Wednesday 28 November 2012

North Norfolk Competition

Sanders Trident 6546FN at Cromer yesterday.  Copyright SYD EADE
Following Konect's introduction of a new service to compete with Sanders Norwich to Cromer/Sheringham route, correspondent  Syd Eades thought he would give both of the services a try yesterday

He reports:-
'Despite the rain I ventured out today to experience the new Sanders/Konect services to Cromer and Sheringham. 

 I got a ride out to Cromer on one of the newly acquired Sanders Tridents, which actually carried route branding for the service 55, very clean and tidy inside but a bit faded seating. 

Konectbus Tempo MX58ABV at Cromer yesterday. Copyright SYD EADE
 The return was on one of Konect's leather seated buses which as always exude class. 

The passenger loadings were very light on both journeys and other services observed appeared to fare little better, although it was dreadful weather. 

I was confused by a few sightings of Sanders buses working service 42s which 
Sanders YN54AFO in Magdalen Street, Norwich  Copyright SYD EADE
should be a peak hours only extenson of the 44A to and from Sheringham. 

I have provide a photo of one of the 44s buses, taken about 2 pm inbound at Magdalen Street Norwich as well as my steeds to and from Cromer......and thank goodness the tea shop was open opposite the bus station!!!'

My thanks to Syd Eade for his photos and report

First ~ Great Yarmouth Update

Dart 43478 in Market Gates in early March 2011
The latest news from Great Yarmouth's First depot at Caister Road is that Dart 43478 R478CAH has now had its new engine installed and, following a few minor adjustments, should be back on the road soon

Volvo B12M 20515 WV02EUR is now back in service after having new injectors fitted.

The loan of Dart 43452 R452DPW to Lowestoft has come to an end and it has returned to Caister Road; Volvo B7TL/President 32200 LT52WTE has taken its place.

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Anglian's New Gas Buses Begin to Arrive

Some of Anglian's thirteen new gas powered MAN EcoCity buses began arriving at their Ellough site yesterday, with more expected today

Photo Copyright Go-Ahead Group
The first of the Go-Ahead subsidiary's vehicles was used during a visit by HRH Prince Charles to Poundbury in Dorset where the Prince opened a new renewable gas plant.

The new plant is the UK's first fully operational commercial scale anaerobic digester and biomethane-to-grid plant, and provides renewable energy for Poundbury, the mixed use community being developed near Dorchester by the Duchy of Cornwall.

The EcoCity buses will be brought into service over the next two months by Anglian Bus with Go-Ahead investing in a gas dispensing unit at Anglian's Beccles headquarters to fuel the buses.

The buses are part funded under round three of the government’s Green Bus Fund which is aimed at reducing fuel emission levels by encouraging bus operators and local councils to use more eco-friendly vehicles.

Anglian's Managing Director Andrew Pursey was at the event and chatted to the Prince of Wales about Go-Ahead's use of gas buses.

Amongst the services the new vehicles will be employed on is Anglian's new 146 route which replaces its current 525 service between Lowestoft and Beccles which is being extended to Norwich. 

The 146 service begins on the 3rd December and the timetable has already been published on Anglian's website which can be viewed here

Saturday 24 November 2012

Norwich Friday Sightings

Yesterday morning I had a business appointment in Norwich which allowed for an hour or so of bus observations around lunchtime

My first sighting was that of a Norfolk Green Optare Tempo at Castle Meadow taking on passengers for its X29 service to Fakenham

YJ57EHX  has more than a passing interest in that, up until a year ago, it was owned by Great Yarmouth operator Ambassador Travel and used quite extensively on school/college work.

Pleased with that being pictured in Norfolk Green colours, I proceeded to the bus station in the hope of capturing one of the Konectbus bendybuses on film

I didn't have to wait long as I soon saw one of them negotiating the roundabout at the top of St Stephens Street.

