Old Buckenham - The Alternative View

So who in their right mind would get up early on a Sunday morning, sacrifice the comfy viewing of a Chelsea match, and spend the day in a field in a howling gale talking to a load of old farts about buses. Erm me as it happens.

Yesterday as you'll know unless you've been living in a cave was the 4th Old Buckenham Bus Rally. The predicted washout didn't occur, instead a strong wind persisted all day, but us transport enthusiasts are a hardy lot and a bit of wind is nothing. There was a turnout of around 21 vehicles, including 3 Routemasters, 3 from various First depots, my favourite coach in the region (Fareline's superb Jonckherre bodied B10M), some blue and white thingy and a bus that declared it most certainly wasn't a Routemaster. "I'm not Spartacus"!

But that wasn't my reason for missing the Chelsea match. The whole reason for going to these events is to catch up with friends, annoy enemies just by being there, and take the mickey out of Chris Speed. It's fair to say I concentrated on talk and not taking pictures as I knew there would be ample opportunity to view them elsewhere. So just a couple were taken, all involving my base for the day, the rather superb Yarmouth Transport Swift 85, owned by Chris and Danny who have kept it feeling like a bus and not a museum exhibit.

VA479, 59 and 85 at Old Buckenham yesterday

As others have mentioned these are days to catch up with everyone and like an Oscar acceptance speech I'm going to mention everyone, so Tim, who drove virtually the width of Suffolk to get me there thanks buddy, Chris, Danny, Grahame, Clive, Sam, Cameron, Jamie, Zak, Harry, Colin, Joe, Des, Luke it was a pleasure to see you all and have a good gossip. It was a shame Roy, John and Alex couldn't make it but there's always next year. A special mention must go to Willow, who kept me so engrossed in seriously good conversation I hardly noticed the ride to Attleborough and back on 85! Old farts? Yup, and I'm a fully paid up member!

85, as it happens was voted Best in Show, beating a Border Terrier and a Chihauhua, and a good day was had by all.

However it would seem that fame is getting to 85's head. I am indebted to Zak Nelson for allowing me to use this picture he took whilst on the way back to Yarmouth, which appears to show 85 and 59 holding up the entire Acle Straight while holding an impromptu photo shoot. You can even see the trophy in the windscreen. Bloody celebrities holding up the peasants!

The trophy in the wndscreen 85 holds up the Acle Straight basking in her glory!     pic (c) Zak Nelson