A welcome return to rally scene was made by Jack Parsons' 1955 ex Silver Star Leyland Tiger Cub coach 10, MMR 552, with 41-seater Wayfarer 2 body, no. 1648. The coach had only passed her MOT 3 days before the event.

The picture bottom left shows 100 VRL, 1963 AEC Reliance with Grenadier body; AFJ 86B, 1964 AEC Reliance with 7' 6" wide Cavalier body; ABO 145B, 1964 AEC Reliance with Grenadier body and 900 SAF, with the only Grenadier 33' body built.

The bottom right picture shows the varying styles of rear Coachwork. Left to right - 1960 Cavalier, 1961 Cavalier (twice), 1961Crusader and 1964 Grenadier 3110.

Bob Smith, our engineer took 494 to the Hursley Jubilee Fete at the John Keble School.

With the trees a bit low on the site, one of our members who works at IBM nearby did a reconnoitre earlier in the week. What we did not know was that a fence had been placed just where we had to veer left to miss a thick low branch! Bob positioned he bus 2" away from the fence and with 3 people pushing up the branch we just squeezed under!

The school children were amazed to see a bus from the fifties and many grownups enjoyed re-living their childhood bus trips to school.

A variety of buses were operating the free park & ride service from the Parish Hall to the Scout Field. There was the Dennis '6', and AEC Renown 595 going the short way round while Panther 419 and H&D Bristol LL 677 ran the village service to and from Bartley and Cadnam.

Bedford VAL14 coach, 704 carried out coach tours into the New Forest via Woodlands and Ashurst.

The Southampton & District Transport Heritage Trust brought along SCT 64 – FTR 511, a 1949 SCT Guy Arab III with Park Royal O30/26R body, and 71 – LOW 271, a 1954 SCT Guy Arab III with Park Royal H30/26R body. The open-topper ran tours up to Stoney Cross.

This was also the first time Jim O'Hara, leader of the 704 restoration project, had seen the cup won at the Southsea Spectacular for best in show.

With the open-topper being off the road it fell to the Tiger Cub, to run the free bus service to and from New Alresford. There was quite a bit of competition from other events including "War on the Line" at the Mid-Hants Railway, a toy train exhibition at Perins School, New Alresford and, oh yes a football match at the World Cup!

The organiser wrote, "Thank you very much for attending the fair. It was great to see the Tiger Cub, it looked rather at home in the village. Maybe you could start a regular service! The afternoon started rather empty of punters due to the football but toward the end of the afternoon the green was full and bus looked packed. I hope the crew had a pleasurable day. Please pass on my thanks to them, they did a smashing job.

The conductor, John Beer, reported "My driver followed the arrangements to the detail and all went amazingly well. Not many blokes around when we arrived (!), but one of the ladies did us proud with lunch, bringing us out mugs of tea, fruit and cottage loaf sandwiches on a tray, as she didn't think cakes and sausage rolls were enough for us! James Bugg (another FoKAB conductor) on duty on the Mid-Hants at Alresford rounded us up about 20-30 passengers during the afternoon who may not otherwise have made the trip."

Unfortunately one could say it was only spectacular for the rain all day until the end of the event! However that would be unkind, as there was again a spectacular collection of buses and coaches.

The show is well organised by the Vintage Transport Association (ViTA). By mid afternoon there were even still a few brave souls braving the elements to view them!

The journey down in 704 was just about dry but by 3.00pm we thinking about going home. Luckily one of the organisers brought the terrific news that 704 had been judged best in class!

Having lined up with the other class winners, Geoff Norris, our driver for the day made a dash for the control bus to collect the trophy. We then sat there politely watching the other class winners collect their trophies.

We were just about to leave when Terry Lawson (ViTA chairman) came rushing over waving his arms for us to stop. To our amazement, he informed us we had been judged best in show! Yours truly made the dash to collect the Portsmouth Trophy, a magnificent urn.

On the way home the sun made an effort to come out but did not quite succeed. Oh yes! The wipers stopped working; a nut in the linkage coming adrift but the rain had just about stopped.

As it was too wet to take photos of 704 with the cups at Southsea, we had a photo call in the Broadway in the weak evening sun!

On the Bank Holiday Monday, Our PD2, 494 took part in the parade from Harestock to Littleton of floats, decorated vehicles and bikes, horses and walkers. At Littleton Recreation Ground there were games, a band and teas. Afterwards, the many walkers were glad of the free bus service back to Harestock!