With the sun being in the wrong position for a photo, I crossed to the central reservation of Queens Road for a better picture. With no traffic obscuring my view, (for a change!) I got this reasonable photo of Citaro 800 BD57WDA heading for the bus station

I then retraced my steps back to Castle Meadow, where I saw a number of operators picking up and setting down their passengers at the entrance to the Castle Mail shopping centre

Of particular interest was this 70 seater owned by Norse; YN60BZG is a Plaxton Profile bodied Volvo B7R

Pleased with what I had photographed, I made my journey back to the car on a former First Northampton Volvo B7L/ Wright Eclipse on a Green Line service

Friday 23 November 2012

Dart Developments

The latest update from Caister Road is that work on replacing the engine in 43359 V359DVG has finally been completed and the mpd has returned home to Lowestoft

Dart 42450 R450CCV on Great Yarmouth town services in May this year
Lowetoft's 42450 R450CCV has passed its MOT at Great Yarmouth who are retaining it on loan for the time being

43478 R478CAH is currently awaiting an engine replacement whilst 43441 P441NEX is now back in service following repairs

Another Dart in the Great Yarmouth fleet, 43468 R468CAH, is having new rear springs fitted

Among other First vehicles, First Midlands exile 20514 WV02EUR is currently away having new injectors fitted

Finally, former First Northampton Volvo/Wright Eclipse 66347 MV02VDA was seen heading along the A47 Acle Straight, Great Yarmouth bound, this morning. The Green Line vehicle is probably to undergo MOT or light repairs at Caister Road

My thanks to Ryan for the Caister Road report

Thursday 22 November 2012

Swift Withdraws the 206

Swift Javelin G470LVG and Dart FJ53VDL at the Southtown yard
The VOR sign can be seen in the windcreen of the Javelin
Swift Taxis are to cease operating the 206 service with effect from the 19th December

The service, which links Blofield to Great Yarmouth's Gallon Pot PH via South Walsham, Acle and Filby runs just one return journey on Wednesdays only - market day. The current timetable can be viewed here

On the vehicle front, Swift's Dennis Javelin G470LVG has been noted at their Southtown yard with a VOR disc in the front windscreen. This means that this one time Caroline Seagull vehicle is not allowed back on the road until mechanical defects have been overcome.

Passing the yard yesterday afternoon, I noted that Swifts' only Dart FJ53VDL was still parked at the rear of the site currently out of use. This vehicle used to see constant use on the 206 route

My thanks to Joe Watson at Norwich Bus Page for his help with this article including the photo

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Shrublands' Interloper

Noted in the late afternoon gloom today was Northampton exile Volvo B7L 66332 MV02VBX on First's service 2 between the James Paget Hospital and Market Gates via Gorleston's Shrublands Estate

It's an extremely unusual working as normally all the former First Northampton buses are garaged at Norwich and, therefore, one suspects this is either a loan or a very recent transfer

Unfortunately it was too dark to take a reasonable photo but one of her is reproduced here with the kind permission of  Kieran Smith; 66332 is pictured in Norwich bound for Wymondham on 31st August this year

Beach Coach Station ~ 20th November 2012

Two coaches at Great Yarmouth's Beach Coach Station were observed around lunch time today

Spratts' Van Hool bodied Scania K112CRS HIL7477 made an appearance

She was accompanied by National Holidays Volvo B12M/Plaxton NH06EEH and a photo of her can be seen here on my Flickr site

Sunday 18 November 2012

Enviro 400s in Norwich

Almost an hour was spent yesterday observing activity at Norwich Bus Station, which yielded two 2012 registered Alexander Dennis Enviro 400s owned by two different Norfolk companies

Norfolk Green's 21 SN12EHM was being used on the X29 route between the city and Fakenham.

Named Johnny Douglas, it was
adorned with  #tweetmyride branding

The other Enviro 400 sighted was being employed by konectbus on its service 3 to Watton

SN62AVO, numbered 611 in the fleet, is especially branded for the route

Also making an appearance on a service from London was National Express CO60 FJ06URG

Saturday 17 November 2012

More Yorkshire Dart Memories

Our regular correspondent Grahame Bessey contributes the following on the Yorkshire darts:-

'After reading the various blog features regarding the ex Yorkshire Rider Darts of various types working with FEC, it reminded me that deep in my photo archive were images of a couple of Darts that first appeared with FEC from Yorkshire and worked in their Northern liveries here.

June 2003 saw the arrival of two Alexander Dash bodied examples 
from Halifax on loan at Yarmouth to operate the summer 3 service, newly renumbered into First's national fleet 40634 & 40635 M265/266VWW ( ex 3265/3266 in Rider Group). Both photographed at Caister Road.

Another example arrived in Leeds Citylink livery in the shape of M230VWW gaining FEC fleetnumber 354, seen here in Surrey Street Bus Station, Norwich, this went on to be repainted into a version of Barbie 2 livery minus the pink fades. 


No 354 was unfortunately 
one of the victims of the arson attack at Stalham outstation (which I have photos of taken the day it happened). I will try to find the Stalham shots for you in due course!'

Many thanks for the report and photos Grahame.

