Kettering and Rushden pilgrimage for United Counties bus enthusiasts

Bus enthusiasts making their way down south stopped off in Northamptonshire to recreate a photograph outside a Kettering landmark.

On a real busman's holiday, Widnes man Stephen Graham, the owner and driver of the cream-coloured Bristol RE United Counties bus (278), was on his way to a rally to celebrate vintage coaches and buses.

And as the sister coach (277) of the lovingly-restored used to ply the routes around Kettering and Rushden, Mr Graham fulfilled a dream to park the bus once more outside Kettering Library for a photo opportunity.

He said: "We are on our way to the midsummer Royal Blue Run in Harlow. There's a photo of this bus' sister vehicle parked outside Kettering Library so we wanted to pop in on the way to the run to recreate it. We're going to Rushden too."

The Thames Valley & Great Western Omnibus Trust's Royal Blue Run starts today and continues all weekend with buses going to operating hubs such as Chelmsford, Bournemouth, Newquay and Stroud.