This year’s Kingsbridge Vintage Bus Running Day is to be held on Saturday 17th September. This will be the 15th Kingsbridge Running Day since the first in 2008. This year the running day will be back to its traditional format following the Covid restrictions over the past two years. with a few changes to recognize the increased traffic levels created by the greater numbers of ‘staycationers’ visiting the West Country. This year there will be a choice of 37 vintage buses dating from 1933 to the 1990s running on 20 different routes.

All services are free and there is no limit to the number of journeys you can take during the day. From the buses you will be able to see sights normally hidden by the high banks and hedgerows of Devon lanes and really appreciate the beauty of the South Hams at first hand.

To plan your day, programmes can be purchased from Kingsbridge Information Centre now, from the Trust’s gazebo in the bus station on the day, or on-line from www.tvagwot.org.uk.

The bumper programme’s 52 pages contain full details of the routes, timetables, the buses expected to attend and the journeys being carried out by each vehicle during the day. Programme sales will help to defray the organiser’s costs and provide much needed funds for its charitable activities so please support the Trust by buying one.

The programme also contains a special feature covering the early history of Kingsbridge’s Tally Ho! Coaches and its use of buses built by Bristol Commercial

Vehicles over the period from 1977 to 2006. These buses were renowned for their ruggedness and reliability and having been supplied new only to the nationalised bus companies such as Western National they were keenly sought after by companies such as Tally Ho! when they were sold off for further use.

The Coleridge Community Bus, a volunteer run service for the area to the east and north of Kingsbridge has become a regular feature of the Running Day. This year they will be using their brand-new bus, a 16-seater EVM/Mercedes on a special route covering the coastal area to the east of the Kingsbridge Estuary.

This will visit Beesands, Hallsands, Start Point, with spectacular views of Start Bay and Slapton Sands, East Prawle and East Portlemouth and include opportunities to walk to vantage points and photograph the bus in these stunning scenic surroundings. This will be the only service visiting this area so it really is a ‘must’ if you haven’t done it before.

Luxury coach tours will run in both the morning and afternoon to the picturesque, sheltered bay at Blackpool Sands with a short break there to give you the opportunity to walk along the Sands and visit the Venus Café.

Other services revive routes from the earliest days of motor buses and subsequent developments to Salcombe, Thurlestone, Soar, Hope, South Pool, Slapton, Totnes, Loddiswell Station, Goveton, Modbury, Moreleigh, Blackawton and Bigbury-on-Sea. In addition there will be short circular routes visiting Churchstow and Aveton Gifford mainly operated by open top buses.

Organiser, Colin Billington, who has a home near Loddiswell, commented “We are really pleased to be able to put on our normal Running Day again this year after our enforced absence in 2020 and Covid restrictions last year. We are again very grateful for the backing of our principal sponsor, Kingsbridge’s own Tally Ho Coaches, who are supporting us in many ways behind the scenes. We are also grateful to the other bus companies and local businesses who have advertised in our programme again this year. All of the roads we are using are former or current bus routes and we are grateful to other road users for respecting the age and speed of our vehicles and kindly accommodating them. The event is for one day only and gives enormous pleasure to many people and benefits local businesses. It also demonstrates the environmental benefits to many people

who may have not travelled before by bus and are encouraged to make greater use as a result of their Running Day experience”