Hants & Dorset 1651 (XLJ 726J) in Winchester - 1 Jan 2004 (518-18A)

Thursday 1 January 2004 – ‘Friends of King Alfred Buses’ (FoKAB) Running Day at Winchester (and surrounding area)

Preserved former Hants and Dorset 1651 (XLJ 726J), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELL6G, new in 1971. It has been preserved by its owners (the XLJ Consortium) in the National Bus Company’s red and white ‘local coach’ livery applied to dual purpose vehicles for use on express or stage duties.

It was participating in the ‘Friends of King Alfred Buses’ (FoKAB) Running Day, an event which sees different preserved buses and coaches running a network of fully timetabled free services to create a 1960s atmosphere. Seen on Broadway, just after leaving the bus station, it was working the 1130 service 47B service to Hursley, a 22 minute run, from where it would return as the 1155 service 66.

The imposing Guildhall forms a backcloth to the picture as preserved former King Alfred Motor Services Roe bodied Leyland Atlantean HOR 592E prepares to swing round to the bus stops for the 1140 service 10 to Sutton Scotney.