Friday 16 November 2012

Konectbus Connects to the Coast

Konectbus commences its new konectexpress2 service linking Norwich with Cromer and Sheringham from this coming Sunday (18th)

The service to the North Norfolk Coast has a journey time of approximately seventy minutes and will operate at hourly intervals between Mondays and Saturdays and every two hours on Sundays.

It will run on a direct route along the A140 and A149 roads and will avoid Aylsham so as to provide faster journeys between the city and the coast

It is anticipated that Optare Tempos from the konectbus fleet will be used on the service

The timetable for the new service can be found here

Thursday 15 November 2012

Yorkshire Rider Darts

The articles on this blog about the Yorkshire Rider Darts and their use by First Eastern Counties has generated some interest amongst readers

Three ex Yorkshire Rider Darts at Caister Road Depot © Ryan
Godfrey Talford, now a resident of Happisburgh in Norfolk, contributes the following:-
May another Yorkshire exile in North East Norfolk be permitted to assist Michael Sayer's memory? The batch of 68 Darts M201-268 VWW were numbered 3201-3268 when new. Only the first 18,had Plaxton bodies; they went new to Huddersfield, at the same time as a much larger batch of Dennis Lance/Plaxton Verdes numbered in the 4xxx series, and a host of Mercedes Benz minibuses in the 2xxx series.

The remaining 50 Darts (3219-68) had Alexander bodies and were new to Leeds. As Michael says, some of the Plaxton batch later migrated to Yarmouth and several of the Alexander batch came to Norwich. The durability of the Yorkshire Rider moquette seat coverings impressed me - it lasted the whole of the long lives of the Norwich Darts, and was far more presentable even at the time they were finally withdrawn from service than some of the 'First' seat coverings on the early low floor Darts, even in mid life
Many thanks for the information and your thoughts on these vehicles Godfrey. I am also grateful to Ryan for the photo

Wednesday 14 November 2012

More AnglianBus Repaints

This afternoon Tim Miller looked in at Car & Commercials yard at Beccles and witnessed two buses freshly painted in AnglianBus colours

The only one exiting the paint shops was former Brighton & Hove Trident T815RFG complete with front guard to fend off tree damage

Also present, but still in the paint shops, was
Metrobus exile YN03WRJ wearing its AnglianBus yellow and blue colours

The Scania Omnicity looks very smart and is currently awaiting a few parts prior to its completion

My thanks to Tim Miller for his report and the photos

Tamworth Revisited

Last weekend meant a return trip to Tamworth - our last trip there was in late April this year

On the Saturday, whilst the others were enjoying the market and the shops, I made my way to the bus terminus at Victoria Road

On arrival I was surprised to see many new Mercedes Benz Citaros in service with Arriva Midlands
Apparently Tamworth has received seventeen of the twenty buses following their use at the London Olympics

The buses have fleetnumbers 3003-19 and have corresponding registrations BJ12YPO/P/RT-Z, BD12DHX-Z and BD12DJE/F

The only decker noted in the short period of observations was Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B9TL 4202 FJ08LVN on the 110 to Birmingham

The Citaros are believed to have displaced the numerous Volvo B6BLEs;  with only one being noted and that was 2616 V216KDA at the Corporation Street Terminus

No other operator's vehicles were seen

Tuesday 13 November 2012

First's 43452 Ekes Out Its Last Days

P452RPW at Gunton Estate, Lowestoft this morning.  Copyright JAMES RACE
Working in Lowestoft this morning was Dart 43452 P452RPW, which is on short term loan from Great Yarmouth

The bus was originally due to be withdrawn in Great Yarmouth but has since found further work; although it may be in its last few days of service with First Eastern Counties.

James Race got a photo of her this morning on the 101 Lowestoft Town service at Gunton Estate.

Drivers' Memories Continue......

Following the posting on former FEC Dart 47218 Michael Sayer responds:-

I am very sorry for getting my bus numbers wrong ! I spotted it later that evening after I had sent you the e-mail

As you may know Yorkshire Rider buses 4201 to 4225 (M201 - M225 VWW) were delivered new to the Huddersfield depot in 1995 and I know from my time at First Great Yarmouth that most of them found their way into the FEC fleet and some of its sisters were at Caister Road .

Thanks for the story of 47218 and its sad end . It was a bus I drove nearly every early shift at Yarmouth as it was nearly always allocated to the 0637 to Lowestoft , which ran in at 0830 , and the bus then went empty to Norwich to run the 17/17A. As stated previously the bus meant a lot to me ,as I had also driven it in Huddersfield.
On my return to Huddersfield in 2006 I worked part time , and did the same 5 hour shift every day so often drove our 42178 (P708HPU), a bus I took to my heart as it had nearly the same number as my favourite Yarmouth bus ! The depot staff made sure it was held back for me on my last day to drive after 40 years on Huddersfield's buses !

