Zero2 Bus Museum approved

[Flange Squeal]

Braintree District Council posted the following on their Facebook page:

Last week our planning committee approved an application for a new vintage bus museum set to come to Poole Farm House in Great Yeldham!

The facility would be open to the public at weekends and to schools during the week, creating new job opportunities

Up to 60 vintage buses would be on display, including a car park, a café in a converted bus, and also new planting.

This will make use of a neglected site which used to be home to a equestrian centre, riding arena and shop.

This looks set to be a fantastic asset to Great Yeldham, bringing in new jobs and boost tourism in the local area - we can't wait to see it progress!

The site can be found on Google Maps just south of Great Yeldham on Poole Street, about half way between Great Yeldham and the Colne Valley Railway. Google has a pin saying 'Zero2 Bus Museum', which on Companies House was formerly known as 'ENSIGN BUS (HOLDINGS) LTD' and has Newman family members as directors. One presumes this is therefore a future home for the fleet of heritage buses of which ownership was retained following the sale of the operating and dealership side of Ensignbus to First Group, which tallies with a news article on the Halstead Gazette that gives a bit of an insight into what the plans submitted include, such as the following key points I've copied and pasted:

• Two buildings require demolition and a number of horseboxes would be removed from the site. Once the site is cleared, two news structures would be built, which would be a home for the buses and coaches. One will display buses and the other will contain vehicles awaiting restoration. An existing building will be used for vehicle maintenance, and the reception and shop areas will remain, with one bus being converted into a café.
• There will be around 60 buses on site, with about 40 in the main display hall and others in the maintenance and restoration areas.
• An area of land would be dedicated to visitor parking on the northern side of the site, with six to eight full-time full-time employees at the museum.
• The main opening hours would be weekends only from 10am to 4pm, with a later opening of 5pm in the summer.
• There will also be a vintage bus service linking the nearby Colne Valley Railway, the USAF Ridgewell Memorial Museum and various villages on the way to Long Melford. The service will operate every 30 minutes between May and October.
• The numbers of visitors is expected to be between 150 and 200 a day, according to the plans.

 

[Teds]

Good news that the Ensign collection has a new home. Less good news is that public transport is very poor in the area and non-existent on Sundays.

 

[Smethwickian]

Less good news is that public transport is very poor in the area and non-existent on Sundays.

If only there were someone in the vicinity with a bus or two they could use on a shuttle service from the nearest station......

 

[Mark L]

If only there were someone in the vicinity with a bus or two they could use on a shuttle service from the nearest station......

There will be a bus service from Braintree station on days that the museum is open.

 

[J69Buckjumper]

Hi all, new here.
I am involved with the new museum and can report that there will be a registered weekend bus service during summer season that will link the museum with Braintree Station and other local attractions.