Keighley Bus Museum Trust (KBMT) is taking to the road with its first commercial service.

The charity is staging a fare-paying operation, linking Bolton Abbey railway station and the village car park, on Sundays throughout August and September.

The service will run every 45 minutes and connect with Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway trains arriving from Embsay.

KBMT, which has a collection of 52 buses and coaches based in Dalton Lane, is best known for its free services, including the popular Christmas Day operation.

Three of its vehicles are insured, taxed and tested to Class VI Standard, which enables them to be used on private hire operations.

KBMT chairman Graham Mitchell said: "Whenever I have been at Bolton Abbey Station I have always noted the large number of passengers arriving who ask for a service to Bolton Abbey village.

"Stephen Walker - the railway's commercial manager - and I have devised this regular-frequency service connecting with all in-coming trains, which should fit the bill.

"We are delighted to be able to provide this facility for the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, and we are complimented by the confidence the railway has shown in choosing KBMT to operate on its behalf.

"We have registered the operation with the North Eastern Traffic Commissioners to start on Sunday as Service 22, the Bolton Abbey Heritage Shuttle."

The bus due to be used - subject to availability and weather conditions - is a 45-year-old Leyland Atlantean open-top double-decker, painted in the maroon and cream livery of the former Keighley Corporation Tramways Department. The vehicle is owned and driven by Mr Mitchell.

Passengers will be able to buy a Plus Bus' ticket at the Railway booking offices at Embsay and Bolton Abbey to enable them to use the bus to the village, or alternatively they can buy a Flat Fare' on the bus costing £1 for adults or 50p for children. There are no passes or senior concessions.

Passengers wanting to travel from the village towards the station may also buy the Flat Fare' ticket on the bus. Both rail and bus tickets are valid for one return journey between the station and the village.