Bus enthusiasts recreate route to celebrate 50 years of vintage vehicles

Now, 50 years since this vehicle was last serving the West Riding, its route has been recreated.

The West Riding Omnibus Preservation Society, which is itself marking 50 "golden" years, honoured the anniversary of the final journey of the region’s last Guy Wulfrunian by running several buses from Alverthorpe to Wakefield last week.

“The marking of the date of the last one that ran in West Riding service, on March 4, 1972, had to be celebrated,” said museum trustee Mark Byard.

The society’s original ambition was to preserve two of the few such double deckers left in service, one red and one green, but hopes were thwarted when their red one had to be scrapped.

Over 50 years the society and its museum trust, the Dewsbury Bus Museum, has preserved many other vehicles, and was finally able to fulfil its original ambition with the restoration of a last red Wulfrunian in November.

This bus will return to service for the society’s Golden Jubilee, as a rally season is revealed with the museum to open its doors on May 15 and October 30 for people to visit its fleet.

“It will be a fitting tribute to those 17 early pioneers of what is today a very successful museum and society,” said Mr Byard.

He added: “It is pleasing to note that two of the original founding members from 1971 are still active with the museum, Leo Pratt and Ken Aveyard, who must surely be amazed at the progress that has been made from that initial meeting on a cold November night in 1971.”