Enviro 400 On Completely's 36

Norwich-based Completely Coach Travel employed its latest arrival, Alexander Dennis Enviro400 LK57 AXJ, on its 36 service today

The service, which Completely began operating in July 2020, runs on Sundays and Bank Holidays only. 

It offers two trips from Horsford's Columbine Way into Norwich during the morning followed by two return trips in the late afternoon.

LK57 AXJ was acquired from Midland Classic of Burton upon Trent earlier this month and retains its former owner's colours and double door layout. It was new to Metroline as their TE831 in October 2007

My thanks to Harry Holmes for the photos.

Roy

Beach Coach Station Trio

Three coaches were observed at Great Yarmouth's Beach Coach Station during the middle of the afternoon today

The first of the threesome was Barnsley-based Gee-Vee Travel's Yutong Executive Hi-Liner GT19 GVT

Alfa Travel's 95 BU16 HBC was also at the Coach Station and it appears to be one of three vehicles of the Alfa fleet currently located in the town for short breaks. Unfortunately I was unable to identify the other two which were passing through the seafront area as I was driving at the time

The third and final resident was Acklams Coaches Irizar i6 W80 ACK
Roy

Magdalen Diverts

Over the past few days there have been bus diversions in place on the Magdalen Estate due to the resurfacing of Brasenose Avenue.

This meant that all buses through the estate were diverted along Middleton Road in Gorleston resuming their usual route on Lowestoft Road. Pictures of buses on divert are shown in addition to those on their normal routes

One notable example of the latter was that of  BorderBus ADL Enviro200 MMC YX70 OKF on the 580 between Bungay/Beccles and Great Yarmouth on its normal route on Middleton Road

Services have since returned to normal this morning

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 27th October 2021

Just one local entry in today's Notices and Proceedings Report published by the East of England Traffic Commissioner. It refers to an application for an operating licence by Igor Tudor of Albany Road in Great Yarmouth for the authorisation of an operating centre for one vehicle at the same address.

The full Notices and Proceedings Report can be viewed here

Roy

Sanders Other New Decker

Earlier today Dan High was in Norwich city centre to photograph the other Sanders new Volvo on its second day in service. SA71 SAN was observed in Castle Meadow on the X44 service

My thanks to Dan for the photo

Roy

Big Ben Steps In

The 07:30 National Express 492 service from London Victoria to Great Yarmouth is normally operated by Ambassador Travel and returns with the 491 to the city. Today, however, a Mercedes Benz Tourismo from the London fleet of Big Ben Coaches was employed

My thanks to regular contributor Omar Atiallah who was on hand to record the use of BV19 JYG at Thetford today

Roy

Decker Debut

Sanders Coaches continues to dominate the blog with the entrance into service today of the two new Volvo double deckers

AaronM was fortunate to be in Sheringham earlier when 126 LL71 SHA appeared opposite the North Norfolk Railway Station to work an X44 service to Norwich

My thanks to Aaron for the photo and report

Roy

Sanders' Saturday

I received a couple of emails from Leyton Palmer last night to say that he had been out on the buses yesterday and witnessed a couple of unusual occurrences at Great Yarmouth's Market Gates.

Normally the X6, 6 and 6A services between Cromer/ North Walsham and Great Yarmouth are worked by single deckers apart from college day services when early morning and late afternoon workings can be, and are often, worked by double deck buses.

Yesterday, however, he observed two services unexpectedly worked into Great Yarmouth by Scania/Optare Olympus deckers in the form of 120 PN09 ELJ 'Invictus' and 122 PN09 ENJ 'Velicitas'

My thanks to Leyton for the report and photos 

Roy

Ambassador Registration Change

Great Yarmouth based Ambassador Travel has recently re-registered one of its Caetano Levante bodied Volvo B9Rs. The former BF63 ZSN was thought to have been a school run on Beccles Road in Bradwell during yesterday afternoon. (see comment below for further clarification) Numbered 212 in the fleet, its new plate is EHZ 5362

There is also a photo of if it in its new guise on Flickr when on the M5 in Devon last month plus it was also observed on the Isle of Wight in August with its new registration.

Roy

SORNed At Sanders

With the arrival of the two new double deck buses for Sanders announced yesterday, another two have been taken off the road.

Both are Wright Pulsar bodied DAF DB250s which were recently observed with SORN notices attached to their windscreens. They are LJ53 NHP (104) and LJ53 NHV (109) which were new to Arriva London South in November and October 2003 respectively. They arrived in Norfolk some twelve years later after having transferred to Arriva London North and entered service with Sanders during 2016

My thanks to LiamS for the information and photo

New Deckers for Sanders

 Sanders Social Media Outlets have posted news of their latest arrivals this week,

"We are pleased to announce that 2 new double deck buses will very shortly commence operations on the 44/ 44A/ X44 group of services.

