Firstbus return to Park & Ride

This weekend saw First return to operating Park & Ride services in Norwich. They will run the Thickthorn and Airport sites previously served by Konectbus.

 Recently re-powered Streetdeck 71025 CMZ5293 is pictured above entering the Airport site.

 

Another recent addition to the fleet at Norwich is 71016 W6FAL, another re-powered Streetdeck converted to Battery seen here at the Airport terminus.

 

Finally a throwback to First previously operating at Thickthorn, A batch of Scania L113CRL operated the service although being allocated to Yarmouth Depot. 552 R552CNG seen here in Castle Meadow in 1997. This ended its career with First Essex in 2013.

Many Thanks to Toby Cullum for use of his excellent photos from Sunday.

Grahame.

 

History Of Transport Event

Omar Atiallah provides details of a History of Transport event which he is helping to organise in the Lowestoft area on Saturday 12th July 2025. It includes displays being held in the Nicholas Everitt Park at Oulton Broad in Lowestoft which will have buses, trains, boats and cars on view to the public.

Further information regarding the event can be found here, while details of the display are also available on the website with the opportunity of applying for a free ticket!

My thanks to Omar for alerting us about the event.

Roy

Central Connect's First Day On P&R

Sunday was the first day of the new Norwich Park and Ride contract with Central Connect (Simonds) operating the PR2 from Harford and PR3 from Postwick.



Dan High's father got photos of the two ADL Enviro400 MMCs working the routes with YY74 OBU working the former and YY74 OBV the latter.



My thanks to Dan for forwarding the images.

Roy

Konectbus Last Day P&R

Yesterday was the last day for Konectbus to operate their Norwich Park & Ride services and Dan High was there to get some photos for us,




Konectbus commenced its contract to operate all six park & ride services for a five-year period from the 7th September 2015. (Although they had been successful in providing some routes under the 2005 and 2010 contract awards). This led to the purchase of a fleet fleet of eighteen Alexander Dennis Enviro 400s painted in a new green livery. The contract was renewed in 2020.




My thanks to Dan for the photos

Roy

New Arrivals for First Lowestoft

New arrivals at Lowestoft today after taking delivery of two more ADL Enviro 200's from First Essex. Both were previously based in Chelmsford.

44537 YX13AEF & 44538 YX13AHN are in the old Olympia livery at present.

Both are pictured above after arriving in Lowestoft earlier today.

Many Thanks to Alfie Clarkey for the photos.

Grahame.

Gapton Threesome

I paid a flying visit to Gapton Hall Estate on the outskirts of Great Yarmouth this morning to look in at two operators and observe the retail park's last day of bus service.



The first port of call was Ambassador Travel's premises at James Watt Close and at the front of the site was their Scania K410EB6/ Caetano Levante 3 BV72 XFA. According to Bus Times 304 worked last night's 21:00 from Heathrow Terminal 5 arriving in Great Yarmouth after 2am this morning.

Whilst on the estate, I checked whether Completely Coach Travel were using their Great Yarmouth base situated at the west end of Edison Way. The site is just a hardstanding with no buildings and with no reference to the operator. On site was Astromega R28 CCT which was new to Thames Transit (Stagecoach Oxfordshire) as OU09 FNH. 



I returned to Morton Peto Road to capture a photo of the last day of the 214 route operated by Konectbus to Gapton Hall Retail Park. Coincidentally it was ADL Enviro200 MMC 201 YX69 NPF - the same bus which began the service on 30th November last year.

Roy

First Norwich Repowered

Zak Nelson informs us that six repowered Wright StreetDecks have now arrived at First Norwich and will be joining the active fleet over the next month or so.



Dan High recorded the appearance of 71016 W6 FAL on its first day in service on Blue Line route 25 from the University of East Anglia to Norwich Riverside earlier today.



Zak advises the six repowered StreetDecks are as follows:-
71016 W6 FAL
71020 MXZ 7674
71022 CMZ 5332
71023 XIG 1723
71024 XIG1724
71025 CMZ 5293



I am grateful to Zak for the information and his two photos and also to Dan High for the use of his image of W6 FAL.

Roy

Feeling Blue

Chad Lovick was about in Dereham this morning and sends photos of two of his sightings in the town



The first shows repainted Konectbus Alexander Dennis Enviro400 628 SN65 OAH in the new fleet livery. It was previously in Park & Ride green.



Another decker 'spruced up' is First Eastern Counties Volvo B9 36177 BD11 CGF which has had its Blue Line route branding removed.

