The independent
transport videos cameras have returned to record this delightful event
organised by the Thames Valley & Great Western Omnibus Trust, that in
previous years was known as the ‘Kingsbridge 7’ 6” Vintage Bus Running Day’ and
now in 2022 is in its 15th year. In previous years the event just
featured buses and coaches built to that width due to the narrow lanes, but
more recently larger vehicles have joined the ranks of superbly turned out
buses and coaches that operate in and around the area of the pretty town of
Kingsbridge in Devon on just one Saturday in September. This is the fourth time
our cameras have attended the event to record the operation of almost forty
preserved buses and coaches in action for you to enjoy.
There are a wide
variety of vehicle types and bus companies represented, as you will see in this
programme. As you will see a good number
are from the erstwhile fleets of Western and Southern National, but many more
are represented including London Transport.
Again as you would expect, vehicle types are represented mostly by
Bristol – such as H, L, LS, SU, LH, FLF and VRT types, but you will also see
other types including AEC, Albion, Beadle-Bedford, Ford, Dennis, Leyland and
Mercedes-Benz. Our filming begins at the start of the event in the centre of
Kingsbridge where we record the arrivals and departures of the buses and
coaches at the town’s small bus station.
There is a good deal of action as the buses fill up to start their
journeys and tussle with the modern day traffic. Our cameras are located
roadside and onboard some of the buses, some in the cab or travelling with the
passengers to complete your experience.
There are seven rides to enjoy.
Firstly onboard 2015 (HOD 66), the 1949 Western National Bedford-Beadle,
you can experience a cab ride to Loddiswell Station and return as a
passenger. Then at Kingsbridge bus
station we change to 2800 (NHU 2), the 1951 Bristol LSX6B prototype in the
livery of Bristol Tramways for a cab ride to Salcombe. At Salcombe we join 1 (UWV 614S), a former
Southdown Bristol VRT/ECW open-topper in the withdrawn livery of Dartmouth
Steam Railway for a ride back to Kingsbridge.
With more action filmed in and around the bus station we then board 279
(EMW 284), the lovely 1947 Bristol L6B with Beadle bodywork in the livery of
Wilts & Dorset for a gentle ride to Moreleigh and back to Kingsbridge. Our
next journey is onboard 137 (FJ 8967), a 1933 Bristol H5G with a Bristol body
built in 1942 and restored into the wartime livery of Western National for a
ride to Thurlestone village. At the
village we take our final return journey back to Kingsbridge bus station on the
relatively modern 1994 Dennis Dart, 401 (L401 VCV), which has a Plaxton Pointer
body and is painted in the deregulated ‘flags’ livery of Western National. A
big thank you to Colin Billington and his team for organising this event.