Service Alterations Registered ~ 31st August 2016

The latest Notice & Proceedings Report was published by the East of England Traffic Commissioner this morning and the foregoing is a detailed summary of changes in the local area during the fortnight under review.

Registration of New Services
As previously mentioned on the blog, Anglianbus has registered a new Monday to Saturday service between Great Yarmouth and Belton - route 71 starts on 12th September 2016
North Norfolk Community Transport has registered a number of new hail and ride services:-
1 Aldborough Green to Aylsham Market Place - Mondays only from 5th September 2016
2 Aylsham Market To: Aylsham Market via Button, Colby & Banningham - Mondays only from 5th September 2016
3 Aldborough Green to North Walsham Market Place via Banningham - Tuesdays only from 6th September 2016
6 Aldborough Green to North Walsham, Market Place via Banningham - Thursdays only from 8th September 2016
8 Aldborough Green to Holt Market Place via Edgefield - Fridays only from 9th September 2016
Other limited stop services registered by North Norfolk Community Transport are:-
NS1 Aldborough Green to Castle Meadow, Norwich via Aylsham - one journey in each direction from 7th September 2016
Aldborough Green to Hoveton (Roys Department Store) via Coltishall - operates on the second Wednesday each month with one journey in each direction beginning on 4th September 2016
NS2 Matlaske To: Castle Meadow, Norwich via Aldborough Green operates on the third Wednesday each month with one journey in each direction from 2nd September 2016

Registration of New Services Granted Under Short Notice
Again as reported earlier, Anglianbus is to introduce a school day only 80A Harleston to Bungay High School service from 4th September 2016
Borderbus has retrospectively registered a Monday to Saturday Beccles Town service from 15th August to replace that ceased by Anglianbus (see cancellations below)
Feline Executive Travel is to provide a service between Gimingham and: Buxton via Burgh, Brampton and Tuttington. The 'flexible service' will run Monday to Friday between 9am and 2.30pm starting on 3rd September 2016

Applications to Vary Existing Services
Suffolk Norse is to amend the route and timetable of the 108 Lowestoft Bus Station to James Paget Hospital service from 10th October 2016

Applications to Vary Existing Services Granted Under Short Notice
Anglianbus is to alter the timetable of Bungay to Lowestoft 61/61A/61B/61C group of services effective from 4th September 2016
First Eastern Counties is to amend the route, stopping places and timetable of its 99/99B Lowestoft to Kessingland routes from 4th September
Simonds of Bottesdale is also to change the route, stopping places and timetable of its 552 Denham Post Office and Framlingham service from 2nd September 2016

Cancellations of Existing Services Granted Under Short Notice
As referred to above, Anglianbus ceased its Beccles Town service 82/82A from 14th August 2016

As usual the link to the complete Notice & Proceedings Report, covering the whole of the Eastern Traffic Commissioner's Area, can be viewed HERE

Roy

Simonds in Beccles

Diss operator Simonds began its 581 service today to link up with Borderbus 580 as part of the Waveney Line initiative

I was in time to see the 12:15 departure from Beccles to Diss via Bungay and Harleston and I wasn't the only photographer there recording the event. A very clean looking MCV Evolution bodied Volvo B7RLE, in the form of BT13YTF, performed the duty with a very smart and friendly driver at the wheel

Minutes later the Old Market area was full of buses with the Simonds Volvo being surrounded by Borderbus vehicles, With the Anglianbus 81 due any minute, I was wondering how it would gain access to any of the stands! However, before it arrived the two Borderbus examples departed - to be immediately replaced with one of their deckers, X643LLX, arriving for a Beccles Town Service

Unsurprisingly the Anglian gas bus finally appeared on the 81 and had to wait for a few minutes in Smallgate before it could gain access to the stand! How times have changed

Also commencing today was the Our Hire (Our Bus) service 86 between Beccles and Poringland via Loddon with Iveco FH05OXS being employed

Roy

Three Star Bowls

The 2016 Great Yarmouth Festival of Bowls began last Sunday and continues until 23 September. This is reportedly the largest outdoor open bowling event in the country attracting more than 1200 competitors.

Some of the participants use coaches to travel to the town to take part in the event. Yesterday contributor Robert Kelly witnessed Luton-based Three Star Coaches unloading its passengers for a week's stay at the Comfort Hotel in Albert Square (no, not that one - the one in Great Yarmouth!)

