Big Red

Timescale


December

Logistical stuff, such as where to park a bus and insurance.

Because of their age Routemaster's can be driven on a domestic license as long as it's not for hire or reward and as long as there are no more than 8 people onboard.

Insurance is available through the sort of people that do classic car insurance. I did try my kit car insurance broker but they haven't got back to me.

January

Purchase bus. I've already started making enquiries of Ensign Buses in Purfleet, so I know how much it's going to cost etc... I'll start the ball rolling in earnest mid-January once I'm clear of the annual Comus Club Dinner and a pantomime that I'm set designing for. Hopefully we'll be able to pick it up mid-February.

February

February is always busy with various stage shows that I help out with taking place. I'm not expecting to be able to do much work on the bus during this time period. Ideally I'd be able to spend a day taking accurate measurements and then use the rest of the month to formulate plans and to start placing orders for raw materials. The tools will need to be shuttled out to the bus.

March

Timeline revised. I hope to pick up a bus late March, or very early April. Need to sort out insurance, roadside assistance and RMOA membership.

April

A big push to get the upper level built and installed. With careful planning I expect two long weekends should see the snug structure done with some inroads into the cupboard and bunk beds. The plan would be structure first, followed by fittings such as drawers, cupboard doors, etc... then upholstery. Given commitments in London I can only reasonably expect to be able to devote two weekends in the month to the bus.

Rear platform security. This needs to be one of the first things tackled, still not clear how I intend to do it.



May

Promises to be fairly quiet, should be able to get two or three weekends work done on the bus. One weekend required in order to visit Andy Caisley in Brussels to talk through set designs for Opsoc Tour.

May

The start of the month should be fairly clear, but towards the end work will start on the set build for Opsoc Tour.

July

Most of the month will be taken up with putting together the show in Budleigh for Opsoc Tour, which also means that my tools won't necessarily be on the same site as the bus. However, if we take the bus down on tour all of the tools will be present, I won't have to sleep in a tent and I'll have plenty of time during the day to work on other areas of the bus.

2006

South of France? Rude not to, although the logistics of such a long trip will be interesting in their own right. For a shorter journey, eg. Belgium the P&O ferries website quoted me £120 for a motorhome of the correct dimensions with 8 passengers for a two night trip.


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