A BAND of enthusiasts have put a 67-year-old Bournemouth bus back on the road to take fare-paying passengers again from this weekend.

After three years of work, the Bear Cross Bus Company is running limited vintage bus operations in Bournemouth and Blandford.

It will run a 1950 Leyland double-decker, in the yellow livery of Bournemouth Corporation, along the Bournemouth coast this Sunday, July 30, and on August 13 and 27.

The number 11 service will run between Bournemouth Travel Interchange, Bournemouth Pier, Boscombe Pier and Hengistbury Head.

Nick Jackson started the Bear Cross Bus Company in 2014 with the aim of restoring, preserving and operating former Bournemouth Corporation buses.

He said: “We're a very small band of enthusiastic volunteers who simply want to get the public to enjoy the old buses.

“In particular, we're trying to encourage the younger generation to take an interest in vintage buses.

“We've achieved a huge amount already by re-certifying our 1950 Leyland PD2 double-decker for public use and obtaining an operator's licence. All of this has been completed while working on our normal day jobs.

“If the vintage bus operations prove popular, we could add extra operating days this year and extend the service coverage next year, by adding more ex-Bournemouth Corporation Transport preserved buses. We have four such buses but all needed restoration to various degrees, which has proved a very time consuming expense. We rely solely on our own funds and currently have no sponsorship, grants etc."

The other buses include two 1965 open-top Daimler Fleetlines. One is about to be repainted but will miss most of this season.

The Leyland PD2 running this Sunday was bought new by Bournemouth Corporation Transport in 1950 and served until 1971, when it was passed to Bournemouth Passenger Transport Association for preservation. Mr Jackson bought it in 2014 and had it certified for commercial use last year.

As well as its coastal number 11 route, the bus will run a number 19 service from Blandford to Monkey World, Bovington Tank Museum and Norton Park and Ride on Saturday, August 5, and Sunday, August 20.

Return fares for the Bournemouth trip will cost £7 for adults, £5 for children, £21 for families and £6 for seniors, with proceeds supporting the restoration and operation of the buses.

The Blandford to Norden return journey will cost £12 for adults, £8 for children, £36 for families and £10 for seniors.

Details are at bearcrossbus.co.uk