FirstBus Great Yarmouth Changes

This morning FirstBus Volvo B9TL/ Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 36200 B12 WOA was collected from Norwich and transferred to Great Yarmouth.

On the minus side another Volvo has been withdrawn with Coastal Clipper liveried 37569 AU58 ECN due to be scrapped.

My thanks to Steve N for the information.

Roy

Norwich Football Specials

As a birthday present, last night I was treated to tickets to watch the Norwich City v Southampton football match. An additional bonus was the taking of photos of buses and coaches taking supporters home from the event - twelve vehicles in total from five operators.

At the front of the queue to leave was Belle Coaches' Mercedes-Benz Tourismo LD11 HOL. It was the first of two from the operator with Scania K410EB4 BC17 BEL being the other one.

Second and third in line were Peelings' P55 FAH and P33 FAH. The former is a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo, previuosly a Shearings coach registered BF16 XPB which arrived in March this year. The latter is a Plaxton Panther 3 bodied Volvo B11R.

Downham Market-based D & H Harrod was employing Volvo B11R / Jonckheere N22 DHH, a former Lochs & Glens coach registered BU16 PBY.

SALEC Travel provided Van Hool bodied Volvo B12B YJ55 EZE for its city supporters.

Sanders Coaches provided the remaining six vehicles which included Scania N94UDs 113 YN53 CFF and 114 YN54 AFV plus Volvo B8Ls 128 PC 23 SAN and 129 EC2323 SHA. The saloons were Volvo B13RT 920 DLZ 822 (pictured) and 924 OC21 SAN.

As for the football result Norwich lost 1-0

Roy

Norwich Wednesday

Our regular reporter Dan High was in his usual position on Norwich's Castle Meadow earlier today and here is a selection of some of his sightings.

Thought to be on its first day in service, FirstBus Eastern Counties Wright StreetDeck Electroliner 36702 LX76 ZFS was observed on the 28 route to Thorpe Marriott.

Jubilee Coaches' green Dennis Javelin/Plaxton Profile YU05 ZHT was noted outside the entrance to the Castle Mall Shopping Centre.

Later seen in the same location was Bakers Dolphin Gold Service branded Irizar i8 BD24 GLD.

On Theatre Street in the city was Central Connects' Yutong GT12 YK25 OMG on Flixbus duty with the 007 service from London.

Our final photo is of Norwich-based ICT Coaches' Mercedes-Benz Tourismo BV26 HUZ on University Drive.

Our thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 14th October 2026

Today’s East of England Traffic Commissioner’s Notice and Proceedings Report contains no entries affecting our local bus services. 

However, of particular interest is that FirstBus Eastern Counties has amended the routes and timetables of its excel services from  from 13th September 2026

The full Report can be viewed here soon

Roy

FirstBus Update

The latest from First is that two Volvo B9TLs have been withdrawn. They are Great Yarmouth's 37564 AU58ECC and Lowestoft's 37532 MXZ 3342. The latter is parked up at Norwich

Similar 36174 BD11 CFY and 36225 BD12 TAV have moved down the coast from Great Yarmouth to Lowestoft.

My thanks to Steve N for the information.

Roy

Norwich Today

Three photos from Dan High's photos taken today in Norwich include Central Connect's Mercedes-Benz Sprinter / EVM Cityline 228 RX25 TCJ on the 50 service from Mousehold Heath to the City Centre.

Passing through Castle Meadow was Marett's Chariots' BMC 850 VF62 GAA. It began life with Welsh’s Coaches of Upton, Pontefract in September 2012 with the registration 1308 RW.

The final photo is of one of FirstBus new Wright StreetDeck Electroliners 36701 LX76 ZFP travelling on Red Lion Street on the 26 to the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital with Norwich Castle in the back ground.

Thanks Dan.

Roy

Charcoal Line Improvements

People in the Bungay and Halesworth area have been fighting the withdrawal of the daytime X41 FirstBus service to Norwich with much of the Charcoal line route being reduced to an hourly service. There were reports that it was having a ‘significant practical impact on daily life’ with overcrowding, longer journeys, missed appointments and difficulties accessing work, education and healthcare.

The introduction of a revised service from 1st November follows sustained pressure from Bungay Town Council and Bungay Traffic Forum. The operator has acknowledged the increased passenger numbers on the route especially by school and college students.

The November improvements can be viewed HERE and my thanks to Mark C for bringing this to my attention.

Roy