Classic bus convoy to tour Peterborough area on Sunday

A convoy of classic buses will complete a tour of thePeterborough area, starting and ending at Queensgate, on Sunday (October 11).
By Ben Jones
Published 9th Oct 2020, 14:01 BST
Updated 9th Oct 2020, 14:10 BST

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Busfest 2019 in WhittleseyBusfest 2019 in Whittlesey
Busfest 2019 in Whittlesey

The ‘Busman’s Holiday Road Run’ has been organised by Eastern Bus Enthusiasts (EBE), the same group that hosts the annual Fenland Busfest.

The event, hosted in Whittlesey, usually attracts thousands of enthusiasts across the country, but had to be cancelled this year due to Covid-19.

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As compensation, EBE are putting on the convoy on Sunday which will consist of more than a dozen classic buses. These include the LEF 60H, 1970 Bristol RE, which is celebrating its 50th birthday this year and has emerged from 25 years in storage, and the H303 CAV, 1990 Volvo B10M-50 Citybus. The bus is something of a local legend after spending 27 years in service with Cambridgeshire independent operator Whippet, covering around a million miles. It has been saved by EBE members in 2017 and is now back on the road following restoration work.

The LEF 60H, 1970 Bristol RE, Eastern Coachworks bodywork. Which will be at its first event since 1995The LEF 60H, 1970 Bristol RE, Eastern Coachworks bodywork. Which will be at its first event since 1995
The LEF 60H, 1970 Bristol RE, Eastern Coachworks bodywork. Which will be at its first event since 1995

The convoy will depart Queensgate bus station at 9:25 and will complete a loop of the region, passing through Thrapston, Raunds, Kimbolton, St Neots, Godmanchester, Huntingdon and Whittelsey, amongst others, before returning to Queensgate at 5:15pm.

A full list of all the locations and timings can be found on the EBE Facebook page.

Due to current Covid-19 restrictions, the public are not able to ride the buses this year and people who plan to wave en route or take photos are encouraged not to gather in groups more than six.

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A spokesperson for the EBE said: “We decided to do this to voice our support for local bus operators who are suffering from lack of passengers and contract work due to Covid 19 and to spread a bit of goodwill.

“We very much hope people will enjoy this event, we are only sorry for obvious reasons we weren’t able to bring you BusFest in May.

“We were hoping to hold an “Oktober Busfest” on a smaller scale but the latest Covid restriction prevented this. Hopefully the road run will be some compensation and bring a bit of cheer!

“We are also anxious to pledge support for the local bus industry and encourage people to use their buses, strictly under Covid restrictions.

“We unfortunately can’t offer rides on the buses and coaches this year but hopefully we can compensate for that with BusFest 2021.”

Related topics:PeterboroughCovid-19WhittleseyHuntingdon