January 2012

Prize draw for the 502

Posted by Robert Hampton on 28th January 2012 at 2:26 pm

We will be holding a prize draw for our new members! Any person that joins the Group before 29th February will go into the draw, together with any existing member who gets a friend to join.

Rules are that payment must be received by the 29th Feb and for existing members to be entered, their name and membership number must be noted on the new applicants form.

The prize will be a selection of ‘502’ branded merchandise, and the draw will be made on Thursday 1st March. Winner to be notified as soon as possible afterwards.

If you joined the group on or after 1st December 2011, you will already be entered in the draw and there is no need to do anything.

Set up a standing order to help the 502

Posted by Robert Hampton on 15th January 2012 at 2:58 pm

Photo of Class 502 at Port SunlightWe are delighted to announce that we have reached our fundraising target of £4,000 which will cover the costs of the move from Tebay to Burscough.

We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of donations from well-wishers over the past few months, some of which came from as far away as the USA and Australia. To everyone who made a donation, large or small: thank you.

However, this is not the end of the story. We still need to ensure we have a regular income stream to cover our rent payments and other running costs. Therefore, we are repeating our request for current and prospective members to consider setting up a standing order.

Our suggested amount is £10.04 per month (502p per vehicle!) which will help considerably with our monthly payments. However, we will accept any amount from £2 per month upward.

If you want to ensure that these historic EMU vehicles have a secure future, please visit our membership page to read up about setting up a standing order, and to download the necessary forms. Alternatively, contact our treasurer, Robert Hampton to get the necessary details for setting up a standing order using online or telephone banking.

If you already have a standing order with us, is it possible to increase it? An extra pound or two per month may not seem like much, but in combination with other members over the course of a year, that small additional amount could make all the difference. You will need to contact your bank directly to amend the standing order, but please also let our treasurer Robert Hampton, know.

(Photo shows the preserved 502 at Port Sunlight on 2nd May 1988 – picture credit to Paul Gorton)

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Work Party Report – 8th January 2012

Posted by Robert Hampton on 9th January 2012 at 8:42 pm

Photo of trailer car 29896With fundraising well under way for the forthcoming move of the 502, members of the Friends of the 502 Group travelled to the unit’s soon-to-be-former home at Tebay on Sunday to begin making preparations.

The new owners of the site have already started development, with the area surrounding the 502 currently being used to store the construction machinery. Eventually the ground where our unit stands will be built on as well.

Photo of motor coach 28361

We were helped by the mild and (mostly) dry weather, enabling us to get a lot of work done. The primary task today was to begin emptying the storage containers, which will not be coming with us to Burscough.

Near-Empty ContainerSeveral more work parties will take place at Tebay before the unit is moved at the end of February. Details are sent out to all current members. If you want to become involved, join the group!