Service Alterations Registered ~ 31st July 2019

There are no local changes to report in today’s Notices and Proceedings Report published by the East of England Traffic Commissioner. However, the full report will be available to view here soon.

Roy

Heritage Loan

Lowestoft Corporation liveried ALX400 30888 is currently on loan at Caister Road and was noted working the 1B Coastal Clipper Service between Great Yarmouth and Hemsby Beach.

Here she is pictured at Market Gates about to head out to Hemsby.

Later heading along Caister Road towards the villages.

Thanks to Will Drake for the Photos.

Grahame.

Semmence Versas

Konectbus recently finished operating the 9 Service between the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital and Wymondham. It has been taken over by Semmence of Wymondham and a pair of Optare Versas have passed from Konectbus to run the service.

AU08DKL & AU08DKN were new to Anglianbus before moving to Konect, both have been repainted into an allover Dark Blue livery for the service.

Many Thanks to Joe Russell Wilson Smith for the Photos of AU08DKL.

Grahame.

Visitor from Kings Lynn

Noted at Caister Road this morning was Kings Lynn based Enviro 400 33815 YK63LKD.

We are told it is here for some mechanical work along with Lowestoft based Dart 42908.

Thanks to First for the information.

Grahame.

Sandringham Flower Show

This year's Sandringham Flower Show, held yesterday, usually attracts a large number of vehicles with many from the East Anglian area. David Bell was observing activity of the 80 or so coaches attending and here's a selection of the number of photos he sent for publication

The first shows Norfolk Coachway's WJZ2896, a Plaxton bodied Dennis R  new to Dickinson's of  Wrangle, near Boston as JD04DJD

The next is of a Mercedes Benz Tourismo with a new Norfolk operator. BF68ZFT is owned by I C Travel of Ringland, near Norwich.

Ipswich Buses often runs an excursion to the Flower Show and this year they employed Optare bodied Scania YJ60KGY

The penultimate picture shows AIG9916, a Beaulas bodied Iveco from the Salec Travel Fleet in Carbrooke near Watton

Finally a candidate for the longest travelled coach was BVC19YKN, another Tourismo with G-Line Holidays of Lytham St Annes. Although it may have been there as part of a tour.

My thanks to David Bell for his excellent photos and supporting information

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 24th July 2019

BorderBus is the only operator registering local changes in this week’s Notices and Proceedings Report published by the East of England Transport Commissioner.

The company is amending the following routes and timetables of some of its school bus services from 4th September 2019:-

*  SJL2 Oulton Broad/ Lowestoft to the Sir John Leman School in Beccles

*  SJL3 Carlton Colville to the Sir John Leman School in Beccles

*  SJL4 Carlton Colville to the Sir John Leman School in Beccles

*  SJL5 Carlton Colville to the Sir John Leman School in Beccles

*  SJL6 Southwold to the Sir John Leman School in Beccles

*  SJL9 Wangford to the Sir John Leman School in Beccles

The full report is now available to view on the government website

Roy

Ipswich Transport Museum's Big Red Bus Day

Sunday saw the Ipswich Transport Museum hold their Big Red Bus Day marking the the centenary of Eastern Counties buses. Appropriately former Eastern Counties buses were present at the event on display or offering rides.

First up is photo DVF519 a Dennis Ace 4LK which entered the Counties fleet in December 1941 having received its third body. Alongside is Pat Burnside's ECW bodied Bristol SC4LK 3003AH which began its service with Eastern Counties Omnibus Company in January 1959.

Pat later took it out for a run and is pictured here with him at the wheel posing for the photographer.

Another saloon taking part was Bristol RELL6G EPW516K on the 'Misery Tour'. Built in 1972, it moved to Cambus and subsequently Viscount during the the break up of the old Eastern Counties Omnibus Company. Behind is Bristol VR294, VEX294X - the last VR style body to leave to Eastern Coach Works and immediately allocated to Eastern Counties' Lowestoft depot.

Another VR to make an appearance was VR190 VPW85S which was originally ordered by Waveney District Council prior to takeover by Eastern Counties. New in November 1976 it is currently owned by the VR190 Preservation Group in Norwich

Our final photo is of the museum's Bristol Lodekka FS5G / ECW GNG125C, new in November 1965 as LFS125.

My thanks to Reg Vardy for the photos

Roy

Beach Coach Station Sunday

Seven coaches were parked up at Great Yarmouth's Beach Coach Station earlier today.

One of the septet which attracted my attention was Suffolk Norse BN17JJY. The Mercedes Benz Tourismo was new to the operator in May 2017

Roy

Ex Anglian Volvos Withdrawn

It has been reported elsewhere that the five former Anglian Buses Wright Eclipse Urban bodied Volvo B7RLEs have recently been withdrawn from the Blackpool Transport fleet.

AU06BOV,  BPE/F/K/O were new to Anglian in March 2006 receiving fleet numbers 401-5. They moved on to Blackpool during late summer 2010 and I was fortunate in being able to see one of them being prepared for its new owner on a visit to Anglian's Ellough site in July 2010.

Roy

Semmence Konects!

Wymondham operator Semmence Coaches is to provide a new number 9 service between the market town and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital commencing on 29th of July.

Optare Versa AU08DKN pictured at Market Gates on a Great Yarmouth to Wroxham service in October 2015

The company is acquiring two Optare Versas from Konectbus to provide the new service and they are AU08DKL and AU08DKN. It is also acquiring Optare Solo AU07KMK from Konect to replace another, YK04KVU, which is transferring to Ambassador Travel.

Locally based Ambassador Travel has recently secured a contract requiring the use of a 33 seater with seat belts and their current two Solos do not have seat belts fitted.

My thanks to my regular contributor for the information.

Roy

Where are they now AO02RCU

Regular Contributor Mark Doggett has contacted us after spotting a former local vehicle now in use with a new owner.

Volvo B12M/Plaxton Paragon AO02RCU was new to First Eastern Counties in 2002 as their 204 for use on the X94 Excel service between Lowestoft and Peterborough. It was renumbered into First's National Fleet as 20504. The Coach fleet was replaced in 2013 and 20504 moved North for further use with First Glasgow.

It was repainted into the new First 'Olympia' whilst in Scotland. It has recently been sold on and was noted on the outskirts of Peterborough with new owners Decker Bus of Yaxley, still wearing its previous owners colours.

Thanks to Mark for his excellent Photos as always.

Grahame.

Service Alterations Registered ~ 17th July 2019

Sanders Coaches has registered a new service in this week’s Notices and Proceedings Report published by the East of England Transport Commissioner.

The operator is to introduce a new school bus service 206 between Lynn Road, Dersingham and Burnt Street, Wells-next-the-Sea from 4th September 2019. It runs when the Alderman Peel School is open.

The full report is now available to view on the government website

Roy

Owner ID Required

Contributor Will Drake saw this Plaxton Panther parked on Great Yarmouth's seafront  earlier today,

YK13WTX has no legal lettering on the side but was displaying an L plate. An internet search revealed next to nothing apart from a photo of it on a lorry park at Bury St Edmunds, which suggested it was a driver trainer. Is there anyone with any knowledge of its current owner and if so could you provide details to our email address shown in the left hand column of the web page?

My thanks to Will for the photo.

Update:
Many thanks to all those who contacted us via Facebook and email and it appears that YK13WTX is operated by a Ministry of Defence contractor and Simon from Llantwit Fardre goes further to suggest 'this is one from Babcocks.'

Roy

Glastonbury Buses

Whilst the 2019 Glastonbury Festival finished at the end of last month you may not have been aware that there were many ‘park and ride’, ‘rail and ride’ and ‘drop and collect’ services to the event involving bus and coaches. It, therefore, also attracts a number of bus enthusiasts to the festival with one having travelled down from Scotland to get his photos!

My daughter was working at the festival and she managed to get quite a number of photos for me to use. The first montage contains photos of, appropriately, three First Group Enviro400s. On the left is First Bristol's 33791 YX66WKU, with the others from First Somerset and Avon - 33950 YX66WFC and 33947 YX66WEW.

Next up is Bristol Bath Company's ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL SK52USH on the left. In the centre is First's Metrobus liveried Alexander Dennis Enviro 400MMC 36804 YT67XJX whilst on the right is Bournemouth based Yellow Buses Gemini 125 BX12CVO.

By far the most interesting buses there were the ECW bodied Bistol VRs operated by Chepstow Classic Buses. Three of the four pictured (XJJ655V, XJJ653V, XJJ658V) were new to East Kent in early 1980 whilst the other (UFX856S) was first with Hants & Dorset in 1977.

The drivers of the first two Chepstow Classic deckers were also keen to pose with their vehicles, as seen in the photo.

Other operators seen included Centurion Travel who was operating both Volvo B10M-62/ Berkhof W555GSM (pictured) and their Bova YK04FWA.

Roy

Beach Coach Station Today

A visit to Great Yarmouth's Beach Coach Station yielded eight coaches just before noon today.

Two from the Thetford based Coach Services fleet were present in the form of two ex Alfa Coaches' Volvo B12Bs PN06KKA and PN06KZJ. Both joined the Norfolk fleet in September 2012

On the subject of Alfa Coaches, two of their Mercedes Benz Tourismos BX15OED and BU16HBF made an appearance. The latter was sighted beside similar Caledonian Travel BN17JJX.

Roy

Coasthopper in Town

One of Sanders Coaches' Coasthopper saloons made it to Great Yarmouth today on the 09:55 X6 from North Walsham. Wright Eclipse Urban bodied VolvoB7RLE 503 HF54HFO was the vehicle involved.

It later returned with the 11:35 from Great Yarmouth

Roy

Come On You Reds

With the rebranding of the First Ipswich Fleet now well underway, regular contributor Mark Doggett has been out and about in the Suffolk Town to catch up on the latest events and repaints.

