Fenland Busfest - 15 May 2022

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1047) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Former Kenzie’s Coaches JBY 804, a Duple Vista bodied Bedford OB new to C Barber of Mitcham in March 1951, seen about to run a trip of service 345 to Thorney.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1135) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Former Kenzie’s Coaches JBY 804, a Duple Vista bodied Bedford OB new to C Barber of Mitcham in March 1951, seen after returning on a run of service 345 to/from Thorney.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1133) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Former Kenzie’s Coaches JBY 804, a Duple Vista bodied Bedford OB new to C Barber of Mitcham in March 1951, seen after returning on a run of service 345 to/from Thorney.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1048) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Former Kenzie’s Coaches JBY 804, a Duple Vista bodied Bedford OB new to C Barber of Mitcham in March 1951, seen leaving the Market Place on a run of service 345 to Thorney.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1135) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Former Kenzie’s Coaches PEB 2R, a Plaxton Supreme bodied Bedford YMT new in April 1977. Parked on the left is JMY 120N, the ‘Super National’ Leyland National built in June 1974 which entered service with National Travel (South East) the following summer.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1135) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Former Kenzie’s Coaches Kenzie’s Coaches PJE 999J, a Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Bedford YRQ new in 1971.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1221) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Loading in the Market Place is Whippet Coaches WD446 (YN08 DHM), an all Scania N230UD new to London United in March 2008 as their SP26. Prominent in the Market Place is the Buttercross dating from 1680 originally a place for traders to sell goods. By the early 1800s it was used less and less and almost faced demolition but was re-roofed and survived. Before the present day bus station was created buses departed from the square and the Buttercross was used as a shelter by the waiting public. A rather nice period shot (1960s) of the square with two buses can be viewed at: www.francisfrith.com/whittlesey/whittlesey-market-place-c1965_w90013 and a much earlier one (circa 1920s) at: www.peterboroughimages.co.uk/market-square-whittlesey-2

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1221) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Loading in the Market Place are (left) A2B Travel Group SK68 LZP, an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 MMC new in December 2018, previously with National Express West Midlands (767) and (right) Whippet Coaches WD446 (YN08 DHM), an all Scania N230UD new to London United in March 2008 as their SP26.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1303) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Prominent in the Market Place is the Buttercross dating from 1680 originally a place for traders to sell goods. By the early 1800s it was used less and less and almost faced demolition but was re-roofed and survived. Before the present day bus station was created buses departed from the square and the Buttercross was used as a shelter by the waiting public. Arriving to take up passengers for Ramsey on service 341 is preserved former Whippet Coaches H303 CAV, a Northern Counties bodied Volvo B10M Citybus new in September 1990. Already loading, the yellow double decker is X562 EGK and the National Express coach is KAD 359V.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1109) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Seen in Market Street are Hedingham Omnibuses L103 (BAR 103X), a Plaxton Bustler bodied Leyland Leopard new in February 1982 and Kenzie’s Coaches PJE 999J, a Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Bedford YRQ new in 1971. Visible between them is Whippet Coaches AF52 VMD, a Wright Eclipse bodied Scania L94UB new in September 2002.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1052) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Left: Preserved former National Travel (South West) 359 (KAD 359V), a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard new in March 1980. National Express livery with ‘Black and White’ fleetnames. The destination blinds showed ‘777 Paris’ for a service operated in the 1970s from Cheltenham to the French capital. Right: Whilst the Leyland National was a standardised production line built bus, there were some deviations from the norm in an attempt to broaden sales. One of these was the ‘Super National’ JMY 120N built in June 1974 which entered service with National Travel (South East) the following summer. The ‘executive’ features on this vehicle at the time included a colour television/video player, radio telephone, aircraft style seats, tables, servery, cloakroom and toilet compartment.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1229) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. The small bus station in Grosvenor Road was used as the drop off point by vehicles providing the bus rides. (Vehicles in this photograph are MBE 613R, G872 RNC, C193 CYO and CUV 239C)

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1117) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Redfern Travel H548 VAT, a Northern Counties bodied Leyland Olympian that had been new to East Yorkshire Motor Services (548) in September 1990.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1141) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Now preserved by Eastern Bus Enthusiasts, the organisers of the Busfest event, T129 OAH is a Wright Renown bodied Volvo B10BLE that was new to Ambassador Travel, Great Yarmouth in March 1999 for Norwich Park and Ride work. It had been acquired from Transdev and wears the Mybus livery for Metro school transport contracts in Yorkshire.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1233) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. T129 OAH is a Wright Renown bodied Volvo B10BLE that was new to Ambassador Travel, Great Yarmouth in March 1999 for Norwich Park and Ride work. It had been acquired from Transdev and wears the Mybus livery for Metro school transport contracts in Yorkshire.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1156) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Left: X562 EGK, a Plaxton President bodied Volvo B7TL, was new in November 2000 to London General as their PVL162. Right: Preserved C653 LJR, an Eastern Coachworks bodied Leyland Olympian new to Northern General Transport in August 1985.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1100) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. X562 EGK, a Plaxton President bodied Volvo B7TL, was new in November 2000 to London General as their PVL162. Presumably now a former vehicle of Sevenoaks based GO-Coach Limited.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1109) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Preserved former Hedingham Omnibuses L103 (BAR 103X), a Plaxton Bustler bodied Leyland Leopard new in February 1982. A photo of this bus in service on 23 August 1989 may be seen here: www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/50560084 In the background is Kenzie’s Coaches PJE 999J, a Plaxton Panorama Elite bodied Bedford YRQ new in 1971.