Out of interest in the picture I sent you , my first trip each day was a 314 to Holme . Holme is a lovely tiny Pennine village at the base of Holme Moss . The route went through Holmfirth , famous as the filming location for Last Of The Summer Wine . Many an afternoon myself and 42178 trundled past Compo's cafe and Nora Batty's cottage !

My apologies once again. Keep up the good work.
Regards .... Michael Sayer
---------------------oOo--------------------
Syd Eades has also sent details of yet another local bus connection with Huddersfield

One last item regarding the surprising links between here and the Huddersfield area also needs to be mentioned.

After branding for the Lowestoft-Kessingland service had been fitted to R458BNG, it was surprisingly whisked off to Huddersfield depot! As a result it never became 43458 in line with the rest of the batch when the five figure numbers arrived, and recieved 40881 instead; so is often overlooked by local enthusiasts. I have sent a photo of her  taken in 2009 in Halifax. 

Many thanks to Syd and Michael for their interesting memories and photos

Monday 12 November 2012

Reynolds' Toyotas for Disposal

My post on the introduction of Reynolds Volvo B10M ICZ6697 into service has prompted a message from Mick Capon in North Carolina
Are Reynolds expanding? I ask because I see reports and photos of newly acquired vehicles, but none of any withdrawals.
Unfortunately the new arrivals seem to attract the attention and are reported more than departures are!

Toyota Coaster BIG8781at Reynolds' Ormesby Road site in February this year
However, following an alert from Joe at Norwich Bus Page, I see from Reynolds' website that there are two Toyota Coaster B50R's available for sale; both with Caetano bodywork

BIG7756, new in 1998, is a 28 seater and was previously registered S32FFW and was new to TransLinc of Lincoln

BIG8781, new in 1996, is a 21 seater and held previous registrations IIB847 and N46BRB

A third Toyota/Caetano has also recently joined the list of coaches available for sale - BIG 7558. Previously registered V749EJF, she was  new in December 1999 also to Translinc of Lincoln

Further information on the vehicles can be viewed here

Sunday 11 November 2012

More Similarities!!

Plaxton bodied Dart 47218 M218VWW on its last fateful journey
Following Mike Sayers contribution in response to Syd Eade's first and last driven buses for First, James Long contacted me regarding some errors in his report 'Sorry Mike just helping out I hope!'

I agree with him that Great Yarmouth never had 40007 and Jim suggests that he must have mistaken it for 'the lovely Duple Dart 46007' (G457KNG) which seems feasible

Syd came to the rescue regarding the identity of the other vehicle as Dart 47218 (M218VWW):-

I was fascinated with the latest blog entry about the similar lives, but it doesn't end there!

Not only did I go to Huddersfield myself a number of times to collect Darts for use at Gt Yarmouth ( being picked up from the Railway Station by a friendly chap in the company van who also used to work for Huddersfield Corporation although I cant remember his name) but the bus Michael remembers so fondly, ex Yorkshire Rider 4218, was driven on its last journey by none other than James Race!




It was operating on the 22:11hrs service 99 from Southwold on 26th November 2009 when it failed at Wrentham. It was rescued by a tow truck and never ran again.

James has a photo of it actually taken on the fateful evening, with only a few more miles of service to go, as well as a later photo at Gasworks Road when it was being used for spares.

Its a small world, but an interesting one!

My thanks to Jim for correcting the error and to Syd for his tale of Dart 47218. Thanks also to James Race for the photos

Saturday 10 November 2012

Last Day at Work

Following Syd Eade's report on the blog regarding the first and last vehicles he drove whilst working for Eastern Counties and First Bus, I was contacted by Michael Sayer, a Norfolk exile.

"I always read your fasinating blog . I was so interested to read about Syd , who took a photo of the last bus he drove before retiring. I followed a parallel life up here in Huddersfield!!  I joined the then Huddersfield Corporation Transport in June 1972, and worked for the same company all my life . Just like Syd in Lowestoft I saw many changes. Huddersfield Corporation sold its buses in 1974 and we became MetroBus, and eventually the famous Yorkshire Ride , which in turn was sold to Badgerline until we became part of First Bus in 1996.

