Keeping the Show on the Road
The Management Committee met on July 24, at Cowley House, Oxford, courtesy of Philip Kirk.The committee was pleased to note that Pat Campany, having assumed responsibility as Membership Secretary, had already been very successful in recruiting new members and chasing up late payers to the end that it would now be necessary to increase the order for the print run of the Journal! With regret they learnt that John Ashley and John Howie would be standing down, respectively, as Events Organiser and Company Secretary at the year’s end. Royston Fisher had agreed to remain Treasurer whilst the quest continued for his replacement. That quest has now been successful and Maria Stanley, who read law at Cardiff, has very kindly agreed to take on the task.
Wales on Wheels
The Committee congratulated John Ashley on this year’s very successful Wales on Wheels event, a full report of which is included in Journal 77.
Whither the route and whence we came
The Committee gave further consideration to the draft discussion paper on the Association’s development, a summary of which is now included in this edition. It had been considered that it was appropriate to explore ways in which the Association might work more effectively with other organisations, and, in this connection, the attention of members is also drawn to the paper relating to the conference held at the Acton depot of the London Transport Museum. The Committee welcomed preliminary reports on possible collaboration with the Omnibus Society and the Coventry Transport Museum. The views of members, needless to say, would be welcome relating to the development paper and to any possible collaboration with organisations sharing, to some extent, interests akin to our own.
Dates for the Diary
The Committee, in reviewing arrangements for the Autumn Conference, confirms that it will take place in Coventry on October 4, John Minnis, of English Heritage, being the Conference’s keynote speaker. However, to minimise expense and inconvenience to members, the event will now be limited to a single day, incorporating luncheon, at the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum. Additionally, there will be an opportunity for members, in an open forum, to report on their current researches. Should you be willing to make such a presentation, would you please let us know. A revised booking form is is on the Events page.
Preliminary consideration was given to next year’s programme [2015], partly to accommodate the wishes of members who need to plan ahead.
The Spring AGM and Conference will take place in the refurbished Coventry Transport Museum on Saturday, March 21, 2015, when the theme will be ‘Transport and the City Region, in History and in Prospect’.
In the Summer, on a date to be negotiated, there will be a special one day conference in Oxford, in celebration of Professor John Hibbs’ 90th anniversary, on the theme of ’Regulation and Deregulation in Transport’.
The Autumn Conference would take place in the Coventry Transport Museum on Saturday, October 3, 2015, on the theme of ‘Maps in the History of Transport’.
Until next time …
As ever, should you suppose that, as far as you are concerned, the bus has taken the wrong turning, please ring the bell! The Committee resolved that their next meeting would be held on Wednesday, November 5, 2014, when they would be pleased to consider your comments.
Robert McCloy, chairman and clerk pro tem