| A A A A big LUPTS reunion
5/6 October 2002:
a report |
A reunion event, for as many former members who could make it, was held in Birkenhead over the weekend of 5/6 October 2002. Here, the two main organisers give their memories of the weekend itself and the preparation for it. On separate pages, there are selections of photographs of the Saturday and Sunday. There are also details of press coverage of the event.
Martin Jenkins (Founder Member, Chairman 1958-1961)
A hugely successful weekend. The turn out was exceptional - probably at least a quarter of the one-time LUPTS membership enjoying some aspect of the 2 days.
How did it come about? The first glimmers emerged at Crich when members involved in the preservation of 869 said “we must do this again”. Actual planning began some 18 months ago but moved in serious mode when Charles and I booked the room in Bebington Town Hall last December. Next came the various letters, faxes, emails etc informing as many people as possible that it was happening and making sure 'the event' was heavily underlined in diaries. Behind the scenes, Charles was bustling away booking buses; organising the Parry tea and biscuits service; making LUPTS blinds; drinking red wine and arranging memorable photo opportunities.
We will all have our own highlights - mine are many and varied but the following stand out - a trundle round Birkenhead in 152 on Thursday evening (just testing it out!); greeting Maura McWatt (the widow of one of our founder members and my own great friend - Jerome McWatt); admiring Tom Turner (our driver on 152) tackling the jams and the hills in Liverpool; the founders’ photo-call on the caf steps in the old Students’ Union (just to find 8 of us altogether again); the amazing variety of slides taking us on that whistle stop tour into the past; the Sunday spin on 78 (as a Wallaseyean and co-author of The Tramways of Birkenhead and Wallasey this had to be my own personal high-spot); and finally the chance to meet and talk to so many other devotees spanning the life of LUPTS.
I have to thank Charles for all his work; Angus Tilston for the film show; the MTPS; the 201 Group; and all those at Taylor Street. I'm sure this will inspire a similar re-union sometime - somewhere in the future. For a 'dead' Society, LUPTS shows amazing powers of survival. Long may we continue.
Charles Roberts (Chairman 1981-1982)
Why do I always let myself get talked into helping with the organising of this sort of thing? I could sit back, maintain a low profile and just turn up on the day. I suppose because when it all (mostly?) goes well, when so many complimentary emails and other messages come in, it does makes the effort all worthwhile.
Quite a few of my Thursday evenings this last summer have been spent at planning meetings for the Wirral Bus and Tram Show. I felt a bit of a fraud amongst all these worthy souls organising sales stand space, bus parking and stewarding (apologies for my relative silence John, Bill, Dave, Denis, Ziggy et al) but I think it was useful to have a foot in the door. Things finally came together in the 10 days or so preceding the weekend – yes we could have 105 for a short ride as well as hiring 152, yes we could gatecrash a public journey on one of the vintage trams and call it a LUPTS Tour, yes we could display our blinds liberally in all the buses and trams, yes the Parry clan would bring their expertise into play with the Saturday night catering.
My personal highlights include meeting so many people across all the LUPTS generations. With due deference to our founders, I was born on the day on which LUPTS gained B society status (spooky?) and there’s another ten years of LUPTites after me. Age, position and status have no role in LUPTS get togethers – that, for me, is what distinguishes LUPTS from any other organisation. The trip on 152 was very nostalgic for me as well, as I was on its last journey for the MPTE – a hire to the Merseyside Bus Club on 20 March 1977 – and I hadn’t travelled on it since.
It’s always good to see LUPTS TOUR displayed and I got a particular kick from hearing that Wallasey 78 spent all Sunday so adorned. Maintaining a tradition though, a LUPTS TOUR destination does not deter the general public. The lady of fairly advanced years waiting in Bebington at 17:00 on Saturday night saw no reason to let a back loader pass by. When told “There’s be another one along in a minute” she asked “It’s not another one of yours is it?”
Also maintaining a tradition, my projector decided to throw a wobbler on the Saturday evening although, of course, it now works perfectly again. Thank goodness Angus Tilston lives so close and was able to bring his slide projector along.
At 15:00 on Sunday, back at the flat, soaking in the bath (one day there’ll be a “University lecturer in freak soggy newspaper bath drowning incident” headline) I resolved never to step forward and get involved with organising things like this again. I probably will though.
Participants
As far as can be remembered, the following is a complete list former members of the Society who were able to put in an appearance for at least part of the weekend. Please let the webmaster know if you spot any mistakes.
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Friends of the Society who attended included:
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Apologies for absence were received from the following LUPTS members and friends:
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Last updated: 19 January 2003
© Charles Roberts/LUPTS 2002