Return of the Royal Blue Run

摘要

Twelve preserved coaches and one modern service bus took part in this year's Royal Blue Run through nine counties across the south and west of England. This 20th run, organised by the Thames Valley & Great Western Omnibus Trust, was the first for two years and adopted the themes planned for the postponed 2020 event. Over four days from June 18 to 21, it marked 141 years since the foundations were set for the Royal Blue company and 101 since the National Omnibus & Transport Company was registered. The route, starting in Harlow and finishing in Stroud, connected the territories of the Eastern National, Southern National and Western National companies and went through the towns in Essex, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Gloucestershire in which they had major depots, while also visiting Bournemouth, where Royal Blue had its headquarters. It reached Southampton on the first day, Plymouth on the second and Barnstaple (via Newquay) on the third. Nine preserved Bristols and three Leylands were accompanied by a 70-registered Alexander Dennis Enviro200 from the White Bus fleet in Berkshire. Six preserved Royal Blue coaches took part, including Southern National 1286 (MOD 973), a 1952 Bristol LS6G with ECW body with front quarterlights and roof-mounted luggage rack, photographed with recently retired First west of England managing director James Freeman at the wheel as it climbed from Upwey towards Dorchester, Western National 2270 (253 KTA), a 1962 Bristol MW6G with one of the first examples of the second style of ECW coach body for this chassis, is shown heading towards Bournemouth early on the second day on the single track bridge over the River Avon in Christchurch. One of two preserved rear-engined Bristols on the run was United Counties 278 (TBD 278G), an RELH6G with bus shell ECW dual purpose body new in 1969, which has been restored to the operator's mainly cream coach livery. It was negotiating the St Peters roundabout in Bournemouth.