Tuesday 31 October 2023
Simonds Recent Arrival
Saturday's allocation was ADL Enviro200 MX62 AWG which was new to Simonds in August. It is pictured stopping in Alpington in Norfolk.
My thanks to Peter for the report and photo.
Roy
Monday 30 October 2023
Electroliners Enter Service
The services they were employed on were the Pink, Blue, Orange and Red lines with the route number on the destination screen highlighting the relevant colour.
The photos were provided by our regular Norwich contributor Dan High and my thanks to him for the many he sent with those included in this post being only a small number of them.
Saturday 28 October 2023
J&M Preservations Update
It began with the removal of the bird mess and moss from the sides of the bus and the cleaning of all intact windows. The remaining hopper windows have been removed. Their replacement has been sourced from recently acquired donor ex Halton Plaxton Dart 18 PX55 EGV. The entire vehicle interior has been stripped of all useful parts and the body was sent to Trevor Wigley of Barnsley for scrap.
After having all the donor windows fitted, the opportunity was taken to test drive PX06 DWD on private land, away from the public highway. Further work continues.
The information has been sourced from J&M Preservations' Facebook page. Photo sources J&M Preservations and Christian Newsome
Roy
Thursday 26 October 2023
Ex First Great Yarmouth Decker In Yorkshire
The last Barbie liveried bus at Caister Road, 32210 LT52 WTR, was taken out of service in October 2022 following gearbox issues. It was new to First CentreWest in October 2002 as their VTL210 and transferred to First Eastern Counties in May 2010.
My thanks to Jamie for the photo and to LiamS for the heads up
Roy
Wednesday 25 October 2023
Service Alterations Registered ~ 25th October 2023
Tuesday 24 October 2023
First Electric Bus Launch
The 'Meet The Bus' event is in advance of the vehicles going into service in the city over the coming weeks and is part of a wider project to fully electrify the operator's Roundtree Way depot, replacing its diesel fleet with 70 electric vehicles by March 2024.
The buses appearing at the launch event were 36531 BK73 AEV and 36542 BK73 AFU although no fleet numbers were displayed
My thanks to our regular Norwich contributor Dan High who attended the event and sent a few photos for publication
Roy
Monday 23 October 2023
Angie's Rail Replacement
My thanks to Dan High for the photo.
Roy
Sunday 22 October 2023
Impromptu Visit To First Great Yarmouth Depot
Outside the front of the depot was ADL Enviro500 38201 SN09 CAU recently acquired from Ensignbus which was still carrying decals of former operators Nu Venture and First Kernow. Also behind and peeping out of the building, was Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B9R coach 20802 TFO 319.
Also inside were the many coloured examples of the Wright Gemini bodied Volvo fleet at Great Yarmouth. Here B7TL's 32641 KP54 AZC and 37022 YJ06 XKL are lined up with B9TL 37569 AU58 ECN
In the workshop receiving attention was Volvo B9TLs 37572 AU58 ECW and 36215 BJ12 VWX (the former seen back in service on Monday)
Among those outside in the yard was First Lowestoft's Volvo B9 37275 LK58 EDJ awaiting repairs.
Roy
Swift 85 Celebrates 50 ~ Sunday
I first caught up with it on Crab Lane in Gorleston returning from Bradwell on the 18 with Jamie Vendy at the wheel.
It continued to Market Gates from where it then came back to Gorleston on the 3 for Yallop Avenue and is pictured in the High Street.
I beat it to the terminus at Yallop Avenue and got a photo of it there followed by chat with Jamie. Thankfully he promised to give me plenty of time for me to get a photo of its return via Beccles Road roundabout.
Unfortunately the trajectory of the sun wasn't playing ball so I had to settle for a picture of it on Beccles Road under the cover of a tree!
The final run was from Market Gates to South Denes and No 85 is pictured on South Beach Parade having passed the Pleasure Beach and Premier Inn
It was originally planned to terminate close to the Harbour's Mouth but, with South Denes Road closed to traffic from Hartmann Road southwards, the alternative destination of Nelson's Column was used instead. The photo was provided by Jamie Vendy
The Swift then returned to Caister Road depot where a celebratory cake was cut and very nice it was too!
Roy
Saturday 21 October 2023
Swift 85 Celebrates 50 ~ Saturday
To celebrate its anniversary the Group decided that No 85 should visit the town and be employed on routes it previously worked over during this weekend.
