While the volunteers proceed with the mechanical restoration mostly at weekends, the refurbishment of the bodywork is being carried out by Vintage Vehicle Restoration (VVR) during the normal working week. There hasn't been a report on progress on the body restoration for a few weeks. This is because a lot of detailed work has been going on and only now are we seeing the results of VVR's painstaking work taking shape. Apart from the driver's cab and the upper deck front window area, all of the body frame has been repaired with significant areas replaced where it has not been economic to carry out a lot of small repairs. It's now getting to the interesting stage as panels start to go on and it begins to look like a bus again. Barring unforeseen problems VVR tell us that their side of the work is on target to be substantially finished during the next few weeks. The pictures tell the story...

 

There is a lot of corrosion around the joints in the frame, so local repairs are not really economic. It makes sense to cut out the rusty members and replace with new.
 

The new metal goes in and the restored frame takes shape.
 

A new wheel arch in place.
 

And a new platform.
 

 The platform area is repanelled and the rebuilt staircase goes back in.
 

A newly fabricated rear destination number box is made up and fitted.
 

Paul Queen of Vintage Vehicle Restoration fits a new panel.
 

And by the end of March most of the lower deck is repanelled.