Thames Valley & Great Western Omnibus Trust

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KINGSBRIDGE 7'6" VINTAGE BUS RUNNING DAY - 15 September 2018

Returning for our 11^th year, the Kingsbridge Running Day on Saturday 15^th September is going to include some interesting new routes as well as a different mix of vehicles for both regular and new visitors to enjoy.

Although the road closure for major causeway re-construction along Slapton Sands limits our north-east routes this year, we will benefit from reduced through traffic and have taken the opportunity to explore new routes to the west.

The Running Day will be centred on the recently remodelled Kingsbridge Bus Station on the Quay, operating services from 10.00 until 17.30.

The extensive network and full timetable give visitors the opportunity to ride on a range of vehicles to spectacular coast and country destinations all around Kingsbridge and the South Hams.

The routes we plan to use were formerly operated by the Great Western Railway Road Motors, the Western National Omnibus Company and/or other local operators such as Tally Ho Coaches and the Coleridge Community Bus.

-	Services to East Portlemouth, South Pool & Sherford, Goveton, Slapton, Salcombe, Hope Cove, Thurlestone, Bantham, Loddiswell, California Cross, Bigbury on Sea, and East Allington are being scheduled.
-	Circular services will include Coleridge Community Bus operated routes from Kingsbridge to Ledstone, Goveton, East Allington, and Slapton, and from Kingsbridge to Beesands, North Hallsands and Ford.
-	A new service will venture west to termini at Kingston and Ringmore.
-	The circular ‘school’ service TNS004 through the Avon Valley will again be combined with pre-war rail replacement route 177 from South Brent.
-	Coach excursions will operate for the first time to Bigbury-on-Sea for Burgh Island - now under new ownership, The Pilchard Inn and café offer a warm welcome and spectacular coastal views. Depending on the state of the tide, access to Burgh Island will be by Sea Tractor – a new public transport experience for most.
-	There will be several short workings including a town service with round trip times of less than 30 minutes so enthusiasts can sample a greater number of vehicles in the course of the day.
-	A number of routes will also have duplicates so that passengers can change vehicles at outer termini.
-	As in recent years, feeder services for the Kingsbridge Running Day will operate to and from Totnes Railway station, co-ordinated with connecting train and bus services. One service will also serve Ashburton and Buckfastleigh. Normal Tally Ho services will also serve the route.

Programmes

A full colour 52-page bumper programme accompanies the event.

It includes an extensive feature on ‘Ferry Connections’ with more than 50 period images of bus, coach and ferry links at crossings from the Tamar round to the Dart.

The article complements the maps, vehicle listings, timetables and duties for you to plan your day.

New ventures for the 2018 running day are highlighted, and refreshment opportunities at the cafès, pubs and an ice cream parlour offered by programme advertisers are mapped out on the routes.

Programmes are now available and will be on sale on the day or can be ordered in advance so you can plan your day:
BY POST (despatched from 3rd – 13th September) for £8 including p&p by either

-	Sending a cheque payable to ‘TV&GWOT’ to the address below, or
-	Paying by Paypal (including any postal / delivery instructions in the notes)

IN PERSON from 4^th September from the Kingsbridge Information Centre on the Quay for £6

Feeder services

Feeder services for the Kingsbridge Running Day will operate to and from Totnes Railway Station, co-ordinated with connecting train and bus services. One service will also serve Ashburton and Buckfastleigh. Normal Tally Ho services will also serve the route.

	Earliest feeders to Kingsbridge (tbc)				Latest returns from Kingsbridge (tbc)
Ashburton	-	0845	-	Kingsbridge	1700	1715	1730
Buckfastleigh	-	0900	-	Totnes (Rail)	1735	1750	1805
Totnes (Coronation Rd)	0840	0920	0940	Totnes (Coronation Rd)	1740	1755	1810
Totnes (Rail)	0845	0925	0945	Buckfastleigh	1800
Kingsbridge	0920	1000	1020	Ashburton	1815

Stagecoach service buses to and from Plymouth will operate through the day to the normal Saturday timetable.

Vehicles

Most vehicles in use will be limited to those with a width not exceeding 7’6” (apart from mirrors). This is necessary because of the width of many of the roads in the area over which we are planning to operate. Full width vehicles will be able to be used on the routes to Slapton, Salcombe, Bigbury, Modbury and Totnes. Owners of other visiting vehicles are welcome to come to Kingsbridge and we expect to be able to organise additional parking by arrangement – please contact the organisers below if you wish to avail yourself of this.

The list of participating vehicles is growing rapidly so check the listing out again nearer the event as owners decide which of their fleet to bring. As of 30 July the confirmed vehicles are listed below.

Entry form: If you are a vehicle owner there is still time to enter (closing date 14^th August 2018). Entry forms can be downloaded in pdf or Word formats.


