MAY 2008: This was our very first picture of the month.

JULY 2008 :Back to the coaching heyday of East Kent this month with a 1951 Park Royal bodied Leyland Royal Tiger. This was spotted at the Kent County Show at Detling earlier this month. Some of you may remember these coaches were used on the early Skyways Service from Lympne Airfield in April 1954.

JANUARY 2009: This beautiful Dennis Lancet coach was seen at last years Kent County Show

SEPTEMBER 2008: On 24th August to celebrate the return of open top Willowbrook bodied Bristol VRT RVB977S former 0977- named ' Pride of Thanet', a group of us got together to recreate the service 69 Thanet open top route. The weather left a lot to be desired- not really open top weather- but spirits were high. The run started at Ramsgate passed through Broadstairs, Margate, Westgate and the posher parts of Birchington's seafront before reaching Minnis Bay. We then returned to Westgate for lunch before a photo run around Margate and the run back to Ramsgate.

DECEMBER 2008: In a tradition that goes back many years and in a livery that has been seen on Guy Arab's, Regents and Nationals, Stagecoach East Kent's Volvo Olympian 16283 (P283VPN) is seen advertising the Mayor of Canterbury's Christmas Gift Fund at the launch of the bus in the bus station in the city.

NOVEMBER 2008: Work continues on rebuilding AEC Swift/Marshall VJG187J which suffered a major engine failure nearly 2 years ago. Here the two bods who are working on her, Carl Underwood and Barrie Burlingham, take a quick break to admire their handywork. Hopefully these two master fitters will have her running again within the next few weeks. The next problem will be to clear out the inside of 187 which has been used as a storeroom for the last few months!

OCTOBER 2008: Rather a sad one this month. Willowbrook bodied Bristol VRT TFN989T (7989) dumped in a Barnsley scrapyard in August 2008. Not only is it a proper East Kent bus but the Willowbrooks are rather rare now-not that they were in great number to start with! Maybe this should act as a reminder to those of us who preserve vehicles - this is why we do it. To stop important vehicles being lost forever. It's not all doom and gloom though, fortunatly 7989 has been able to provide some spares for another restored Willowbrook VR.

JUNE 2008: Not too far back this month. Back to 1994 in fact with Bristol VRT / Willowbrook RVB974S (7974) seen at Ramsgate Harbour. Alas she is just a memory having been scrapped some years ago now, however a sister bus is preserved with FotEK member Maurice Bean whilst RVB977S better known as 'The Pride of Thanet' open top bus has just been acquired by Paul Houselander for preservation and should be back home from the West Country soon. Some of you may remember 'The Pride of Thanet' was created when Thanet Driver Ryan Asprey took a short cut under Chesterfield railway bridge, thus creating one of the best open top buses East Kent had operated at that time!

APRIL 2009: With the shares in our Leyland National 1178 (EFN178L) taking off I decided that this classic shot of an unknown National at Ramsgate Harbour would make a good picture of the month!

AUGUST 2008: Good news indeed that our former Ashford car, AEC Regent AFN780B passed her MOT! However it didn't all go to plan, returning back from the test centre at Hersden via Canterbury 780B's clutch decided to give up the ghost. In Sturry, in the rush hour. She was patched up and brought back to Sandwich where the problem, a broken hose, will be fixed. We hope to have her on the road again soon.

JUNE 2009: On 24th May Manston Airfield at Thanet held a Spitfire Flypast Day at the Spitfire and Hurricane Museum on the site. There were stalls and various vintage vehicles including these two from the FotEK collection, AEC Bridgemaster YJG807 and Bristol VRT SKL681X. Both prooved very popular with the 'little uns' as well as the 'big uns' too! For more pictures and information go to http://jakesbuses.weebly.com/7681-visits-manston-airports-spitfire-flypast-day-24th-may-2009.html. There can't be too many places where you and se the products of AEC, Bristol and Boeing together so here's the buses with a 747 in the background.

MAY 2009: The Destination blind says it all! Our AEC Swift VJG197J is now back on the road following an engine rebuild by Barrie and Carl at Sandwich depot- well done lads! Thanks to Carl Underwood for the picture.