Northampton Transport Heritage

23/10/2026

CANCELLED

North Northamptonshire Council have taken the difficult but sensible decision to cancel this year's Northamptonshire Day due to forecast high winds.

This of course does mean that there will be no heritage buses on Sunday either.

The weather is a difficult partner at times and cannot be controlled but we support this decision.

North and West Northamptonshire Councils have taken the difficult decision to postpone this Sunday’s Northamptonshire Day celebrations in Kettering due to forecast high winds and concerns for public safety.

The event, which was due to take place on Sunday, 25 October and feature more than 50 organisations from across the county, was set to celebrate Northamptonshire's heritage, culture, communities, businesses and visitor attractions.

Following careful consideration of the latest weather forecasts, the councils have concluded that the predicted wind conditions would pose an unacceptable risk to visitors, exhibitors, performers, volunteers and staff, particularly given the number of outdoor stands, displays and activities planned across Kettering town centre.

The decision has not been taken lightly and comes after months of planning involving partners, community groups, performers, sponsors and organisations from across Northamptonshire.

While the main Northamptonshire Day event has been postponed, organisers are pleased to confirm that Lighthouse Live, taking place from 7:30pm at the Lighthouse Theatre in Kettering Leisure Village, will still go ahead as planned.

The evening event will feature a programme of live performances from local acts, celebrating Northamptonshire talent with a mix of musical theatre, pop, rock and classic favourites. Residents are encouraged to support the performers and enjoy an evening of entertainment as part of the county's celebrations.

The councils are currently considering options for a future Northamptonshire Day celebration, with the possibility of a rescheduled event next year. Further details will be announced once arrangements have been confirmed.

North and West Northamptonshire Councils would like to thank residents, exhibitors, performers, sponsors, partners and volunteers for their understanding and support. While it is disappointing that the outdoor event cannot take place this weekend, the councils remain committed to delivering a celebration that showcases Northamptonshire's people, places, culture, heritage and achievements.

19/10/2026

The event has been cancelled due to the weather forecast for the weekend

This Sunday, 25th October is Northamptonshire Day 2026 hosted this year by North Northamptonshire Council, and West Northamptonshire Council in Kettering!

We will be providing special heritage bus services to connect the key attractions around Kettering, with a connecting free bus heritage bus service from Victoria Street, Northampton.

Departure from Victoria Street is at 09.15 sharp, returning from Kettering at 17.00 (- arriving Victoria Street approximately 17.45)

In Kettering we will connect events at Wicksteed Park and Kettering Leisure Village form the layby on London Road, near the library car park, and buses will depart and return to this stop throughout the day.

Services to Wicksteed Park depart London Road every 30 minutes from 10.00am, and services for the Leisure Village depart London Road every hour from 10.15. All trips are free!

Our vehicles for the day will be;

ANH 154 - 1947 Daimler CVG6 - Ex Northampton Corporation
JVV 267G -1968 Daimler CVG6 -Ex Northampton Corporation
H654 VVV - 1990 Leyland Olympian - Ex Stagecoach United Counties

Join us for Northamptonshire Day 2026!
This year's countywide celebration comes to Kettering for a fantastic day of family fun, heritage, culture and community spirit.
Hosted by North Northamptonshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council, Northamptonshire Day is a free event that's an annual celebration of everything that makes our county special and there is something for everyone to enjoy.
There will be 10 themed zones where you can expect:
🎈 Family friendly activities and children's entertainment
🎵 Live music performances throughout the day
🏛️ Heritage exhibitions and local history displays
🍽️ Local food and drink
🚌 Vintage and heritage bus experiences linking key attractions
🎢 Activities at Kettering Leisure Village and Wicksteed Park
🤝 Community groups, cultural organisations and sporting partners coming together to celebrate Northamptonshire
Save the date and bring the whole family for a brilliant free day out!
📢 Activities, attractions and programme details will be announced soon, so keep an eye out for updates at www.northnorthants.gov.uk/ND26

05/10/2026

Corby yesterday.

02/10/2026

The season is not over yet..... this weekend we will be supporting our friends over at Corby and District Model Railway Society with their fantastic annual show!

We will be there on both Saturday and Sunday running free heritage bus trips that will connect with rail services at Corby station (see timetables on the OP below).

We will also be having a stall selling railway books and a selection of models. Our friends, the 794 Preservation Group will also be there with their own collectors stall.

A connecting free bus service will depart from, and return to Northampton Victoria Street as follows;

Saturday: 0840 departure returning at 1620
Sunday: 0930 departure, returning at1555

JVV 267G No. 267 our 1968 Daimler CVG6 will be in attendance both days.

C*D 778K No 778 our Bristol VR will be in attendance on Saturday only

H654 VVV No. 654 our 1990 Leyland Olympian will be in attendance on Sunday only.

23/09/2026

So, what did you think? What did you enjoy and what didn't you enjoy? What could work better?

By all means thank us below but please, any feedback should be via the form in the link on the OP. 👇

Comments on this post will not necessarily be counted.

21/09/2026

As with all events they are nothing without people!

The attractions are our classic buses but people make the event, so if you attended our Northampton Heritage Bus Tours 2026 event at the weekend or any of our events, then thank you! Thank you for supporting us and for your patience when things go occasionally not to plan..... 😬😁

A massive thank you, though, must go to our volunteers, who either crew the buses, run the sales and information stall, steward and despatch buses, or work behind the scenes producing schedules, cleaning and maintaining our buses. Thank you for being flexible when things need changing at very short notice and agreeing to help out, you are all amazing and we would not have events without you. 🙏👏

21/09/2026

It was a great weekend, thank you to everyone who came along and thank you to our volunteers who make sure this event actually happens!

In pictures: Historic buses return to Northampton streets for special heritage tours

20/09/2026

Have a ride on one! Thanks to Chris Lawton for capturing yesterday's event. We are here today as well for more trips and Northampton Heritage Bus Tours 2026

My visit to the Northampton Transport Heritage annual heritage bus ...

19/09/2026

Looking forward to seeing more of you tomorrow for another fun day on the buses!

We had a lovely day today and it was great seeing friends old and new.

Our Boot & Shoe, and Monuments & Memorials tours were very popular and they are running again tomorrow at 11.00 and 14.00. There is no requirement to book but to be sure of a space please arrive in good time to grab a seat as both tours were full!

Fortunately there are plenty of other trips to do when you Discover Northamptonshire in West Northamptonshire Council

A big thank you to our volunteer crews and helpers, as always they keep the show running. Thanks also to Comm Mini Bus and R.B.Travel for their support. 💪👌👏