APRIL

2-5 Ilkley/Bolton Abbey. Days out with Thomas hourly 0935-1535 operated by Keighley Bus Museum Trust Routemaster RM736 (subject to availability) between Ilkley and Bolton Abbey Stations in conjunction with Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway

Details: David Jones. Secretary, 47 Brantfell Drive, BURNLEY. BB12 8AW, phone 01282 413179, email, website.

3/4 Kirkby Stephen & Brough Classic Commercial Vehicle Rally. Free classic bus service between Kirkby Stephen West station, Kirkby Stephen town centre and Brough.

Details: Will Hamer, Eden Classic Vehicle Group, Bowber Head, Ravenstonedale, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, CA17 4NL Phone/fax: 01539 623254. email website.

3/4 Weston-super-Mare Pageant of Transport, Beach Lawns. Free entry.

Details: Phone Keith Palmer 01934 627563 or G Coles 01934 629800.

3-5 Sandtoft Trolleybus Museum Easter Trolley Weekend 11.00-17.00. Admission: £5 adults, £4 seniors, £3 concessions, £15 family ticket (two adults and up to four concessions). Free parking. Free bus from Doncaster Interchange (Sunday & Monday only) - Isle Coaches service on Saturday.

Details: 01724 711846. website, email

4 Isle of Man Vintage vehicle rally Jurby Transport Museum.

Details: website.

4 Lincoln Open Day at Lincolnshire Road Transport Museum. 10.30-17.00. Sales stands, refreshments, variety of buses and coaches. Free bus service from Lincoln railway station and local park-&-ride from the Moorland Centre, Tritton Road. Parking at museum is very limited. Admission £5 adults (includes programme and bus working timetable), accompanied children free.

Details: Phone 01522 689497. email website.

4 Oxford Bus Museum, Long Hanborough. Easter Sunday chick trail.

Details: website.

4 St Helens Easter Egg Hunt 12.00-16.00 at North West Museum of Road Transport. £5 for children including Easter Egg hunt and access to museum. Standard adult admission £3.50. Free bus all day.

Details: email, website, phone 01744 451681.

4/5 Chatham Medway Festial of Steam & Transport, The Historic Dockyard. 10.00-18.00. Daily Admission £15 adults, £12.50 concessions, £10.50 children 5-15, family tickets available.

Details: The Historic Dockyard, CHATHAM. ME4 4TZ, phone 01634 823800, website.

4/5 Crich Tramway Village, Derbyshire. Countdown to D-Day. Easter 1940s weekend. Military & civilian vehicles, soldiers and civilians.

Details: Crich Tramway Village, Crich, Matlock, DE4 5DP. Phone: 01733 854321, Fax: 01773 854320, email, website

4/5 Weston-under-Lizard, Shropshire Midlands Festival of Transport, Weston Park.

Details: Transtar Promotions, 9 Newquay Road, Park Hall, WALSALL. WS5 3EL phone 01922 643385 website email.

4/5 Wythall, Birmingham Operating days at the Transport Museum. Bus 750 to/from City Centre Monday only.

Details: The Transport Museum, Chapel Lane, WYTHALL. B47 6JX, phone 01564 826471, email, website.

5 Ipswich Transport Museum Easter Bus Event with Eastern Counties theme. 11.00-16.00. Old Trolleybus Depot, Cobham Road. Free bus from town centre and station. Also park & ride.

Details: Phone 01473 715666, website.

10 Morpeth Gathering County Hall Car Park. 10.00-16.30. Free bus from bus station.

Details: Aycliffe & District Bus Preservation Society, Phone 01670 790268, website.

11 Blackpool. Lancastrian transport Trust Open Day. 12.00-16.00 Brinwell Road depot. Free bus service to town centre.

Details: Paul Turner, LTT, 1 Beverley Grove, South Shore, BLACKPOOL. FY4 2BG, phone 07815 983885, email website.

11 Cobham Bus Museum open day and gathering at Wisley Airfield. Frequent bus services will connect Wisley, Cobham and Weybridge Station. Admission £10.

Details: website.

11 Rotherham South Yorkshire Transport Museum open day.

Details: website, email.

17 Cultra, Co Down 38th Irish Transport Trust Annual Bus & Coach Rally. Main Car Park of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. 09-30-17.00. Forty mile road run around Belfast and North Down. Free preserved bus service. Preserved and modern buses, vehicle judging and enthusiast stalls.

Details: Howard Cunningham, 3 Donegall Drive, Whitehead, Carrickfergus, BT38 9LT. Phone: 02893 372449 (evenings) or 07738 941848 email, website

17/18 Peterborough. 56th UK Coach Rally, East of England Showground. £5 admission at the gate, pre-registration FREE. Stagecoach 14/X14 from Queensgate Bus Station.

Details: phone: 01753 631170 or 07590 468035. email, website.

17/18 Sandtoft Trolleybus Museum. 11.00-17.00. Probable launch of Canadian Edmonton Fishbowl. Admission: £5 adults, seniors £4, concessions £3, family ticket (two adults and up to four children) £15. Free parking. No bus Sunday but Isle Coaches 291 from Doncaster on Saturday.

