First Great Yarmouth Latest

Around a week ago First Eastern Counties Wright StreetLite 47655 SN15 AEV was towed from Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth's Caister Road premises for engine replacement. It has since been towed from there to an undisclosed site where the work will now be undertaken.



However, Coastlink ADL Enviro400 33803 YX63 LJF is still awaiting gearbox replacement while Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL 37532 MXZ 3342 has just passed its MOT.

My thanks to Steven N for the information and photo.

Roy

Clipper Returns

There has been a couple of developments at First Great Yarmouth’s Caister Road depot with the first being the return of partial open top Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 37068 CRZ 599 from storage ready for the commencement of Coastal Clipper 1C services from 2nd May. You may also notice in the background of the photo the preparations taking place to receive the Electroliners due later this year.

Wright StreetDeck 35287 SL67 VXR has returned to First Norwich off loan and has been replaced by similar 35286 SL67 VXP.

My thanks to Steve N for the information and photo

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 22nd April 2026

Today's East of England Traffic Commissioner’s Notices and Proceedings Report includes more changes to services in the local area which may be of interest.

Simonds of Botesdale introduced a new 482 service between Diss Bus Station and Bridge Street, Framlingham from 13th April 2026

First Eastern Counties is to amend the route and timetable of its 99 / 998 services between Lowestoft Bus Station and Pier Avenue in Southwold from 24th May 2026.
The operator has also amended the timetables of its 40/ 40A / X41/ 41A / 41 Halesworth/Bungay to Norwich services from 2nd November 2025.
Also noted was the start of the 100 Norwich Sightseeing service from 23rd May 2026 with a revised timetable.

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

Roy

Norwich Monday

A couple of photos from Dan High's sightings in Norwich's Castle Meadow earlier today. The first is of Our Bus Mercedes-Benz Sprinter BP14 FKE passing First Eastern Counties StreetDeck Electroliner 36568 BK73 AHZ. Affectionately known as Bruno, the former was arriving from Heartsease on the 32 route.



First Eastern Counties Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 36180 BD11 CDZ was operating on Blue Line service 25 throughout the day.



My thanks to Dan for the photos

Roy

Local Sightings

With it being a pleasant mild April day with the sun shining, I thought it would be good to exercise with a walk along Great Yarmouth's Seafront.



As we neared the Britannia Pier, I noticed Setra 416GT-HD EU14 GXR owned by Barking, Ipswich-based C & J Coaches was parked up. It was still in the previous owner's colours of Lodges Coaches and the reason for its presence was that Great Yarmouth Football Club were playing Ipswich Wanderers at the nearby Wellesley football ground.



I looked in at the Coach Station on Nelson Road North and found two coaches present. The first seen was KM Travel's VDL Bova 893 KM.



The other vehicle was Millennium Travel's Mercedes-Benz Tourismo G19 MTL on charter to Alfa Holidays.

Roy

Early Start For Lochs & Glens

Lochs and Glens Holidays offer a number of tours to Scotland from the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft area throughout the year. They regularly require an early start on a feeder coach to join up with the main tour.

Just to give you an idea of the early timings for the feeder coach, regular contributor Tim Miller provided a lift for his friend to join the service at Lowestoft at 04:30 this morning! (That's really early!!) The coach involved was Volvo B11RT Jonckheere JSV N23 MKT from Mil-Ken Travel of Littleport, Ely.

My thanks to Tim for the photo.

Roy

Norwich Sightings

A couple of photos from Dan High's sightings on Norwich's Castle Meadow earlier today. The first shows Completely Coach Travel's Irizar i6s M28 CCT passing First Eastern Counties Wright StreetDeck New Power 71023 XIG 1723.



The second features First Great Yarmouth's Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 36215 BJ12 VWX in its Coastal Reds livery on a working from the seaside to the city on the 7 route.



Again my thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy