VISITORS in Oxford can take a journey into the past this weekend when vintage buses return to the roads.

As part of Oxford Open Doors, on Saturday the 1950s and 1960s vehicles will give free rides around the city complete with their own conductors.

The annual heritage event sees buildings that are normally closed to the public opened up so people can take a look inside and learn about the city.

Chris Butterfield, an Oxford Bus Museum trustee, said the history of bus travel was an important part of that.

He said: "You can learn a lot from looking at historic buildings, but it is also important people see how their grandparents and parents used to get around, because bus travel is huge part of people's heritage.

"A very large number of people growing up now have never been on a bus where a conductor comes around and hands you a ticket.

"But that is what our buses are like and it shows passengers how things used to be.

"One bus we are hoping to use also has an open platform at the back, which nowadays you do not see anymore.

"We do have a museum in Long Hanborough, which we could open up, but we think it is better to take the buses out of there and give people rides around Oxford instead."

As well as three buses running a circuit around central Oxford on 15-minute intervals, there will also be one stationary bus in Broad Street for Open Doors.

The buses will start there, outside Balliol College, at 10am with the last departing at 3.30pm.

The complete journey should take about 30 minutes. Stops will be in Broad Street, Parks Road, Beaumont Street outside the Randolph Hotel, Park End Street, St Aldates, High Street's stop at Turl Street, The Queen's College in High Street and South Parks Road.

This year's Oxford Open Doors has been based around the theme of 'music, chapels and choirs', with free performances planned at iconic venues such as Oxford Town Hall, Christ Church Cathedral and the Sheldonian Theatre.

Among the many buildings set to provide public tours is Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government, which opened last year.

As the preservation trust’s partner in the event, the university and most of its constituent colleges will also fling open their doors to the public.

The weekend will be opened at 9am on Saturday when the bells of Magdalen College tower will ring out. They will be rung again at 9.45am.

Meanwhile, at Oxford Castle Unlocked on Sunday visitors will be treated to a performance of the City of Oxford Silver Band at 12pm, with the Pavlova Wind Quintet ending the weekend with a concert in the Sheldonian Theatre, in Broad Street.

For information visit oxfordopendoors.org.uk