Peterhouse Playbus ~ Amended

Continuing Grahame's farming theme, this week's Great Yarmouth Mercury contains an article on Gorleston's Peterhouse Primary School's farming project. Thought to be the first  in the county, pupils will be encouraged to transform a redundant patch of land into a school farm

G642CHF at Peterhouse Primary School
Photo: Colin White

As part of the project, the school has acquired a double deck bus from Sun Fun of Earith in Huntingdon. It is an East Lancs bodied Volvo B10M-50 dating from 1989. Registered G642CHF, it was new to North Western in November of that year and a photo of it in Manchester in May 1991 can be viewed here

North Western operations were acquired by the Drawline Group in 1988 who later sold them on to British Bus. In turn, British Bus was bought by the Cowie Group in 1996 and, after re-branding, the group became Arriva North West the following year

G642CHF was accordingly repainted in Arriva colours and subsequently transferred to Arriva Kent Thameside. It was captured on film by Eamonn Kantell who saw it heading for Dartford on an unknown date - believed to be in the early 2000's. After a short spell with Eurotaxis it passed to Sun Fun who painted it in their yellow livery and it was often seen on school duties

Colin White from the Eastern Transport Collection's Terminus Magazine sends me a photo of the bus and is becoming involved with the project. He tells me that the intention is to keep the bus in running order and that it will fit in with the farm project with the exterior of the lower deck painted to include some farm animals. Lower deck seats will begin to be removed in the coming week so that the layout of the bus will be in the form of a classroom setting. My thanks to Colin for his help with this post

Meanwhile, the school is seeking donations of materials and expertise in woodwork and metalwork. Anyone with animal care skills is also invited to help. If you are able  help contact the school via farm.peterhouse@gmail.com

Roy