My thanks to Chad for his photos.

Roy

Mulleys Arrival

Early last month we reported that Simonds had taken their Volvo B7RLE/ MCV Evolution BT13 YWF out of service (Independent Withdrawals - 10th February 2025). jdraves1 reports it is now with Mulleys Motorways and has been painted in their orange colour scheme prior to the bus entering service

My thanks to jdraves1 for the information and photos.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 26th March 2025

There are no entries of 'local' interest in today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report. Nevertheless, the full Report can be viewed here.

Roy

Dan's Monday Sightings

Our Norwich contributor Dan High was in his normal spot at Castle Meadow on Monday and provides the following photos.



First Norwich Volvo B9TL / Wright Gemini 36180 BD11 CDZ was unusually working the 26 Blue Line between the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital and Riverside.



Resplendent in its new branding was Simonds' Volvo B8R YX68 UCA on the 82 to Royden with the strapline 'Transport Mode Simple'



His final photos shows Sanders' Volvo B8RLE/ MCV eVoRa 543 KF74 SAN at Aylsham, having previously been registered BU74 YVD.

Our thanks to Dan for his photos

Roy

Scania Withdrawal

We have been advised that Sanders' East Lancs OmniDekka bodied Scania N94UD YN06 JWP has been taken out of service. Acquired from Reading Buses in May 2015, it had received fleet number 119 and was named Porthos



Our thanks to Liam for the information

Roy

Park & Ride Launch

David Bell was in Norwich on Saturday and he visited the Forum to obtain photos of vehicles at the Park & Ride joint launch by First and Simonds.



First displayed ex-London AEC Routemaster RML 2588 alongside their Wright StreetDeck Electroliner 36583 BK73 AKY.



David was surprised to see the Simonds minibus and was told this would be used on the Park & Ride at quieter times. However, the information on the Simonds website suggests they are to be used on the Postwick Park & Ride.



There were the usual freebies on offer - pens and notepads etc. Simonds had a cake made in the shape of a bus but this was whisked away to protect it from the rain before he had a chance to photograph or sample it!

Thanks David for the report and photos.

Roy

Repower Arrival

A recent arrival at First Norwich is repowered Wright StreetDeck MXZ 7674. New to First Bristol in August 2015 as SO15 CUJ, it is to receive fleet number 71020.



Grateful to the unnamed photographer for the use of his photo

Roy

Sanders Fleet Update

A recent addition to the Sanders Coaches' fleet is Yutong midicoach 007 CA25 SAN and is named 'Cassian Christopher' after a local boy who attends a nursery close to the operator's depot. His name was put forward by his family to raise awareness of the importance of stem cell donors in the UK. Further details about Cassian and stem cell awareness can be found here



LiamS also provides an update which includes the recent sale of the two remaining Mercedes-Benz Vario / Plaxton Cheetahs 1107 YN62 AAE and 1108 YN13 AVX which were collected earlier today



Advertised for sale is VDL SB200 / Wright Pulsar 404 YJ10 DJV which had previously operated at Manchester Airport.



Finally, more re-registrations to report include Sitcar bodied Mercedes-Benz Vario 002 WF63 LVH is now W25 SCL. Recently arrived Levantes 928/9 FJ60 EFS/P have become W28/9 SCL respectively.

I am grateful to Liam for his report and photos.

Roy

25 Registered Coach

A 25 plate registered Mercedes-Benz Tourismo was observed at Great Yarmouth's Beach Coach Station this afternoon.



BV25 LZK is one of ten new touring coaches being delivered to Chorley-based Alfa Travel which often provides short breaks to the town. The delivery means that every coach in its Lancashire fleet is now Euro VI compliant helping to reduce the company's carbon emissions and lower air pollution levels.

My thanks to 'Scania OmniDekka for the photo.

Roy

Ambassador Advert

David Slater photographed 'Ambassador Travel 306 (BV72 XGK) in Mildenhall earlier today. The rear end, rearmost windows/side panels on each side feature an advertisement for PayPal, the online payment system company.



The coach, a Caetano Levante III bodied Scania K410 new in February 2023, was working the 1330 National Express service 728 from Norwich (University of East Anglia) to Heathrow Airport'

My thanks to David for the information and photo.

Roy

Dolphin Minis

Norwich-based Dolphin Autos has taken delivery of two Ford Minibuses in the form of EA18 GPZ and GX17 VCW which were observed at their premises yesterday

My thanks to Dan for the report and photo

Roy

Central Connect In Bradwell

On my walk from Bradwell to Gorleston this afternoon, I was passed on the A143 Beccles Road by a Central Connect (Simonds) double decker heading southwards.