 

They are Volvo powered and are the very lowest diesel emission buses available and in their small part will help to reduce the carbon footprint of both our Company and Norfolk in general.

 

At this time we cannot get the range we need to move to electrically powered vehicles.

 

The new buses are named Shelby Anne Sanders after Paul Sanders first granddaughter and Lily Lucy Shade after Charles Sanders first granddaughter both born quite recently.

 

We hope you will enjoy many journeys aboard these new vehicles".

 

Registrations are SA71SAN & LL71SHA

 

 

Many Thanks to Ian at Sanders for the Info and Photograph.

Grahame.

Unusual Visitor

An unusual visitor arrived at First Great Yarmouth's Caister Road depot yesterday in the form of an electric zero emission BYD/ ADL Enviro E400EV double decker

The bus called in as part of its eleven day tour en route to Glasgow for the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference. Earlier in the day it had stopped off at Lowestoft Ness for a photo opportunity close to England's most easterly point.

My thanks to Paul Bensley for the photos and to Will Drake for his help with this

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 20th October 2021

Today's Notices and Proceedings Report, published by the East of England Traffic Commissioner, includes some changes to local services and the variation of an operating licence

Ourhire, trading as OurBus has registered a new 80 Dereham to Aylsham Market Place service commencing from the 8th October 2021. Operating on Fridays only it runs via Cawston, Reepham, Broom and North Elmham. (see New Operator For The 80 - 8th October 2021)

Coastal Red, trading as Lynx is amending a number of its timetables from 31st October 2021 including the 31 route between Wells-next-the-Sea and Fakenham's Oak Street.

Phillip John Overy, trading as Angie's Tours, has received approval for a new operating centre at Unit 10 Tilia Business Park at Tunstead Road, Hoveton for seven vehicles. Many of you will recognise the address also as that of PTS Group.

The full Notices and Proceedings Report can be viewed here soon

Roy

Today's Observations

A quick trip around the usual places in Great Yarmouh just before lunch today and I didn't expect to see very much. However, there were two coaches at Beach Coach Station and one on Marine Parade



The twosome comprised Voel Coaches' Neoplan Tourliner OY67 DXO from its Dyserth, Denbighshire fleet and Scania/ Irizar YN15 EMJ from Robinson's of Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire.

On Marine Parade, awaiting customers from the Royal Hotel, was another Scania/ Irizar in the form of YN17 OLW from Dereham based Euroview Coaching

Roy

Citaros Leave Completely

Two Mercedes Benz Citaro O530s have left the Norwich-based Completely Coach fleet. They were both new to Go South Coast in early 2006 with Completely acquiring them from Konectbus in February this year.

HF55 JZK was formerly Konectbus 430 and is pictured near Completely’s base in South Norwich. It is now with Select Bus Services of Penkridge in Staffordshire.

HF06 FTZ was previously Konectbus 438 and has recently joined CJJ Coaches of Bracknell in Berkshire. The vehicle is seen in St Stephen's Street in Norwich preparing for the service 4 to Shipdham.

My thanks to LiamS for the details and photos

Roy

Historic Commissioners' Visit

The Historic England Commissioners visited the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft area last week to view the improvement and investment in local heritage restorations worth millions of pounds.

As part of their tour, former Lowestoft Corporation Transport no.21 GBJ 192 paid a visit to both towns on Thursday.

The East Anglia Transport Museum's AEC Regent is first pictured on Great Yarmouth's Wellington Road having passed through/under Wellington Arch.

Later in the day the bus returned to Lowestoft and is seen outside the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club on Royal Plain.

My thanks to Tim Major for the photos.

Roy

62 In Service Once More

Following the completion of internal modifications at First's Caister Road depot, Great Yarmouth Transport liveried decker, Volvo B9TL 37562 FJ08FYN was noted back in service at lunchtime today as these photos from Dan High show





My thanks to Dan for the photos - and I have used one of them for the new blog header

Roy

BorderBus President On 146

Liam S noted one of the BorderBus President's arriving at Norwich Bus Station with a 146 service from Southwold earlier this morning. The Volvo B7 continues to have its Sir John Leman High School branding on the sides.

Liam decided to have a run to Beccles on 204 X662 LLX, the former Metroline VPL160, and says that riding on these VPLs is like 'stepping into a time machine back to the early noughties; fit a double door and you have the full London experience'. The old Metroline moquette and ribbed hand rails invokes nostalgia more than the First and Go-Ahead versions'

Arriving in Beccles, similar 202 X643 LLX was also on the Old Market stand for some unknown reason and was out of service. I couldn't find any reference to it being out on the Bus Times site.

