Sanders' New Yutongs

Sanders Coaches has announced the latest additions to their fleet in the form of a pair of new Yutong GT12s. They are 801 - DS25 NCH and 802 - NO25 MWJ and are respectively named Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones. The naming honours their contribution to Norwich City Football Club over many years and recognises the operator's long standing association with the Club in providing both home and away travel for fans.

Both are pictured within the grounds of The Muckleburgh Military Collection at Weybourne by Stephen Purkiss. No. 801 carries the very distinctive current colour scheme whilst 802 is finished in a former livery to celebrate Sanders 50 Years in business, the anniversary of which falls towards the end of this year.

I'm grateful to Stephen for the information and the use of his photo.

Roy

Enviro200 on Konectbus 8/8A

The Konectbus 8/8A route, between Norwich Railway Station and Dereham/ Toftwood, is normally worked by an Alexander Dennis double decker but yesterday morning it was a single decker.



Alexander Dennis Enviro200 243 YX62 DKL was doing the honours for most of the morning, still in its Go North West livery.

My thanks to Dan High for the photos.

Roy

Four Alfa Travel Visitors

Some eight coaches were noted early this morning in Great Yarmouth's holiday area and at Beach Coach Station with half of them being Mercedes-Benz Tourismos from the Alfa Travel fleet.

The first was 124 BV20 HNH, outside the New Beach Hotel on Marine Parade, with the remainder on view at Beach Coach Station including 141 BF23 CFJ attempting to hide among the other vehicles.



Alfa's recent newcomers 159 BV20 LZO and 157 BV25 LZM were also posed together there.



Making an appearance was Lakeside Coaches of Ellesmere's BU18 BOL, yet another Tourismo!



Other vehicles present featured Slacks Travel of Matlock Scania K410 / Irizar i6S OO10 PSV.



The sixth vehicle at the Coach Station was M & D Travel of Stockton's VDL YD17 WXW complete with National Holidays branding.

A further Caledonian Travel Tourismo, BV22 WPM, was seen on Marine Parade opposite the Wellington Pier

You may have observed that not all of the coaches seen are pictured in this post as they have already featured on the blog in their pervious visits to the coast. Photos of those visits can be found by inputting their registration in the search bar at the top of the page.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 11th June 2025

There are some locally related entries in today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report.

Following alterations to Market Gates Bus Station and changes to the one way system in Great Yarmouth, First Eastern Counties has retrospectively amended routes and stopping places of the following which took effect on 19th May 2025:-

1/1A Lowestoft Bus Station to Repps Road, Martham
2 Market Gates Bus Station to James Paget Hospital, Gorleston
3/3B Market Gates Bus Station to Mill Road, Burgh Castle (3) / Bracon Road, Belton (3B)
8 Marram Drive, Caister to James Paget Hospital, Gorleston
931 Market Gates Bus Station to Ormiston Venture Academy, Gorleston
983 Repps Road, Martham to East Norfolk Sixth Form College, Gorleston
X1 Market Gates Bus Station to Lowestoft Bus Station
X1/X11/901 Market Gates Bus Station to Norwich Bus Station

The operator has also amended the route plus start and finish points of its 7 service between Market Gates Bus Station / James Paget Hospital, Gorleston and Norwich Bus Station from the same date.

The full Report can now be viewed here

Roy

Open Topper Returns To Seafront

Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL 32348 LK53 LZL has returned to First Great Yarmouth and is in use on the resort’s Coastal Clipper open top service this morning.

My thanks to First for the information.

Roy

Another Loan?

Another First Norwich vehicle appears to be on loan to Great Yarmouth with Volvo B9TL/ Wright Eclipse Gemini 36271 BG12 YKD being employed on X1 /X11 services between the city and the coast this morning.



My thanks to Dan for the photo of the decker waiting at Norwich Bus Station earlier.

