New display at Oxford Bus Museum for 2016
New panels have been installed in the entrance to the museum describing the development of public transport by road containing historic photographs including some of early horse trams, modern trams. Later in the season it is hoped that our 1881 restored horse drawn will go on display in the main museum. It is currently in our workshop.
Oxford's trams ran from December 1881 until August 1914 when they were replaced in their entirety by motor buses. There had been a scheme to replace the familiar horses with electricity in 1906 but unfortunately contemporary technology was not able to fulfil the ultimate aspiration of Oxford City Council, no overhead wiring in the City centre. Tramcars fitted with petrol engines driving generators was the final proposal in 1912, just a year before William Morris, Lord Nuffield, precipitated events by introducing motor buses to Oxford in December 1913.
During the summer season the museum will additionally open on Saturdays from 8 May until 24 September between 10.30am until 4.30pm in addition to Wednesdays and Sundays throughout the year. Free bus rides on vintage buses will be run on the first and third Sundays in each month until Sunday September.
The museum is also open on Summer Bank Holiday Mondays. New in 2016 free hourly bus rides will be run from the museum to local towns. On Monday 2 May the service will be to Bladon and Woodstock leaving the museum at 11.30am and hourly until 3.30pm, Bladon five minutes later and Woodstock, opposite the Marlborough arms at 12 noon until 4pm.
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
The museum is located at the Rail Station Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire OX29 8LA and contains 30 vintages buses and coaches, the earliest dating from 1913, a collection of Morris cars dating from 1925 to 1977 and a collection of bicycles.
The Museum is a charity and run entirely by volunteers.
PRESS CONTACTS: Christopher Butterfield 01296 337622 & Frank Collingwood 01993 811003
Old Station Yard, Main Road, Long Hanborough, Near Witney, Oxon OX29 8LA
(Museum site and registered office)
Company No. 4228899 Charity No. 1088389 Museum Registration No. 1667
Web site: http:/www.oxfordbusmuseum.org.uk