ONE YEAR ON… FROM PHILADELPHIA

It’s hard to believe that it is now one year today since the Northern National Restoration Group received the news that we had just three months to leave our home at Philadelphia.

For many of us, that day is still very clear in our minds.

After years of restoring vehicles, holding social evenings, working on projects, storing our collection and building NNRG into the organisation it is today, we were suddenly faced with a huge amount of uncertainty.

We had just three months to find somewhere new.

Three months to decide what we could realistically take with us, what would happen to our vehicles, equipment and parts, and most importantly, how we were going to secure the future of NNRG.

At the time, there were plenty of questions.

Would we find somewhere suitable? Could we continue? Would we have to reduce the collection? Would our restoration work have to stop?

Unfortunately, the situation meant that some difficult decisions had to be made.

SAYING GOODBYE

As part of leaving Philadelphia, we had to say goodbye to three vehicles that had been an important part of the NNRG story:

UPT 681V – 4681

A633 BCN – 3633

S814 FVK – 3814

Saying goodbye to vehicles is never easy.

Behind every vehicle are hours of work, money spent, memories made and, for many of us, a personal connection built up over the years.

However, there is comfort in knowing that all three have gone to very good homes.

They are now with people who appreciate their history and are committed to giving them a future.

Although 4681, 3633 and 3814 are no longer part of the NNRG collection, they will always remain part of our history and the memories of everyone who worked on them, travelled on them and supported them.

We wish all three the very best for the future.

KEEPING THE CORE COLLECTION TOGETHER

Despite having to say goodbye to three vehicles, we were determined to keep as much of the collection together as possible.

Through a huge amount of hard work, planning and determination, we managed to retain:

FTN 710W – 4710

R855 PRG – 4855

V988 ETN – 4898

NK54 NVN – 5217

R139 ABT – 7076

We also managed to keep a member's vehicle, NK54 NVT – 5220, within our wider group of preserved vehicles.

Keeping these vehicles was incredibly important to us. Each one represents a different part of the North East's transport history, and together they form a significant part of the story NNRG is trying to preserve.

It wasn't simply a case of moving buses from one location to another. We had to find ways of securing their future while also dealing with the practicalities and costs of moving away from Philadelphia.

But we did it, and we are extremely thankful to everyone who has helped us along the way.

ONE YEAR LATER…

Fast forward twelve months and, despite everything that happened, NNRG is still here.

Not only have we continued the collection has grown.

We are incredibly pleased that 3943 – NK05 GZR has now joined the NNRG collection.

Bringing 3943 into preservation is another important step for the group and another piece of North East bus history that we can now work towards preserving for future generations.

There is plenty of work ahead with 3943, but we're looking forward to giving it the attention it deserves and seeing what the future holds for it.

When we look back to where we were a year ago, it's quite remarkable to see where we are today.

THE STORY CONTINUES

Throughout the last year, our aim has never changed.

We remain committed to preserving and celebrating the North East's transport heritage and ensuring these vehicles survive for future generations.

We've continued attending rallies and events, working on our vehicles, welcoming new members, developing new projects and, despite the challenges, continuing to move forward.

And now, we have another important chapter beginning.

DUNSTON – OUR NEXT CHAPTER

After months of searching, discussions, planning and hard work, we are now finishing off the lease for our new Dunston site.

For NNRG, this is about much more than simply finding somewhere to store vehicles.

It is about creating a secure base for the future of the group.

A place where we can continue our restoration work, store vehicles securely, work on new projects and continue building NNRG for years to come.

There are still spaces available at Dunston for those looking for secure vehicle storage.

If you're interested in finding out more, please get in touch with us.

FROM PHILADELPHIA TO DUNSTON

A year ago, we were facing the possibility of losing our home and wondering whether NNRG would be able to continue.

Today, we're in a very different position.

Three vehicles left us, but all three have found good homes.

- We managed to keep 4710, 4855, 4898, 5217 and 7076, along with member's vehicle 5220.

- 3943 has joined the collection and 3963 has joined the wider group.

- We're finishing the lease for our new Dunston site.

And most importantly…

NNRG Is still here!

The last twelve months haven't always been easy. There have been difficult decisions, uncertainty and a huge amount of work behind the scenes.

But we've kept going.

Philadelphia was an important chapter in the story of the Northern National Restoration Group, but it wasn't the end of the story.

From Philadelphia to Dunston — the journey continues .

A huge thank you to every member, volunteer, supporter and friend who has stood by NNRG over the last year.

Without your support, we wouldn't be where we are today.

Here's to the next chapter — and whatever the future brings.

We are registered as a charity in England and Wales (1193235)

© 2026 All rights reserved.

Member of the National Association of Road Transport Museums (NARTM)

Please note the NNRG is not open to the general public as the work that we do is on a voluntary basis. We cannot guarantee that authorized members will be at the depot. Our site is controlled by an external CCTV monitoring company.