The coach was Sunsundegui Sideral bodied Volvo B9R BX62BBV - a coach I photographed at Beach Coach Station in August 2013!

My thanks to Robert for the report and photo

Roy

Rail Replacement Duties

It seems to be a regular thing now that Bank Holiday weekends is the time when the railway network carries out major infrastructure works and today was no different


Norwich station was a hive of activity with coaches on rail replacement duties following the closure of the route between Norwich and Ipswich due to major bridge repairs. Additionally all Norwich branch lines were operating a revised service

Our 'roving reporter' Tim Miller was on hand to witness rail replacement in action today with local operators Belle Coaches, Freestones Coaches, Galloway Coachways and Simonds among those taking part

 My thanks to Tim for providing the photos

Roy

East Coast Truckers

Yesterday saw the East Coast Truckers children’s convoy with some sixty trucks taking youngsters from Norwich to Pleasurewood Hills and Great Yarmouth. I witnessed the cacophony of the loud horns at first hand on the outward journey at Church Lane in Gorleston in the hope of securing photos of the support coaches provided by Smith's Coaches of Blofield

However, my patience went unrewarded as I missed them - whether they had taken an alternative route or were delayed I am not sure. However, regular contributor Tim Miller managed to capture two of the trio on his camera further down the road with Dennis Javelin Marcopolo bodied Volvo B12M FP51EUN at the front of the threesome

The annual event, now in its 31st year, aims to give children with disabilities, or from disadvantaged backgrounds, a day they will never forget.

My thanks to Tim for the photo; who later explained that the coaches used the town's bypass to get to Pleasurewood Hills before the trucks arrived

Roy

More Arrivals at Reynolds

Passing the garage in Caister this morning I noted two fresh arrivals for Reynolds, I was informed that they were collected on Saturday.

Both are Plaxton bodied and look to be a shorter wheelbase version; registrations are AT55CZH/AT55CZJ.

Grahame.

Photo Special Eastern Counties Open Top VR's

Been a while since we had a photo special and as a lot of interest in a certain open top vehicle appearing once more along Yarmouth sea front i thought a nice trip down memory lane is in order!.
With the help of David Waters and the late Jim Long i have a selection of Photos showing the many looks of the Open Top Bristol VR's operated by Eastern Counties back in the day.

 First photo goes back to May 1987 and three open toppers are pictured at Ipswich depot ready for use on shuttle duties to and from what i presume would have been the Suffolk Show. All in the livery which was named the Wasp!.

A year on to 1988 and JNG50N is pictured at the Old Cattle Market Bus Station in Ipswich wearing a livery showing two local Radio stations, it was Blue on one side for Radio Orwell with Saxon Radio being promoted in Red on the other.

Next up is OCK995K pictured at Lowestoft Depot wearing the dark blue version of Pleasurewood Hills livery, a lighter version was also worn by the vehicles.

Finally we see NCK980J parked opposite the Pleasure Beach freshly painted in a  variation of the privatised coach style livery, note its fleet number has changed from OT4 to OT352 at this point.

Many thanks to David Waters and our good friend Jim Long for supplying the photographs of these vehicles in their many guises.

Grahame.

Interesting Independents

A couple of interesting vehicles were on display at Great Yarmouth's Beach Coach Station this afternoon.

The first was unusual in that it was an Auwärter N122/3 double deck coach bearing the registration M155HST. Owned by Barker Bus of Roydon, Essex it was built to a CH57/18Ct configuration. The coach was new to Trathens Travel Services of Plymouth as YN51XMW in October 2001.

Another interesting arrival was that of R433RWT, a Plaxton Premiere bodied Volvo B10M-62 from the Bash of London fleet. This was originally a Wallace Arnold coach new in April 1998 and almost certainly must have visited the town in that guise. It was also exhibited at Showbus held at Duxford later that year and can be viewed HERE

Roy

Young's National Express Duty

Robert Kelly tells me that an unusual coach was working on the National Express Norwich to London service this morning

Young's Coaches of Cambridge were employing DAF/Van Hool  K9YCC on what is thought to be the 11am departure. The DAF was new to Fraser Eagle of Accrington in April 2004 as YJ04BYC and also saw use with Walton Swift Travel

My thanks to Rob for the photo

Roy

New Belton Service

An Anglian gas bus runs through Bradwell in March 2015

Anglianbus has gone public this afternoon about its new Belton bus service, which is to be introduced from 12th September