The picture is of First Huddersfield 42178, a short wheelbase Dennis Dart which I drove a lot in my last months, and drove on my last day at Huddersfield on March 22 this year. The photo was taken by me at our Oldfieldhouse Lane depot on that day before I took it out for the last time! It amazes me that Syd and I lead a similar work-life over almost the same amount of time

Out of interest in 2005, I went on a transfer to First Great Yarmouth ( my town of birth) for 7 months . Many days I drove 42718 , a 7' 6" wide Dart, which incredibly , I had also driven at Huddersfield when it was our Yorkshire Riders 4218 !!  I also drove the last true Great Yarmouth Corporation bus in service on its last day 40007!"


Many thanks for the contribution and photo Michael

Friday 9 November 2012

Early Morning in Lowestoft

Grahame Bessey reports on a couple of observations in Lowestoft on his way to work this morning

Firstly, AnglianBus Solo 308 AU54ENY looks to have had a recent repaint; it was seen on the 601A service minus its fleetnames

Secondly, Great Yarmouth's SLF 43452 P452RPW has been reprieved and was operating on the 103 route with a Lowestoft destination blind fitted; suggesting it is on loan there

Many thanks to Grahame for his report and photo

Last Enviro 200 Enters Service



After some delay, the last of First's recently acquired Enviro 200s finally entered service yesterday. 44513 DX57SXG had been experiencing a few mechanical issues which, up until then, had kept it out of service. She was observed by Grahame Bessey at Lowestoft's Gordon Road on his way to work yesterday morning. 

Sister 44512 DK57SXF was also in use on Lowestoft Town services as seen here on a 103 to Carlton Colville

The majority of the X22 journeys between the town and Beccles are now in the hands of the smaller capacity Enviros.

The displaced MPDs can now be seen on the
less busy local services like the 104

The sunny and milder weather allowed Syd Eade to get some photos of the vehicles on these workings

My thanks to Syd and Grahame for their photos and also to Syd for his report

Thursday 8 November 2012

Local Sightings

Yesterday afternoon I undertook a quick tour of the usual bus haunts in the Great Yarmouth area

My first stop was at Beach Coach Station where two of the Shearings fleet were observed

Parked side by side in the sunshine were Setras 108 BK09RNE and 209 BK10EJN

The next port of call was First's Caister Road depot where one of the First Midlands (Worcester) B12Ms
was lurking on the front forecourt

Dumped in the rear yard facing Harley Road were two Dart SLFs with 43441 P441NEX being one of them

The final destination was Market Gates Bus Station where a smart looking Motts Travel Volvo B12M was seen.

CT07MTT  was returning daytrippers to their accommodation at Warners Corton Village, just north of Lowestoft

Wednesday 7 November 2012

Reynolds ICZ6697

One of the two recently acquired former Kent Top Travel vehicles was noted at Reynolds Coaches premises early this morning

Grahame Bessey observed Volvo B10M/ Caetano Enigma ICZ6697 freshly painted in Reynolds livery

The 53 seater was originally new to Ulsterbus and has been named Lady Karen

The second Kent Top Travel vehicle acquired was Plaxton bodied Volvo B10M-62 S200VHO which can be seen here on my original blog posting

Another piece of news from Reynolds is that Bova Futura BIG6220 has been renamed Lady Kristina.

My appreciation goes to Grahame for the report and photo

Tuesday 6 November 2012

My First, My Last ..............

SLF 42446 P446TCV on Lowestoft Town Services in happier times
Copyright JAMES RACE
Regular contributor Syd Eade reports that SLF 42446 P446TCV) left Lowestoft this afternoon heading towards Essex.

She was driven by a First driver with its destination blinds removed.

It seems the 'Green Drive' system has also been removed from the bus so it may be for component recovery rather than further service.
Eastern Counties LKD227 OVF227 at Kessingland Beach
Copyright SYD EADE

Syd remembers 42446 with great fondness

She has a special place with me as she was the last bus I drove in passenger service before giving up stage carriage work (the first bus was LKD181 after passing my test on LKD227!)

A good excuse for a photo of LKD227 taken in November 1972 (just a few months before I passed my test on her) at Kessingland Beach whilst I was the conductor. 

The photo doesn't show how cold it was!! My driver wasn't very keen to come out of his warm cab in the winter months.


My thanks to Syd for the report and to both James and Syd for the photos which are both copyrighted

Monday 5 November 2012

Volvo Citybus A290TSN

Over the past few weeks Grahame Bessey has observed the use of a Volvo B10M Citybus to regularly transport agricultural workers to a farm in Ormesby - a village to the north of Great Yarmouth

Registered as A290TSN, it has an East Lancs body in light/dark blue livery.

