Free nostalgic bus rides in Torquay

A free bus ride event is being held to celebrate Devon General’s centenary, organised by the Devon General Society and supported by Stagecoach South West,

On Sunday 8 September, from 10am to 4pm, preserved Devon General buses will give free nostalgic bus rides along Torquay seafront to members of the public.

Devon General’s head office was at Newton Road in Torquay from 1933 to 1970. The iconic red and cream buses carried local people to work, school, the shops and leisure destinations, and also took holidaymakers on trips to the beach and surrounding countryside. The Devon General ‘Grey Cars’ coaches also ran local excursions and holiday tours.

On Sunday 8 September, free buses will run from Pavilion Stop B on Torbay Road along the seafront and the fun round trip will take about 15 minutes.

Bob Dennison, Managing Director of Stagecoach South West, said “The Devon General Society has organised another fantastic event to mark 100 years of bus travel in Devon. Stagecoach South West is delighted to be supporting the society with their series of events, which give members of the public the opportunity to see, and on this occasion, travel on the historic double decker buses. We hope many people will take up this rare opportunity.”

Paul Jenkins of the Devon General Society commented: “We’re really pleased to celebrate the important role that Torquay played in Devon General’s history”.

To find out more about the Devon General Society and the events taking place throughout the year, please visit: www.devongeneral.org.uk

To find out more about Stagecoach South West visit: www.stagecoachbus.com

Photo caption: One of the Devon General buses being used on the free trips.