The hourly service will provide a more direct route between Belton and Great Yarmouth Market Gates via Beccles Road in Bradwell and Gorleston High Street. It essentially replaces First's 7 service during the day although the 7 continues with an early morning working and evening services plus Sundays

Anglianbus states the new service has been provided following a response to 'requests from residents and local stakeholders'. First's recent introduction of the X11 Belton to Norwich service removed the Beccles Road, Bradwell link and provided a longer journey to Great Yarmouth. This generated a number of responses from both Belton and Bradwell residents with public meetings being held

The new 71 timetable can be viewed on the Anglianbus website by clicking HERE

Roy

Anglianbus ~ Fleet Changes

More 'musical chairs' to report from Anglianbus following a fleetlist update posted on the website last night

Optare Versas 305/6 (YG60KGU/V) have returned to Anglianbus whilst Volvo B7TL/ Wright Eclipse Geminis 510/11 LB02YWX/Y have moved back to Konectbus

Roy

An Old Friend

I received an email earlier this morning from a regular contributor Thomas Baker. He reports that he recently had a holiday in Cornwall staying at Marizion where the weather was hot and sunny with blue skies. (just like today then!) Whilst there he took a trip to Helston about 10 miles from Penzance.

Whilst looking around, a familiar First bus stood out in the form of ex Great Yarmouth decker 32208 (LT52WTO). As he says 'It just shows that these buses certainly get around'.

Many thanks for the information and photo Tom

Roy

Anglianbus Changes ~ 30th August 2016

From Tuesday next (30th August 2016) Anglianbus is introducing some minor changes to some of its timetables

The 81 being worked to Market Gates by one of the gasbuses (AU62DWG) in February 2016

These include the 80 between Diss and Beccles, via Harleston and Bungay, plus the 81 linking Great Yarmouth and Beccles. The former will cease to be operated by Anglianbus  and instead will be provided by Simonds as their 581 route. This will connect with the existing 580 Bungay - Beccles - Great Yarmouth service run by Borderbus under the Waveney Line branding

The Anglianbus 81 is being be revised to operate between Bungay, Beccles and Great Yarmouth with Shipmeadow also being served. Service 81A will no longer operate although the Harleston to Bungay High School link will be provided as service 80A

The other change concerns the 85 between Surlingham and Norwich which returns to Anglianbus operation with the morning extension to Norwich City College being retained

Roy

Truckfest East

A rare photo of yours truly appears on the blog!

Whilst many of the local enthusiasts were at the annual Eastern Transport Collection's Bus Rally at New Buckenham yesterday, I attended the Truckfest East Event held at the Norfolk Showground over the weekend

Being ardent fans of the Ice Road Truckers television programme, we were hopeful of meeting their Lisa Kelly and Todd Dewey. After a bit of a queue we finally got our photos and autographs. I spoke to Todd who lives at Crescent Lake, close to Port Angeles, which we visited this year. It also featured on the blog

Among the refreshment areas was a Bus Bar; this was well preserved Willowbrook Viscount bodied AEC Reliance 935GTA new to Devon General (also known as Grey Cars) in June 1961. The coach is adorned with its Devon General fleet number of TCR935 and carries destination blinds showing 'Grey Cars' and 'Mystery Drive' !

Now owned by the Shardlow Brewing Company, various photos of 935GTA can be seen on Flickr by clicking HERE

Roy

Ex First Paragon For Sale

As most First Eastern Counties followers will know, the coach fleet includes two Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B12Ms formerly new to First Bristol. 20514/5 (WV02EUP/R) were part of a batch of five new in February 2002. The twosome have spent some of their time based at Great Yarmouth's Caister Road depot during their career but are currently allocated to First Norwich

Similar 20515 (WV02EUR) branded for X1 services at Lowestoft Bus Station in December 2013

Ryan Durrant tells me that one of the others is now available for sale at Used Coach Sales of Warrington. WV02EUU became 20517 with First Somerset & Avon and moved on to First Coaches
They were specially fitted with passenger lifts and initially operated under special dispensation on the Bath - London service. The advent of lifts within the front entrance meant that these vehicles remained unique.

