Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
There we are..what can you do. Waiting for ages and then....But seriously here these two were last evening trundling down the boulevard of romance. Not sure what their job is around here or what they do, but I dont think they generally come down the seafront. Maybe they were affected by road closures or traffic snarl ups, but there we are, an unusual sight.
Well...sort of.
They seem to be a new addition to the Dovorian landscape or am i wrong entirely.
Guest 719- Registered: 11 Jul 2011
- Posts: 443
Yorkshire Born And Yorkshire Bred
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
in town every day during the cruise season, didn't know they were based at the transport museum though.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Dave Atkins, a leading light at the Transport Museum, is allowed to park his vintage buses up there - no parking costs and they're safe.
Roger
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Ah...so thats what they do. They certainly are colourful and you couldnt miss them yesterday afternoon trundling down along the seafront. They catch the eye of the tourist for sure... very pleasant visual. Gives one the whiff of summer.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
The light-blue is ghastly!
Now, if they were to be painted-up or transfer printed, with depictions of local attractions;the castle, the local Mrs. Miggins with her celebrated local produce, a scarlet tunic or two (and the fizug of the current Mayor?).
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 703- Registered: 30 Jul 2010
- Posts: 2,096
I saw the title and thought this thread must be about the Olympic torch relay and the Real Relay!
Guest 762- Registered: 12 Jul 2012
- Posts: 21
I've just registered on the forum specifically to answer this, though I've been reading the various ( non-political ) posts for a while, mainly those to do with buses, cruise ships or tourism, or of course , all three. These blue buses, ( there are four of them ) are used mainly for running a shuttle service for port of call cruise ships, from the cruise terminal to the town centre and the castle. We have been doing this for ten years now, and it was originally set up to get some of the passengers ( and crew ) to spend money in Dover. More information is available at
www.opentopbus.co.uk.
The buses are kept at Dover Transport Museum during the summer, as its more convenient than our unit in New Romney............ However its not free as Roger seems to think. We pay the museum the going commercial rent, as they need the money, one of the main reasons we park there. Its also not safe, like anywhere it suffers from occasional vandalism.
I'm sorry that Tom thinks the light blue is "ghastly", My wife, who chose the colour would like to know what other colour would be best for a tourism based, seaside bus operation? Have you any idea of the cost of vinyls and depictions of local attractions? Plans are afoot to put on adverts for the Dover Transport Museum however.
The buses are off their normal route as the drivers seek ways round the usual and frequent traffic hold ups on the road to the ferry port, keeping the passengers from spending their money in Dover, can't have that!
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
I'll gladly settle for 'distinctive, though it is good to hear that some use is to be made of all that advertising space, especially as it will be of benefit to the local attraction and the town.
Thanks for popping-in to keep us up to the minute Dave.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
Welcome Dave.
I like the colour and hope your business thrives
, do you carry tourism leaflets on the bus that would promote the area.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I do apologise Dave, I wasn't trying to be offensive about free parking, but as you work hard for the Transport Museum, I thought you would be allowed to park them for free; thank you for putting me right - and others too.
Welcome to the Forum.
Roger
Guest 762- Registered: 12 Jul 2012
- Posts: 21
Yes Jan, we do carry a limited supply of local leaflets on the buses, mainly the "step ashore in Dover" which seems to be popular with cruise passengers, and currently some for De Bradlei, Dover Eurochange and the new Geotours. Space is limited and the passengers usually get to us after they have visited the Visit Kent desk in the terminal. Too many leaflets can be counter productive, as the bus is a very convenient place to leave the ones you don't want! The passengers are then met in the Market square by Horace and his barrow, also giving advice and leaflets. We also have a number of adverts inside the buses for local attractions and businesses. We have to be careful as obviously sometimes the buses are used for other work.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
Hi Dave John Goodwin here,you do a good job with those buses and don't forget the new Dover Town Greeters assisting tourists in the Town,as well as the pre booked Kent Greeters.It is good to work along side you on my days off down at the Terminal.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 705- Registered: 23 Sep 2010
- Posts: 661
Appropriate colour Dave-keep up the good work-oh and by the way if we don't all pass on first we still would like to restore St Thomas!
Never give up...
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
You mentioned Horace in the Market Square, Dave; he has been sacked/laid off/made redundant, call it what you like, DTC have dispensed with his services as he was costing too much !!!
Not sure what WCCTA do with their membership money anymore (obviously not pay Horace) as I'm not connected to it, nor can I attend their metings.
I heard this from his wife, so you can't get much closer to the horses mouth. I always thought he did an excellant and very useful job and with his various European languages was the ideal man to welcome people to Dover.
Roger
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Well I never! here we are with three of them!!! Just taken a few minutes ago...now we have three and all looking good. The photograph slightly washed out because of the morning thats in it, but good to see. I had to snatch at it because getting all three together in the one shot....phew!
Wonder where they were off to...?
Sorry to hear that news about Horace Roger.
Guest 711- Registered: 1 Mar 2011
- Posts: 194
Yes, very sorry to hear about Horace's services being dispensed with. His langauage skills were a very great asset and I'm sure he impressed tourists.
Could his being dispensed with be something to do with the Tourist Office being moved to the Market Square?
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
So was I Paul - I'm sure Horace was too, not only because of the loss of the money, but he enjoyed talking to all the visitors here and telling them where each place was. Those sites benefitted too of course.
Roger
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,316
This sounds all very underhanded to me. Were the new greeters jealous? Did he not fit into the new regime?
I think a sentence with the words "shot" and "foot" come to mind.
Come on someone, fess up, why was Horace "sacked"?
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
totally shocked to hear that about horace, a great asset to dover.
cannot be anything to do with the new visitors centre as that won't be open until the end of the tourist season.
i doubt we will ever know the true reason.
