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Welcome Aboard ADBIG

 

The Formation of the Aldershot & District Interest Group (ADBIG)

 

1992 - Aldershot & District Bus Owners Group (ADBOG).

In 1992 a number of independent bus enthusiasts who owned preserved ex-Aldershot & District buses held a meeting in Alton, when they decided to get together and form an exclusive mutual help society with the aim of sharing expertise between members and to provide easier access to spare parts to help them keep their elderly buses up and running.

This group was named the Aldershot & District Bus Owners Group, ‘ADBOG’, who soon extended its remit to organise preserved bus running days locally in the Aldershot area using members preserved A&D buses.

In 1994, in an effort to increase membership, ADBOG decided to change its name to
“The Dennis Society” and extended its remit to encompass all the other types of vehicles and machinery built by Dennis Bros over the years, ranging from fire engines, ambulances, dustcarts to pick-up trucks and lawn mowers. At the same time, it amended its remit to cover only Dennis manufactured vehicles, rather than all A&D buses.

The Dennis Society eventually became a separate organisation. At first after ADBIG was formed ADBIG and The Dennis Society worked closely together, but sadly although still loosely connected the two groups gradually drifted apart. The Dennis Society still exists today in an online form.

1994 - ADBIG formed.
As a consequence of the Dennis Society split, in 1994 the Aldershot & District Bus Interest Group (ADBIG) was formed to cover every aspect of the Aldershot & District Traction Co Ltd, including not only Dennis buses, but AEC Reliances and all other non-Dennis buses to provide an outlet for the many people who had an interest in the varied aspects of the A&D, but who were not necessarily preserved bus owners.

The sight of the much loved two-tone green and cream liveried Aldershot & District preserved buses once again trundling around the area, some 23 years after they had disappeared from service, triggered an enormous amount of public interest and ADBIG was formed at a packed meeting held in St Peter’s Church Hall, Ash, in May 1994.

Preserved A&D AEC Reliance 543, now owned by ADBIG, resting

at Midhurst whilst on an ADBIG Members’ Tour.

ADBIG Objectives
Today ADBIG main objectives remain the study of all aspects of the old ‘Tracco’ operation, vehicles, and installations of the former Aldershot & District Traction Company Ltd and its successors. In later years this objective was extended to encompass the operations of Alder Valley (south of the A30) and the subsequent AV related companies that emerged.

Many ex-A&D records, engineering, and staff are securely stored at The Bus Archive in Droitwich. Although these records are not available to the general public, they are available for view by ADBIG members by special arrangement.

ADBIG is managed by the ADBIG Committee, a group of elected members who meet regularly under the auspices of the ADBIG Chairman.

The ADBIG Committee can be contacted at any time by email at info@adbig.co.uk

Preserved Aldershot & District Buses

Left: Ex Aldershot & District preserved AEC Reliance MOR 581, Fleet No. 543, seen here at North Town Aldershot on the day she was driven to Milland by ADBIG Chairman James Freemanon 12 October 2024.

Since October 2024 the ADBIG has actually owned one preserved bus, 1954 AEC Reliance 543, which lives in secure accommodation at ADORRS premises at Milland in West Sussex.

There are currently nine other preserved Aldershot & District buses that remain in full running order that make up the so called “ADBIG fleet”.

Apart from ADBIG owned 543, all of these buses are privately owned by ADBIG members some of whom regularly permit them to participate in ADBIG organised tours and other events. There are also around a dozen other ex A&D buses and coaches that we are aware of that have been rescued by private owners and are currently in various stages of restoration.

Three other ex A&D buses, Dennis Lancet ‘Brabazon’ single decker, 178, and Dennis Loline lll double deckers, 503 and 506, are now owned and operated by commercial coach companies. These are operated in A&D livery as full Class 6 private hire vehicles.

Right: Dennis Lancet ‘Brab K10 single decker, 178. This bus operated an ADBIG Members’ Tour to Horsham in May 2025

New to A&D in 1965, Dennis Loline llls 503 and 506 are currently

owned by Mark Hack, who has recently undertaken a restoration of

both buses into a superb ‘as new’ condition.

