QMS Bus Rallies

Commer TS3 coach may visit Open Weekend

Anyone who fancies the 3-cylinder roar of the Commer TS3 may be in for a treat this weekend as a guest coach, powered by a distinctive two-stroke diesel engine, is lined up to visit our depot at Bishops Lydeard. It may also appear on one of the free bus services.

Other visiting vehicles may also attend but, as with all heritage buses and coaches mentioned here, only if available and serviceable!

Instant news updates: follow us on Twitter @quantockms

Open Weekend shuttle service from Taunton to Bishops Lydeard

The first free ‘Open Weekend’ shuttle service from Taunton railway station, south side, will leave at 09:40 on Saturday 28th May. Further departures will be at 09:55, 10:10 and at frequent intervals thereafter. The same times apply on Sunday 29th May.

Full details for these and all other free bus services are available in the Programme/timetable leaflet which can be obtained from conductors on the Taunton buses and at the depot gate for £5.00 each. Entry to the depot, where visiting buses and more vehicles from the QMS heritage fleet will be on display, is by programme only.

At the time of writing there will be 13 heritage buses operating services from Bishops Lydeard, including 2 guest vehicles.

Extra buses added to Running Weekend fleet list

Due to the unfortunate unavailability of GNU750, the Blue Bus Services Daimler COG5, one of a number of other vehicles from our commercial heritage fleet may now appear in its place. Depending on private hire bookings and weather conditions, one of the following double deck buses may deputise:

HJA965E - Stockport Corporation Leyland PD2
DPV65D - Ipswich Corporation Regent V
VDV752/753 - Western National Bristol LDLs (open top)

Free bus services from Bishops Lydeard:

1 – BISHOPS LYDEARD - TAUNTON RAILWAY STATION via Silk Mills, Wellington Road & Castle Way for Bus Station
2 – BISHOPS LYDEARD - TAUNTON Castle Way for Bus Station via Greenway Road and Railway Station.
(Return via Staplegrove Road & Norton Fitzwarren)
3 – BISHOPS LYDEARD - SHEPPY’S CIDER CENTRE CIRCULAR
4 – BISHOPS LYDEARD – LANGLEY MARSH CIRCULAR

Running Weekend updates via Twitter

For those who want updates about our Running Weekend delivered straight to their browser or phone, we’ve set up a Twitter account. Just follow “quantockms” and get updates on late breaking news in the days leading up to the event and during the two days of operations.

If all goes well, we plan to keep followers up to date with news of delayed services, replacement vehicles or duplicate/additional journeys. Most of the updates will be posted by the Depot Despatcher but, if his workload is high, updates may not be posted immediately.

If you have any questions about using our Twitter feed, please contact the Webmaster.

Running Weekend routes confirmed

Four heritage bus routes have been confirmed, all running from our depot at Bishops Lydeard.

Town Service 1 runs to Taunton Railway Station via Silk Mills and Wellington Road. It also calls at Taunton Bus Station (Castle Way).

Town Service 2 also runs to the Railway Station but out via Greenway Road and back via Staplegrove/Bindon Roads. It will also call at our former depot at Norton Fitzwarren on each inward journey where some of our modern coaches will be on display.

Country Circular 3: Silk Mills, Bishops Hull, Sheppy’s Cider Farm (Saturday only), Wellington, Milverton, Bishops Lydeard.

Country Circular 4: Halse, Langley Marsh, Bishops Lydeard. Passengers will have up to 20 minutes at Langley Marsh to view heritage vehicles on static display and under restoration in our workshop.

Arrangements at Bishops Lydeard will be the same as last year: passengers will alight outside the depot. Those who have bought a programme/timetable sheet (£5.00 from conductors) will be able to access further static displays, visiting vehicles and society/trade stands inside the depot. If you wish to visit on both days you will need 2 programmes.

All heritage bus services are free. Those wishing to travel without visiting the depot can join buses at the bus stop opposite the Farm Shop.

Coming soon - follow us on Twitter!

Running Weekend update

Plans are coming together for the Taunton Vintage Bus Running Weekend on May 28th/29th. Vehicles we plan to use are being brought out of winter storage and put through their MOTs in readiness for service (see the Bus Rallies page for a provisional list of vehicles taking part).

We plan to run two services to and from Taunton during the weekend, one which runs direct to Taunton Railway Station and one which also calls at our former depot at Norton Fitzwarren, where part of our modern fleet will be on display.

Other services running from the new depot may include our restoration base at Langley Marsh and Sheppy’s Cider Farm.

Running Weekend, May 28th-29th 2011

This year’s event is on Saturday and Sunday, May 28th and 29th 2011 and is again based at our new depot, right next to the West Somerset Railway station at Bishops Lydeard.

A free heritage bus link will operate on both days, connecting the depot with Taunton Railway Station, Taunton bus station and our outstation at Langley Marsh. Coach tours to other local destinations including Sheppy’s Cider Farm will also depart from the depot. Times and frequencies of all services will be announced later.

Please be aware that most of our historic vehicles were not designed with modern standards of access in mind and do not have space for unfolded push-chairs / baby buggies or wheelchairs, but our conductors will do their best to assist you.

Programmes, containing timetables for all routes, will be available for each day. These also allow visitors access to the depot area, where trade stalls and static displays will be set out.

As always, we aim to make as many heritage vehicles available as possible during the weekend. However, due to our modern fleet requiring crews as normal, we are appealing to the enthusiast community to volunteer as drivers (suitably qualified) and conductors to support our regular crews. Please contact us as soon as possible if you can help.

Society stall holders are welcome to attend - please call us for details.

Heritage vehicles due to appear (subject to availability) will include: