Alton Adventure Part 2: Sunday 20/07/14

After breakfast in the hotel in Reading (can't say it was hearty, it was worse than anything offered by even budget chains like Wetherspoons), we jumped in the Starship Focus and headed off in search of a free shuttle bus from Reading to Alton, which due to parking issues and roadworks delaying us, we missed by seconds. Resorting to plan B, we set off in chase in the Focus, getting far enough in front en-route to photograph the bus we missed, 'Shillibeer' liveried Routemaster RM2208, as it sped towards Alton.

RM2208 (C) Paul Gaunt

On our arrival at Anstey Park, we parked up and our jaws fell to the floor. Buses as far as the eyes could see - the only thing I can liken it to looking at how everything was laid out and vehicle numbers was Showbus, it was on a scale of its own, like nothing we had seen before. We stood around photographing arrivals, including large numbers of classic cars too, before wandering around the site to get further photographs.

A visit to the bus station area, and a brief consultation of the timetable, and we found ourselves on board preserved Safeguard Leyland Leopard OPC26R, for a round trip to East Tisted and back, stopping for photographs in the picturesque village, before Paul and I boarded ex-Trent Leyland National 421 (GNU568N) to enjoy some quality Leyland 510 thrash as we paid a visit to Alton Sports Centre. After some liquid refreshments (non-alcoholic in this instance), we managed to catch a lift from the local Sainsbury's back to Anstey Park on Shamrock & Rambler Bedford OB KEL94. We also sampled Southampton Leyland Atlantean 133 (TTR167H) for a trip to the Railway Station, the gearchange reminding both Paul and I of when Nottingham reverberated to the sound of Leyland Atlanteans and other such quality motors, rather than the plastic of today.

We also enjoyed a trip on Alder Valley 'Londonlink' Leyland Olympian/ECW coach 578 (B578LPE), belonging to Olympian enthusaist Chris Martin and performing faultlessly (albeit a trifle hot with its fixed windows on an exceptionally hot day, but you can't blame the bus for that one). There was just time left for a trip to the Railway Station and back on Portsmouth open-top Atlantean ERV250D, and time to meet in person the owner of ex-Provincial Bristol RE 112 (ECG112K) and Ulsterbus 2599 Group facebook follower Terry Lawson before returning to the car and heading home.

Once again, on behalf of myself, the two Pauls and Peter, a fantastic weekend all round, great to finally put faces to several names from the facebook page, and hopefully we shall return at the same time next year...