A NEW exhibition in Coventry will celebrate the vital role the humble bus has played in society and for people in the city.
The Ticket to Ride showcase is open now and will run at Coventry Transport Museum in the city centre until October 28.
The exhibition showcases both historical buses with connections to the city and new and emerging public transport technology.
The buses on display complement the existing vehicles which can be seen within the museum, including the famed open-top bus which took Coventry City players on their FA Cup winning parade in 1987.
Ticket to Ride includes a 1950s double decker Daimler – Bus 333 – which shuttled Coventrians across the city for many years.
It also includes a 1950 Daimler CVD6 model, better known as Mabel, which began its life as a mobile print room for the Birmingham Post and Mail.
As well as offering a peek into the city’s vehicle-making past and bus travel culture, there’s also a great deal of family activities available, as well as a glimpse into the future with a Midlands made driverless pod.
Francis Ranford, cultural and creative director of Coventry Transport Museum, said: “Ticket to Ride is all about telling the stories of this much-loved form of transport and creating an interactive and fun environment to learn more about buses and their impact on the city.
“This is the first time all of the buses in our collection have been on display at the same time; both in this exhibition and in our work days and holidays permanent gallery, so it really is a fantastic opportunity for families and bus-lovers to visit.
“There’s also plenty of fun activities taking place within the exhibition itself, including dress up and imaginative play opportunities on Mabel, which was once a camper van which toured across Afghanistan.
“We’ve just added the Vectus – a TDI, Midlands-made driverless pod – which may well be a feature of public transport in the future.
“Of course, there’s also so much to see and do throughout the museum. We have the world’s largest collection of British Road Transport, all of which has connections to Coventry and the city’s automotive heritage.
Coventry Transport Museum is open seven days a week and entrance is free.
For more information go to http://www.transport-museum.com/events/1344/ticket_to_ride
