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Isle of Wight Bus & Coach Museum facts for kids

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Isle of Wight Bus & Coach Museum
Established 1997
Location Park Road, Ryde Isle of Wight
Type Transport

The Isle of Wight Bus & Coach Museum, also referred to as The Isle of Wight Bus Museum, was founded in 1997 in Newport on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom.

The museum is a registered charity and run completely by volunteers. The vehicle collection is currently housed in the former bus depot at Ryde, Isle of Wight.

The museum hosts two bus rallies of its own. There is one event in May, running day. and another in October which features many buses from around the country.

Vehicles on display

Southern Vectis 628 SDL 638J 6
Bristol VR Previously run by Southern Vectis 628 SDL638J St James Square, Newport.
Bus Registration Year Owner
Bristol K5G / ECW FLJ538 1954 Museum
Bristol K5G DDL50 1940 On Loan
Bristol MW6G / ECW PDL515 1958 Museum
Bedford SB / Duple ADL459B 1964 Museum
Bristol FLF6G / ECW CDL479C 1965 Museum
Bristol MW6G / ECW FDL927D 1966 Museum
Bristol RESH / Duple Commander KDL885F 1968 Museum
Bristol RELL / ECW TDL563K 1971 Museum
Bedford YRQ / Plaxton VDL264K 1972 Museum
Bristol VRT-SL3 / ECW UDL673S 1978 Museum
Leyland Leopard / ECW B51 RDL309X 1982 Museum
Dennis Dart / Duple G526VYE 1990 Museum
Volvo B10B / Northern Counties K125BUD 1993 Museum
AEC Matador / SVOC GXX785 1945 Museum
Daimler CK / Dodson DL5084 1927 Museum
Cheverton Stage Coach 1880 Museum
NDL 600W / Robin Hood 1982 Museum
Bedford SB / Duple ODL400 Museum
Leyland National MDL880R 1976 Museum
Dennis Dart HW52 EPX 2002 Museum
Ford Transit B259 MDL 1984 Museum
Bedford OB / Duple FDL676 1949 On Loan
Bristol LD6G / ECW PDL519 1958 Private
Dennis Ace / Harrington DL9015 1934 Private
Renault TN4F 136 NOU Private
Bristol LD6G / ECW SDL268 1959 Private
Bristol VRT-SL2 / ECW SDL638J 1971 Private
Bristol LD/ ECW MDL 954 Private
Leyland Olympian / ECW A700DDL Museum
Bristol VRT / ECW NDL637M Private

The Isle of Wight Bus Museum currently has 21 vehicles on display at its new premises at Ryde.

Relocation

Isle of Wight Bus and Coach Museum
The bus museum's previous site at Newport Quay

By the end of 2010, the museum was planning to relocate and construct a new purpose-built unit to house an Island Road Transport Museum. The move is necessary due to the building it currently uses being demolished as part of redevelopment of Newport Quay. The plan was to purchase a two and a half acre area of farmland adjoining Havenstreet Railway, with the new site covering twice the floor area that the current base offers. The plans would require £120,000 to be raised to fund the move. Supporters were invited to purchase £250 shares in the project with monies being returned if the plan failed. However, in addition to funding issues, the field formed part of the Isle of Wight AONB, which could have led to a battle for planning consent over redevelopment.

Since 2015 the museum has been based at a former Southern Vectis depot, located in Park Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight. which houses and displays the museum’s collection of buses and coaches.

Photo gallery

  • Buses at Isle of Wight Bus Museum running day May 2010 2

    Buses lined up on the quay during the "Ex Island Buses" only running day during May 2010.

  • Ex Southern Vectis Bedford OB 216 (FDL 276)

    An ex Southern Vectis Bedford OB 216 (FDL676) at the Southern Vectis Bustival 2011. This bus is part of the bus museum collection.

  • Preserved 301 (KDL885F)

    This is 301 a Bristol RELH with Duple Commander Bodywork.This bus is part of the bus museum collection.