Here's the latest from Omnibuses' Mystery Contributor. See his previous piece here
With the advent of the internet in recent years, without which this blog would not exist, one may think that the traditional bus enthusiast societies producing material in printed format have had their day.This is not quite true – the PSV Circle continues to produce its comprehensive news sheets detailing the vehicles the industry operates, while The Omnibus Society, founded in 1929, watches over route and service developments made all too frequently by most bus companies.
An interesting aspect of both of these societies is that they include among their members a fair proportion of managers from within the industry. It’s not cool for industry insiders to admit that they have an interest beyond their own responsibilities, the late Chris Moyes probably being the most high profile enthusiast to hold a top position in recent years.
It’s said that OS members represent the crème-de-la-crème of the enthusiast world. Upon its formation, OS was felt to attract the ‘officer class’. So, what does the Omnibus Society actually do? It’s organised into regional branches, each of which produces a regular newsletter detailing service changes across its area. Some of these newsletters are quite professional in style, and also include features on particular routes or networks. Others, it has to be said, look like they were produced on a gun-shot 1970s vintage steam-powered typewriter. Branches also organise tours of routes within their areas, and arrange for talks from any operators, large or small, who are willing to share their knowledge.
The national organisation sits over and above these branches, and hosts monthly meetings in London where very senior industry figures have given presentations. It also produces a reasonable quality glossy magazine every two months.
The worry for the OS must be an ageing and declining membership. It’s said there are fewer than 1,000 members. How in 2008 does a staid, old-fashioned correspondence society entice new members to join? The service that it provides (recording route changes) is of interest to many, but as a voluntary society it needs fresh blood to maintain its services, and a fresh image to encourage new members.
The national organisation sits over and above these branches, and hosts monthly meetings in London where very senior industry figures have given presentations. It also produces a reasonable quality glossy magazine every two months.
The worry for the OS must be an ageing and declining membership. It’s said there are fewer than 1,000 members. How in 2008 does a staid, old-fashioned correspondence society entice new members to join? The service that it provides (recording route changes) is of interest to many, but as a voluntary society it needs fresh blood to maintain its services, and a fresh image to encourage new members.
And that will be a challenge. Perhaps it's something the OS might address its 80th anniversary year, in 2009.
4 comments:
Most interesting post, and echoes a discussion I've been having with my own mob LOTS; since the end of the RM, membership numbers have begun to drift downwards.
Is the decline in membership of various 'paper' societies due to a combination of ageing membership, the post-Internet reluctance of those younger to pay for anything they might be able to get for free (though the drawback is that what they'll get is more often gossip than fact) or the uncomfortable notion that, for a variety of reasons, buses simply aren't that interesting any more? Discuss.
I fear that you have a valid point there, Matt, in suggesting that buses are not so interesting as they 'used to be'.
I guess that 'used to be' will refer to the time when one's interest in buses developed - in my case the late 60's. My perception is that there is much less variety now, compared to then - variety of operators, liveries, vehicle types. But I use the word 'perception' advisedly - in my home city (Southampton) there were 2 major operators when my interest developed, and that is still the case now. Then, the municipal operator was in the process of replacing one very standardised fleet (Guy Arabs) with another (Leyland Atlantean/East Lancs), though in between there seemed some uncertainty about the favoured suppliers, so the fleet then was quite interesting. Now, well, the municipal has been taken over by First, who do now seem to be developing a vehicle policy standardised largely on Volvo/Wright combinations, but it has taken time.
What definitely makes buses less interesting today is the knowledge that city buses in Southampton will be pretty much indistinguishable from those in Bristol, Leicester or Glasgow. Likewise for the rural and interurban buses in North Hampshire - now probably little different from those in Cumberland (though they would also have been similar in 1968) or North East Scotland - they would have been quite different in 1968!
I would also suggest the reduction in the number of double deckers may also have an impact, and the flood of dull, pastel shade liveries that the corporate identity specialists seem to think the bus operators need in order to look appealing, but to my mind just help to make the buses much less visible in the street!
Interesting that both comments so far concentrate on 'buses'. The Omnibus Society is very much interested in the routes and services which these buses operate, and since deregulation in 1980/1986 the freedom for operators to vary services without having to attend an inquiry means that many interesting developments have taken place and are continuing to do so.
Just this week Woottens have revealed their new bus brand, in what looks to be a very bold new development - recording these things for posterity on paper is the OS's forte', and I hope that they can continue to do so and if anything grow their coverage.
Dennis Dash makes a good point as well - certainly, as far as the routes and services that buses operate, there is probably as much of interest now as there ever was - so there is certainly a role for the OS. I also have no doubt that its records should be of interest to the traffic or commercial managers of bus companies today.
These societies seem to need an enthusiast element as well as support from professionals, and I wonder if an interest in the vehicles themselves leads to an interest in the operations? That was certainly true for myself, but perhaps there are those who develop an interest in routes and services without ever taking a particular interest in the vehicles that operate those services? My concern is that, if the buses themselves don't attract the attention of potential enthusiasts, then the interest in other aspects will wane.
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