Located in Ryde, which bore the brunt of the deluge during Storm Babet, the Isle of Wight Bus and Coach Museum witnessed floodwater of at least eight inches, with the kitchen and tea bar submerged even deeper.
While the museum’s vehicle collected remained unscathed, significant portions of the sales stock and archival materials fell victim to the flood.
The IW Bus and Coach Museum in Ryde (Image: Jack Davies)
The museum says it is ‘hugely indebted’ to the County Museums Service who assisted in the salvage.
Unfortunately, the flood-damaged items had to be written off and replaced.
Volunteers worked to rebuild and repaint the kitchen area, with NCJ Construction lending a hand in restoration efforts.
Despite the setback, the museum is determined to bounce back stronger than ever, offering a shuttle service from Ryde Esplanade to the site on selected monthly Sundays throughout the summer.
Events, including Rydeabus on May 18/19 and Wightrider on October 14/15, will see resident and visiting buses operate services in East Wight.
The museum will be open every Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday until the end of October.
