Reading Transport’s Chief Executive Officer James Freeman welcomes the
Mayor of Reading Councillor Debs Edwards to the open day.
Reading’s Mayor, Councillor Debs Edwards, welcomed visitors to the fourth annual Reading Transport open day at their Great Knollys Street headquarters on Sunday, 3 July 2011. It was packed with buses and people throughout the day-long event.
She said the open day showed people what Reading Transport does best – serving its customers.
Children took advantage of being allowed to sit in the driver’s cab of buses and there was even a ‘bus of fortune’ game in which the Mayor was one of the first participants. She also paid 50p to experience a ride through the bus wash.
At regular intervals throughout the day there were guided tours of the workshop and control room and visitors were invited to watch a film featuring trolley buses and trolley bus routes around Reading that provided a ‘blast from the past’.
One of the visiting vehicles on display was a 1930’s trolley bus which operated along Northumberland Avenue as far as Caversham Bridge. Trolley buses, which superseded trams, were taken off the road in Reading in 1968.
For the first time, a ceremony was held to name four hybrid yellow buses in memory of people closely connected with the work of the Duchess of Kent House – Reading Transport’s chosen charity of the year.
The buses were named in remembrance of Phyllis Haydon, Kenneth Solly – father of George the current Director of Fundraising for Duchess of Kent House – Joan Taylor and Marion Dollery. Their families were in attendance for the naming ceremony.
Over £3,000 which was raised at the open day through a wide variety of stalls and attractions, including face painting, will go to the Duchess of Kent House Charity.
More photographs from the day are available on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/DoKHC |