After some time trying to obtain a photo of her, Grahame finally caught up with her at the farm on Saturday

Keeping the Volvo company were a couple of white Mercedes minibuses

A290TSN spent much of its early days in the Tayside Regional Council fleet based in Dundee

In recent years she migrated south of the border and was last noted working for South Gloucester Bus & Coach in April this year

Any details of the current owner and its history would be welcome

My thanks to Grahame for the report and photo - it shows that perseverance pays off eventually!

Sunday 4 November 2012

First Bus Recent Changes

As the dust begins to settle after the introduction of Enviro 200s into active service in Lowestoft, it seems very apt to review/summarise vehicle activity in the East Norfolk/East Suffolk coastal strip over the past month

As I was about to prepare this, I received a summary from Grahame Bessey also highlighting the recent changes and they are reproduced here

20115 has been acquired by a private buyer in Essex
Vehicles In

20514 WV02EUP - Great Yarmouth
20515 WV02EUR - Great Yarmouth
44512  DK57SXF - Lowestoft
44513  DK57SXG - Lowestoft
44928  EU08FHB - Lowestoft
45116  VT09JPT - Lowestoft
45117  ST58JPT - Lowestoft
45118  ST09JPT - Lowestoft
45119  RT09JPT - Lowestoft

Vehicles Out

20102 N602APU - Great Yarmouth - Withdrawn & Sold
20115 N615APU - Great Yarmouth - Withdrawn & Sold
42429 P429ORL - Lowestoft to First Essex
43453 P453RPW - Great Yarmouth - Withdrawn & Sold
43469 R469CAH - Great Yarmouth to First Essex

Transfers

42448 R448CCV - Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth     43433 P433NEX - Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth
42451 R451CCV - Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth     43435 P435NEX - Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth

20102 and 43453 have been sold to dealer Alpha Recovery of Weetslade, Northumberland. First Group are apparently no longer using Erith Commercials for disposing of vehicles.

On the positive side 20115 has been sold to a private buyer in Essex, who collected some spare parts for her from the Caister Road depot on Friday last

My appreciation goes to Grahame for the summary (saving me much work!) and to Ryan for the vehicle disposal information

Saturday 3 November 2012

AnglianBus More Repaints

Former Brighton & Hove Trident T815RFG at Anglian's
Ellough premises in mid-August
A now for something completely different .................

With First's Enviro 200s forming the major part of many of the recent posts on the blog, I thought I would report on a different subject and update you on the latest position regarding the repaint of Anglian's recently acquired vehicles

Former Brighton & Hove Trident T815RFG is in the paint shops for conversion into Anglian's yellow and blue colours

At the same time ex Metroline Scania YN03WRJ is also in for door conversion and a repaint.

Both are scheduled to be completed sometime next week

My thanks to Tim Miller for the report and to Paul Bennett for the photo

Friday 2 November 2012

Enviro 200s Latest Activity

Enviro 200 44512 DK57SXF at Norwich Bus Station last night
Photo © James Race
With all the Enviro 200s now entering service at Lowestoft, it seems that there is now a bus photographer on every street corner in the town!!

Nevertheless, just to bring you all up to speed with the latest developments, 44512 DK57SXF entered service on Wednesday and on its second day made it to the fine city of Norwich - the first of the larger Enviro 200s to appear there

James Race photographed her at Surrey Street Bus Station last night having arrived with the 2100 hours X2 from Lowestoft

The other former Townlynx bus 45513 DK57SXG arrived in Lowestoft yesterday and should be out in service today (Friday)

Their arrival has led to the movement of two Darts to First Essex. Lowestoft's SLF 42429 P429ORL has had a reprieve from the scrapman and was driven south yesterday afternoon. She will be joined in the county by Great Yarmouth's 43469 R469CAH

Finally, another Lowestoft Dart has moved to Great Yarmouth with SLF 43435 P435NEX returning to the Caister Road fleet

My thanks to Syd Eade and Ryan for the reports and to James Race for the photo

Thursday 1 November 2012

Last of the Enviros

The last of the recently refurbished Enviro 200s, 44513 DK57SXG, was noted on the Caister Road forecourt this morning.

It is suspected that it is being made ready to head over to Lowestoft today

Meantime sister vehicle 44512 DX57SXF was at work on the 101 in Lowestoft yesterday as Grahame Bessey's picture shows.

My thanks to Grahame for the update and photo