A WINCHESTER bus charity enjoyed another bumper year at its annual showpiece last week.

Forty buses made an estimated 20,000 journeys across Winchester on Friends of King Alfred Buses running day on January 1.

FoKAB chairman James Freeman said the day was among the best the group had ever had with several thousand people enjoying free rides.

The charity raises funds by selling commemorative programmes and Mr Freeman said sales were up by between five and 10 per cent on last year.

He said: “With absolutely marvellous sunny and mild weather Winchester and the surrounding countryside was looking at its absolute best for this year's running day. There were over 40 buses in service, 10 of them from the King Alfred fleet itself, so it really was possible to recapture the essence of bus travel in Winchester 40 years and more ago.”

Volunteer conductor Trevor Moss, who lives in Gloucestershire but was brought up in Harestock, added: “Many, many people who have no interest in buses as such seemed to get just as much pleasure out of the day as the diehard enthusiasts.

“One of the joys of bus preservation is that we get to share our trophies with literally thousands of people on our annual Running Days. It makes it all worthwhile.”