Roy

Norwich Yesterday

Dan High was lurking in Norwich yesterday and provides some photos for the blog. The first shows recently repainted First Eastern Counties Volvo B9TL 36180 BD11CDZ in use on the 25s



The second features Sanders Coaches' recently named and re-registered Volvo B8R 911 AV24 YCP which is now PD24 NAN and named Nanny Pam. The vehicle was new to Beestons in March last year as 523 FN.

Also noted on Castle Meadow was Wrights Coaches' Mercedes-Benz Tourismo W25 PTS on an Alfa Holidays working.

I'm grateful to Dan for the supply of his photos

Roy

Beach Coach Station Foursome

There were four coaches present at Great Yarmouth's Beach Coach Station early this afternoon with one being from a local operator. That vehicle was owned by Jubilee Coaches of nearby Rollesby being Mercedes-Benz Tourismo YR16 JCR.



Next along the line was Notts & Derby 66 SF62 CPV, a Volvo B11RT/Plaxton Elite first with Stagecoach Glasgow as their 54205 in December 2012. It later passed to Stagecoach Western before joining Midland Red. It still retains the Stagecoach Beach Ball livery.



Also making an appearance was Byfleet-based Falcon Coaches' Scania K360CB4 / Higer Touring UK25FAL.



The final coach was Olympic Executive Travel's Scania K410 CB6 /Irizar YN74 XTT from Greater Manchester.



Roy

Norwich Loans On X1

At lunchtime today I observed two First Norwich loan deckers in use on the X1 route on Church Lane in Gorleston.



The first was Pink Line coloured Wright StreetDeck Ultroliner 35198 SK16 GVX on the 13:00 Lowestoft to Norwich travelling across the Church Lane bridge over the bypass.



Within a quarter of an hour I witnessed Yellow Line branded Volvo B9TL/ Wright Eclipse Gemini 36268 BG12 YKA with the 12:40 Norwich to Lowestoft service waiting pull away from the East Norfolk Sixth Form College stop.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 4th June 2025

There are entries relating to local bus operations listed in today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report.

Sanders Coaches has been granted a variation in the use of a new operating centre for six vehicles at the Completely Coach Hire site at Norwich Livestock Market on Hall Road in Norwich.

Ambassador Travel has amended the route, stopping places and timetable of its 217 service between Green Lane, Bradwell and Beach Drive, Scratby from 19th May 2025.

The full Report can be viewed here soon.

Roy

BorderBus Arrival

Regular contributor Steve Blackburn has provided information and photos concerning a recent arrival at the BorderBus premises in Beccles



On his visit, earlier today, he noticed this Scania Omnicity present in the livery of its previous owners DRM Bus of Hereford. He spoke to Andrew Pursey who was very forthcoming about the vehicle, which was originally purchased for parts. However, he had been subsequently persuaded to repaint it; so it is now likely to enter service. It is to be re-registered from its current DM09 DRM to original YT09 FLK. Steve also provides a link to Flickr showing the Scania in its previous ownership.

Andrew also mentioned that one of the two current VOR Scania N230UDs 207 and 210 (BB53 BUS and BB57 BUS respectively) may re-enter service later this year

I'm grateful to Steve for the information and photos and also to Andrew at BorderBus for his help.

Roy

Living The Dream

After looking in at Beach Coach Station yesterday, I continued my journey along Great Yarmouth's North Drive and observed a yellow painted Mercedes-Benz 814D parked on the road side next to the Venetian Waterways.

I stopped and observed its registration TUI 1499 with 'Living the Dream' showing on the destination screen. Further investigation identified it to be a former Hodsons Coaches' bus which was new to Scaife of Roswell as P362 HKU in September 1996. It is now a travellers vehicle and a photo of the front of the bus can be viewed here on Flickr

Roy

Saturday At The Beach

A total of three coaches were observed at Great Yarmouth's Beach Coach Station during yesterday evening.



They were Bland's Coaches' Volvo B11R / Plaxton Panther 3 FP 9224, Caledonian Travel's Temsa Safari YJ24 AXG and Maynards Coaches' Scania Interlink YT19 EBZ.

Roy