Completely Business To Open In Great Yarmouth

As you will have seen from yesterday's Notices and Proceedings Report, Completely Business are to open an operating centre at Edison Way on Gapton Hall Estate in Great Yarmouth.

Mickey Amey tells me that the business has been undertaking many private hires in Great Yarmouth for a while now and the local base will allow them to be more cost effective by reducing dead mileage with savings passed on to the customer. The site, which was used by Swift Coaches sometime ago, will come into use over the next month or so with a spare vehicle placed there regularly.

Meanwhile a third Astromega has been acquired and is currently being thoroughly checked over prior to its release into service.

My thanks to Mickey for the information

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 15th January 2025

Today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report contains some items of 'local' interest

Sanders Coaches have changed the routes, stopping places and timetables of two services. The changes, which came into effect from 14th October 2024, relate to the 88 Lynngate Road, North Walsham to Aylsham High School and the 43/43A/43B Reepham Market Place to Norwich Bus Station services.

Completely Business of Norwich has received authorisation for a new operating centre at The Storage Yard on Edison Way, Gapton Hall in Great Yarmouth for three vehicles.

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

Roy

First 36215 Returns

First Great Yarmouth now has Volvo B9TL /Wright Eclipse 36215 BJ12 VWX back on the road following the previously reported oil leak. Whilst this helps with current vehicle shortage, there are instances where Coastlink deckers are being employed local Coastal Red services.

My thanks to First for the information.

Roy

More Loans

Another loan to First Great Yarmouth is First Norwich Blue Line Volvo B9TL Wright Eclipse Gemini 36178 BD11 CDX. It is seen on the X11 service to Belton, originating from Norwich, about to leave the temporary Regent Street bus stop in Great Yarmouth whilst works are underway at Market Gates Bus Station.

Similar Blue Line 36177 BD11CGF is also on loan to Great Yarmouth and spent most of the day on service 2 between Great Yarmouth and Gorleston’s James Paget Hospital via the Herring Bridge. Meanwhile, the previous loanees, StreetDecks 35282 SL67 VXK and 35114 SO15 CUX, have returned to Norwich.

My thanks to Tobey Jones for the use of his photo

Roy

StreetDeck Sees Use In Great Yarmouth

 First Norwich sent two of their Wright StreetDecks to Great Yarmouth today to cover for vehicle shortage at Caister Road.

One was former First Bristol 35114 SO15 CUX which was observed by yours truly returning to Great Yarmouth via Gorleston’s Church Road. It was working the 13:25 service 2 from the James Paget Hospital (JPH). It was later observed by Tobey Jones at work on the 8s between Caister and the JPH.

The second StreetDeck was ex First Leeds 35282 SL67 VXK which hasn’t seen much use. (See subsequent Comment below).

My thanks to Tobey for the use of his photo.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 8th January 2025

Today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report contains just the one entry of 'local' interest

REL Felixstowe Limited (formerly Felixstowe Travel) of Walton Avenue in Felixstowe has gained approval for an operating centre at their Beach Station Depot for thirteen vehicles.

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

Roy

Angie's Acquisition

Martin Bott reports that Angie's Tours (Philip Overy) Scania/ Higer Y10 PJO was active at Ipswich Rail Station over the weekend on Rail Replacement work. It was previously with Felixstowe Travel as their MX50 FXO



My thanks to Martin for the information and for the use of his photo

Roy

Latest Repaint

Another former Pink Line liveried Streetdeck has gained the new corporate livery and logos. 35196 SK16GVV is the latest to appear in the companies new look colours.

I managed to photograph her below when brand new in April 2016, pictured at Sprowston Tesco.

Many Thanks to Zak for use of his photograph

Grahame.

Happy Anniversaries!

I have recently received an email from regular contributor Stephen Purkiss who provides many photos and information concerning the workings of North Norfolk operator Sanders Coaches.

Sanders Coaches Bedford VAL-70/ Plaxton Panorama SNT 925H at Dereham in May 2024

He tells me he hadn't realised until the other day that 2025 brings up a number of bus related anniversaries in North Norfolk and across Norfolk as a whole. There may be others.

40 years - 5th January 1985 - Eastern Counties Omnibus Company closes Cromer depot and bus station office.

10 years - 26th January 2015 - Lynx starts operating at Kings Lynn, initially in competition with Stagecoach Norfolk Green between Kings Lynn and Hunstanton.

45 years - 1st March 1980 - First day of Eastern Counties' operations without the LM saloons. The last five, LM 626/639/641/643 & 646, were withdrawn on 29th February 1980 .

15 years - 25th September 2010 - First Eastern Counties finally pulls out of Sheringham, Cromer and Aylsham with the withdrawal of service 50.

10 years - 1st November 2015 - Konectbus pulls out of Sheringham, Cromer and Aylsham with the withdrawal of services 2/2A.

50 Years - 1st December 1975 - Norman Sanders takes over Bennett of Holt.

Thanks Stephen

Robert Kelly has subsequently reminded me that 40 years ago this month Great Yarmouth-based Norfolk Motor Services ceased operations in 1985. Thanks Robert

Roy

Norwich On Saturday

Fresh from his time away, Dan High has sent photos of bus related activity in Norwich yesterday.



The first shows First Eastern Counties Wright StreetDeck 35113 SO15 CUW in Castle Meadow. The Orange Line decker was unusually employed on the 23A to Longwater normally the preserve of an Electroliner.



On his way to Carrow Road to watch the Canaries, he stopped off at the railway station where rail replacement was in use for Norwich - Ipswich services. One of the vehicles in use was Completely Coach Travel's Caetano Levante BX16 CKO.



Close to the ground he found SALEC Travel's Van Hool bodied Volvo B12B YJ55 EZE on the 'Canary Express'.



Behind was Sanders Coaches' Volvo B8R/ Plaxton Panther coach CE24 SAN Charles Edward Sanders on their NC5 football service from Larling via Thetford.

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Latest Activity

This morning First Eastern Counties partial open topper 32348 LK53 LZL was over the pits at Great Yarmouth receiving its annual MOT. It returned to Caister Road in late October after working City Clipper 100 services in the summer. One wonders what the future holds for this bus.

Meanwhile First Norwich Yellow Line Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 36266 BG12 YJY has returned to the city from Lowestoft where it arrived on New Years Eve after working Lowestoft - Norwich services for most of the day.

Roy

Ensign Visit

Mark Doggett made his first visit of 2025 to Ensignbus in Essex yesterday where he found a former Anglianbus Wright StreetLite.



Previously with McGill's, MX60 GXA has been at Purfleet for a while but it was the first opportunity he had to get a photo of it. The saloon was new to the Suffolk operator in December 2010 and is shown in their colours on Beccles Road in Bradwell in March 2011.



Also at Ensign was ex Awayadays RML 2151 CUV 151C which is to be a permanent addition to the First Eastern Counties fleet at Norwich.



My thanks to Mark for the Ensign information and photos.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 1st January 2025

With 2025 just arriving I would like to wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

We begin with the first East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report of the year which was released this morning but contains no entries of 'local interest'. However, the complete report will be available for viewing here soon.

Roy