Where Are They Now? ~ T809LLC

First Plaxton President bodied Trident 32809 T809LLC first saw use in Great Yarmouth in early November 2017 after transfer from Norwich. It was needed to help cope with an increase in Bernard Matthews contract work in the lead up to Christmas. It was withdrawn the following February prior to returning to the city for use as a driver trainer during April 2018.

T809LLC arriving at the James Paget Hospital in November 2017

It subsequently moved back to Great Yarmouth six months later, again to assist with the increased demand for buses for Bernard Matthews work nearing Christmas. It then returned to Norwich for more driver training duties in January this year; although it was was immediately pressed into revenue earning service. Final withdrawal came in February after engine failure.

A year later and the Trident leaves Market Gates heading for the James Paget Hospital on the 8

Yesterday it was towed to Bawburgh, west of Norwich, for use at the Bawburgh School located in Hockering Lane in the village.

My thanks to First for the information

Service Alterations Registered ~ 25th May 2019

The East of England Traffic Commissioner published his latest Notices and Proceedings Report earlier this morning

Whilst there was nothing of note locally the full report can be viewed soon on the government website

Roy

Latest First Norwich Arrival ~ Updated

After a couple of teasing posts on Facebook's First Eastern Counties Bus Blog, I am pleased to provide details of the vehicle recently loaned from Ensign for a short period of time.

Since my original post, Mark Doggett has provided further photos and information regarding the events leading up to the acquisition of the newcomer

Originally the vehicle being hired from the Purfleet dealership was to be Trident SN51SYH which was collected on the Saturday but unfortunately failed en-route to Norwich.

It returned to Ensign and was replaced by former East Yorkshire YX59FUO, a Volvo B12BT / Volvo 9700 Prestige tri-axle coach. It was new to Finglands of Rusholme, Manchester in January 2010.

The Volvo had arrived at the Purfleet dealer during March this year and First have a requirement of approximately four weeks for an additional vehicle for use it on Bernard Matthews contract.

My thanks to Mark Doggett for his excellent photos and to Grahame for passing them on. I am also grateful to our contact at First Norwich for the original photos

Roy

First Supporting Local Charity Day

First kindly added their support for a local charity Day in the Suffolk town of Halesworth today by sending two of their Heritage liveried fleet to the event supporting the Blaze'ing Star Charity.

Flying Banana liveried Dart 42943 WA56OAS from Great Yarmouth and Eastern Counties liveried 42926 SN05EAE from Lowestoft were both on hand for the visitors to have a look around.

The Facebook Page for Details about the Charity can be visited here www.facebook.com/theblayzeingstarc/

Many Thanks to Sam Wickham for the Photos.

Grahame.

First Great Yarmouth Latest

EU05AUN leaving Market Gates during August 2015

The latest news from First's Caister Road depot is the fitting of a new engine to Dennis Dart SLF 42921 EU05AUN.

Other work being carried out includes MOTs for Great Yarmouth's ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL 32213 LT52WTW and Lowestoft's Gemini 37563 AU58ECA.

Meanwhile, in Norwich former Great Yarmouth Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B7 66344 MV02VCX has returned to active service.

My thanks to First for the information.

Roy

Friday Round Up

Yes it's Friday again! Time for another round up where we take a look at the coaches currently in Great Yarmouth.

Unfortunately as I arrived on Marine Parade Shearings Mercedes Benz Tourismo 841 BJ16KXR was just leaving the Carlton Hotel so I was unable to get a picture. However, I was in the right place at the right time to photo the operator's second Tourismo 131 BU18YSH.

Also seen in the background is National Holidays' Kassbohrer Setra NH14HBH whilst further south, outside the Nelson Hotel, was ALS Travel's Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B10M-62 T223AGR

T223AGR has a bit of history in that it was new to Durham City of Brandon as T7DCC in May 1999. It was re-registered T223 AGR upon sale to a dealer in April 2005, passing to UK Coaches (Atlantis Travel), of Countesthorpe in Leicestershire in the same month. It was re-registered by them as A8UKC in May 2005 and subsequently acquired by ALS In January 2014. In the following April it reverted to T223AGR.

Continuing north along Marine Parade I was surprised to see a coach parked up outside the Marine House Hotel opposite the Hollywood Cinema. It was Rover European's VH TX16 Alicron FH17DRH

At Beach Coach Station were four coaches parked in pairs - the first were two Mercedes Benz Tourismos from the Alfa Travel fleet - BU13ZTZ and BN17JCZ.

The remaining twosome were Wolverhapton's Coach and Tours Travel WT18CTT and Gee-Vee Travel's Bova Futura GT11GVT - the latter formerly registered YJ11 ANV.

Roy

Sanders Sale

I was contacted earlier today by Nick (@sji1616) via twitter regarding an advertisement placed in Bus & Coach Buyer by Sanders Coaches who are selling a significant number of vehicles from their fleet

On offer are two Plaxton bodied Volvo B12Ms from 2005; two 2002 Dennis Javelins; two Scania OmniCitys from 2003; a 2009 Optare Versa and four DAF SB120/ Paxton Centros from 2007. The last foursome are available for spares or repair.

Prospective buyers are asked to contact Paul Sanders at Sanders Coaches

My thanks to Nick for alerting me to this

Roy