Suffolk Made & Operated ~ Day Two Photographic Special

Buses from three different municipals - I missed a ride on Ipswich's E|PV24 but

more than made up for it with a run on Lowestoft's 'chocolate bus' GBJ192

I decided to attend the Suffolk Made & Operated event on Sunday instead of Saturday as the weather forecasters said it would be the better day - they were wrong yet again! However, the showers didn't spoil my enjoyment and I got to meet some old friends there and also put some faces to the names of some others too

I arrived at Lowestoft rail station around

Star of the show was Ipswich trolleybus 105 restored to a very high standard

1pm, only to see Ipswich Corporation Park Royal bodied AEC Regent 24 EPV24 leaving the stand as I was walking along Denmark Road. Having noted the next departure was at 1:30 I returned to the car disappointed

However, it worked to my advantage as Lowestoft Corporation Regent 21 GBJ192 arrived at the stand. I had always wanted a ride on it and now was

Mulleys very smart looking Bedford OB PV9371

my chance. I remember these buses operating when I was youngster when visiting my uncle. I knew we had arrived in the town when we saw the 'chocolate buses' on the northern outskirts

We left the station just as it started raining and I had to make a dash for cover on arrival at the museum. After a couple of minutes of sheltering from the elements, Ipswich Trolleybus 105 PV8270 

Ex Ipswich Optare Excel R186DDX sits alongside Great Yarmouth's AEX85B

arrived at the terminus and I got on for my circuits of the museum complex.

A lot of good quality work has gone into restoring 105 and I noted the details in the wooden seating with all the slotted screw heads lined up horizontally. Such perfection!

As the rain had more or less ceased by the end of the run by 105, I returned to the car park to obtain some photos 

Really liked travelling on these - Ipswich Atlantean MRT6P awaits its next duty

of the vehicles present. These included former Mulleys Motorways Bedford OB PV9371 looking very smart

Keeping company with Great Yarmouth's AEC Reliance AEX85B was former Norfolk Green and Ipswich Buses Optare Excel 186 R186DDX

There were other Ipswich buses present in the form of  a 1976 Leyland Atlantean MRT6P, 1950 AEC 

The 1923 Ipswich Trolleybus No 2 acquired by Ipswich Transport Museum in 1977

after 40 years in use as living accommodation for two sisters who worked in the 

tea rooms at Flatford Mill

Regent ADX1 and a ECW bodied Leyland Olympian C101CHM

Another interesting Ipswich exhibit was trolleybus no 2 DX3988 - 'the oldest restored and displayed trolleybus in the world'. It was built by Short Brothers of Rochester to a design by Railless Electric Traction in 1923. It was one of three hired, later purchased by Ipswich Corporation to test trolleybus operation when tramway track became too expensive 

Garretts of Leiston products are posed together - only two years in age difference

to repair and maintain after damage suffered during the first world war.

I then witnessed the line up of two products from the Leiston works of Richard Garrett & Son. Former 1926 built NESE (Copenhagen) trolleybus No 5 was posed next to 1924 traction engine Bunty from Bressingham Steam Museum.

All to soon it was time to think about returning 

Ex Eastern Counties 5789AH provided an eventful journey back to the rail station

home although I wanted to stay as long as possible. However, the powers that be had scheduled former Eastern Counties LS789 5789AH for a journey to Lowestoft rail station and the opportunity to ride on her was too good to miss.

The journey on the 1959 Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol MW5G was a joy to behold. The driver was constantly battling with the gearbox on the way back and the Gardner engine sounded good. A reminder of the days when they used to be based at Great Yarmouth's Wellington Road

And so the end of the outing came so quickly. I spent an enjoyable time there meeting old friends and putting faces to the names of others who contribute to the blog. Good to meet you all

The next event can't come too quickly!