Every year FoKAB holds a working week to coincide with the Spring Bank Holiday. Due a little confusion as to when that day would fall at the beginning of the year, members had either booked the last week of May or the first week in June. It was therefore decided to hold a working fortnight.

The first week concentrated on the restoration of Panther 417, now in undercover accommodation. The second week was mainly spent on tidying the FoKAB HQ site

However, the FoKAB committee has decided that the 2 ex-IOM PD2 buses should be sold to James Freeman. He will store them undercover until such time that he can carry out the restoration work. Both buses were emptied of accumulated stores and transferred to large box trailer bought recently.

This event is held every 2 years and is organised by Kelvin Amos and his team. It is held in the amphitheatre outside the Lloyds Bank HQ, alongside the Floating harbour, and at the Bristol Industrial Museum on the opposite side.

Over 50 buses and coaches were on display plus commercial vehicles and a selection of Land-Rovers from the South Wales Land-Rover Club.

For such along trip, 704 was of course rostered. 704 carried out an afternoon tour of South Bristol. We were escorted round by David Sabin's 1966 Bedford VAM, HAD 915D. This coach was new to Princess Mary Coaches of Soundwell, Bristol. Sold to Claverham Coaches in 1979 it passed into preservation with Dave in 1996. At Bristol Airport, passengers had the opportunity to change coaches and sample 2 different Plaxton bodied Bedfords.

Saturday, 18^th May was like a mini running day at Sparsholt College for the Hampshire Countryside Fair.

104, 419, 494, 595, 596 and Alex Geisler's FLF 1577 provided a free internal bus service. 704 was on static display outside the education building and made a very comfortable regulator's office
for Royston Dunera. While no fares could be charged - of course - the 6 conductors issued 3495 souvenir tickets between them!

It was a great event, attracting over 12,000 visitors. Involved were: -
BBC Radio 4's "Gardeners' Question Time" Road Show
The Great Hampshire Wood Fair,
All College departments open to view - student activities,
The Alliance (historic battle re-enactments) A Craft Fair event,
BBC Radio Solent "Topsoil" recording,
The Hampshire Young Farmers, The Herdsman's Club Rally,
Heats of the British Lawnmower Racing Championships,
tractor rides and vintage buses (FoKAB!), milking, shearing, plant sales, clay pigeons, air rifle range, fishing and vintage machinery.

On Sunday, 12^th May, our Dennis '6' travelled to The Thornycroft Society's Basingstoke Festival of Transport, an event we have not visited in recent years.

The event has certainly grown with over 500 vehicles including some 20 buses and coaches. The star of this section was AJB 635, Mervyn Annetts' 1937 Bedford WS 11 seater country bus.

Last year the FoKAB robins made a nest in the store and successfully hatched a family. This year we have found they have made a nest in the cowl around the water tank filler of 592!

Unable to evict them now, this means that 592 will not be available for the free bus service at the Hampshire Countryside Fair at Sparsholt College.

590 was originally booked in for MOT on 25^th April. Having been serviced she was due to move to FoKAB HQ the day before for cleaning and a wheel change. However, 2 miles out of Winchester, the driver heard a knocking noise from the engine develop. On the advice from our engineer, Bob Smith, 590 was slowly returned to her home.

Early next morning, Bob and 2 members with some trepidation started 590 and an expensive rhythmic knock could be heard. Plans to take 590 for her test were swiftly abandoned.

As MOTs have to be booked up to a month in advance, we did not want to lose a date. The next bus in line was our 1931 Dennis! This had lain quietly in the garage since running day so a convoy of vehicles made for our outstation near Sutton Scotney. With the starting procedures followed to the letter, the Dennis burst into life.

All that was done in preparation was to change a wheel (new tyre fitted) and a general check-over and clean. So our Dennis '6' was presented for test at First Hampshire in Portswood, Southampton at 1430. The tester seemed happy and gave us a new MOT with no advisories!

One weekend was spent clearing out the accumulation of stores that have found their way into 708. (So that's where that roll of lino went!) On the weekend of 20/21 April, 708 was loaded and then delivered to her new accommodation. The low-lowder was provided by Malcolm Millard, grandson of the founder of Timpson's Coaches.

Work will start on 708 once the refurbishment of Leyland Panther 417 has been completed – hopefully in time for the 30^th Anniversary in 2003 of the closure of King Alfred Motor Services.

