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YOU CAN NOW BUY AN ALL-INCLUSIVE GOLD BUS DRIVER EXPERIENCE PACKAGE (for both Bus Driver Participants and Guests) FROM OUR ON-LINE SHOP - Click Here to BUY NOW!
Our Midland Red GOLD Bus Driver Experience Days provide a unique opportunity to get behind the wheel of classic buses with our Driving Instructors. It's a fully inclusive day, with a classroom session including a comprehensive background to the early days of Midland Red, and comparison discussions of the pros and cons of learning the Midland Red way versus modern-day training. All this besides taking to the 'open road' private road circuit of the famous Mallory Park in Leicestershire.
Exciting, Educational, Nostalgic, Historical, and Fun
Great for Birthdays, Anniversaries or Corporate Gifts.
Join our growing list of budding Trainee Bus Drivers who come from just about every walk of life.
Picture 1: A Government Officer from Seattle came especially to drive a bus which he used to travel on in Tamworth before emigrating. Picture 2: shows a happy lady after driving our D9 double decker - she was treated to an experience as a Birthday gift by her daughter, a doctor in Birmingham. Picture 3: After a Birthday gift from his partner, is Adrian whispering of a suggestion for his next birthday?
In addition to the above visitors, we've had Doctors of Medicine, Doctors of Engineering, Police Officers, Teachers, Accountants, Lorry Drivers, Shop keepers, Factory workers, Social workers, Students, lots of retired folk, and even ex-pats who want to drive a British bus. Oh yes, we also get some retired Bus Drivers anxious to soak up nostalgic memories, and some modern-day bus drivers who sometimes get a shock to see how hard a bus driver's job used to be!
The D9 is not always in attendance on our experience days - in fact due to its rarity it is a very special occasion when it appears. Our regular vehicles on our Red and Gold Experience Days are our Classic Bristol RE single decker and the traditional Leyland PD2 double decker; and our Leyland Leopard and even the Royal Tiger Doyens sometimes appear, which gives the experience of both semi automatic and manual gear changes.
Email us on: buses@wheels.co.uk Call us on 077 3388 4914, or 02476 633624
Our Midland Red Bus Driver Experience Days provide a unique opportunity to get behind the wheel of a classic bus with our Driving Insturctors, learning forward and reverse moves, and then taking to the 'open road' private road circuit of Mallory Park in Leicestershire.
On our Red and Gold sessions, you join us for the whole day. A classroom session sets the scene, comparing bus driver training of the past with the present day, why the Midland Red Training School was one of the best and most thorough available, and our day then covers safety items, medical and licence checks. Then it's a Driver's Vehicle Safety check and vehicle familiarisation, and into the seat for some careful gear-changing.
You will be able to see the enjoyment of your fellow participants acheiving something that they've always wanted to do - just look at the smiles ! So, Buy your experience voucher - then if you are unsure of the date you wish to join us you can arrange that later. The Bus Driver Experience Day vouchers are valid for six months.
Our classic British-made buses and coaches and our experienced staff with uniformed Drivers, all go to make your day out with Midland Red a most memorable day.
We still have space on our October 31st date, and our Christmas Drivers Day on 19th December.
ACCOMMODATION: If you are travelling some distance to visit us, we can suggest some local B&B accommodation which many of our guests have taken up and enjoyed. Please ask us if you wish to enjoy a relaxed visit or are planning to extend the Bus Driver Experience visit to include some local sightseeing, touring, or shopping.
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NEW 2012 DATES JUST ANNOUNCED
We are pleased to announce the following individual Midland Red Bus Driver Experiences dates for 2012:
- 6th February
- 26th March
- 23rd April
- 28th May
- 26th June
And for private groups and Corporate Driving Experience Sessions we can arrange exclusive dates - ask us for details.
Join our happy band of Bus Driver Experience "Trainees"
If you have always wanted to drive a bus or want to realise a childhood dream you'll find it hard to beat our Bus Driver Experience Days.
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The cost is £99 per participant for
Assessment only, and Experience
Packages start from £189, with spectator prices from £49. Standard Experiences last for approximately two hours which will
include around one hour with the vehicle shared with the other participants. However, Our Red (£249)
(one vehicle) and Gold (best course with two vehicles and two instructors), (£295) Experience
packages start at 10am and finish around 4pm and include Lunch for the
Participant and Guests. The price for Guests on Red and Gold packages is
£59 each. As you can imagine, the Gold Course is our most popular and is
the best value especially with our repeat offer - only available to Gold
sessions.
If you decide to come back after having a Gold Bus Driver Experience - we have a very special offer for you currently available.
