1:09pm Thursday 4th January 2007
THE streets of Winchester were full of hustle and bustle on New Year's Day, as families flocked to the city to take a ride on a vintage buses.
The annual buses running day, organised by the Friends of King Alfred Buses, proved to be one of the busiest in its history.
Transport enthusiasts and families came in their thousands to ride the free bus services operating some of the former King Alfred Motor Services routes in and around Winchester.
Other bus and coach services took visitors to Alresford, Barton Stacey, Bishop's Waltham, Fair Oak, Cheriton, Eastleigh, Romsey, Stockbridge and Sutton Scotney as part of the event. More than 40 buses toured the city as part of the New Year's event and a static display of vintage and heritage buses and coaches took place at Intech.
The City Mill and Twyford Waterworks hopped on board this year's event as they flung their doors open in collaboration with the friends of King Alfred buses.
Transport memorabilia was on sale at a bazaar, held in the Guildhall, and enthusiasts came from as far afield as Gloucester and Birmingham to what see what the city had to offer.
Chairman of Friends of King Alfred Buses, Peter Murnaghan, said: "It says a lot for the running day and for Winchester that people come this far. It's something unique and Winchester is so lucky to have had this over the last 20 years."
He added that preparations would soon get under way for next year's event.
For more pictures, see this week's Hampshire Chronicle.
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