DOZENS of people braved the weather to travel back in time on a selection of vintage buses last weekend.

The annual Dorchester bus rally returned to the Top o’ Town car park on Sunday, August 12 and saw a selection of buses from the former Southern and Western National companies present as well as a selection of other local companies and their successors.

The event, which is organised by the West Country Historic Omnibus and Transport Trust (WHOTT) has been held annually for the last four years with the event becoming bigger each year, with buses operating to a variety of destinations including Cerne Abbas and Piddlehinton.

For the second year running there was also a link with the Hardy Society with as two special bus departures headed out at 11.45am and 2pm to Egdon Heath to allow visitors to discover areas featured in some of Hardy’s novels including The Return of the Native and associations with Tess of the D’Urbervilles.

Chairman of WHOTT, Robert Crawley, said: “Plenty of people were around and we made as good a day as we could.

“We have had a lot of support and enthusiasm from the Hardy Society which recognises the unique connection many of our services have with places featured in Hardy’s novels.

“We tend to have people middle-aged and upwards but we are getting a few youngsters interested now, we had three helping out today.

“This is the only bus running day in this part of Dorset, we saw an opportunity here because the countryside offers delightful places to go and see.

“The local council have been very supportive of us being here and we hope that it will continue.”

At the same time, a new book on the history of Western National vehicles written by Geoff Hobbs was also launched at the event while a mobile bus museum was also on site showing an exhibition of local memorabilia, and a stand selling books, photographs and transport ephemera. The event is set to return next year.