Transport Museum Wythall Announces 2021 Events Programme

Published: 25/01/2021

•    Covid-19 programme schedule to start the year - easing as restrictions improve 
•    Full operating days on bank holidays 
•    New vehicles on the road for 2021
•    Two new special themed events for August and October
•    Private owner vehicles welcome 

Transport Museum Wythall’s programme for 2021 uses its established formula from 2020 with Covid-19 compliance firmly in place until Government begins easing the regulations.

TMW and Covid-19 schedule
From August 2020 TMW provided the socially distanced safety of online booking at scheduled times, a one-way system around the halls and shop, a convenient ‘outdoor’ café and sanitised free bus rides for all. This theme will continue for the season start as a form of social distancing is expected to be retained into the spring. As the rules change, TMW will amend its schedule as appropriate – watch the website.

The season commences on 27 March with opening times of 11.00-16.30 on Saturdays, bank holiday Sundays and Mondays, Wednesdays during school holidays and half terms until 31 October. Event days will be open from 10.30–17.00.

Special Events
The first special event of the year and the first since the 2019 season is on August bank holiday Monday 30 August - West Midlands Municipal Monday. Following the establishment of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive in 1969, WMPTE acquired the vehicles and other assets of the municipal fleets of Birmingham, Walsall, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton. Coventry joined the group a little later and slowly the unique liveries disappeared. We concentrate on the vehicles and their liveries of the municipals outside of the City of Birmingham. Private owners of vehicles from all four fleets are welcome to attend and the day will include TMW’s renowned ‘Happy Hour’ with back to back services running to the Maypole.

Following on Sunday 3 October is the second special event – Midland Red Day. 2021 marks the 40th anniversary of the break-up of the original Midland Red into six new companies at the points of the midland compass – Midland Red North/South/East/West. The CM6T motorway express coach and D10 prototype will be running along with a wide range of MR examples from across the decades. Private owners are welcome to join us on the day when an intensive Midland Red service will run, including ‘Happy Hour’.

The annual and much-loved Twilight Running Day is also back this year on Sunday 31 October. The museum will be open until 18.00 when it will close for the 2021 season.

New vehicles on the road in 2021
An autumn reshuffle and rework programme has released a number of new vehicles for 2021, all of which will be available for rides during the year. Out of hibernation come:
1937 Trent AEC Regal/Willowbrook RC 4615 
1953 Walsall Corporation Leyland Royal Tiger PDH 808 
1960 BMMO D10 prototype 943 KHA 
1965 BMMO CM6T BHA 656C 
Birmingham City Transport standards, 1948 Leyland Titan PD2/1 HOV 685 and 1953 Guy Arab IV 2976. These two vehicles have received front end rebuilds to renovate structural corrosion issues along with partial repaints.

Private owner vehicles welcome
Private owners are very welcome to attend with their vehicles on any running day but particularly on the special event days. Please contact bookings@wythall.org.uk or download the form from the website.

Further updates on opening hours/days and possible additional events, subject to Covid-19 developments, will be available on the website – www.wythall.org.uk   along with more information about the museum. Bookings must be made online, not via telephone or email, as attendance is via specific time slots while Covid-19 restrictions apply.