The buses are seen here at Mark Hack’s Top Marks Coaches depot

at Four Marks in Hampshire.

 

Tim Stubbs 1950 Dennis Lance K3 GOU 845, Fleet No. 145,
waiting at Knaphill whilst on an ADBIG Members’ tour on 1 October 2022.

 

Ex A&D 1954 Dennis Lance K4 LOU 48, Fleet No. 220, at Chertsey whilst on an ADBIG Members tour October 2023

 

Ex A&D 1956 Dennis Falcon P5 282 with Strachan 30 seat body

 

Preserved Alder Valley Buses

Recently ADBIG’s remit has been extended to include A&D’s successors, the Thames Valley and Aldershot Omnibus Company Ltd, “Alder Valley” operations south of the A30 and, to a lesser degree, Arriva Southern Counties and Stagecoach operations within the old A&D area.

 

ADBIG members own at least two preserved Alder Valley vehicles,

one is Paul Barrett’s 1972 preserved Alder Valley Leyland National 281,

seen here resting at Horsham Carfax whilst operating an

ADBIG Special Alder Valley Service 107 Guildford to Brighton.

ADBIG Sales
ADBIG sales team sell numerous items and mementoes relating to the old A&D Company, from the ADBIG sales stall at various bus events and rallies in the South of England, and online.

What ADBIG Can Do for You!
ADBIG is not just about keeping preserved A&D buses on the road; it is also about keeping alive the nostalgia and memories of the old Aldershot & District Company and its successors.

ADBIG Constitution
The full ADBIG Constitution can be found in the Members’ Section of the ADBIG website.

ADBIG Website Members Section
An increasingly important aspect of the ADBIG Website is the ADBIG Members Section.

As an ADBIG member you will have a password giving special access to the “Members’ Section”, where you will discover the ADBIG Archive which contains a vast collection of hundreds of historic photographs, backdated ADBIG Newsletter article, maps, timetables, tickets, duty schedules, some dating back to the early days of the A&D Company. This is not to mention numerous other precious A&D artefacts, some of which were destined for the skip in the run-up to A&D’s merger with Thames Valley in the early 1970s.

Another valuable source of historical A&D material was bequeathed to ADBIG from the estate of distinguished transport historian and author, Peter Holmes. Much of Peter’s material is now available for members to view on the Members’ Section of the ADBIG website.

The Members’ Section also provides electronic access to most, of the ADBIG newsletters published since the formation of the group in 1994 and the wide variety of information and articles that they contain on every conceivable aspect imaginable of the old Aldershot & District Company.

ADBIG Newsletter
The ADBIG Newsletter is a vital means of keeping our members up to date with what’s happening within the ADBIG Group. All ADBIG members receive a quarterly newsletter, which, has grown into a comprehensive full colour magazine packed with articles (many contributed by ADBIG members), photos and other information about the group’s activities.

ADBIG Activities
Bus Running Days: Following its formation as a separate group ADBIG’s constitution remained in its original form and for many years the group specialised in organising annual bus running days in the Aldershot, & District operating area with the help of Southwest Trains who generously permitted their railway station car parks to be used on Sundays as central departure points in the above towns.

These ADBIG running days soon gained a reputation for authenticity, with genuine A&D buses running over historic A&D routes, sometimes even crewed by ex A&D staff, many proudly wearing authentic A&D uniforms, worn when working on these same routes in the 1950s and 60s.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s ADBIG events became bigger and bigger until they culminated in the highly successful A&D Centenary Running Day held at Farnborough Airfield on May 27th, 2012.

Another much smaller ADBIG Running Day was held in Farnborough in 2013, but regrettably this proved to be the last ADBIG event of this nature. In later years spiralling financial pressures, a dramatic increase in road traffic at weekends and in particular bureaucratic red tape, made it increasingly difficult to stage independent bus running events and unfortunately it is unlikely that large ADBIG events staged during the heady days of the first decade of the 21st century can ever be repeated.

