Imberbus's once-a-year London Bus Service | Hidden London Hangouts (S04E04)

[@chrisnix6352]

Hidden village, London buses - of course we had to cover Imberbus in the Hidden London Hangouts! Great to see some of our longest standing Hangout fans at Imber too. Thanks to Peter Hendy and Kat Mauranen for joining us on the show. If you haven’t heard of Imberbus before we hope this tempts you to go next year.

[@dazzlingdaz187]

Just catching up on this now, I've had a manic few weeks. I love the smell of old buses, particularly the fabric. I used to go to school on an old green Western National bus and remember pushing the bell before getting off the back.

[@jimdarrell441]

Watching today's episode was the highlight of my day! How is it possible that every episode is even better than its predecessor? Thanks for keeping this up! Great work team HLH!

[@ulazygit]

Nice departure from your usual videos … both in content and location. Looking forward to seeing you guys driving the route master in a future episode. Loved your glowing case, Chris! Do you have the wallet to go with it? And Alex, I’m still waiting for you to call back! I’m not going away!

[@alexgrundon2346]

…you only ring when you want something… 🤣🤣 thanks for the kind words. Given the laid back tone of this episode, leaving the missed call in seemed totally par for the course!

[@alisonjperry6291]

Ah! Double declutching! Memories of the car in whic I took (and passed) my driving test - a Morris Minor! BEA! Wow! The hangars at Heathrow used to have neon signs on them that would display alternately "FLY" and "BEA". BEA was remerged with BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) to reform BA in 1974.

[@mapala78]

Another really interesting episode. Geoff Marshall & Vicki Pipe visited Imber in Aug 2018 in their All The Stations series.

[@bryanthesnail5383]

Very interesting to learn about the Imber bus service, I enjoy the videos keep up the good work. The MOD have another village in Dorset that is part of the Lulworth Ranges, Tyneham, same state as Imber where the church has been maintained and has services, but the houses are in a state of dilapidation, but are managed so that they are safe for visitors.

[@johngelson2948]

This is the episode I've been waiting for! The bonus for me was the appearance of Northern Routemaster 2099 - others like it were the first buses I ever remember passing our house in Peterlee, County Durham on the 45 Newcastle to Hartlepool route when I was 5, in 1970 - so they are where the bus thing started for me! Last summer Go North East - today's successor to Northern - ran 2099 in service twice a day from Gateshead as a 'special' and I was there to ride on it, like being a kid again. Northern was the only operator outside London to buy Routemasters new so they're special.

[@unittaskforce]

A different episode, good fun and interesting to see the historic buses serving such an unusual location. Buses may not be my key interest, but this was still an enjoyable episode and I really enjoyed it.

[@mrcogginsgarage7062]

Best way to describe Double Declutching is to treat it as neutral is a gear that you change into in order to let the gearbox catch up with the road speed to ensure that the next gear you select goes in without baulking ,it's a bit like riding a bike in that once you have got the hang of it you never lose the ability to change neatly Next week the joys and delights of a pre select box with a fluid flywheel!.....

[@paulgiffen6836]

Hi team Imberbus looks amazing i will have to go here next year to see that superb church and all the stunning buses, wonderful episode team, great to see Siddy back looking so brown and gorgeous 💖

[@kevinreed9232]

Great Episode, thank you to all of you, and Katerina.

[@carolinecleaveley-q1r]

My dad was a customs officer and occasionally we went to Luton Airport with the Brittania aircraft.

[@ljrigsbee]

What a fabulous treat to watch after a long day at work! I’d love a trip to Imber, and very much looking forward to the Patreon content. ;)

[@markellis6413]

I remember the RMA airport buses going from the old air terminal at Victoria station. There was one in the 90's used on, I think, the 6 route? I also remember the RT moquette from riding on them in Croydon...

[@AtoZbyLocalBus]

When I done the Imberbus in 2018, it was a nice day. Also it was the same year Geoff and Vickey from All The Stations was there.

[@TrainDriver1953]

BEA buses was also at Victoria's station plus the front door routemasters was also used in Kent and Sussex.

[@Roblilley999]

Originally saw this on Griff Maunsells video on the Imberbus, something I've always wanted to do, but never got round to it

[@18robsmith]

Horizontal rain is an essential feature of Salisbury Plane, and Imber in particular......

[@stuartbusdriver2038]

Just watched this episode and just great again i should have been there driving one of the Routemasters but work got in the way. Having drove in previous years i loved every minute of it hopefully i will be back next year

[@swiper1818]

Great team and excellent content! - very interesting👍👍👍

[@my__socrates__note]

I've spent this video trying to spot a friend in the background who was there that day and sent me photos of the RM and Cub to make me jealous... And I was!

