2002
Sat. 12th January - Today was the 21st birthday of Tina, wife of Andy Bagshaw. 124 was used for the run to Matlock to pick up Andy & Tina's friends and relations to attend a 21st birthday meal at the "Red Lion" at Stone Edge.
Sat. 19th January - Ex. Chesterfield Fleetline KWJ 139P was acquired by us today as a source of spares. It had previously been in use by Derbyshire County Council as a non PSV.
Sun. 27th January - 124 was used to visit our garage at Walton to collect seat frames and cushions to tidy up UWA 154S for use.
Sun. 10th February - A group of us visited the Midland Railway Centre at Butterley to view the building being erected to house the road transport collection. It was decided that the group would purchase a space for one of our vehicles in the new undercover accommodation being built.
Sat. 23rd February - 124 set off on a journey to Wigan, the purpose of which was to bring back seat frames and cushions from UWA 151S which was being converted to a mobile home. We set off up the M1 intending to take the M62 across the Pennines. As we proceeded up the M1 it started to snow and the trip was called off. We made a stop on the way back to Chesterfield at the "Black-a-Moor" at Troway for a drink. The seats were eventually fetched a few weeks later using a Transit van.
Sat. 20th / Sun. 21st April - First job on Saturday morning was to take 124 to TM Travel at Staveley for a safety inspection and wash. We then made our way to Chesterfield Railway Station and joined UWA 154S on the free service to Barrow Hill Roundhouse who were holding a spring steam gala. 124 worked on its own on the Sunday.
Sat. 27th / Sun 28th April - 124 was serviced over the weekend at TM Travel.
Sun. 5th May - 124 was taken on what was most probably it's longest trip ever when we travelled approx. 130 miles to Llandudno. The route was via. Stockport and the M56 with a stop at Chester Services. We returned via. the A51 and called at the "Shrewsbury Arms" near Little Budworth before continuing our journey home via. Middlewich, Congleton & Buxton.
Tues. 7th May - New vinyls were fitted to 124 to replace some damaged ones.
Thurs. 23rd May - We made our way to Chesterfield Town Hall to join ex. Chesterfield PD2 No. 225 (225 LRB), and Stagecoach East Midlands Excel 505 (YN51 VHO) & Dennis Dart 839 (X839 HHE). The occasion was the 75th anniversary of the closing of Chesterfield Corporation's Electric Tramway. All four buses made their way to the old tramway depot at 172 Chatsworth Road, Brampton, now owned by Fredericks Ice Cream. A plaque was then unveiled to mark the occasion by Bruno Frederick and Chris Corroy of Transpire. The buses then made their way to Brampton Terminus from where a journey was made along the whole route of the electric tramway to Whittington Moor.
Fri. 31st May / Sat. 1st May - Barrow Hill Roundhouse Beer Festival. UWA 154S was used on Friday evening and 124 Saturday afternoon and evening on the free bus service from Chesterfield Railway Station and the "Derby Tup", Whittington Moor, to Barrow Hill Roundhouse.
Sun. 9th June - A problem with 124 had been discovered whilst operating on the Barrow Hill free bus. The driver had noticed a vibration whilst the bus was in motion. We took 124 for a short drive to try to pinpoint the problem. It appeared to be coming from the front nearside wheel and was diagnosed as a dodgy wheel bearing. A replacement was ordered which was fitted at TM Travel by a group member on Friday 28th June.
Thurs. 13th June - Today was the last day of operation of Fleetlines by TM Travel, the last being ex. Chesterfield UWA 159S. The final journeys worked by the bus were service 148 St. Mary's School to Dronfield, empty to Chesterfield College then service 608 Chesterfield College to Crystal Peaks which only operated as far as Sothall where the last passenger was dropped off.
Sun. 7th July - 124 was taken to Burton to the Bass Museum Rally.
Sat. 13th / Sun. 14th July - Gala open weekend at Barrow Hill Roundhouse. Both UWA 154S and 124 operated the free service from Chesterfield Station to Barrow Hill on Saturday with just 124 running on Sunday. (Note : It had become obvious by this stage that a certain two members had no intention of taking 154 off the road to be used as a storage facility and source of spare parts as had been agreed at a group meeting - more later!)
Sat. 20th / Sun. 21st July - Model Engineering Exhibition at Barrow Hill Roundhouse. 124 was used on the free service from Chesterfield Railway Station on both days.
Late July- 124 was taken to Hellaby for the annual MOT test which it unfortunately failed due to corrosion of the chassis over the rear wheels. This made us more determined than ever to get as many of our buses as possible indoors and out of yards where they would be sitting in mud and large puddles for much of the year which surely exacerbated the corrosion of the chassis.
Sun. 28th July - With 124 unavailable, Aston Buses provided newly acquired Leyland National Greenway TIB 7835, formerly with "Aylesbury & The Vale" (Arriva), for the journey to the Trolleybus museum at Sandtoft.
Sun. 4th August - Aston Buses provided DWF 22V, a Duple Dominant bodied Leyland Leopard formerly with Stagecoach East Midlands, for the Ruddington rally near Nottingham.
Wed. 4th September - We were told today that a former member had decided to leave the group. This person, who we shall refer to as "Mr. Tosser", has since set up the Spire Fleetline Preservation Group with former TM Travel Fleetlines UWA 154S & UWA 159S. You will remember reading earlier that two members had no intention of using UWA 154S for storage / spares as had been agreed at a group meeting. One of these former members was not happy that he could not get his own way in the group and so decided to leave and do just what he wanted anyway. This was not exactly a friendly split and many items belonging to the 123 Group are still in the possesion of this person. "Mr. Tosser" even took it upon himself to scrap 139 AFTER he had left the group (completely without our permission), used the spare parts for his buses and pocketed all the money raised from the sale!! He also helped himself to whatever he wanted from the group`s spares supply and even removed fuses, flourescent tubes and a seat cushion from 123 whilst it was parked next to his buses at Barrow Hill. Many of the seat frames and cushions on his vehicles also belong to us. We would advise anyone reading this not to get involved with this man or his group.
Sat. 14th September - The day came that we had been waiting for since the Group first got together in 1996. One of our buses was taken to undercover storage today at the Midland Railway Centre near Ripley. For the full story of the day, click here (External link to Andy Cooper's Transport Pages web site).
Sun. 22nd September - Showbus at Duxford. Members travelled down on various different vehicles including Volvo Olympian N137 AET. Those of us lucky enough to travel on 137 were able to take part in the parade of 50 Golden Jubilee buses from the Trumpington Park & Ride site in Cambridge to Duxford.
Sun. 29th September - With 114 now indoors at the Midland Railway Centre, regular Sunday working parties commenced today.
Sat. 2nd November - 123 joined 114 at the Midland Railway Centre.
Sun. 3rd November - Our annual Blackpool trip. Group member Andy Bagshaw organised this years trip using G. & J. Holmes's Dennis Javelin.
Thurs. 14th November - We registered the new URL for this website - www.chesterfield123.org.uk
Sun. 22nd December - Our annual Christmas run around and dinner. Aston Buses provided Leyland Leopard DWF 22V for our use and we visited Baslow, Bakewell, Ashford-in-the-Water, Great Longstone, Worksop, Retford & Clowne. Xmas dinner was at the "Prince of Wales", Brimington.