If you return within one year of your first experience (and any number of further times in that year) and you can enjoy another day with us for an amazing £99 ! This includes the full package which we have running on your chosen date, but doesn't include items like Lunch, the Midland Red Print or other gifts which you already have from your initial visit to us. However, Lunch is available for a contribution of just £5 on your return visit(s). The letter on the right is typical of the comments from repeat Driver Experience participants. As you can see, Trevor is a regular visitor and travels from West London area to be with us.
CLASSIC BUS DRIVING EXPERIENCE DAYS
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Our Bus Driver Experience packages are varied and include something for everyone.
You can make arrangements to bring Guests along to share your exciting day. Some all-day packages include Lunch locally too. Our Assessment sessions and Standard packages are either morning or afternoon sessions.
Full information is now available as PDF brochures - just click the images on the right to download your copy! The first is a flyer that explains briefly what is involved; the second leaflet explains in greater detail the Assessment session and each Bus Driver Experience so you can choose the right course. Just print it off for reference if you wish.
Driver Experiences are held at the famous Mallory Park Circuit - known as "the little circuit with the big view" and is great for spectators. It is a friendly track and is conveniently located near Hinckley in Leicestershire. It's easy to find from the M1/M6/M69 local motorway network. Full joining instructions are provided when your particular package is bought.
The Bus Driver Experience Packages are great for presents and for Corporate Gifts, so when you buy an Experience Package we sent you an appropriate Experience Voucher - then when you wish to book a particular date, you simply contact us to choose from the dates available. Corporate Packages for groups of ten qualify for corporate discounts.
Generally we like our courses to be available to anyone capable, but we do have certain guidelines for participants. They should ideally be the holder of a Driving Licence for at least one year, be in good health, between 5'5" and 6'4" in height, under 18 stone in weight, and under 70 yrs of age, but if you are around these numbers please do ask for more information. Participants must be 100% free of alchohol on the day of the experience and random testing is in force as it is with all Bus Drivers.
Do see our terms and conditions on the leaflet, and participants must complete a booking form. Decisions of the Driving Instructors regarding suitability and safety items etc is final.
Discounts are available for repeat bookings made within twelve months of the previous package or assessment.
If you would like to book a driver experience, print-off and complete our Driver Experiences Booking Form. Then post the completed form back to us with a cheque for the necessary payment at the address on the bottom of the form, or fax the form back to us on 02476 354900 and call us on 02476 633624 or 077 3388 4914 to make a card payment.
We would like to thank the following for their part in the success of the day:  BUSES FOR DRIVING |
Planning something special? We have something which may fit the bill !
A Birthday surprise, A Thank You gift, a Team building session, or rewarding special employees? Let WHEELS / Midland Red Coaches help you. We have organised some of the biggest and best transport events in the area, and NOW we can offer you an individual experience or a group session, seeing what the life of a bus driver was like in times gone by! The chance to get behind the wheel of a classic bus was many a childhood dream. It can now come true. You can also bring along non-participating spectator friends or your partner, if you wish for a much reduced fee. The event will be led by experienced and qualified Driver Instructor, and will start with a briefing. This will involve us gathering information on forms from the participant; an explanation of our operations and how we work with our vintage and classic buses and coaches; information on Health and Safety issues whilst you are with us; and an on-vehicle safety check and briefing, explaining the type of bus, how it works, some Driving techniques, and emergency procedures. Then on a pre-prepared circuit we will help you traverse a number of obstacles, and even reverse the bus around a corner with cones using only your mirrors - as it used to be done! The Driving Instructor may ask you to start on an incline - a hill start !! But make sure you dont roll backwards as he may have placed a matchbox or a plastic cup just behind the wheel... and if you break it you may have to buy each of your colleagues and the Instructor a round of teas, again just as happened in the good old days! You will have an enjoyable time as it's something not available every day. Each packages is different and you will be rewarded with a participant's certificate and dependant upon the particular package there are mugs featuring the bus or buses you have driven, Limited Edition Midland Red Centenary prints, Group Photograph and some handouts to remember your day with Midland Red Coaches on your Classic Bus Driving Experience Day. If you are travelling from any distance, we can arrange accommodation in local Bed and Breakfasts or Hotels, and we can also arrange to pick up participants from local railway stations. Wheels/Midland Red Coaches are members of The Northern Warwickshire Tourism Association with many members who have cosy and affordable accommodation, and others with more things to do and see whilst you are in our area. See what you would like to do on and around your visit. Checkout their website: www.visitnorthernwarwickshire.com We will aim to make your time with us worthwhile and a very special experience.
e-mail us at buses@wheels.co.uk for available dates. |
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