[@twelvewheel]

Great episode, sorry about the rain! Can I steer you back underground for a sec? You'll have seen the terrible floods in New York which affected the Subway system. London had similar in 1928 and I read that the District had pumping stations at Warwick Road, Sloane Square, South Ken, Victoria and Temple, water from the track drains being conveyed to vast sumps with duplicate steam pumps and boilers at each location to discharge the water. Does anything survive of these installations - you are the obvious guys to ask?

[@trickymickylt748]

Great video of a great day I love being a driver on this and sometimes give up the driving seat to do conducting on the 1965 open top routemaster we bring the weather didn't stop us 😂👍

[@carolinecleaveley-q1r]

Alex. We used to serve Hitchin with United Counties buses too with a depot there. You may have been to school on one of these.

[@carolinecleaveley-q1r]

Hi all. when i rebuilt a 1965 Bristol RELL bus all the rubber had gone in the seats so i had them redone .

[@longbranchmike488]

Awesome inflatable prop!

[@DavidShepheard]

You missed a trick here. Whenever you do a bus-based episodes, you should replace the signal box bell dings with someone ringing the bell string on a Routemaster. ;)

[@carolinecleaveley-q1r]

double de clutching is very difficult when slowing down. After 18 years of bus and coach driving ive only done this twice and never mastered it either time.

[@NextSound170]

The hidden london lightbox is an official licenced product of TfL

[@chrisnix6352]

The mini light box seen in the show is an official licenced product but the “Hidden London” insert is made bespoke for the show and isn’t available through retail.

[@NextSound170]

@@chrisnix6352 Cool thanks thanks

[@carolinecleaveley-q1r]

the bea buses were used to run from central london to heathrow.

[@alastairholmes9690]

Great episode, and like Alex I also picked up on the Hitchin connection to the museum’s bus - my grandfather worked on the buses for LT from Hitchin garage from around 1930 till the 1960s.

[@alexgrundon2346]

Was it always on Fishponds Road?

[@alastairholmes9690]

@@alexgrundon2346 No, Fishponds Road was the old United Counties garage. The LT garage was at the junction of Bridge Street and Park Street, by the roundabout in front of the Lord Lister. Closed in the 60s and everything moved to Stevenage. The old building was only demolished a few years ago, but the replacement building still has the same distinctive shape at the front with a tall arch, although I think it’s a small block of flats now.

[@derekhorne8076]

I know there may not be much in the way of pictures/relics, but I wondered if you'd considered a history of the various Hounslow stations. Hounslow town (now bus garage) and Hounslow barracks. The rebuild of Hounslow East, the moving of Hounslow West for the extension to Heathrow - maybe the resisting of Osterley too? (I live in West Yorkshire but until the age of 13 lived in Hanworth and Hounslow East was out nearest tube station)

[@themistocleszammit]

One day I must get to Imberbus.

[@aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa224]

Cool

[@carolinecleaveley-q1r]

we use sawdust for clearing up spills.

[@AtoZbyLocalBus]

Was the London Transport Museum’s Battle Bus at Imber this year?

[@alexgrundon2346]

Nope

[@Andrewjg_89]

The only place where there isn’t any inhabitants. Very strange place in Wiltshire.

[@DavidShepheard]

I learned about Imber, some time ago, and it's a shameful story. The government bullied the locals into leaving their houses, saying that the village was needed to train troops (for the invasion of France in WWII). They were told that the village was only needed for about 8 weeks and given letters promising they would be able to come back. But, once they left, the MoD decided they liked the place and refused to give it back. From what I understand the access days are there, because families have people buried at the church and are entitled to visit it. They really should get rid of the unexploded bombs and give it back to the families that were kicked out.

[@DavidShepheard]

Here is a video, by Tom Scott, that explains how the WWII government used emergency powers laws to steal Imber from it's residents: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6HSomRnrNVksLc It's only 3:10 long.

[@srfurley]

Is it possible to get to this place without a car? What is the bus used on the 388? Looks a bit like a cross between the New Bus for London and a conventional double decker. Never had a car when I was a child, so went everywhere by bus. Old and new ones, RT and RM, was surprised to see a single decker when we went to St. Albans. This would have been early to mid ‘60s. Not in London, but there’s still a wooden bus shelter served by a TfL route at Merstham, Northbound.

[@jeremybuck1818]

You can catch a train to Warminster, the 23a bus starts there

[@liamkenny6747]

Where would somebody get hold of one of those wonderful umbrella's?

[@chrisnix7981]

They are available from the London Transport Museum shop. Thanks for asking Liam.

[@borgdylan]

Had heard of IMberbus from a video by Geoff Marshall.

[@alexgrundon2346]

Geoff who? 🤣

[@borgdylan]

@@alexgrundon2346 I had written the surname wrong. I'm sorry Geoff.

[@alexgrundon2346]

No it’s a standing joke. Don’t worry

[@johnmarch5871]

Reminded me of Tyneham in Dorest - en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyneham

[@peebee143]

Imberbus is no more specialised than your excellent Hidden London tours. It attracts a certain kind of person, some call us weird, but we are just another interested bunch of the same species.