Free bus rides will offer a nostalgic tour of the South Hams, with around 40 historic buses and coaches taking to the roads for the 19th annual Bus Day.

The event, organised by heritage charity the Thames Valley & Great Western Omnibus Trust, will take place on Saturday, September 19, from 10am to 5pm.

Vehicles dating from 1933 to the present day will demonstrate almost a century of changing bus design and technology, with more than 25 routes offering passengers the chance to explore the South Hams and its coastal and countryside destinations.

The event has been adapted this year to take account of the closure of the Slapton Line, with new routes introduced both to maintain access to the area and showcase some of the newer preserved vehicles.

A new service will run to Torcross, terminating at the Start Bay Inn. From there, passengers will be able to take a short walk to see the damage caused by the winter storms, while supporting local businesses by stopping for food and drink.

There will also be a series of newly preserved buses running to Modbury and Aveton Gifford, some of which are around 20 years old.

Coach tours will also run in the morning and afternoon, with short breaks at Blackpool Sands and Dartmouth.

The Coleridge Community Bus will operate a special coastal route visiting Beesands, Start Point, East Prawle and East Portlemouth, giving passengers opportunities to walk to viewpoints and photograph the buses in the scenery.

Meanwhile, the Western Coast Path Hopper will connect with other services at Salcombe, Soar, Inner Hope and Thurlestone for the first time, allowing passengers to switch buses along the route.

Other journeys will visit Salcombe, South Pool and Bigbury-on-Sea, while shorter circular routes around Kingsbridge, Churchstow and Stumpy Post will offer shorter rides for young children and those with limited time.

The Loddiswell and California Cross service will again visit the former railway station, where the Moor to Sea Explorer Scouts will serve refreshments on the platform. New stops this year will also allow passengers to visit the South Devon Chilli Farm, with time for a short tour or shopping.

The Kingsbridge Care Hub will also open its doors beside the bus station to provide refreshments during the event.

Organiser Colin Billington, who lives near Loddiswell, said the Trust was “really pleased” to be able to hold the event again this year.

“We have a great variety of vehicles for passengers to choose from, tapping in to nostalgia for young and old,” he said.

“We are again very grateful for the support of Kingsbridge’s own Tally Ho Coaches and to the other bus companies and local businesses who are supporting the event.”

He added that all the roads being used were former or current bus routes and thanked other road users for respecting the age and speed of the vehicles.

“The event is for one day only and gives enormous pleasure to many people and benefits many local businesses,” he said.

Souvenir programmes containing full route and timetable information, details of expected vehicles and feature articles are available from Kingsbridge Information Centre, online at www.tvagwot.org.uk, or from the Trust’s gazebo in the bus station on the day.