I am a retired Civil Servant still driving a 16seater minibus at 71 in February 2018. My interest in buses started as far back as I can remember and got going when my mum went into hospital when I was 5. Lived with my gran for 2 years at 40 Cranford Road, Northampton, a Northampton Corporation bus route. It was on the steepest part of the hill with a bus stop then across the road no bus ever came to a stand at. Route 16 passed my window and route 3 swung by the bottom of the street back then. Lifelong fan of Northampton buses I reported for Midland Counties Omnibus Society and after moving to Peterborough in 1986 had my own column at the back of the magazine, The Eastern Counties. My idea of a day off back then was to catch an 05.30 Eastern Counties Kings Lynn departure with a ranger ticket and go Norwich, Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Ipswich for lunch, Bury St. Edmunds, Thetford and either back to Lynn till the route was scrapped or Norwich, Lynn and finish in my car back to Peterborough. Routes scrapped and me retired in 2006 and First Northampton's demise reduced my interest in buses but I have still conducted Northampton 129 twice a year for owner John Child on LVVS running days. Like a childhood dream come true, eternally grateful to John.