Roy
Friday 20 October 2023
Second Ensignbus Loanee
My thanks again to a very wet Dan High for the photo.
Roy
Thursday 19 October 2023
Brighton Sightings
The first shows Seaford & District's AV19 X19 SEA laying over at Old Steine. The Alexander bodied Volvo B7TL was originally new to Dublin Bus in September 2000 as 00-D-40010.
I am grateful to my daughter for the photos
Roy
Wednesday 18 October 2023
Service Alterations Registered ~ 18th October 2023
It concerns High Suffolk Community Transport of Woodbridge which is withdrawing the third Thursday of the month operation of its service 10 between The Old Crown, Eye Road, Kenton and Hamblin Road, Woodbridge from 1st November 2023. It will continue to run the service on the first Saturday of each month
The latest Notices and Proceedings Report will be available to view here soon
Roy
Norwich Morning Sightings
Also noted was Yellow Line's Volvo B9TL Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 36267 BG12 YJZ masquerading as a Pink Line bus!
Roy
Wednesday Tour
On Marine Parade, outside the New Beach Hotel, was Buckleys' Coach Tours Mercedes-Benz Tourismo BU18 YTG
The remaining four were located at Beach Coach Station and among them was another Tourismo from the Gibbons Holidays' fleet in the form of BU18 YMM
Berrys Coaches of Taunton were represented by WF17 DGO, a VDL FHD2-129.370 Futura 2.
The third coach was Bibbys of Ingleton's Van Hool EX15M, EX69 DAF, new to the company in November 2019.
Making yet another appearance was Kearney's (Glenferry Coaches) Scania 162-C-9755
Roy
Tuesday 17 October 2023
Tamworth Sunday
Two of them were of Arriva Midlands North Mercedes-Benz Citaros at Victoria Road Bus Interchange and the first, 3005 BJ12 YPO, is naturally in Arriva colours.
The next Arriva Citaro was in 'Midland Red' livery and is numeric neighbour 3006 BJ12 YPP which was difficult to photo in the low sun.
The final photo shows Stagecoach Midlands ADL Enviro200 36758 KX62 BVE
Roy
Sunday 15 October 2023
Ensignbus Loans for FEC
First Norwich is gaining two Wright bodied Streetdecks on loan from Ensignbus over the weekend.
168 LX71AOB has arrived with 172 LX71AOG arriving on Monday.
168 is pictured below in service with Ensign at Lakeside.
We are told that they are to help with an increase in contract work.
Many Thanks to David Oakley for the photo and First for the Information.
Photo Flashback 2020
Well its been a while since i have posted, Roy has been busy at blog HQ keeping you all up to date!
2020 was a different year for everybody and one which so many will want to forget. Public transport was still running on limited services and this a look back at some of the images captured during that time and afterwards.
A batch of Volvo B7RLE arrived with FEC from South Yorkshire, one vehicle which transferred caused much upset with the locals up North as it was Mainline Heritage liveried 69017 SF55UAK, it was put into service at Norwich before having a very short spell on the coast before engine issues put paid to its career here in October 2020.
Another vehicle which was also shortlived with FEC was Mini Dart 43486 SN55CXF which transferred to Lowestoft from Essex, photos of her in Suffolk were limited! Seen here in January 2021 (I know)
Ipswich based Volvo B7RLE 66987 KX05MHV was on loan at Yarmouth in October 2020 and is pictured on Beaconsfield Road working the 8 to Caister.
Finally with the introduction of the new Scania fleet of Excel deckers, older Enviro 400's were debranded and did appear as regulars on the 1/1A services for a while during Covid before they were rebranded for Coastlink services. 33819 YX63LKJ is pictured in Ormesby in April 2020 heading to Lowestoft on the 1 service now known as the Coastal Clipper of course.
Grahame.
Wednesday 11 October 2023
Six At Beach Coach Station
Three were grouped together comprising Alfa Travel's Mercedes-Benz Tourismo 126 BV20 HNK, Tamar Coaches' VanHool TX16 Alicron TC15 HOL and Wheelers Travel's VanHool J3 WTL
Middletons Tours of Tamworth were represented by P24 MTL another VanHool but a TX17 Astron. It was originally registered YD14 GFO and new to Parrys of Cheslyn Hay.
The remaining two coaches were Mercedes-Benz Tourismos from the Caledonian Travel fleet. In the company's usual colours was NH18 SGH, formerly with National Holidays.