CARS, motorcycles, buses, a steam wagon and even a speedboat managed to arrive for Saturday's Barrow Festival of Transport - but the message didn't quite reach Northern Trains.

The12.50pm service from Barrow to Lancaster was cancelled with an announcement blaming a shortage of train crew members - leaving a couple of dozen passengers with holiday luggage waiting for a replacement bus at 1pm.

There was a mixture of smiles and looks of total bewilderment when a vintage open-top double-decker bus pulled up in front of the station.

The bus, supplied by the Preston-based Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust, was not for them but part of the attractions at the transport festival.

Following behind was the real rail replacement service - a mini-bus from Carnforth-based Travellers' Choice.

Rail passengers in town for the transport festival would have shrugged their shoulders, gone back to see some more vintage vehicles and then come back to the station for the next scheduled Lancaster service at 1.53pm.

The bulk of those who stayed were urgently heading with their luggage to Manchesterairport and had little choice but to get on the bus and accept a trip taking the best part of an hour longer than expected - no doubt wondering if they should have entrusted their expensive holiday plans to Northern!