#TBT Lowestoft Buses 1975

This week's Throw Back Thursday looks at a visit made to Lowestoft in 1975 viewing the bus station and council garage in Rotterdam Road

The first photo shows ECW bodied Bristol LD5G VVF199 in its last months of service at Lowestoft's Eastern Counties Bus Station. Classified by Eastern Counties as an LKD, it is seen parked next to two Bristol MW5Gs - the middle bus being LS797 4823VF which was also in its last year of service. The decker was new in January 1958 and last worked a 602 service. The LS arrived later in May 1961 although both eventually ended up at dealers in Barnsley.

The second picture shows the rear of LKD199

with GVF889D next to the decker. The coach was also a Bristol/ECW product being an RELH6G new to Eastern Counties in April 1966 lasting in service until 1979 when disposed of to Ben Jordan of Coltishall

Our final contribution shows three deckers in the then Waveney District Council fleet at Rotterdam Road. On the left is Massey bodied AEC Regent III LBJ743 delivered to Lowestoft Corporation in January 1951. Subsequently used as a trainer vehicle it was withdrawn from service in 1975

The other two deckers were 918NRT and 917NRT, both AEC Regent Vs dating from January 1963 and also Massey bodied. The

former is now at the East Anglia Transport Museum at Carlton Colville

Since the original post Peter Short has been in touch  'Very interesting photos. Its possible that these photos may predate 1975, the Waveney DC Regent Vs had been converted to awful reflective plates before this year. Either way the traditional black plates sit with the vehicles character'

As regards the dating of the photos, I am only going by the date in my photo album which was written some 40 years ago! It may be wrong but I would be interested in others views as to which is the correct version. However I must agree with Peter's sentiment in the last sentence and admit it does spoil the effect

Roy