First up is Enviro 200 44519 YX09ADO which carries "Shuttle 60" branding on its new Red livery.

Another with "Shuttle 60" Branding is 44516 YX09ACV seen above here at the Buttermarket.

44517 YX09ACY is pictured above at The Old Cattle Market Bus Station about to head out to the suffolk coastal village of Aldeburgh on the 64 service.

69422 AU58FFJ is the first Volvo B7RLE to gain the Red colours and is branded for "Felixstowe Flyers" services.

Norwich based B7RLE 66824 MX05CEV has been loaned to cover the ongoing repaint programme and is seen here on a return journey from Aldeburgh on the 64 which goes via the town of Saxmundham also.

Finally Ipswich Reds fleetnames are being added to the vehicles awaiting repaint in the fleet and ALX400 32490 AU53HKH is seen at the Old Cattlemarket heading out to Martlesham on the 66 with its new names applied.

Many Thanks as always to Mark for use of his excellent Photos.

Grahame.

Service Alterations Registered ~ 10th July 2019

BorderBus has registered an alteration to one if its Latitude services in this week’s Notices and Proceedings Report published by the East of England Transport Commissioner.

The operator is to amend the route and timetable of its LAT4 service between Kessingland and the Latitude Festival from 19th July 2019.

The full report will shortly be available to view on the government website

Roy

Jubilee Re-Registration

The latest arrival in the fleet, Van Hool bodied Scania SK03HWJ, has received a new registration. It now carries the W26JCR plate and Jubilee Coaches fleet names

My thanks to Kevan Portas for the information and photo.

Roy

Eastern Transport Collection Celebrations ~ Day Two

The second day of the the Eastern Transport Collection's 50th anniversary started with better weather. I took advantage of the park and ride service with Volvo B7RLE/ Wright Eclipse-Urban MX05MHD in Eastern Counties heritage livery at the helm.

There's no doubt that the star of the show for me was Roger Burdett's restored Bristol GJW open topper VG5541 dating from 1933.

As to be expected, many of the former Eastern Counties vehicles preserved by local organisations were on display or offering rides. Amongst the latter was ex Lowestoft based VR294 VEX294X complete with 601 Lowestoft blind a route it operated on many times.

The Ipswich Transport Museum's lowbridge version of the Bristol K includes the upstairs seats in rows of four with the gangway down one side. KNG374 was new in 1949 as LK374 in the Eastern Counties fleet

Another interesting vehicle on display was former Eastern Counties LL744 MAH744, a Bristol LSX4G/ ECW B42F, new in July 1952. The body shows a US influence especially in the treatment of the windscreen and is also in the care of Ipswich Transport Museum.

Other operators were present in the form of ex Lincolnshire Road Car Company's ECW bodied Bristol SC4LK OFW806 and Bristol Omnibuses HHW452D a Bristol MW/ ECW B45F

The final photo is of ex Harrogate Bus Company's S574TPW. New to Eastern Counties February 1999 it is a Scania L94UB Wright Axcess Floline. The are plans to repaint this in First Blue Bus colours.



Roy

North Norfolk Railway ~ Vintage Transport Weekend

Another bus rally was also underway up on the North Norfolk coast and 'Reg Vardy' has sent me these photos of vehicles attending on the Sunday.

Former Southern Vectis Bristol VR NDL652R also made it to this event with two open toppers dominating the view in this photo. They were ex Ipswich Leyland Atlantean MRT9P and former Southern Vectis Northern Counties bodied Olympian K742ODL. Making up the numbers was XDL730, a 1962 Bedford SB8/ Duple Super Vega.

Also at the rally was Chris Simpson's former Crosville UFM53F, a Bristol RELL fitted with an Eastern Coach Works body. With dual purpose seating, it was new to Crosville as ERG53 in 1968 and is seen later leaving Sheringham Railway Station passing Sanders Coaches Volvo B7RLE HD54HFP

Also pictured at Sheringham is well loaded Routemaster CUV151C. Owned by Coach Services it was new to London Transport in February 1965 being based at Aldenham garage.

My thanks to 'Reg Vardy' for the photos

Roy

Eastern Transport Collection Celebrations ~ Day One

As many of you will be aware, the Eastern Transport Collection was celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend with an event at the East Anglian Transport Museum at Carlton Colville.

The first day (Saturday) provided the opportunity to view, and sample rides on. many attending vehicles including Delaine of Bourne's M1OCT, a Volvo Olympian YN2R with East Lancs H51/35F body delivered new in February 1995.

Also attending was former Eastern National 2849 (NTW 942C) Bristol Lodekka FLF/ECW H38/32F. It is seen here leading ex Southern Vectis Bristol VR NDL652R which was to them in 1976. The latter was operated for 15 years by Nelson Coaches (NIBS) of Wickford.

At the end of the first day of such events, it is customary to have a procession of all the vehicles taking part starting from Gunton Cliffs and so it was on Saturday evening

My thanks to Ashleybus444 for the photos

Roy