Cumbria Classic Coaches used this vehicle to transport a wedding party to Derbyshire. While the reception took place, Transpire members went for a ride!

Sixteen members and friends enjoyed a leisurely evening trip aboard MTJ 84 on Saturday evening 24th July. MTJ 84 is a 1951 Guy Arab III with a Roe C31F body which was delivered new to the Lancashire United Transport company (then one of the largest independent companies in England). When new it was already out dated as underfloor engined coaches were already sweeping the market. It would be interesting to know why this batch of coaches which numbered ten were purchased (MTJ 81 - 90). In the following year, Lancashire United placed some Guy Arab underfloor engined coaches in service, still with Roe bodies, so it might have been that Guy had not yet put into production their underfloor engined model. They certainly liked their Guys and were still placing Guy Arab double deckers in service as late as 1968.

The passengers commented on the smooth running of the coach in view of its Gardner engine which, despite their many attributes such as reliability and fuel economy, are not perhaps the smoothest running of engines, especially in half cab coaches. The route took us up through Newbold, Barlow and Cutthorpe before reaching a one time terminus of a Chesterfield Transport route at Pratt Hall which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Tony Stacey, our driver, remembered driving on this route and told a tale of a farmer's wife who used to bring the crew a dozen eggs on a Saturday whilst they were on layover! After a few more stops for photographs, the coach was parked up at the Three Merry Lads at Cutthorpe where we all enjoyed a refreshment break. The coach returned to Chesterfield for about 9.30pm as it had to go to Chatsworth to pick up some of its wedding guests.

Grateful thanks are extended to Tony Stacey (our driver), Cumbria Classic Coaches for making the coach available and David Gambles for making the arrangements, for giving Transpire members an evening to remember (and I am sure that Shayne will remember that next time he is on a coach with a sliding door, not to lean on the opening mechanism!)