Page 3. SD Enthusiasts' Club Newsletter - Summer 2018.
With
regret we announce the death of Bill Thornycroft earlier this year. As
a child Bill lived in Worthing and had fond memories of the little red
buses like the one shown above that trundled round the town’s streets
carrying holiday makers. Bill trained in mechanical and electrical
engineering at Napiers and later moved to Lambeth in South London. Here
he undertook domestic electrical work. Bill was interested in political
matters and could often be found attending demonstrations against
current injustices. He was also involved in musical and theatrical
productions.
In
the 1950’s when interest in preserving commercial vehicles became a
popular activity Bill soon joined the Omnibus Society, the P.S.V.
Circle and local groups such as the Southdown Enthusiasts’ Club and the
Worthing Historic Commercial Vehicle group. When an ex-Southdown
Tilling-Stevens’ Titan was discovered in Scotland Bill helped to
restore it. Bill was later involved in the rescue and restoration of
some seven early Southdown vehicles.
In
1978 when the Ambereley Museum was opened Bill offered his newly
restored 1920’s Southdown Leyland as an exhibit which formed the
foundation of their Southdown collection.
In
1965 Bill acquired an ex- Epsom & Ewell SD Freighter Reg. No. BPL
73 that the Borough had intended to form part of an exhibition. This
vehicle is still in existence. At the same time he also purchased an
ex-Truro SD freighter chassis (for £25.00) with the aim of eventually
creating a replica Tramocar. Some restoration work was carried out on
this chassis by the Shoreham Airport site of Worthing Technical
College, which at the time was amalgamated with the Chelsea College of
Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering. Re-assembly was almost
complete when it was returned to the Amberley Museum. The restoration
then got going in earnest and eventually the new bus body was built
there by the Bus Group volunteers. In 1994 the replica Tramocar passed
its first M.O.T. Since then the little red bus has been in regular
service at the Ambereley Museum.
In
2011 Bill kindly wrote a comprehensive account of his involvement with
this project which appeared in the SD Enthusiasts’ Club Magazines of
the time.
In
recent times Bill has suffered from ill health but had acquired for the
Museum a second Freighter chassis to ensure a supply of spare parts for
the future. The early production of bus chassis by Shelvoke and Drewry
is an interesting part of the early history of the company and this
unique replica Tramocar is a priceless reminder of this history.
I
am indebted to Bill Stiles and Michael Plunkett, friends of Bill, for
details of Bill’s life given here. Officially “Francis Edward” Bill was
Mr. Thornycroft’s chosen name.
Bill
is shown on the right hand side of this photo. All of us who have an
affection for Shelvoke & Drewry are indebted to Bill for his
efforts to preserve the name of S&D.
Footnote:-
Bill
Stiles has written:- “ You will be pleased to hear we have had
the Tramocar running very well with its rebuilt engine. It is currently
having a starter motor fitted, as very few of us are strong enough to
crank it over, but hopefully it will be in use at the museum, and
should soon have a new coat of paint.
On the next page Bill's memories are re-printed.