Thames Valley Buses 100

In 1915 the British Automobile Traction started a bus service from Reading to Maidenhead. To celebrate 100 years of the occasion the Thames Valley and Great Western Omnibus Trust decided to organise a display of buses that ran the route through the years on the new pedestrian area outside the recently renovated Reading Station. Walking through town we saw the first of the buses on its run.



As we approached the station there were hoards of bus spotters, they seem to breed them strange with an interesting aroma and no manners, pushing and shoving to get everyone out of the way was the order of the day sadly. We had a look around the trio of 1920s machines before climbing on the top deck of the the old WW1 London bus for a birdseye view.









After a quick lunch we headed to the bottom of the hill and the free rides. There were half a dozen buses do rides along the A4 on the old route. We opted for a fantastic ride on a 1962 Bristol coach to Twyford and back. There was no real queuing system and I could see we would soon get swamped by the stinky camera carriers, fortunately the cream and blue single decker pulled up next to us and we followed a couple on and headed straight for the back seat! The three of us safely at the back in the shade of the rear while the rest of the bus was bathed in sunshine from the greenhouse style roof.



Through town it was getting a bit warm, but on the A4 with the throttle open the cool breeze was lovely and we saw a different side of town before stopping in Twyford high street for a chance to get off. Lily and I nipped off to stretch our legs and get a photo before getting back on for the drive back.





Back down the A4 we had a  convoy of Bristol buses with photographers at every junction snapping away. Back at the station we got off and headed for a cooling ice cream.







It was a trip back in time for us and a fun ride for Lily.

Steve.

Reading Buses open day

After a morning at the local school carboot sale we headed out to Reading for the afternoon. Reading Buses were once again throwing open their doors to let the public see how the depot works. Walking in the yard was full of modern buses from all the routes. Lily spent ages running in and out of most of them and trying out some drivers seats.



Behind all the modern stuff were a few classic buses. The AEC Panarama a look back to a bygone age of A road trips and nasty upholstery.







After a trip through the bus wash in a Pink route double decker we clambered up to the top deck of the oldest bus in the fleet. An AEC Regent from the 1930s.





Lily got to try out the fastest bus in the world, the cow poo powered machine hitting the dizzy heights of   80.73mph at Brooklands





We ended our day with a tour round the town on an old open top bus.



Steve.