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Dewsbury Bus Museum facts for kids

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Dewsbury Bus Museum
A double deck bus in front of a large iron clad garage
The rare Guy Wulfrunian UCX275 stands outside the Dewsbury Bus Museum.
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Established 1989 (1989)
Location Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England
Type Transport museum
Owner West Riding Omnibus Museum Trust

The Dewsbury Bus Museum is a special place in Ravensthorpe, West Yorkshire, England, that celebrates the history of buses. It opened in 1989 and is run by a group of dedicated volunteers. The museum is a registered charity, which means it works to preserve history for the public good, not to make a profit.

Inside, you can find a fantastic collection of old buses. Many of them once drove on the roads of Yorkshire. The museum is famous for being the home of the only two Guy Wulfrunian double-decker buses left in the world! It also has vehicles from famous old companies like the West Riding Automobile Company, Yorkshire Woollen District Transport, and Yorkshire Traction.

The Museum's Bus Collection

The museum has a great variety of buses from different eras. Each one has its own story. Here are some of the historic vehicles you can see.

  • 1948 Leyland Titan PD2: An early double-decker bus.
  • 1952 Leyland Tiger PS2: A classic coach, designed for comfortable long journeys.
  • 1952 Leyland Tiger PS2: A bus version of the Tiger, built for local routes.
  • 1956 AEC Reliance: A reliable single-decker bus.
  • 1957 AEC Reliance: A coach version of the Reliance, known as the "Dalesman."
  • 1957 Guy Arab MkIV: A sturdy and popular double-decker.
  • 1961 Guy Wulfrunian: One of the two rare Wulfrunian buses at the museum.
  • 1963 Guy Wulfrunian: The second surviving Wulfrunian double-decker.
  • 1967 Leyland Panther: A single-decker bus from the late 1960s.
  • 1970 Bristol RELL: A common sight on British roads in its day.
  • 1982 Leyland National 2: A simple and practical bus from the 1980s.
  • 1984 Leyland Olympian: A modern double-decker with a body by ECW.
  • 1987 Leyland Royal Tiger Doyen: A sleek coach from the late 1980s.

Fun Events at the Museum

Double decker line up
A line-up of classic buses during an Open Day at the museum in 1990.

The museum is a lively place with lots of events. It holds Open Days throughout the year where visitors can see the buses up close.

During these events, other classic vehicle owners often bring their own buses and cars to show off. It's a great chance to see a huge variety of historic transport all in one place.

History of the Museum's Home

Ravensthorpe 1987
The old bus depot in Ravensthorpe around 1987, before it became the museum.

The museum building has its own interesting past. Before it was a museum, the site was a small bus depot. It was built in the 1930s for the Yorkshire Woollen District Transport Company.

For many years, the company used the depot to store its coaches during the quiet winter months. But by the 1980s, the building was old and had fallen into disrepair.

A group of bus fans called the West Riding Omnibus Preservation Society (WROPS) wanted a place to store their collection of old buses. They bought the old depot and formed the West Riding Omnibus Museum Trust to look after it.

Eventually, the old building became too worn out and had to be demolished. A new, modern building was built in its place, which is the museum you can visit today.

A Gallery of Classic Buses

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