He alighted from 204 at the Beccles Tesco store and got another photo there

My thanks to Liam for the photos

Roy

Great Yarmouth B9 Refurbished

The recently painted Great Yarmouth Transport liveried vehicle, Volvo B9TL 37562 FJ08FYN, has just received an internal refurbishment and returned to First's Caister Road depot.

The accompanying photo shows both upper and lower floors of the bus which has also been fitted with a new white destination screen.

It is currently awaiting new bell pushers with other work needing completion before it returns to service

My thanks to First Great Yarmouth for the information and photos

Service Alterations Registered ~ 13th October 2021

Just the one entry in today's Notices and Proceedings Report published by the East of England Traffic Commissioner.

It concerns the revocation of the PSV licence held by the PTS Group of North Walsham. The running of services under this licence have been ceased with immediate effect.

The full Notices and Proceedings Report can be viewed here soon

Roy

Coach Station Five

An early visit to Great Yarmouth's Beach Coach Station this morning yield five vehicles including a Shearings branded coach. That was VDL Futura WJ20 EDF owned by Watts Coaches of Bonvilston near Cardiff.

The second vehicle snapped was Roberts Travel Group's Mercedes Benz Tourismo BD18 TNO based in Coalville, Leicestershire.

Alfa Travel was represented by a further two Tourismos in the shape of 118 BV20 HNB and 119 BV20 HNC

The final attendee was Killamarsh, Sheffield based Coopers Tours Scania R777 JCS.

Roy

Bungay Or Bust!

A Couple of regular blog contributors met up at the weekend to sample the lengthy round trip from Lowestoft to Bungay on the 99A Service. 

Zak Nelson was at the wheel whilst Aaron went along for the ride and to grab some photos along the way.

Aaron has kindly supplied a brief description of the trip,

Yesterday saw a lengthy trip with Zak to Bungay via Southwold and Halesworth on the Clipper 99/A – a four hour round trip. A nice route, very quiet tight roads, had to adjust mirror a few times. Not much time at each end at all only a chance to get a quick snap of 37025 YJ06XKO!

Return journey arrived in Southwold bang on time with 37575 AU58ECZ running late about to depart on the 11.55 99A to Bungay with us bound for Lowestoft so managed to get both together!

Also attached is a photo of the Grey Line timetable board at Bungay St Marys Street.

Many thanks to Aaron and Zak for sharing the trip!

Grahame. 

A Catch up with First

The continued branding and repaints for Coastal Reds continues with the latest Gemini recipient being 37578 AU58EDJ, pictured below sunning itself at Caister Road on Saturday afternoon prior to a trip out on a Bernard Matthews Contract run. 37574 AU58ECY has now also returned to Caister Road and is currently undergoing inspection prior to returning to service here.

Former First Sheffield Volvo B7RLE 69033 SF55UBT has now become a Driver Trainer at Norwich.

Another Trainer has been on loan from First Essex this past week in the shape of 66846 MX05CGV.

Ipswich Depot has rebranded a couple of Volvo B7RLE'S with 69010 & 69011 now carrying Mainline 66 details for the service to Martlesham Heath.

Another ex Sheffield Volvo B7RLE 69032 is now residing in Ipswich and has gained Ipswich Reds branding. Seen below working the 64 Ipswich - Woodbridge service. Sister 69020 has had similar treatment but is currently on loan at Lowestoft.

Finally back to Yarmouth where Volvo B7TL 30960 YJ51RDU has gained Coastal Reds branding.

Many Thanks to Mark Doggett for use of his excellent photos, and it was nice to catch up with Mark at the weekend at Caister Road.

Grahame.

Sanders Sojourn

Last night regular contributor Tony Wilson emailed a photo showing Optare Solo YJ58 CBX operating the recently introduced Holt town service provided by Sanders Coaches

Optare Solo YJ58 CBX nearing the Kelling Hospital end of the route yesterday

With the increase in housing developments in the area, leading to population growth, the operator now provides the service between Heath Drive near the depot and the Medical Practice at Kelling Hospital via the town centre

Brush Type 2 (later class 31) D5631 on the delayed departure from Weybourne yesterday

Coincidentally I was in North Norfolk yesterday for the Members Day event at the North Norfolk Railway and, of course, it would have been rude to not get some Sanders photos at the same time!

I was fortunate in capturing my first photo of one of the new Coasthoppers in action with Volvo B8RLE/ MCV Evora BV21 OOD awaiting time on the Station Approach in Sheringham prior to departing for Wells-next-the-Sea

Prior to that former Isle of Man Transport East Lancs bodied DAF DB250 PM03 EHU was off to Holt on the 44.

Meanwhile I have received news that both of Sanders two new Volvo B5 deckers have arrived and are expected to be in service sometime next week

My thanks to Tony for the use of his photo

Roy