Vintage buses and classic cars at festival

Some 40 vehicles from across the country, and thousands of enthusiasts, will descend on Whittlesey for the event, which will also see a one-off revival of a classic bus route from 10am.

Route 701 ran from Peterborough to Whittlesey then Turves from the 1920s, until local firm Judd’s Travel ceased trading last year.

Now, Turves-based brewery Xtreme Ales has come up with a Route 701 beer which will be available from several pubs during the Fenland Busfest, and vintage buses and coaches will operate the service half hourly free of charge.

Buses will also link Whittlesey to Thorney where a classic car show is taking place at the museum. Entries are still welcome for this and there will also be sales stalls.

Free vintage bus rides will also go to Turves, Ramsey and the village of Glatton, along with a mystery tour.

The event is organised by Eastern Bus Enthusiasts. Spokesman Nick Larkin said: “The event just gets bigger every year and the 2016 show will be the biggest ever.

“We know that the 701 route is still missed locally and we can at least run it for one day. We are very proud that Extreme Ales has come up with a special brew for us. People can enjoy it and thanks to our network of bus services not have to worry about driving.”

Xtreme Ales was set up by father and son Mike and Neil Holmes in July 2013. Mike said: “We really like the bus event and are delighted to produce a special ale for Route 701.”

A full list of pubs serving Route 701 ale will be published in the event programme.

The event is raising funds for the storage and preservation of buses locally and there will also be a collection for Peterborough Soup Kitchen.