Once again, we will be supporting the Heritage Open Day on Sunday 14 September with another of our renowned classic Running Days, when the King Alfred Buses will be providing a range of free bus rides to the villages around the city between 1000 and 1700 in FoKAB’s Free Bus Ride Bonanza.
In addition, FoKAB’s popular open-top double-decker bus will be running a free shuttle service between Broadway and Hyde Street for the Hyde900 celebrations on both Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September.
Free rides will be on offer from under the shadow of King Alfred’s statue in the Broadway, in the traditional way, concentrating on the country routes operated up to 1973 by King Alfred Motor Services. Buses will be going to Twyford & Colden Common, to Sparsholt, Crawley, Sutton Scotney and Stoke Charity, to East Stratton, Morn Hill and Owslebury.
In addition, three very old pre-war buses will be providing shorter trips, all for free, around the city centre, and creating a most unusual chance to sample bus travel from the 1930s. Two of these, a Leyland Lion and a 1931 Dennis 18-seater, will be familiar to Winchester people, but the third is a ‘special guest’. It is a 1929 Leyland double-decker. The restoration of this bus was only recently completed, and this will be its first opportunity to provide free rides.
A colourful programme, giving full details of this special event, will be available on the day at £6 from our Sales Stand situated at The Broadway. Sales of these programmes go towards the costs of conserving and operating our fleet of Vintage buses and coaches. “As a not-for-profit registered Charity, every single penny of donations goes straight to the maintenance of our Fleet” says FoKAB Chairman James Freeman.
For additional information, please send an email to: info@kingalfredbuses.org.uk
We are appealing for funds towards the massive £500,000 cost of restoring our fire-damaged 1950 Leyland Olympic bus. It is really easy to donate to this: please visit our website and use the ‘Donate Now’ button,n quoting Olympic appeal and your name. Thank you.
Photo: The 1929 Leyland Titan TD1 double-decker – our ‘Special Guest’ and newly restored bus
