Two Completely

After photographing yesterday's five photos in the previous post, I returned to the car and almost immediately witnessed two Completely Coach Travel's double deck coaches pull up.



They comprised Van Hool X28 CCT, still in Oxford Tube colours, and Berkhof bodied Volvo B12B K28 CCT. The latter's origins and previous identity are not known. (See comment below for updated details of previous registration - my thanks to anonymous responder)



The pair were transporting workers on the approximately one hour's journey to the Banham Poultry factory.

Roy

Beach Coach Station Five

I looked in at Great Yarmouth's Beach Coach Station yesterday afternoon and found five coaches on site.



The first photo shows Felixstowe Travel's VDL/ Berkhof M30 FXO and GDS Travel's Volvo/ Jonckheere V100 GDS. Noticeably the former's fleet names have been removed.



The second pairing was of Roselyn of Cornwall's Neoplan HGZ 7544 and Caledonian Travel's Mercedes-Benz Tourismo HN15 NDH



Standing on its own was Alfa Travel's Mercedes-Benz Tourismo A147 BF24 AOV.

Roy

Simonds Surprise

Our Norwich contributor Dan High observed the unusual appearance of an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 on Simonds' 82 route earlier today.



SN11 BTU was previously with the London Borough of Redbridge and I am assuming it's now with Central Conect. The decker was new to the then First Capital in June 2011.

My thanks to Dan for the photo.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 11th September 2024

There are no entries of 'local' interest in today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report. However, the full report will be available to be viewed here soon.

Roy

Anglian Exiles in Essex

Mark Doggett was in Clacton earlier today where he noticed three former Anglianbus vehicles now in use with Hedingham. I searched through my photos and found the same buses when with Anglian so I thought I would do a now and then comparison for each one.



His first contribution shows Hedingham's 852 AO57 HCD on Pier Avenue on the 76 to Colchester. The Anglian photo shows it in Gorleston High Street on 27th July 2016. The Scania CN230UD was new to the Beccles operator in February 2008



Next up is Scania K230UB 456 AN61 BUS also pictured on Pier Avenue. It was new to Anglian in October 2011 and is shown in Gorleston's Magdalen Square on the short lived 61 service two days earlier than the HCD photo.




Mark's final contribution is Hedingham's 460 YN05 HFF in an all over advert for Great Hits Radio. The Scania N94UB was new to Metrobus in April 2005 and transferred to Anglian in May 2012. It is seen in its Anglian days on a diverted 61 service heading into Yarmouth Way in Great Yarmouth on 3rd July 2012




My thanks to Mark for the Hedingham photos

Roy

2024 Cycling Tour of Britain

The six day men's 2024 cycling Tour of Britain ended today with a final run from Lowestoft to Felixstowe.

It started off in the Scottish Borders on Tuesday travelling through County Durham, Yorkshire, Derbyshire Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire.

The Suffolk leg left Lowestoft's Promenade this morning weaving its way through Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth, Framlingham, Saxmundham, Aldeburgh, Wickham Market and Martlesham prior to a sprint to the finish line in Sea Road, Felixstowe.

Paul Bennet was kind enough to send a large number of photos of the variety of the coaches used by the support teams. Thanks Paul.

Roy

Gull Wing Bridge Opens

Lowestoft's Gull Wing bridge, which has been under construction since 2021, was officially opened to traffic today. The £145 million pound bridge is the third crossing over Lake Lothing, which runs through the centre of town.

During the afternoon, the first motorists crossed the bridge, led by two vintage buses from the East Anglia Transport Museum. They comprised former Lowestoft Corporation Transport AEC Regents 8 918NRT and 21 GBJ192. They departed from either end of the bridge and passed one another on the opening span.



One of Tim Major's photos also shows the twosome assembled together outside the Corporation's former Rotterdam Road bus/tram premises.



As Tim points out, the new bridge does open up one or two different photo opportunities of a transport interest; the bus/tram depot plus railway activity.

My thanks to Tim for the photos and report

Roy

BorderBus E400s In Active Service

 Whilst we have already posted regarding the two newly acquired BorderBus Enviro400s, today's outings by the duo may be of interest might be of interest as described by our contributor Andrew Watts.

'Firstly after being used only for school work yesterday, 218 (BB74 BUS) was out on regular service duties for the first time ever today working the 146 service (sandwiched between SJL duties). I managed to catch a snap of it on the A12 between Kessingland and Wrenthan working the 11:50 Norwich to Southwold (unfortunately the display is mostly not visible'.

'Secondly, 217 (BB22 BUS) was working the long 580 duty (with the Harleston extensions) for the first time ever today in place of the familiar BB58 BUS. (217 had worked one of the short 580 duties 30th August but I missed it that day). I waited until the last of the day (15:30 Great Yarmouth to Harleston) in the hope of snapping it with Harleston on the destination display and wasn't disappointed'

My thanks to Andrew for the report and photos.

Roy

First Norwich Exile Enters Service.

