TV&GWOT is supporting the Didcot Railway Centre in organising their third Transport Rally on the first Sunday in June. Due to extensive construction work on the site we have used for the past two years, the primary focus of this year’s event will be TV&GWOT’s vintage bus services. These will run on former Great Western Railway Road Motors, Thames Valley and City of Oxford bus routes from Didcot Parkway Station.

All buses will start from and return to Didcot Parkway station where passengers will be able gain access to the Railway Centre through the station building. All services are free and may be boarded at the bus stops in Didcot Parkway Station forecourt or at outer termini.

For 2017 we be running services on the following five routes:

1 Didcot – Wantage via Harwell, East Hendred and Ardington

2 Didcot – Blewbury and Upton via East Hagbourne

3 Didcot – Chilton Circular via Harwell, Harwell Campus and West Hagbourne

4 Didcot – Wallingford via Brightwell

500 Didcot – Abingdon

In 2017 we are reintroducing a route to Chilton which we had to delete from the 2016 network due to extensive roadworks around the village.  Single deck journeys will pause for photos at the Rose & Crown in the village. This route will pass Harwell Campus formerly the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, famous among bus enthusiasts for its fleet of blue and grey staff transport buses which are featured in this year’s programme.

The 500 route to Abingdon will be operated by Colin Billington’s former Western National Duple 425 Integral newly restored to National Express Rapide livery. This proved to be a popular attraction at the Victoria Coach Station 85^th anniversary Coach Festival in March and the Didcot event will be the first time it has operated at a running day.

All buses will start from and return to Didcot Parkway station where passengers will be able gain access to the Railway Centre through the station building.

TV&GWOT will have a display and information stand by the station entrance.

Vehicles expected to run in service include:

Programmes

A fully illustrated programme, giving a brief history of the vehicles entered, service timetables, vehicle duties and historical notes, is available now. It can be purchased:

ON THE DAY for £5.00 from the TV&GWOT display near Didcot Parkway Station entrance or from TV&GWOT volunteers in the bus terminus and at the transport display.

BY POST for £6.50 including first class p&p by either:

- Sending a cheque payable to ‘TV&GWOT’ to Ledger Farm, Forest Green Road, Fifield, Maidenhead SL6 2NR, or

- Paying by Paypal (including any postal / delivery instructions in the notes)