This year’s Kingsbridge Vintage Bus Running Day is to be held on Saturday September 21. This will be the 17th Kingsbridge Running Day since the first in 2008. This year there will be a choice of 43 vintage buses dating from 1933 to the early 2000s running on 24 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 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 photographic feature covering ‘Then and now’ at some of the most spectacular destinations on our route network comparing the vehicles of bygone eras with those of the 21st century spanning up to 120 years of road passenger transport history!

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. They will be using their 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 much of 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, courtesy of the owners, with a 40-minute break there to give you the opportunity to walk along the spectacular Sands and visit the café.

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

Organiser, Colin Billington, who has his home near Loddiswell, commented “We are really pleased to be able to put on our Running Day again this year. We have a record entry of 43 vehicles for riders to choose from, several coming for their first visit. We are again very grateful for the backing of our principal sponsor, Kingsbridge’s own Tally Ho Coaches and to the other bus companies and local businesses who have supported the event by advertising in our programme. 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 many local businesses. It also demonstrates the environmental benefits to many people who may have not travelled by bus before and are encouraged to make greater use as a result of their Running Day experience”