The Changing face of Shearings

With the news this week that Shearings have announced a new order for Mercedes Benz vehicles I thought I would look back at the various types noted in the town over the past 10 years or so. Whilst living in Yarmouth i worked a stones throw away from the Coach Station so a lot of photos were taken on my way home in the evening mainly during the summer and Shearings vehicles were always present.

Van Hool bodied W285JBN April 2003

Originally New to Wallace Arnold, P305VWR sits on the A149 at Stalham on a June evening in 2003

Shearings merged with Wallace Arnold in February 2005 creating the WA Shearings brand before becoming Shearings Hoilidays once more in 2007

Plaxton bodied MX06AMU in the Gold Grand Tourer livery, May 2007

Sunsundegui bodied YC02CHK in the Blue WA Shearings livery in 2007

Shearings own the Carlton Hotel in Great Yarmouth so their vehicles are noted here all year round, as well as Hotels in North Norfolk. At peak times it is not uncommon to see up to 4 coaches in the town at any one time. National Holidays are also part of the group and the current fleet of Setra based vehicles are regulars to the Coach park, another blog entirely I think!

2009 saw the introduction of Setra vehicles to the fleet, BN09FXA pictured when new in the town.

Today's fleet is mainly based around Setra 415/416GT-HD vehicles with over 100 now in use, some Plaxton, Van Hool & Jonckheere vehicles also remain active within the group.

A typical sight in the summer months at Beach Coach Station.

Myself and Roy are keeping our eyes peeled for the first MB Tourismo to appear in the town, I'm sure it wont be too long, its strange looking back when doing a feature like this just how much companies change and evolve, Shearings has certainly done that since my first photos in 2002/3!