Taunton Heritage Bus Day 2026

Taunton Heritage Bus Day - 2026

The Annual Taunton Vintage Bus event in Taunton is always met with much anticipation and excitement, with a year-on-year success and support of all those who can attend with vintage buses. The Taunton Vintage Bus Day is always a date for the diary. The 2026 event saw more routes added than the previous year, with 11 different routes in operation. With the Bus Station still closed and undergoing building work to return it to public operations, the event was centred in the Taunton Parade area for departures, with buses between duties parked at Castle Green. A total of 29 buses were in operation throughout the day. The event is so large that it is not possible to cover every route, so each year I pick a different area to photograph. This year, I concentrated on the Taunton - Wellington - Rockwell Green (203) and Bradford on Tone (277), both of which operate via Sheppys Cider and Rumwell Farm Shop. The Highlight of the 2026 event was the return of a former regular operating bus from Taunton (VDV122S - 1978 - Bristol VRT). This popular bus type has been lovingly restored and returned to its Southern National Green and Cream livery, which it carried in the 1980s.

286KTA - 1962 Bristol SUL4A/ Eastern Coach Works

C426WFH - Burrows Coaches - The coaches was new to National Holidays, Cheltenham & Gloucester with Fleet No.2411. It was delivered as one of a batch of four , the others operating in National Express livery. 241 spent a long period with Provence Private Hire, St Albans before entering private preservation. It passed to the current owner (Burrows Coaches of Blanford Forum) and is still in active use as required.

286KTA 1962 Bristol SUL4A/ Eastern Coachworks, C425WFH - 1986 Leyland Tiger

EMW284 - 1947 - Bristol LB6/ Beadle

AFJ764T - 1979 Bristol VRT/SL3/6LXB Eastern Coach Works. One of the first batch of 244 Vrs bought new by Western National. 1056 operated in Plymouth and spent two years in North Devon. The bus entered preservation in 1992.

JUO983 1948 Bristol LL6B/ Eastern Coach Works. New to Southern National as a Bristol L6B 31-seat coach in August 1948. 1218 operated with Royal Blue. In 1958 it was lengthened to an LL6B and rebodied by ECW with 39 seats for bus operations, principally rail replacement. It was withdrawn in 1969 and spent 27 years in Marchwood Motorways, and was acquired in 2001 for restoration, which was completed in 2013.

VDV753 1957 Bristol LDL and 286KTA 1962 Bristol SUL4A

286KTA 1962 Bristol SUL4A/ Easter Coach Works, A686KDV 1984 Leyland Olympian

872ATA 1959 Leyland Atlantean/ Metro Cammell arrives into Wellington. Donated to the Devon General Omnibus Trust by Stagecoach South West in 2025. 872ATA was numerically the first of the 75 Leyland Atlanteans that Devon General purchased net between 1959 and 1968.

872ATA - 1959 LeyLand Atlantean, A686KDV 1984 Leyland Olypmpian - Wellington

872ATA 1959 Leyland Atlantean/ Metro Cammell arrives into Wellington.

811BWR - 1962 Bristol SUL4A / Eastern Coach Works - One of 18 Bristol SUL saloons now to West Yorkshire Road Car for rural routes from York and Malton Depots. SULs had a short service life in Yorkshire compared to their West Country cousins. SMA5 was withdrawn in 1972, the only one of a batch of amass 10 years of service. Subsequently used by a school and BP Chemicals, it entered preservation in 1984 and was further restored in 1993.

Taunton Heritage Bus Running Day - Castle Green - 31st May 2026.

VCV122S - 1978 Bristol VRT/SL3/ 6LXB / Eastern Coach Works. New to Western National as 1122 in 1978, she became a Southern National vehcile in 1983. The bus currently wears the Cawlett Group version of Southern National green and cream livery. Since withdrawal 1122 had passed through several owners, it has been in the current owner's custodianship since 2015.

C862DYD - 1985 - Ford Transist 190D/ Robin Hood/ Dormobile. New to Southern National, No.300 was the first of 94 transits introducing minibuses to Taunton, Bridgwater, Yeovil, and Weymouth. It moved to Red Bus, North Devon in 1992, returning to Southern National in 1995 wearing yellow/ green stripes livery. It entered preservation in 2000, No.300 wears original Taunton town Shuttle livery.

