Friday 21 April 2017

Norfolk/Suffolk Tour

I received an email from David Bell this morning relating to a tour made of these parts only yesterday. David takes up the story...

My friend and I were on a tour round Norfolk and parts of Suffolk yesterday and called in at the Hollies camping site at Kessingland. They kindly allowed us to photograph the ex-Hedingham deckers they have acquired. 

Two of the former Hedingham Volvo Olympians M282UKN and M146UKN at the Hollies site
A new addition is a Wright-bodied single-decker being prepared as a café at the front of the site. Unfortunately as it was being worked on they wouldn't allow us to photograph it and much to my annoyance I forgot to make a note of the registration number. It looks like it is going to have a balustrade and ramp alongside the entrance. (The bus is a former Brighton and Hedingham Wright Renown bodied Volvo B10BLE R216HCD - Roy)

Freshly repainted is former Hedingham Wright Renown R216HCD
We also called at Border Bus where we photographed the school run out. A bonus here was the arrival of ex-Great Yarmouth EX 6566 which almost took us by surprise as it turned into the Moor Lane Business Park. We thought it might have been going to the Border Bus premises but could find no trace of it there so assume it must be stored at one of the other units on the industrial estate. 

Former Great Yarmouth Leyland PD2 EX6566 a surprising arrival in Beccles.  Photo: David Bell
Later in the afternoon we tracked down a real survivor in 1983 Bedford A400 NNK now owned by new operator Jubilee Coaches of Rollesby. They have acquired no fewer than three Bedfords which were in the fleet of Turner and Butcher of Kenninghall and then subsequently passed to Norfolk Coachways of Attleborough after Turner and Butcher ceased operating. 

A real survivor - 1983 Bedford A400NNK which is now with Jubilee Coaches of Rollesby.  Photo: David Bell
A400 NNK was new to a London operator then passed to Harrods of Wormegay who only had it for a few months before it was involved in a very bad crash at Necton on the A47. Looking like a write-off it was repaired and then worked for Spratts of Wreningham before moving on to Turner and Butcher.

My thanks to David Bell for his report and the last two photos - which retain his copyright.

Roy

1 comment:

  1. Didn't realise that it was you, David, when I saw you photographing the departures at the Moor Business Park on Thursday! I was the driver who paused in Lamberts B2 LKR for your photograph.
    I didn't think that the convoy of BorderBus vehicles was quite so good yesterday - normally there are 5 or 6 deckers plus a Dart which all leave the depot at the same time, providing quite a sight in these rural parts!
    As a point of interest Lamberts have just acquired Y326 HUA from Youngs of Haddenham (Cambridge). It will be re-registered with a cherished plate in due course.
    David Burdett

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