Buses from across the decades take part in the running day. © Colin Billington	Bristol SU buses and coaches are particularly well suited to the South Hams and appear frequently. © Colin Billington	Plenty of capacity on double-deck routes. © Graham / Plymothian Transit

FJ8967 (137) in Kingsbridge Bus Station. © Colin Billington	286KTA (1234) at Soar. © Colin Billington	NAE3 (2467) rests at South Pool. © Len Wright

FTT704 (353) traversing the spectacular Slapton causeway. © Allan MacFarlane	JUO983 (1218) climbs up through Kingsbridge en route to California Cross and Modbury.	FJ8967 (137) at Inner Hope. © Colin Billington

DOD518 (333) a Kingsbridge stalwart makes its annual pilgrimage through South Pool. © Allan MacFarlane	LTA772 (1613) is convincing as the service bus in Modbury. © Allan MacFarlane	468FTT (1969) stops at Torcross for passengers to disembark and take photos. © Tim Stubbs

Fleet No	Reg No	Chassis	Body	Body code	Date	Operator
137	FJ8967	Bl H	BBW	B32R	1933	Western National
191	JA7591	Ld Tiger TS7	English Electric	B35C	1937	Stockport Corporation
333	DOD518	Bl L5G	Beadle	B35R	1939	Western National
SR487	HTT487	AEC Regal	Weymann	B35F	1946	Devon General
279	EMW284	Bl L6B	Beadle	C32R	1947	Wilts & Dorset
1218	JUO983	Bl LL6B	ECW	FB39F	1948	Southern National
S302	GFM882	Bl L6A	ECW	B35R	1948	Thames Valley
	GOU732	Tilling-Stevens	Scottish Aviation	C35F	1949	Altonian
2467	NAE3	Bl L6B	ECW	FC31F	1950	Bristol Omnibus Company
1613	LTA772	Bl LWL	ECW	B39R	1951	Western National
1376	OTT85	Bl LS6G	ECW	C39F	1954	Southern National
SN839	XTA839	Albion Nimbus	Willowbrook	B31F	1958	Devon General
600	672COD	Bl SUS	ECW	B30F	1960	Western National
603	675COD	Bl SUS	ECW	B30F	1960	Western National
420	270KTA	Bl SUL	ECW	C33F	1962	Western National
425	275KTA	Bl SUL	ECW	C33F	1962	Western National
1234	286KTA	Bl SUL	ECW	C37F	1962	Southern National / Guernseybus
1	1RDV	AEC Reliance	Harrington	C41F	1964	Devon Geneal (Grey Cars)
1254	VOD124K	Bl LHS6L	Marshall	B33F	1972	Western National
1318	BDV318L	Bl LH6L	Marshall	C39F	1973	Western National
	KJD413P	Bl LH6L	ECW	B43F	1976	Tally Ho!
1557	FDV787V	Bl LHS6L	ECW	B35F	1979	Western National
1560	FDV790V	Bl LHS6L	ECW	B35F	1979	Western National
300	C862DYD	Fd Tt	RH/Do	B16F	1985	Southern National
401	L401VCV	Ds Dt	Pn	B40F	1994	Western National
628	L628VCV	Merc 709	Pn	B23F	1994	Western National
52529	S529RWP	Merc Vario	Pn	B27F	1998	First Devon & Cornwall
	YJ10EYY	Optare Solo	Optare	B22F	2010	Coleridge Community Bus

RTL1163	LYF104	Ld 7RT	Park Royal	H30/26R	1951	London Transport
DL640	MTT640	Ld Titan PD2/1	Ld	L27/26R	1951	Devon General
1943	VDV760	Bl LD6G	ECW	H33/27RD	1958	Western National
360	TCO537	Ld Atlantean PDR1/1	Metro-Cammell	O44/33F	1960	Plymouth City Transport

1969	468FTT	Bl FLF6G	ECW	H38/30F	1960	Western National
2019	824KDV	Bl FLF6G	ECW	H38/30F	1963	Western National
RM1872	ALD872B	AEC RM	Park Royal	H64R	1964	London Transport
1121	VDV121S	Bl VRT/SL3/6LXB	ECW	H43/31F	1978	Western National
1157	AFJ764T	Bl VRT/SL3/6LXB	ECW	H43/31F	1979	Western National
1200	LFJ844W	Bl VRT/SL3/6LXB	ECW	H43/31F	1980	Western National
1203	LFJ847W	Bl VRT/SL3/6LXB	ECW	H43/31F	1980	Western National
171	TTT171X	Ld Atlantean AN68	East Lancs	H43/31F	1981	Plymouth City Transport
1814	A686KDV	Ld ONLXB/1R	ECW	H45/32F	1983	Devon General
32874	V874HBY	Ds Trident 2	Plaxton	H39/21F	1999	First London

Excursion for Entrants and Volunteers

On Sunday 16^th there will be a road run for visiting vehicles and volunteers to thank them for their efforts. New for 2018 the excursion will depart from Kingsbridge for an extended Dartmoor tour (this year suited to 8’ wide vehicles), in part taking in highlights from the Tavistock event in June. The logistics mean it is essential for those wanting to take part to let the organisers know by 31^st August latest, please.

Past Events

To get a flavour of previous events, why not take a look at the TV&GWOT workshop blog describing goings on in 2017, 2016 and 2015.

Colin Billington

Running Day Entry Co-ordinator

For more information contact: Colin Billington, by email to: colinbillington@tvagwot.org.uk or write to TV&GWOT, Ledger Farm, Forest Green Road, Fifield, Maidenhead, SL6 2NR

Company Registered in England No. 5035702. Registered Charity No. 1125980