The almost legendary Leyland Olympic was the first underfloor-engined single-decker in the Winchester area. Being only 27' 6" long and 7' 6" wide, it was nevertheless powered by a 600 Leyland engine that gave it extraordinary power and performance.

Withdrawn from service in 1965, it was sold via Baker's of Farnham (dealer) to Jimmy Glynn of Craig-na-Spidogue, County Carlow in Ireland. ("Private hire and pilgrimages catered for!")

At the 1990 running day someone uttered the immortal words: -
"I know where 708 is!" A pilgrimage was made to its final resting place in a field since 1977. 708 was found to be remarkably complete but somewhat rotten even then.

704 wafted her way to the Cobham Museum open day and bus/coach gathering on Sunday, 7^th April. As usual FoKAB's open door policy was in operation and many enthusiasts took the opportunity to see the restoration work carried out inside the coach. Many also looked at history books of 704's transformation from bus transporter to luxury coach.

704 was the only Bedford VAL at the Brooklands gathering. Where we were parked did not allow for satisfactory photography as camera lenses were directly towards the sun (it shone all day!). At the end of the day we took the opportunity to pose 704 on the riverbank for photographs. The above photograph gives an idea of 704's superb turning circle as she is on full lock.

The weekend of 6^th and 7^th April proved busy for FoKAB. On the Saturday, 104 provided a free service all day to the Narrow Gauge South 2002; an exhibition of narrow gauge model railway layouts and demonstrations organised by Wessex Narrow Gauge Modellers at Sparsholt College. Tiggy's crew for the day was Brian Goldsmith and John Chapman.

On the Sunday Longstock Water Garden held a special charity open day to raise funds for the Pinder Centre. Leyland PD2, 494, ran 2 free services on a diversion of KAMS route 9. 104 was spare bus. Crew on 494 was Geoff Norris and Goffe Prentice with trainee conductor Ian Norris gaining experience of controlling an open platform bus. Brian Goldsmith was again driver of 104.

Longstock Water Garden is 2 miles from Stockbridge and is owned by the John Lewis partnership and only opened occasionally to the public. The Pinder Centre at Avington is a charitable trust and provides physiotherapy and hydrotherapy service for those recovering from a wide variety of conditions such as strokes, arthritis and joint replacements. The special charity day was organised by the Winchester Rotary Club as part of their 75^th anniversary celebrations.

Now the Bill we are talking about is Bill Hide, an ex-KAMS conductor and driver. As a surprise for him and his granddaughter Emma, FoKAB was pleased to provide the transport to the wedding.
(Of course following ex-KAMS route number 3A!)

Now the surprise for them both was arranged by Bill's daughter, Heather, who came up with the idea following 'discussions' on the arrangements for wedding transport between her and Emma who had allegedly said "I'll go by bus".

Alan Barnes, a photographer working for Mortons Media Ltd, had wanted to do an article on 704 ever since he first saw her at the running day. Saturday, 2 March was the first date suitable for us all.

Fingers were crossed for dry weather at best - a bit of sunshine at least. We were eventually granted both. The first stop was at Wherwell in the Test valley outside some very picturesque cottages.

Next stop was Stockbridge church before following the KAMS service 9 route to Crawley where the obligatory pictures were taken of 704 reflection in the pond.704 just purred along the old A34 to Sutton Scotney. 704 was carefully positioned out side the Coach & Horses for more pictures. We left following the old 10 route through Stoke Charity for Springvale. Here more pictures were taken framed by the old DN & S Railway bridge. The final shots were on the 15 route near Owslebury. Watch out for the results in Heritage Commercials!

Last year the Mid Hants Railway Preservation Society's sponsored walk "Over the Alps" was cancelled due to threat of Foot & Mouth disease to neighbouring farms. Nearly a year later a tentative all clear was given.

The sponsored walk went ahead this year. There was a biting westerly wind straight into the faces of the walkers. The worst section being between Medstead & Four Marks and Ropley on an open embankment most of the way. This could be partly the reason for the smaller number of walkers on the day.

This year 595 and 596 were joined on the free bus service between the two ends of the railway by ex-Alder Valley bus 251. It is a 1976 Leyland National, NPJ 472R, owned by - with others - Alan Fairbrother membership secretary of the MHRPS. 251 carried out the 0930 from Alresford to Alton, which meant that the FoKAB crews could have a lie in this year!

To get the walkers back to the start the free service operated every 25 minutes from 1300 to 1645, 596 carrying out the last service.