As you can see from the pictures below, taken recently by Paul Gorton, we have been working hard to tidy up the interior in anticipation of the event.

The EGM is open to all current members of the group, or you can take advantage of our Day Membership offer

Day Membership will cost £5.02 and will not only entitle the holder to vote on issues raised at the meeting but will allow them to claim one month’s free membership when joining the Group properly – and paying by monthly Standing Order – before the end of May 2012.

Please feel free to pass this news on to anyone you know who may be interested in attending the meeting, thank you.

Venue: Merseyside Transport Trust, Osprey Place, Burscough, L40 8TG

The Committee of the Friends of the 502 Group have called an Extraordinary General Meeting to discuss the future of the Group and the unit.

Topics for discussion will include:

• The need to increase the membership of the Group;
• Increasing the Group’s monthly income to cover our out-goings;
• How the Group can fund the restoration of the unit;
• Maintenance and operation of the unit once it is restored.

If you are unable to attend, but would like to contribute to the discussion – or if you feel there is another topic you wish to be discussed – please either email your comments etc. to chairman@class502.org.uk or post them to Friends of the 502 Group, PO Box 84, Liverpool L19 3RR by Saturday 7th April 2012.

To assist members in reaching the venue, the Group have arranged with the Merseyside Transport Trust for a preserved bus to pick up members at Ormskirk and Burscough Bridge railway stations (there is no Sunday service to Burscough Junction). Pick up times should be 10.45am at Ormskirk – to meet the 10.43am arrival – and 11.30am at Burscough Bridge – to allow for the 11.18am arrival from Southport and the 11.29am arrival from Wigan. If you are interested in using this service, please let me know as soon as possible (via email, phone or letter).

Please also remember that subscriptions are due soon (unless you pay by Standing Order). Anyone currently not a member is welcome to attend, providing that a membership form is completed and at least 12 months subscription payment is made before the meeting begins.

We look forward to seeing you on the 22nd April.

Motor coach 28361 arrived on Saturday…

…with trailer 29896 following on Sunday.

Thanks to everyone who turned out to help, especially to the Merseyside Transport Trust lads who were on hand throughout the weekend, and kindly moved most of their buses out of the building each day to make room for the lorry to unload!

This marks a new start and a turning point for the group. For the first time in 15 years both vehicles are in covered storage and in a location much more accessible to the majority of our members than Tebay. We hope that restoration work will be able to proceed much faster in our new base.

If you were wavering on whether to join the group, this is the perfect time to sign up as a member and take part. See our membership page for information.

As well as being a lot more accessible for the 502 Group’s core Merseyside membership, the MTT building offers numerous other benefits to us. It is secure, has power and running water, and – most importantly – is indoors!

The unit will be moved in two stages, with the motor coach being transported on Saturday 3rd March and the trailer following on the Sunday. So if you are travelling on the M6 between Tebay and Preston next weekend, keep an eye out for a low loader with a maroon/rust-coloured load!

We hope that restoration work will be able to progress much faster at Burscough than was possible at Tebay. So if you’d like to get involved with the ongoing work, now is the ideal time to join the group.

Anyone joining the group between 1st December 2011 and 28th March 2012 will be entered into the draw to win a selection of “502″ branded merchandise.

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.

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)

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.

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.

Several 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!

This move will provide the Group with a long-term, secure, undercover work area where restoration work can progress faster than at present. However, this type of accommodation comes at a cost – approximately £250 per month, although this does include utilities etc.

Therefore, in addition to raising £4,000 to cover the costs of moving the two carriages of the 502, we also need to increase the amount coming in by standing order, to ensure we have a regular income stream to cover our rent payment and other running costs. Therefore, we are asking current and prospective members to consider setting up a standing order.

A monthly standing order of £10.04 per month (502p per vehicle!) will help considerably with our monthly payments. 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.

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.