It was blue liveried ADL Enviro400 MMC YY74 OBT and, despite observing it regularly on factory workings from the town, it was my first attempt in obtaining  a photo of it in use.

Roy 

Ensign On Monday

Regular correspondent Mark Doggett paid his latest visit to the Ensignbus premises at Purfleet on Monday.



Former First Norwich deckers MX58 DXS/V/T were ready for their open top service in Southend this summer with MX58 DXZ yet to be painted.



Mark also noted on site ex First Eastern Counties open top 37000 LK53 AYY (also previously registered as CRZ 366) and former Kernow partial open tops 32208 HIG 8790 and 32211 TJI 4838. Both Kernow vehicles operated as closed tops on Great Yarmouth services as LT 52 WTO and LT52 WTU respectively.



Also former First Great Yarmouth Volvo B7s 37044 YJ06 XLU and 37154 YN06 URH were present but likely destined for scrapping with PVS of Barnsley.



My thanks to Mark for the information and photos.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 19th March 2025

Today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report contains details of changes to some of First's Lowestoft services and the cancellation of a Great Yarmouth route by Konectbus..

First Eastern Counties is amending the timetables of some of its town services from 30th March 2025

• 101 Lowestoft Bus Station to Crestview Drive, Gunton Estate.
• 105 Gordon Road to Oulton Rock Estate Circular.
• 109 Lowestoft Bus Station to Hollow Grove / Cowslip Crescent.
• 122 Gordon Road to Lowestoft Bus Station Circular via Oulton Rock Estate.

From the same date the operator is to change the route, stopping places and timetable of its 102 Gordon Road to Gordon Road Circular via Oulton Village.

In Great Yarmouth, Konectbus is to cancel its 214 route between Market Gates and Gapton Retail Park from 29th March 2025. The service, which began on the 30th of November last year, appears to be going the same way as other unsuccessful attempts to provide a regular link to the retail park from the town centre.

Roy

Simonds Park and Ride

Mark C has been in touch to say that 'Simonds has put what looks like a finalised timetable for PR2 and PR3 on their website.

It is interesting to note that Roydon and Diss and the rest of the 82 route up to Long Stratton now have a Sunday service after many years, I remember Diss did have a Sunday bus service to Norwich some years ago.'

Many thanks for the information Mark

Roy

Norwich On Monday

Regular contributor Dan High was in his usual position at Norwich's Castle Meadow earlier today when he got some photos of his sightings.



One of them was of Great Yarmouth-based Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 36201 BN12 WOB returning to the coast on service 7.



Sanders Coaches featured in many of Dan's photos and here is MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE 527 BB72 KKB on the X55 express to North Walsham. Some of Sanders' vehicles are being fitted with a new passenger information system as shown below.



My thanks to Dan for his photos.

Roy

Another Open Top On Its Way

Another arrival for First Eastern Counties is expected to be an ADL Enviro400 partial open topper from First Kernow. 33427 LK58 KHL is pictured by Mark Doggett at School Hill in Padstow on 20th June last year.

My thanks to Mark for the information and photo.

Roy

Felixstowe Travel

Felixstowe Travel is to cease trading this weekend with its Beach Station site at Walton Avenue in the town vacated a week ago.

Many vehicles had left the fleet in recent weeks including Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC M10 FXO which was seen at the BorderBus Ellough yard by 'Reg Vardy' earlier this morning.



The two MCVs (M20 FXO and M80 FXO) were returned to the finance company last month and are now in a yard along with many trucks off the A12 at Capel. Yutong M1 FXO also left in February and is now with Weardale. Additionally some vehicles and work have transferred to REL Tendring.

M20 FXO on rail replacement duty at Lowestoft in August 2020

The closure meant travel chaos for more than 120 school children with some school runs being operated by Tendring Travel.

Scania M90 FXO seen in Felixstowe on Wednesday (Photo: Martin Bott)

My thanks to Martin Bott for the additional information and photo and also to 'Reg Vardy' for his photo.

Roy

Latest Arrival In Service

On Sunday, Grahame reported the pending arrival of ex First Leeds Volvo B9TL 37525 YN58 ETT at Norwich. (Latest Arrivals At First - 9th March 2025)



This morning Dan High reports its sighting at Castle Meadow in the city on the Yellow Line 28 service from Thorpe Marriott.



I am grateful to Dan for the use of his photos.

Roy