Whilst it is no longer possible for ADBIG to hold a bus running days of its own during the summer season A&D preserved buses often participate in bus rallies and running days run by other organisations. The highlight of these is normally the Mid-Hants Railway Bus Rally held annually in July in Alton when around two hundred plus preserved buses and other preserved vehicles descend on the town. The pressures mentioned above finally caught up with the Alton Event in 2023 when this event had to be cancelled, but the good news is that we have learned that future Mid-Hants rallies may be held in the grounds of Alton College.

ADBIG Members’ Tours
There is a programme of ADBIG Members’ Tours arranged each year, when members can bring along one guest and travel free of charge on the trips, often travelling on preserved buses and coaches to transport related destinations or over historic A&D routes with plenty of photo-stops along the way.

Right: ADBIG Members boarding a Friends of King Alfred Buses preserved Bedford VAL coach at Aldershot Station on a trip to the Oxford Bus Museum.

 

A&D Dennis Lance K4 145 posing at Normandy,
on an ADBIG Members’ Tour in 2022.

The Christmas Social Evening.
For many years the highlight of the ADBIG year was the convivial Christmas Social Evening and “Fish and Chip Supper” which was held in December in Normandy Village Hall, when members, their guests, and ex-colleagues, not only had a chance to chat and exchange tall stories about the “Good Old Days”, but to watch a film/slide show and be judges of the popular Grand ADBIG Photographic Competition, where members could win the honour of holding the ADBIG Photographic Shield for a year.

Sadly, following the restrictions imposed by the Covid Outbreak, attendance at the social evening diminished and this had to be cancelled in 2025. It is unlikely that the social evening can be resumed in its original form, but it is intended to hold a slightly modified ADBIG Photographic Competition in 2026.

Zoom Presentations
Until 2020 live meetings with a film show or a guest speaker were normally held monthly in Normandy Village Hall during the winter months from October until April on the second Friday of each month.

Sadly, when Covid-19 struck in 2020 these live meetings had to be cancelled for the duration of the epidemic and when the live meetings were resumed in 2022 there was little enthusiasm with turning out on a cold winter’s night, so the Zoom presentations were continued in their place.

Since then, ADBIG has held a series of very well received Zoom Presentations which enable members from throughout the UK and around the world to participate from the comfort of their own home. These presentations normally take place once a month on a Friday, from September to May.

Advance details of Zoom Presentations are given in the ADBIG Newsletter with an entry code emailed to all members shortly before each presentation.

COME AND JOIN US! - ADBIG Membership
ADBIG Membership is renewable annually, running from 1 May each year, with a newsletter published quarterly on the 1st of March, June, September or December.

There is a two-tier subscription rate, with members opting to pay either £16.00 per year to have a copy of the ADBIG Newsletter emailed to their home, or £25.00 per year for a printed version sent in the post plus an emailed version. Both versions £16 and £25 give all other ADBIG benefits.

Members living abroad pay the £16 subscription rate and have their Newsletters sent by email.

If they would like a printed copy of the Newsletter these can be posted to them at the additional current international postal rate, (£3.60) making their annual subscription £30.40.

Currently there are around one hundred and fifty members of ADBIG worldwide, ranging from members who have spent many years working in the bus industry, some retired and some still in very senior positions, ex-servicemen/women who used A&D buses whilst based in the Aldershot area during their time in the armed forces, to local people who have fond memories of travelling to school, work, or play using an A&D bus, or people who are simply interested in historical public transport. Whilst most ADBIG Members live within the UK, some reside as far afield as America, Australia, Canada, and Spain.

By writing to:-

The Membership Secretary,
Aldershot & District Bus Interest Group,
111 Park Barn Drive,
Guildford,
Surrey.
GU2 8ER

By E-Mail

• Email bill.tutty@ntlworld.com to request a membership application form or or any enquiries.

Subscription Rates

• £25.00 per year for Printed Newsletters sent by post & e-mail (UK only)
• £16.00 per year for Newsletters sent by e-mail only (UK only)
• £16.00 per year Overseas Members (Newsletters sent by e-mail only)
• £30.40 per year Overseas Members (With Printed Newsletters & e-mail)

Pay by Standing Order

Download Membership Form

 

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