Details: 01724 711391. website email.

17/18 Sheringham North Norfolk Railway vintage bus weekend (rally on Sunday). Free vintage buses Cromer - Sheringham - Holt.

Details: 01263 820800. website, for vehicle entries email.

18 Botley, Hants Sixth Charity Open Day 10.00-16.00, Brijan Tours, The Coach Station, Unit 4/5 Bottings Industrial Estate, Curdridge with preserved vintage and contemporary bus display, refreshments and stalls. Free preserved coach tours of the Meon Valley. Admission frees. Proceeds to the Hampshire Air Ambulance. Free bus service to/from Eastleigh Bus Station near Botley Rail Station.

Details: Vehicle entries to Brian Botley, Brijan Tours, The Coach Station, Unit 4/5 Bottings Industrial Estate, Curdridge, SOUTHAMPTON. SO30 2DY; stall enquiries to Nigel Appleford phone 02392 738768 (19.00-21.00 only).

18 Leyland, Lancs Classic & Vintage Ford day. 10.00-17.00 British Commercial Vehicle Museum, King Street.

Details: Phone 01772 451011, fax 01772 451015, website.

18 Isle of Wight Southern Vectis Bustival II 1000-1600 Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Havenstreet. Buses old and new, other vehicles, stalls, free admission.

Details: website.

18 Manchester Museum of Transport London Bus Day. Free heritage bus from Manchester Victoria.

Details: Phone 0161 205 2122, fax 0161 202 1110, website.

18 Penzance Vintage Bus Running Day. Services from Bus station to Land's End, Marazion, Perranthnoe, Newlyn, St Buryan, St Ives.

Details: Mel Williams, Cornwall Bus Preservation Group, 10 Collygree Park, Goldsithney, PENZANCE. TR20 9LY, website.

24 Maidstone & Kent Vintage Toy Collectors’ Fair. 09.00-15.00, The Lockmeadow Market Hall, Hart Street (next to Maidstone West railway station, which also is a stop on the park-&-ride bus service).

Details: (stallholder bookings) Geoff Martin, 11 Macaulay Close, Larkfield, Kent, ME20 6TZ. Phone: 01732 840787.

24/25 Lowestoft. Classic and Vintage Weekend at the East Anglia Transport Museum, Carlton Colville. 13.00-17.00 Saturday, 11.00-17.00 Sunday. Sunday road run from Norwich and Saxmundham. Free vintage bus services to/from Lowestoft town centre and Beccles. Free park-&-ride from Gisleham School.

Details: East Anglia Transport Museum, Chapel Road, Carlton Colville, Lowestoft NR33 8BL. Phone: 01502 518459. Fax: 01502 584658. website. email.

25 East Grinstead/Copthorne. Southdown PSV Bus Fun open day, bus running day and traditional fair, 12.00-16.00. Copthorne vehicle display, local bus rides including Bluebell Railway, stalls, children's entertainment, live 1960s music, catering. Park & Ride starting 11.30 from The Hawrth, Crawley via Copthorne. No parking at Copthorne depot.

Details: Southdown PSV, Silverwood, COPTHORNE. RH10 3EN, phone 01342 715222, email, Country Bus Rallies, 19 Hampton Way, EAST GRINSTEAD. RH19 4SG. email website. Programmes and vehicle diagrams: £5.50 (A5 stamped addressed envelope please) from East Grinstead address above, or £6 on the day. Usually available seven to 10 days before the event.

25 Keighley. Bus Museum St George’s Day Go Local Sunday town tour. Bus from Keighley Bus Museum heritage collection on service 22 linking Museum of Rail Travel, Ingrow Loco, Cliffe Castle, East Riddlesden Hall and Bus museum.

Details: website.

25 Malta. Truck & Bus Rally. 10.30 - 17.30, ex Parade Ground, Pembroke with free bus to Valetta Bus Station.

Details: Peter Skerry, Apartment 2, 18 Triq Selmun, MELLIEAHA MLH2442, Malta, phone +356 21 522165 or +356 799 56099, website.

25 Middlesbrough. Teesside Vintage Running Day. Starts 11.00, up to 18 vintage buses on 5 free routes between Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge and Stockton High Street, plus vintage coach trip into North Yorkshire. Stalls. Organised by The 500 Group.

Details: David Jones. Secretary, 47 Brantfell Drive, BURNLEY. BB12 8AW, phone 01282 413179, email, website.

25 Teignmouth/Dawlish Warren. Heritage bus Running Day with 5 or 6 Devon General AEC Regents with conductors every 30 minutes. Starts 09.15 till 17.15 from WH Smith, Teignmouth. Stagecoach 2 from Newton Abbott/Exeter.

Details: Philip Platt, Devon General Society, 33 Broadview, Broadclyst, EXETER. EX5 3HA, phone 07845 917686.

25 Zurich, Switzerland, Ulster, Hinwil, Baurma, Sterenberg. Swiss post buses, will operate in service between 10.00 and 18.00. The timetable will be available 10 days before the event.

Details: Historische Nutzfahrzeuge J. Biegger, Fischbachstrasse 16, CH-8717, Benken SG, Switzerland. email, website.