Thursday, 28 May 2026

Lynx Changes

West Norfolk independent operator Lynx Bus has published changes to some of its services which are to take effect from Monday 1st June 2026.

They include the following routes:-
Service 33 Kings Lynn to Hunstanton - improved frequency with buses operating every two hours
Service 33A Hunstanton Town Circular - new service
Service 33B Hunstanton Town Circular - new service
Services 34/35/36 Kings Lynn to Hunstanton - improved connections to the QE Hospital
Service 36 Coastliner Kings Lynn to Fakenham - revised service
Service 44 The loop - New Kings Lynn to Hardwick circular route

More details on the Lynx Website

To provide these changes Lynx has acquired eight Optare Tempos from Bus Vanin on the Isle of Man,. They are to receive fleet numbers 1 - 8  and are as follows:-
1) KMN-210-L 2) KMN-214-U 3) KMN-215-U     not yet arrived 4) KMN-218-U     now FX12 MUB 5) KMN-219-U     not yet arrived 6) LMN-225-D     not yet arrived 7) LMN-229-H
8) LMN-230-H     away for repaint


No's 2 and 4 have already received the Lynx red colour scheme with the latter to be branded for the new Loop service.

Making way for them will be the withdrawal of nine older Tempos:-
3 - YJ55BKG    7 - YJ56WVA    11 - YJ07VSK    12 - YJ07VSL    13 - YJ07VSM 14 - YJ07VSN 15 - FD54JYA    19 - FD54JYF    30 - MX05ELH

In other news DAF DB250 Gemini 57 - LJ04LEU has been withdrawn for scrap with two new E400 MMCs (68 and 69) expected soon for Coastliner.

I am very grateful to Sam Larke for his help in preparing this report and to 'Reg Vardy' for his photo of four of the new arrivals.

Roy

Wednesday, 27 May 2026

Service Alterations Registered ~ 27th May 2026

Today's East of England Traffic Commissioner’s Notices and Proceedings Report includes changes to BorderBus services in connection with the Latitude Festival at Henham Park in Suffolk.

LAT1 Halesworth to Latitude Festival - amended timetable effective 21st July 2026.
LAT2 Halesworth to Latitude Festival - amended timetable effective 24th July 2026.
LAT3 Latitude Festival to Southwold - amended timetable effective 24th July 2026.
LAT4 Kessingland to Latitude Festival - amended route and timetable effective 24th July 2026.
LAT5 Tesco, Beccles to Latitude Festival - amended timetable effective 24th July 2026.

The full report can be viewed here soon on the Government’s website.

Roy

Grim Reaper Visits

The grim reaper called into First Great Yarmouth's Caister Road depot early this morning in the form of a Trevor Wigley tow truck.


Making its final journey to the scrapyard was Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 37139 SN57 HCY.


My thanks to Steve N for the information and photos.

Roy

Tuesday, 26 May 2026

Emergency Rail Replacement

With Reedham Swing Bridge braking down but remaining open to river traffic, Anglia Railways quickly arranged rail replacement services between Lowestoft and Norwich at short notice earlier today.


Lowestoft- based Angies Tours (P J Overy) immediately stepped into the breach by providing at least two coaches. The 14:17 departure was provided by Scania K410EB6/Caetano Levante BV17 GOU which was new to De Courcey of Coventry in March 2017.


The second coach observed was Neoplan Tourliner Y24 TEY, thought to be the 15:48 rail replacement. Its registration recognises Angies' associated Colchester-based business Teys Tours.

My thanks to Tim Miller for the report and photos.

Roy

Monday, 25 May 2026

New Flixbus Service

David Slater reports that a new Flixbus service started today with the 950 from Heathrow Airport to Norwich. 


The first northbound trip (06:00 from Heathrow) was worked by Cozy Travel of Sandy's OU23 CYM which was seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills. It is a Neoplan Tourliner that had been new to Whippet Coaches in July 2023 and still carries Whippet fleet number FX44. After Whippet Coaches ended their four year Flixbus contract Cozy’s apparently took on the lease of the six former Whippet Neoplan coaches.


Departing Heathrow (Central) at 0600 this trip travels via Luton Airport Parkway (0650-0655); Cambridge (Parkside) (0810-0820); and Thetford (0920-0925) arriving Norwich (Bus Station) at 1015. he full service has six daily trips each way although not all serve Cambridge Trumpington Park and Ride (TP&R) and Norwich (University of East Anglia).

Departures from Norwich are:
0025 arriving Heathrow 0430
0200 arriving Heathrow 0610
0335 arriving Heathrow 0800
1100 arriving Heathrow 1530 (omits UEA and TP&R)
1250 arriving Heathrow 1720 (omits UEA and TP&R)
1500 arriving Heathrow 1920 (omits UEA)
 
Departures from Heathrow are:
0600 arriving Norwich 1015 (omits TP&R and UEA)
0740 arriving Norwich 1215
0940 arriving Norwich 1405 (omits UEA)
1740 arriving Norwich 2210 (omits TP&R and UEA)
1910 arriving Norwich 2330
2120 arriving Norwich 0140

The service is operated by Transport Made Simple/ Central Connect from their Diss depot with the the Neoplans currently on loan to them until new vehicles arrive.

I am grateful to David for the information and photos.

Roy

Friday, 22 May 2026

Swaffham Observations

Earlier today regular contributor Dan High decided to observe bus activity in Harry Hill’s favourite Norfolk town of Swaffham.


First Eastern Counties Scania N250UD / ADL Enviro400 City 36910  YN69 XZP was being employed on the B excel service to Kings Lynn, Wisbech and Peterborough.


Seen at the bus stop was Konectbus ADL Enviro400 622 SN65 OAA destined for Dereham on the 11 route.

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Sanders Acquires Semmence

Sanders Coaches have announced their acquisition of H Semmence & Company of Wymondham. The takeover means that additional operational coaches join the fleet together with the majority of the Semmence staff.

Sanders Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B8R CE24SAN outside their Bessemer Road depot
(Photo: Nick Farrow)
All existing Semmence operations will be moved to Sanders recently built Bessemer Road depot in Norwich. All contracts and private charters are to continue as normal and will be completed by a mixture of vehicles acquired from Semmence together with some of Sanders own fleet.


Optare Solo YK04 KVU, when with Ambassador Travel, has been acquired by Sanders

Fleet wise the following become part of the Sanders fleet although not all will be operational:-

YO54 DRX
Dennis Javelin
KIG 8457
Volvo Sunsundegui
KIG 8426
Jonckheere Mistral
JL09 RSL
Plaxton Panther
YN06 RVE
Volvo
BF63 ZSK
Volvo B9 Caetano
BF63 ZSL
Volvo B9 Caetano
EHZ 5362
Volvo B9 Caetano
FJ09 DXC
Scania Caetano
Y176 KCS
Jonckheere Mistral
KIG 7738
Volvo Sunsundegui
KIG 1890
Jonckheere Mistral
PN06 TVP
Iveco
YK04 KVU
Optare Solo
AU02 VXY
Volvo


Volvos BF63 ZSK and KIG 7738 when they were both operated by Ambassador Travel

As part of the takeover Norfolk County Council school bus routes and local bus services will be operated by Sanders Coaches with effect from Sunday 24th May 2026.

My thanks to Kieran Smith at Sanders for his help with the preparation of this post.

Roy