Nick Larkin reports on a bus which is still in weekly service in Suffolk despite quickly approaching it’s centenary.
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Taking a local bus to do your shopping is hardly breathtaking news – but what about when the vehicle in question is 92-years-old? A 1929 new to Accrington Corporation Dennis E is back running twice a week after being grounded due to Covid-19. It is believed be the oldest service bus in regular use in Britain.
“We’re absolutely delighted to be able to bring our summer timetable back,” said Tony Buckland of Suffolk-based Buckland Omnibus Company. Although the service is obviously aimed at the leisure market we actually get some local people using the Dennis to do their shopping. They absolutely love it!”
TE 7870 is operating on Wednesdays and Sundays throughout August and will finish on the Bank Holiday on Monday 30 August. The bus leaves Acer Road in Buckland’s home village of Rendlesham at 0930hrs, proceeding via Aldeburgh, where it completes eight round trips to Thorpeness. The return journey leaves Aldeburgh at 1555hrs.
Tony originally worked as a conductor with Eastern Counties and later joined the Transport Road Research Laboratory. He set up what is now Buckland Buses in 1989 after acquiring the Dennis. After withdrawal by Accrington the Wyatt-bodied Dennis passed to a showman and ended up as a static exhibit in a Stoke-on-Trent nightclub. Restoration included finding suitable seats for the bus, which retains its original 5.7-litre Dennis petrol engine.
The Dennis was soon joined by another vehicle, Eastern Coachworks Bristol MW GRP 260D, new to United Counties in 1966. The Dennis was first used on a Suffolk County Council-sponsored heritage service in the early 1990s.
In 1997 Buckland expanded into school transport and other work, still retaining five Volvo B10Ms for this. “We did very little last year because of Covid-19. We operated the Dennis on the service in 2019 and it’s great to bring it back,” said Tony. “It’s going really well. I do the maintenance myself. There are firms who can make things – and there’s a lot of support. And luck!”
The Dennis still retains its starting handle protruding from below the radiator. “There’s no electric starter,” said Tony, “so the handle it is. You get used to it!”
For further details of the heritage service, and private hire facilities for all Buckland vehicles log on to bucklandbuses.co.uk or call 01728 747093.