20517 subsequently saw work with First Aberdeen and there is a photo of it lined up with other vehicles at the Granite city's King Street depot in August 2011 on Flickr. It also saw use with Ebdons Tours of Sidcup before ending up at Presidential Travel of Liverpool

If you are interested in details of the coach they can be viewed on the Used Coach Sales website HERE. My thanks to Ryan for making me aware of its availability

Roy

Soames Sold

As you may already be aware, the business of Ipswich based operator Soames of Otley had been made available for sale following the announcement that director Tony Soames is retiring. RouteONE magazine announced yesterday that the business, which trades as 'Forget Me Not Travel' has been acquired by Suffolk Norse, the Norfolk and Suffolk County Council owned operator.

Soames Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B9R FJ59CBU at Beach Coach Station on hire to Alfa Travel in October 2015

Since April, its vehicles have been beginning to find new owners; Buckland of Hacheson. Thomson of Framlingham and Whincop of Peasenhall have all acquired members of the fleet. Soames currently owns some ten vehicles with around five of them moving to Suffolk Norse in early September

Another Soames coach at Beach Coach Station - this is Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B10M W6AMS in August 2015

The company was founded in around 1920 with its first known vehicle being a Fiat Charabanc which it acquired second hand from another Ipswich business. After some 90 years trading Soames had achieved its position as one of the Ipswich area's major coach companies. Whilst the Soames name will disappear the 'Forget Me Not' trading name will continue with Suffolk Norse

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~17th August 2016

Once more a fortnight passes really quickly and, before you know it, it's time review the latest Notice & Proceedings Report published by the East of England Traffic Commissioner. The following is a summary of changes in the local area during the period under review.

Applications to Vary Existing Services
Anglianbus is to amend the timetables of two of its services from 2nd October 2016; the 87/88 between Halesworth and Norwich plus the 88A/88B/BH272 group of services linking Halesworth and Southwold.
Among others, First Eastern Counties is to alter the timetables of its 1/1A/1B Lowestoft to Martham and 14/15/15A Wymondham to Wroxham/ Blofield Heath/ Lingwood services from 25th September 2016.
Go West Travel, trading as Stagecoach in Norfolk, is to change the timetable of its Coasthopper service between Wells-next-the-Sea and Cromer from 2nd October 2016
Konectbus is amending the route, stopping places and timetable of its 73 route between Roys of Wroxham and Great Yarmouth from 2nd October 2016. It is similarly revising the 7 from Caister-On Sea and Norwich (via Great Yarmouth) from the same date.

Applications to Vary Existing Services Granted Under Short Notice
From 2nd September 2016, Simonds of Botesdale is to alter the route, stopping places and timetable of the 552 Denham Post Office to Thomas Mills High School, Framlingham service.

Licence Variation Applications Granted
Richard Hopkiss and Pamela Hopkiss, trading as Feline Executive Travel, are to change the number vehicles at their operating centre. The authorisation at the Stalham site is to be reduced to one, whilst the Pinelands, Catfield base will increase to five.

The complete Notice & Proceedings Report, covering the whole of the Eastern Traffic Commissioner's Area, can be viewed HERE.

Roy

New 580 Commences

The new 580 service, connecting Great Yarmouth with Beccles and Bungay, started today. It operates via the new A12 / A143 link road to connect the three centres with the James Paget Hospital and Gorleston High Street

The 580 Waveney Line operated by BorderBus 104 (BB62BUS) turns into Gorleston High Street this afternoon

The service appeared to be operated solely by Beccles based BorderBus, despite rumours that Simonds of Botesdale would share responsibilities. The latter will eventually run a connecting Diss - Harleston - Bungay - Beccles service from the end of the month connecting with the BorderBus 580 under the 'Waveney Line' branding

Borderbus 103  (BB09BUS) devoid of any passengers at Gorleston High Street

The appearance of a new operator in the town is to be welcomed and makes for additional interest for the enthusiast

No. 102 (BB59BUS) heads for Great Yarmouth this morning and is pictured on Southtown Road

Roy

Seeing Double

Sunday saw a few visitors to Beach Coach Station and two notable ones were a pair of brand new VDL Futura 2's belonging to Fastline travel of Walsall in the West Midlands. YK16SOH & YK16SOJ were both new in April this year.

YK16SOH & YK16SOJ sit in the Sunday sunshine

The full view of YK16SOH

Other notable visitors yesterday included Beestons Double Deck Van Hool 523FN, a registration that many locals would recognise from former Yarmouth operator Caroline Seagull as many of their fleet carried the old East Kent FN reg mark at one time or another.