A former First Norwich Turquoise Line Volvo B9 entered service with First South West earlier this week.


Dave King observed 36173 BD11 CFX in a wet Camborne today and provides a photo of it being employed on the T1 service to Truro.

Thanks for the information and photo Dave.

Roy

New Arrival For BorderBus

Beccles-based BorderBus has announced on social media the arrival of a brand new ADL Enviro400 MMC.



Captured at its Moor Business Park site, the bus, registered as BB74 BUS, will soon be assigned the fleet number 218.

My thanks to Andrew Pusey for providing the photos and information.

Roy

Norwich City Centre Today

Dan High was at Norwich's Castle Meadow today and observed some unusual workings in the city centre



You may have seen that First Great Yarmouth received two Wright StreetLites at the end of last month with a third from South Yorkshire staying at Norwich in the form of 63142 SN14 DWV. Dan got a photo of it on the 30 route to Hellesdon earlier.



He also observed Sanders Coaches' MCV Evora bodied Volvo B8RLE 531 BV23 NUU on the X55 to North Walsham. Named Norfolk Wherry, it is one of a pair acquired last year for use on the 6A/X6 Great Yarmouth services in base white.



Another interesting working was the use of Simonds Volvo B7TL/ Alexander X663 VRL on the 82 to Roydon. It was new to Dublin Buses in the year 2000.



The same route also produced Central Connect branded ADL Enviro200 YX60 DXY displaying that it was on the 505 service to Harlow via Waltham!

My thanks to Dan for the photos

Roy

Sanders Exiles Re-Registered

In late June we reported that three Optare Olympus bodied Scanias 120 PL09 ELJ, 121 PL09 EMJ and 122 PL09 ENJ had all left the Sanders fleet for Dons of Dunmow in Essex. (see Sanders Coaches Update - 28th June 2024).



Mark Doggett visited the operator yesterday and following enquiries about the threesome, he found that two of them had been reregistered with the third being prepared for a repaint.



The former 120 is now BIG 9807 whilst 121 is now BIG 9895 with the third registration currently unknown.

Mark was grateful to the staff for positioning the vehicles in the yard for photography. My thanks to him for the information and pictures.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 4th September 2024

There are no entries of 'local' interest in today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report.

However, there is an entry for Specialist Passenger Solutions who has submitted an application for a new operating centre at Central Avenue on Ransomes Industrial Estate in Ipswich for ten vehicles. I think it would be safe to assume that the operator will use the site for accommodating vehicles used on the Sizewell C Construction Project. Six of their Wright StreetLites are currently located at First Lowestoft's Gas Works Road depot

The full Notices and Proceedings Report will be available to be viewed here soon.

Roy

From Newport to Norfolk

Since early August, the three former Newport Transport Scania Omnicity saloons have been working into Norfolk on the BorderBus 580 route.



This happened again earlier this evening when green 114 YT11 LUP, with BorderBus decals, worked the 17:15 580 Great Yarmouth to Beccles service.

Incidentally the operator introduced a new timetable for the route beginning yesterday.

Roy

Seagull Leyland PS1/1 From 1947

A week or so ago a friend of mine suggested I viewed the Duple Coachworks Facebook site as he observed a former Great Yarmouth coach there with the EX5555 Great Yarmouth registration.



I found another photo of EX5555 on the SCT61 website taken by the late John Boylett. It was of a Duple C33F bodied Leyland PS1/1 when it was with Canhams of Whittlesey in September 1964. It had been new to Seagull of Great Yarmouth in 1947 and Canhams had acquired it from Pegg of Caston in April 1960.

Approval to use the photo was obtained from David Lang at the SCT61 website which features an archive of bus, trolleybus and tram photos from the 1960s and earlier. Other pictures of 'local buses' found include Great Yarmouth's CEX490, an Albion NS3N Nimbus with a Willowbrook B31F body

My thanks to David for his consent to use the photo

Roy

StreetLites Arrive

Cameron Robinson reports the two Wright StreetLites from First South Yorkshire have now arrived at Great Yarmouth's Caister Road depot. (Yorkshire StreetLites Arrive - 30th August 2024)

My thanks to him for the use of the photo.

Roy

BorderBus Repaint

Earlier in the month we reported the arrival of three ex Newport Transport Scania N230UB OmniCity single deckers at BorderBus. (BorderBus Further Update - 8th August 2024)



One of them, YT11 LUF, was away for repainting and returned this week in BorderBus colours. It made its debut on the 580 route this morning working the 07:45 from Harleston to Great Yarmouth and continued on the route for most of the day.

My thanks to 'Reg Vardy' for the photo which was taken in Gorleston High Street.

Roy

Back In Service

Following 'jdraves1' report on the withdrawal of ADL Enviro400 MMC CS72 BUS from the Coach Services fleet (Coach Services' Withdrawals - 14th August 2024), I am pleased to say that it returned to traffic yesterday following repair.



He observed it in Bury St Edmunds on his return trip to Brandon on the 14:55 service 86. I am grateful to him for the report and photo.

