Daventry Enjoys Nostalgic Bus Rides!

Daventry Town Council were thrilled to partner again with Northampton Transport Heritage (NTH), who brought a selection of their classic buses to town, offering visitors free bus tours to mark National Heritage Open Days 2023.

The family-friendly event, on Saturday 16 September 2023, allowed residents to become tourists and see Daventry and its' neighbouring villages from a different perspective whilst experiencing the magic of the beautifully preserved buses.

The heritage bus tours recreated former Local United Counties & Midland Red Bus Routes and took in several villages, including Ashby St Ledgers, Badby, Braunston, Norton, Staverton, Weedon and Welton.

Passengers could travel the whole journey and return to Daventry or get off at the village stops; all trips were free of charge. Additionally, visitors could purchase optional programmes as a souvenir of the day, with the profits of the sales going towards the upkeep and maintenance of the vehicles.

The buses departed from Market Square, Daventry and attracted many visitors. This year, the event also offered x4 SEND extra-friendly bus routes, which were well received and helped make the event accessible to all.

The bus tours coincided with Daventry Foodies Market and Daventry Museum's Heritage Open Day celebrations, so visitors were treated to a full day of activities and attractions within the town.

Daventry Mayor, Cllr. Ted Nicholl enjoyed viewing the buses and remarked: "Thank you to Northampton Transport Heritage and their brilliant team of volunteers who treated visitors with their beautifully preserved buses. The buses were much adored by young and old visitors alike, and the sunny weather made for a great day. It was lovely to wave to many passing passengers enjoying the free rides and meet residents who loved exploring the stationary buses. Thank you to both NTH and Daventry Town Council for their hard work organising and running the event so professionally behind the scenes. The eye-catching buses were a great addition to the Daventry Foodies' Market 2023 and Daventry Museum Heritage Open Day 2023 celebrations."

Daventry Town Council look forward to welcoming Northampton Heritage Transport back to town in the future and hopes everyone who attended the event enjoyed the day.