Hi RM owners/operators

I would like to introduce myself as, for my sins, I have now taken over the Sales Officer role at the Routemaster Association.

At present Rob Duker is still holding all spares/stock until I can get them all moved to their new location and I can get a clear understanding of all the stock I will be holding and everything has been handed over by Rob. It is likely to take 4 to 6 weeks to complete the hand over and to get myself up and running fully. Therefore, until further notice, please continue to request parts/spares via Rob, and be patient if you can.

My name is Alun Mitchell, but everyone knows me as Mitch, and I live in the Reading, Berkshire. I have only been in the Routemaster world for a year now with my RMC. In my day to day life I am a physiotherapist but it is my historical working background which is more pertinent – as I used to be a marine engineer working on craft up to 120ft in length and later retraining as an aircraft engineer (airframes – sheet metal work/structural repairs) in the military before moving onto civil aviation. So I hope my background in heavy plant engineering and structural/sheet metal work repairs and my military background of preventative maintenance will be a help in my new role.

During my term as Sales Officer, I have certain goals that I want to achieve (some might call it making a rod for your own back!!!)

• Consolidate, progress and continue on the work that Rob has done in the last 2 years.
• In a similar vain to the reconditioned gear boxes that Routemaster Association now hold, look to expand the stock of other reconditioned large cost items like e.g. Compressors, quill drives etc. Perhaps even reconditioned A and B frames one day!
• Where there are other persons/companies that hold or manufacture RM spares, it makes no sense to compete with them – so instead source and locate these suppliers and if they are providing a good quality effective service, promote and ensure the membership know how to locate them. We have a new website going live in the spring, which will be a great way to promote them all to the membership.
• One issue that we all discuss on the forums is the increasing problems with locating spares these days, as manufacturers no longer make certain parts. As a personal belief, this is an area where the Routemaster Association should take a lead, where possible. So at some point, when I am set up for it, I will consult everyone on all the forums/ Routemaster Association and non Routemaster Association members, with a simple request of what parts are no longer manufactured and that you think are desperately needed now and for the future to ensure we can keep our RMs running. Basically asking for a simple wish list. I am sure I will receive a list that will be longer than I can imagine!! But then I will consult with the experts within the Routemaster Association to get a priority short list and with funds permitting try and source manufacturers. Or try and help others who have the ideas and incentive to try and get parts re-manufactured.

My list of goals above are not exhaustive but I am sure it will be long enough to keep me occupied for some time to come!! I am under no illusion that much of the above will take time, as long as the membership can be patient with me I will try and achieve these goals.

However, I cannot do it alone and in some part I see my role as a fulcrum and an initiator to help others make their ideas or some of the above happen.

I see some of my strengths as:
1. My previous engineering background.
2. I have lots of energy and enthusiasm to try and make a difference (it has not been kicked out of me yet!!).
3. A strong sense of humour (I suspect that I might need it.)
4. I have only been involved within the bus world a short time; therefore I have no history or interest in past events.
5. I believe in treating others how I would hope to be treated, so I will always try and help others where I can.

I see my weak points as:

1. Although I have a good engineering background, I am still learning a lot about RMs and still have a huge amount to learn about them.
2. I don’t suffer fools lightly & if someone tries to take me for a ride or abuses my hospitality that will be the last time they will hear from me, no matter how much they need my help next time.

I hope the above gives everyone an idea of what I would like to achieve and a bit about me. One last part about me, I am self employed and have a young family, so my day job and family will always come first, however I will always try and be as prompt as I can in answering any request/questions, I know all too well myself how frustrating it can be when you have a problem or need help.

If you have any questions on me or my perception on what I would like to achieve then please drop me a line.

Cheers Mitch
RMC1462

My bus number (if any): RMC 1462

Mitch

Good luck with your new task, this is a particularly difficult time in our hobby and lets hope that members will be able to afford to buy spares to keep their vehicles on the road. The RA seems to have made a number of changes in the last several years, one though to the detriment of members and that is the appallingly poor website they now have, lets hope the new one is an improvement.
There has been much talk about having Quill Drives manufactured, these are the kind of spares we would like to be able to carry with us at all times, just in case.

My bus number (if any): RCL2250

I admire your honesty and hope you can achieve a balance of affordable supply and quality. I hope you can build on recent improvements. Good communication is the key. The secrecy and rumour that is common in the bus hobby is it's achilles.

I think you might be in for a bit of a shock if you cannot suffer fools gladly, I suspect you will need every facet of your psychology skills in dealing with more than a few types in bus preservation. It's made up of a wide range of people some of whom mean well but are not good at communication in this current era and others who are complete time wasters and seem to revel in muddying the water.

Most though are great people who deserve a better deal and need to be inspired and confident that it can be achieved and will no doubt help forge that aim when confident it will bring benefits.

As a now ex-member of the association I wish those in the new posts well. I freely admit that I do not have the time to freely give to such a role, and with a young family and working shifts, I applaud anyone who can volounteer for for such positions, which are generally thankless tasks. Unfortunately, the politics, backbiting and sniping seem to overshadow any good work and achievements which take place, and it is for this reason, along with those already stated, that I, and I suspect many others, would not touch such positions with a very big stick indeed. I wish the new officers luck, I suspect that they are going to need it, there are some very strong characters and personalities out there who unfortunately, will be waiting with baited breath for the slightest slip up. The association needs to move forward and look to the future, to new blood, to young people, if it is to survive, and not become a small group of often spitefull and vindictive "old boys". Well done for putting your hand up and having a go, I applaud you for it.

My bus number (if any): RM531