HLJ44 - 1949 Bristol K6A/ Eastern Coach Works - Although intended for Hants and Dorset, the bus was initially operated by London Transport at their TD895 to help mitigate the post-war vehicle shortage. It entered service with Hands and Dorset in 1950 at number 1187, remaining until 1966. It entered preservation in 1977 bt from 2005 to 2012 it was operated by Ensignbus in Essex. In 2013 joined Crossville Motor Services' vintage fleet.

CTT513C 1965 - AEC Regent V/ Park Royal

MXB733 - 1938 AEC Regal III, 'Queen Mary'

MXB733 - 1938 AEC Regal III, 'Queen Mary'. POU494 1956 Leyland Titan PD2, FDV790V - 1979 Bristol LH56L. AE06GZK 2006 Stagecoach AD Trident.

AE06GZK - 2006 - AD Trident 2: New to Stagecoach Viscount Cambridge. No.18413 transferred to Bristol, ending her service in Stroud. Fresh into preservation, much work is ongoing to ensure this modern bus sticks around for years to come.

Firstbus Yutong 30001, YH25OHJ

OTT85 - 1957 - Bristol LS5G/ Eastern Coach Works - This LS coach, Southern National No.1376 was mainly based at Weymouth and used on weekday tours and as a Royal Blue 'Relief' coach on summer weekends. Sold for preservation in 1970 bust used for heritage tours and weddings until 1980. Purchased in a derelict condition in 1990 was completed in 2014.

WA04CTU - Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400. 18079, a former Stagecoach South Wales, passes Rockwell Green.

L628VCV - 1994 Mercedes 709D/ Plaxton

872ATA - 1959 - Leyland Atlantean - Bradford on Tone

VDV122S - 1978 - Bristol VRT - Eastern Coach Works passing Rumwell Farm Shop heading home from the Taunton Bus Running Day.

POU494 - 1956 - Leyland titan PD2. One of two in the King Alfred fleet, this bus is very rare becuase it is a Leyland Titan with air-operated pneumo-cyclic transmission. Withdrawn in 1972, it was exported to the USA. It was repatriate dby the FoKAB from Augusta, Georgia, in 1993 and restored over the following five years, since when it has been a regular performer at running days and other events.

890ADV - 1959 - AEC Reliance/ Willowbrook Viking. One of a batch of 7' 6" wide coaches supplied to Grey Cars for tours on the narrow roads of Dartmoor and Exmoor. Sold in 1967 to Greenslades Tours and then Western Natioanl who operated it until it was sold for preservation in 1981. The coach is currently owned by Andy Cotton of Cotton Coaches in Saltash. Behind WG22CNV Volvo FL Fire Engine returning to Wellingotn Fire Station after a shout near Taunton.

VCV122S - 1978 Bristol VRT/SL3/ 6LXB / Eastern Coach Works. New to Western National as 1122 in 1978, she became a Southern National vehicle in 1983. The bus currently wears the Cawlett Group version of Southern National green and cream livery. Since withdrawal 1122 had passed through several owners, it has been in the current owner's custodianship since 2015. The bus is pictured passing the new Orchard Grove development heading to Wellington.

WA04CTU - Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400. 18079, a former Stagecoach South Wales, passes Orchard Grove on 20th June 2026.

KHW630 - 1938 - Leyland Titan PD1A/ Eastern Coach Works. Numbered C4019 by Bristol TRamways this is the sole survivor of 50 highbridge Leyland PD1A's bought new for Bristol City Services at the time Bristol (Commercial Vehicles) could not provide sufficient new buses. After withdrawal, it was used for further service by several London area independent operators before becoming derelict in a yard in Essex for over 25 years. It was restored in 2023.

872ATA 1959 Leyland Atlantean/ Metro Cammell Orchard Grove heading for Wellington.

890ADV - 1959 - AEC Reliance/ Willowbrook Viking. Returning to Taunton from Bardford on Tone.

Taunton Heritage Bus Day - 2026

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