A 65 year old veteran bus to the rescue (article published in local paper)

[grebeman]

At the 3rd annual Kingsbridge bus rally a veteran 65 year old bus that used to work the 93 route came to the rescue of the modern bus.
This rally replicates the network of old routes serving local villages that used to radiate out from the market town of Kingsbridge using buses that ran these routes in times past. One route that still survives to this day is the 93 service from Plymouth to Dartmouth via Kingsbridge.
I decided to catch the modern bus so putting myself in front of the 65 year old Bristol K6A that used to work this route in the 1950's with the aim of getting off at Slapton to photograph the old bus as it turned off the main road to go up to Slapton Village.
However as we stopped to disembark passengers just a few minutes after starting our journey I noticed smoke drifting past the modern bus from the engine compartment followed by some liquid spreading across the road. I alerted the driver to the situation and he switched the engine off. On getting out I put my finger in the oil spreading across the road and determined it was diesel. Or modern bus was going no further on it's journey.
A few minutes later the old veteran bus came along and many of the passengers who were going to destinations along the route flagged it down and were allowed to board the old timer and continue their journey, the old bus was standing room only as it struggled away to re-enact it's old purpose in an unexpected way.
I live in the next village so decided to walk home and then get my landrover and go on to the next village and photograph the old bus as it made it's triumphant return to Kingsbridge.

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The broken down modern bus with the old timer stopped behind it

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The fully laden old bus ready to depart

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The old bus struggles away with the diesel stain spreading across the road from the engine compartment of the broken down bus

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Some 40 minutes later and the old bus returns towards Kingsbridge


All photographs taken with Panasonic G1 and Voigtlander 15mm, f/4.5 lens.

Barrie

 

[ricseet]

Hi Barrie, nice set of pics and thanks or sharing. They do not make them like they used to!
Looks like you are getting some sunny weather in UK.

cheers

ric

 

[Iconindustries]

That, my mate is a classic story. Pic no.1 clearly shows the scene with the diesel over the road and the predicament. I can imagine the little bus laughing to himself but from his stance he looks as though he's getting himself ready for an important job. Good old bus

 

[grebeman]

Although only in it's 3rd year this rally is becoming very popular since it recreates the old bus services in this area, rather than the buses just being on show in some field or showground. I should liked to have chatted to the crew afterwards to see how they felt about the incident, I'd like to bet they'll be dining out on this story for some time.
I've sent a copy of this story to the local paper together with pic 1 (only able to download 1 picture to their site) so we'll see if it gets printed or not.

Barrie

 

[grebeman]

I was pleasantly surprised to have this thread printed word for word together with photograph number 1 in our local weekly paper attached to their own report on how successful the bus rally had been.
Well chuffed,

Barrie

 

[BBW]

Wonderful Barrie!! I only found your thread today but was immediately drawn into it due to that beautiful older bus. Why do they have to change these busses? I am sure they have their reasons but they have such character and charm...and obviously were made very well. Great photos and I bet your article brought smiles to many readers' faces.

 

[grebeman]

Wonderful Barrie!! I only found your thread today but was immediately drawn into it due to that beautiful older bus. Why do they have to change these busses? I am sure they have their reasons but they have such character and charm...and obviously were made very well. Great photos and I bet your article brought smiles to many readers' faces.

Indeed it might have made some locals bus travelers smile, our buses have something of a reputation for breaking down, it wouldn't have been the first bus driver I'd made a cup of tea for whilst they were waiting for a fitter to come out and get them back on the road :smile: Our "modern" buses aren't that new, so perhaps some older ones that have proved themselves on what is a challenging route might be welcomed by the users.

Barrie