Kingsbridge Vintage Bus Running Day

Saturday 20th September 10.00 to 16.30

Press information from
THE WESTCOUNTRY HISTORIC OMNIBUS & TRANSPORT TRUST

The West County Historic Omnibus & Transport Trust (WHOTT) is organising a ‘Vintage Bus Running Day’ based in Kingsbridge on Saturday 20 September.

Some 20 vintage buses ranging from a traditional pre-war single decker to a 1980s minibus will operate services on routes radiating from the Bus Station to coastal villages on both sides of the Kingsbridge Estuary (Bantham, Thurlestone, Hope, South Pool, East Portlemouth and Salcombe) and to Slapton, Beesands, Loddiswell and East Allington. Travel on the old buses will be free.

The vehicles are provided from the WHOTT collection and by individual owners who have lovingly restored them to their former glory and who are making them available for the event at their own cost.

Some of the routes that will be travelled date back to the earliest days of motor buses where services in the South Hams were started by the Great Western Railway both for local travel and as feeders to the branchline from Kingsbridge to the main line at Brent.

The history of the routes and of local bus proprietors who set up, sometimes in competition with the GWR, will be described in an illustrated souvenir programme, which will be on sale in the Bus Station for £4. The programme will also contain detailed timetables for all the services, descriptions of all the buses expected to attend and the duties to be carried out by each vehicle during the day. Sales of the programme will help to defray WHOTT’s costs in organising the event and support WHOTT’s charitable objectives of bringing bygone transport to the public.

A special feature of this event will be the use of small country buses designed to safely negotiate the narrow lanes of the South Hams. From the comfort of a seat on the bus passengers will be able to enjoy spectacular views of the coast and countryside and travel at the leisurely pace of days past. All passengers will also receive an authentic ticket for their journey.

WHOTT Chairman, Colin Billington, who has a home near Loddiswell where he keeps his collection of vintage buses, commented “We will have been seen out and about recently trying all the routes planned for the running day. WHOTT organises events like this all over the South West but I can truthfully say that these routes around Kingsbridge provide an unmatchable combination of coastal and country scenery and spectacular views over the Kingsbridge Estuary. I hope that the event will be well supported by local people, visitors and enthusiasts. We are grateful for the backing and sponsorship of all three principal bus operators in the area, First, Stagecoach and of course Kingsbridge’s own Tally Ho”.

Further details from: Colin Billington, Chairman of The West Country Historic Omnibus & Transport Trust, Tel: 07990 505373, Email: chairman@busmuseum.org.uk


Vehicles entered for the day but subject to availabity are

• 336EDV BristolSUL4A ECW C33F
  

• KJD413P BristolLH6L ECW B43F
  

• L401VCV DennisDart Plaxton B40F
  

• KTT42P BristolLH6L ECW B43F
  

• FDV790V Bristol LHS6L ECW B35F
  

• 672COD BristolSUS4A ECW B30F
  

• JFJ873 DaimlerCVD6 Weymann B35F
  

• 960HTT AECRe470 Willowbrook C41F
  

• 675COD BristolSUS4A ECW B30F
  

• 759MDV BristolMW6G ECW C39F
  

• BDV318L BristolLH6L Marshall C39F
  

• VOD88K BristolLHS6L Marshall B35F
  

• FDV793V BristolLH6L ECW B35F
  

• AFJ740T BristolLH6L Plaxton C41F
  

• DOD518 BristolL5G Beadle B35R
  

• A747DWP BedfordSB5 Duple C41F
  

• MHU193 BedfordOB Mulliner B31F
  

• 824KDV BristolFLF ECW H68F
  

• FFX458 BedfordMLC LeeMotors C14F
  

• A927MDV FordTransitD160 MidlandRed B16F
  

• OTT98 BristolLS6G ECW C39F
  

• 643HAA BedfordJ2 Plaxton C14F

More details at


http://www.busmuseum.org.uk/whottshappened/kingsbridge08_pre/kingsbridge08-pre.htm