Add caption

Finally another impressive visitor from Kings Ferry in the shape of YJ64AVK a Van Hool TDX21 from the long standing Kent operator.

Grahame.

Beach Deckers ~ Updated

Two of the six coaches at the town's Beach Coach Station this afternoon were double deckers

Three Star of Luton can often be relied upon to send one of their double deck coaches and this time it was its Ayats Bravo JHZ4875. Keeping it company was Royston based Richmond's Coaches Volvo B12B / Van Hool Astrobel 668PTM

Update: Unfortunately the Ayats Bravo caught fire on the A11 at Wymondham this evening on the return journey. The road was closed for a time whilst the fire was brought under control. Importantly no one was hurt. A report appeared in the local newspaper, the Eastern Daily Press, which can be viewed HERE My thanks to Mark Cockerell for making me aware of it.

Roy

Gas Buses to Plymouth

After many months of speculation, today's Route ONE magazine carried a report that Go Ahead subsidiary Plymouth Citybus were to receive gas buses from another subsidiary Beccles based Anglianbus.

It is the first time that Anglianbus has officially acknowledged the news. The infrastructure will be moving from the Suffolk town to Plymouth with the vehicles following to the south west later this year

We first reported the speculation of the move late last month after being contacted by many enthusiasts both locally and from Plymouth

Graham Richardson, who publishes the 'Plymothian Transit Bus Blog', has confirmed the move after speaking to the Managing Director there.

Roy

Presidential Leave

First President 32212 LT52WTV in service yesterday

As I was in Great Yarmouth Town Centre and as the other half disappeared to do some shopping, I spent a few minutes or so at the top of the Arcade observing bus comings and goings

During those five minutes I witnessed two Plaxton President bodied Volvos B7s going about their day to day work which they have done now since their transfer here four years ago

It has recently been reported that another two of the Caister Road old faithfuls (32213 and 32214) are shortly to leave for pastures new - possibly to

LT52WTW is shortly due to disappear from the local bus scene - it was in use on the 1A to Martham yesterday

the south west following other similar former Great Yarmouth Presidents. Presumably the remainder of the batch will also shortly follow in their wake

Roy

More Anglianbus Fleet Changes

Anglianbus published the latest update to the fleet list earlier today and the first to record is the withdrawal of Dennis Tridents 712 (T812RFG) and 740 (V161MEV)

Trident T812RFG seen in Gorleston High Street working the 61 service to the Barrack Estate on 27th July

Also surprising is the removal from service of Scania OmniLinks 450 (YN07LFU), 451 (YN07EZB), 454 (YT11LVF) and 455 (AN61LAN). However, on the positive side Optare Solo 959 (AU08GLY) has returned to service

OmniLink AN61LAN on Anglian's recently cancelled 60J route between Lowestoft and the James Paget Hospital

Quite a lot of fleet activity at Anglian in the last week or so - which now brings the total number of active buses in the fleet to a low of just 30!

Roy

Magdalen Konect

As regular blog readers will know, Anglianbus recently revised their 61 route through Great Yarmouth via Gorleston's Magdalen Estate, terminating at Barrack Estate.

We are just about getting used to seeing gas buses and Anglian deckers running through areas of the town previously alien to them. So imagine Colin White's surprise when he sees a Konectbus passing through Magdalen Estate yesterday!

It was none other than their Volvo B7TL/Gemini 511 (LB02WYW) which recently transferred to the Suffolk based operator. Thought to be on temporary loan to Anglian, he captured 511 on film at the Hertford Way/Magdalen Way junction

Incidentally, the Anglianbus fleet list was updated yesterday which shows the movement of Optare Versas 305 and 306 (YJ60KGU/V) to Konectbus

My thanks to Colin for the photo

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~3rd August 2016

With the publication of today's fortnightly Notice & Proceedings Report by the East of England Traffic Commissioner, we look through the publication for information on changes to our local bus services

Registration of New Services

First Eastern Counties has registered two new school services operating from Monday to Friday starting on 4th September 2016. They are the 911 between Rackheath and Broadland High School Hoveton and the 912 between the same two points via Salthouse

Konectbus has also registered a 53C Monday to Friday service to the same school from Old Catton commencing on 28th August 2016