Roy

Sheringham Sightings

With the North Norfolk Railway (NNR) nine day Festival of Steam drawing to a close this weekend, I thought I should make an effort to witness the running of new build locomotive No 6880 Betton Grange before it leaves the county.



However, in between the trains I observed bus activity on the Station Approach in the town with Sanders Coaches' Mercedes-Benz Sprinter EVM Cityline 222 RX22 SKU awaiting departure time as we crossed the road to enter the station.



Using an all day NNR rover ticket, I was also able to see bus workings outside the station in between the railway departures. The first was Volvo B8RLE / MCV Evora 518 BV21 OOA Norfolk Adventurer on the Coasthopper CH1 to Wells-next-the-Sea.



Route 9 Sheringham to Fakenham branded ADL Enviro200 409 YX63 LJA Marjorie Olive Thompson
was also noted on Station Approach.



A similar Volvo B8RLE was observed opposite the station in the form of 524 BV22 HBN Norfolk Wanderer on a return CH1 service to Cromer.

Emergency rail replacement services were introduced due to signalling issues between Hoveton / Wroxham and North Walsham. One of the substitute workings employed Sanders Volvo B8R / Plaxton Panther 927 CE24 SAN Charles Edward Sanders.



Another North Norfolk operator, Wrights Coaches, was also seemingly providing rail replacement with their Scania Omnilink W23 PTS in use.

Roy

Yorkshire StreetLites Arrive

Mark Doggett advises that two Wright StreetLites have arrived at Norwich from First South Yorkshire.



They are 47484/5 SN64 CNV/X in Olympia livery and he believes they are destined for Great Yarmouth.



My thanks to Mark for photos of the vehicles which were taken in Doncaster on 17th May this year.

Roy

Dolphin Travel's Latest Arrival

Another arrival at Norwich-based Dolphin Autos is M10 YKM , a Scania K114IB with Irizar Century bodywork. It was previously with K Matt Coaches (Matthews Travel) of Chadderton, Oldham.

My thanks to Dan High for the information and photo.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 28th August 2024

The East of England Traffic Commissioner published his regular Notice & Proceedings Report earlier this morning with Great Yarmouth-based Ambassador Travel featuring strongly.

The operator's Public Inquiry was held at Cambridge on 12th August 2024, having previously been deferred on 22nd July 2024 . It was determined under Section 17 of the Public Passenger Act of 1981 that disciplinary action be taken to reduce vehicle authorisation from 55 to 31 vehicles for a period of four weeks, effective from 12 August 2024.

Ambassador Travel also gave the following undertakings:
•   Roller brake testing will be carried out at every (5 weekly) preventative maintenance inspection.
•  The operator will arrange an independent audit to be carried out by a DVSA-authorised audit provider, the RHA, Logistics UK or other equivalent independent body, by 12th February 2025..The audit will assess the systems for complying with maintenance and drivers’ hours requirements, and the effectiveness with which those systems are implemented.

The audit should cover at least the applicable elements in  the annex. A copy of the audit report, together with the operator’s detailed proposals for implementing the report’s recommendations, must be sent to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner, Cambridge within 14 days of the date the operator receives it from the auditor.

Ambassador Travel also gave the following two statements of intent:
•  All drivers will receive in-house tachograph training within 28 days.
•  The operator will retain a compliance consultant until full compliance can be achieved.

Road & Air Vehicle Sales Limited of Airfield Farm Cottage in Monewden, near Woodbridge surrendered its operating licence from 22nd August 2024.

The complete Notice & Proceedings Report will be available to be view here soon.

Roy

Epping Onger Railway ~ Routemasters

The Essex-based Epping Ongar Railway held an event on Sunday celebrating the 70th anniversary of the first appearance of London Transport's Routemaster bus



Dan High attended and provided a large number of photos of participating vehicles which provided me with the inevitable task of deciding which ones to publish. However, the first shows four double-deckers RM1979 ALD979B, RM2217 CUV217C, RMC1507 507CLT and RML 2331 CUV331C



Next up is RML902 WLT 902 which was new in early 1962. During the following year it visited Munich and Zurich and later a tour of the USA. It is shown in its experimental Green Line livery.



Our third photo is of RM835 WLT 835 which entered service in July 1961 at Stamford Hill. It was acquired by Clydeside Scottish in September 1986 and appears in their colours. It is now preserved by the Clydeside Preservation Group of Brentwood



RMC1453 453 CLT was new to Aldenham garage in June 1962 and was used in many LT publicity photos. It received a paint into red in November 1980 and subsequently reverted to 1960's Green Line livery in September 2013.



Our final photo features RM1933 ALD 933B, another Routemaster new to the Aldenham garage but in June 1964. In 1983 it received a 1933 livery of red/white/black/silver. It was taken out of service three years later and in August of that year it was bought by Kelvin Scottish.

My thanks to Dan for the significant number of photos. The relevant individual histories were taken from the excellent Iain's Bus Stop website

Roy