled the name scroll in honour of their great grandfather (we are sure HNJ would see the funny side of being called Great Grandad!!), our late Founder and President. Group photographs were then taken before everyone retired for some well earned refreshment. Jan Dyes and her team provided a nourishing selection of sandwiches, sausage rolls, quiche, cake and many other goodies, all of which was devoured during the lunch beak and afternoon.

It was much the same in the afternoon with the two vintage buses being joined by Andy Cook’s VR 287 VEX 287X (1981). All three vehicles formed a convoy along Bixley Road, Heath Road and Kesgrave Main Road into Martlesham and on to the Turban Centre at Woodbridge where they caused quite a stir taking up more space than the local services would ordinarily take up for a side-by-side photo shoot in the sun.. The vehicles returned in time for patrons to finish off the rest of the buffet and tea and coffee before everyone went home well fed and exhausted after a nostalgic and entertaining day.

For forty members and guests the day didn’t finish at the ITM as an evening Dinner had been arranged at the Westerfield Railway where host Kevin Watkins and his staff warmly welcomed our party (some even came by train). To say food-a-plenty would be an understatement as the pre-ordered beef and pork meals were served with all the trimmings associated with a roast dinner, the plates of food didn’t necessarily come into the Slimming World or Weight Watchers guide to eating in small quantities! As with the events that preceded the dinner, informality was the keyword, and it was good to see so many “other halves” enjoying an evening out in an excellent social atmosphere. The celebration didn’t just end with the meal as once tea and coffee was served a celebratory cake, for which we must thank Chris and Judith Hurricks for providing, was cut and served to everyone present. Naturally the day could not end without recognition of some of the important things that happened up to and during the event and Chairman John Day presented a bouquet of flowers each to Jan Dyes, Rose Ward and Linda Hardinge. These presentations were made to acknowledge some of the behind the scenes people who actively supported our reunion day and the events that led up to it. Jan Dyes was rewarded for her unstinting work in the Sunbeam Tearoom at the ITM providing the buffet and refreshments for the day. Rose Ward for her support of Fred during his hard work putting together the Journal each month and the additional work he carried out to produce, with excellent photographs, the ITS “The First Fifty Years (1957 – 2007)” publication. To Linda for her support of Graham, not only through his Rail Report preparation but also for the long hours he spent researching and putting together the text for the book.

Whilst we are aware there are a few who have enjoyed membership throughout the first fifty years it would be fair to say that only one person has been instrumentally active for the greater part of those fifty years (well since he was out of short trousers anyway). Graham Hardinge has served in many roles throughout the Society, he was actively involved in preservation in the formative years, organised many excursions, has served as Chairman and now as a Vice-President and of course still writes Rail Report each month as well as having supported many other activities in the Society. He has been ably supported by Linda for close on forty years and it was fitting that he and Linda were presented with a clock recognising and celebrating 50 years of the Ipswich Transport Society. Well done Graham.

In closing we must thank everyone who attended, from close to home and far away, as it was you who helped make the day the success it was. Thanks are also extended to everyone who subsequently responded expressing their thanks and enjoyment of the day and to everyone who kindly made a donation during the event. Personally I must thank everyone from the Committee who helped in many ways before and during the event. To the five former members who rejoined and the three new members who joined we extend a very warm welcome and hope that you will become actively involved with the Society. There are many other people, too many to mention by name, who played a part through the ITM (including the bus drivers), Ipswich Buses, members of our own Society and the staff at Westerfield Railway and last but by no means least the family of our late Founder H.N. “Jimmy” James.

Thank you to you all.

John Day
Chairman
16th April 2008

Route history

Rushmere Heath Terminus

This became a terminus for route 3 on 25th April 1934 when the trolleybus service was extended from Lattice Barn, the latter terminus then becoming a short working designated route number 3A. Trolleybus operation on the Rushmere Heath 3, Whitton 9, and Ipswich Station X routes ceased in April 1962 with motor buses taking over completely and on 23rd August 1992 the route 3 service was extended along Heath Road to Warren Heath omitting the Rushmere Heath terminus.

Whitton Maypole Terminus

This was the terminus from 1903 of the Ipswich Corporation Tramway service to the village of Whitton, (route 3) The Tramway mode of transport was replaced by trolleybuses on 27th July 1926 (becoming route 9 in 1931). The trolleybuses, and later motor buses, used part of the Maypole public house forecourt as the turning point, emphasised by a large sign stating “Tram Turning Circle”. This turning area was replaced on 22nd August 1970 by a new purpose built one a few yards to the north. Introduced on 1st August 1965 was a new service 9B whereby generally alternate buses to Whitton would run to Byron Road via Meredith Road instead of to the Maypole and from Sunday 21st June 1981 all buses for Whitton via Norwich Road ran to Byron Road, (the 9B later to be renumbered 9 from 15th May 1983). On the same date the Whitehouse Estate 8 route was extended from Ulster Avenue to serve Whitton Maypole running until 6th September 1987 when it was again rerouted, this time to serve the Whitehouse Asda store and the Whitton Maypole turning circle was no longer used.

Airport Terminus (Cranes)

Trolleybus route 2 via Nacton Road was extended from Lindbergh Road (Priory Heath) to the Airport in 1947 together with the St Johns Road 2A service. Route 2 Airport via Nacton Road ran until 20th June 1981 when it was replaced by the 2A service. Route 2A then lost it’s suffix in May 1983 becoming 2, then being mostly replaced from 17th August 1986 by the18 – 21 Circular services supplemented by the diversion of route 6 from Greenwich to the Airport via Cliff Lane. From 5th July 1988 route 2 regained full status again and was extended to serve the Ransomes Simms and Jefferies Works, and the last service to terminate at the Airport, route 6, was cut back to terminate at Cliff Lane from 4th September 1988, thus ending over forty years of Ipswich Airport as a town bus terminus.

The Eastern Counties Omnibus Co service chosen to remember 1958 is part of the summer Sundays only Felixstowe to Bury St Edmunds route 204, at other times running only from Ipswich to Bury St Edmunds with short workings to Claydon, Needham Market and Stowmarket.