Registration of New Services Granted Under Short Notice
Our Hire Limited has registered three Monday to Friday routes under short notice commencing from 30th August 2016
*   85A Rockland Post Office to Loddon Church Plain
*   86 Beccles Old Market to Poringland
*   271 Hemsby Beach Road to Great Yarmouth Market Gates (two round trips)
Simmonds of Bottesdale is to provide a Monday to Saturday Beccles to Diss service via Bungay.  The service begins on 29th August 2016 and will connect to the Borderbus' Bungay and Beccles to Great Yarmouth 580 route

Applications to Vary Existing Services
First Eastern Counties is to amend the route, stopping places and timetable of its 881 Carlton Colville to Gorleston's East Norfolk Six Form College and the 882 from North Cove to the same college from 4th September 2016
Konectbus is to alter the route, stopping places and timetable of its 53 service between Wroxham and Queens Hill, Costessey and its 71 service from Wroxham to Great Yarmouth's Market Gates from 28th August 2016

Cancellations of Existing Services
First Eastern Counties is to cease its 910 Wroxham Road, Norwich to Broadland High School service from 4th September 2016
North Walsham Area Community Transport Council is to end its North Walsham area service from 3rd September 2016

The complete Notice & Proceedings Report, covering the whole of the Eastern Traffic Commissioner's Area, can be viewed HERE

Roy

Worthing Bus Rally

The 2016 Worthing Seafront Bus Gathering and Running Day was held on Sunday last and marks 30 years since the deregulation of the bus industry.

Having taken some 70 or so photos it has been difficult to decide what to include in this post and what to leave out. However, I had no hesitation in including Southern Transit's Open Topper LDX76G. As you may have guessed from the registration, it is an ex Ipswich Leyland Atlantean PDR1/1 delivered in November 1968 as No 76. The ECW body was originally H43/31F. This vehicle was later sold to Eastbourne and converted to open top.

Another decker of interest is former Southend Corporation Transport's CJN441C. The Massey bodied Leyland PD3/6 was new to the Essex operator in 1965 and saw a number of hires to London Transport and London Country during its stay. Withdrawn in 1980 for preservation, it moved on to Lincoln City Transport before being acquired by Fowlers of Holbeach Drove in 1993 as a special events bus. It retains Fowlers colours

As to be expected, there were a number ex Southdown buses present and as a tribute to preservationist Julian Osborne, who passed away earlier this year, I include a photo of former OK Motor Services 'Queen Mary' FCD286D. Julian tracked down every Queen Mary bus after leaving Southdown which took him all over the world. FCD286D is a Leyland Titan PD3/4 from 1966 with Northern Counties FH39/30F bodywork. OK subsequently acquired it from Southdown

This September sees 100 years since East Kent Road Car Company began operating and the event saw two buses attending which were used by the company. The first was Willowbrook bodied Bristol VR open topper RVB977S. The second was Park Royal bodied Dennis Lancet III CFN154 of 1948 vintage which is seen above

Also notable was preserved Harrington bodied Leyland Comet MYA590 ex Scarlet Pimpernel Coaches of Minehead. Built in 1950 it is now privately preserved by Colin Prince

There were also members of the erstwhile Maidstone and District fleet present and I chose this photo of 2816 (OKO816G) for this post. It's a 1968 Leyland Leopard with Willowbrook body in the livery which I mostly associate with the company

With London not that far away, there was a large contingent of London Transport buses present and I picked this photo out as it has links with Lowestoft through it's ECW bodywork. Guy GS42 (MXX342) entered service in late 1953 at Dorking and lasted until April 1972. After a spell in non PSV use it was bought for preservation by Geoff Heels of West Ewell a year later

Among the newer vehicles was this Reading Transport Enviro400 painted in heritage livery 'celebrating 30 years of pioneering service'. SN11BRX was new to Weaver of Newbury in April 2011

Finally, as we were watching the departure of the american and custom cars from the Steyne Gardens display area, another open topper reared into view. It was non other than former Brighton, Hove & District Bristol K5G CAP229 with an Eastern Coach Works body. After more than twenty years service, it moved to Eastern Counties Omnibus Company in late 1962. It was, at one time, a temporary resident at the Carlton Colville museum site when then owned by the Ipswich Coach Company

I trust the above has given you some of the flavour of the vehicles at the gathering and in the photos taken on the day now appear in an album on my Flickr site.

Roy