The Other One!

Further to yesterday's post concerning the transfer of two First Essex Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9s to First Great Yarmouth, I got a photo of the second one this morning.



37140 SN57 HCZ was on the 08:43 service 1A from Martham to Lowestoft with my photo showing it in Gorleston High Street.

Roy

Essex Buses Move to Great Yarmouth

At the beginning of the week two First Essex Volvo B9 / Wright Eclipse Geminis transferred from First Essex to First Eastern Counties.



They are 37139 SN57 HCY and 37140 SN57 HCZ which have moved on loan to Great Yarmouth. The former was observed waiting time at the Halfway House bus stop in Southtown. Employed on route 2 this morning, the lime fronted bus arrived early at the stop as it was on divert omitting Gorleston High Street due to Church Lane being closed for roadworks.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 29th October 2025

After our short break we return with a report on today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report. It contains retrospective timetable changes to a number of school services provided by Border Bus of Beccles.

Taking effect from 1st September 2025, they are:-
SJL2 Oulton Broad to Sir John Leman School in Beccles
SJL3 Carlton Colville to Sir John Leman School in Beccles
SJL4 Carlton Colville to Sir John Leman School in Beccles
SJL5 Carlton Colville to Sir John Leman School in Beccles
SJL6 Southwold to Sir John Leman School in Beccles
SJL7 Oulton Broad to Sir John Leman School in Beccles

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

Roy

Gorleston Diverts

Following Norfolk County Council roadworks in Church Lane in Gorleston, all entries and exits on the Middleton Road roundabout are closed from today (25th October) until Saturday 1st November. This is to allow for resurfacing and the provision of a cycle lane on Church Lane. Therefore, diversions are in place on all Gorleston services (except 1/1A).



The changes are as follows:-
Service 2 is diverting via Beccles Road between William Adams Way in Southtown and Burgh Road and will not travel into Gorleston High Street.
Services 3/3B are running between William Adams Way in Southtown and Shrublands Way, again omitting Gorleston High Street.
Service 8 operates between Southtown Road and Shrublands Way via Beccles Road also avoiding the High Street
Services X1/X11/7 travel from Gorleston High Street to the James Paget Hospital via Lowestoft Road, Albemarle Road, Middleton Road returning to Lowestoft Road.

Temporary bus stops are on Shrublands Way in both directions, close to the Church Lane junction for services 3/3B and 8.

Additionally, there is an half hourly free circular shuttle service from 0700 and 2300 between Magdalen Estate, Shrublands Estate and the The Feathers Public House in Gorleston High Street.

Roy

Sanders Fleet Update

LiamS provides an update to the Sanders Coaches fleet which includes the return of two Scania single deckers to active service. They are ex Reading Buses Wright Solar bodied 317 YN06 NXS and 318 YN06 NXR.



The former is pictured on Cadogan Road in Cromer in October 2016 while the latter is shown awaiting its next duty on Regent Road in Great Yarmouth in April 2022.



On the negative side, the number of ex Go South Coast B7RLEs continues to fall, just 505 HF55 HHA and 513 HF54 HGA remain in service with 507 HF55 HGJ and 511 HF55 HHM being withdrawn last week. No 511 is seen leaving Gorleston's East Norfolk Sixth Form College on 22nd September 2022.

My thanks to Liam for the update.

Roy

Recent Arrivals Active

Following Saturday's post regarding the transfer of two Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TLs from First Essex to First Eastern Counties, both of them were out in use today.



Firstly green fronted 37134 SN57 HDJ was being employed on the X29 on Castle Meadow in Norwich this morning. Both Harry Holmes and Dan High sent photos which are reproduced here with Harry's first and Dan's second in the order they were received.



More than an hour later the other ex First Essex decker 37136 SN57 HCU, still with its Essex branding, was also observed by Dan on the 17 heading in the opposite direction for Broadland Gate.



Dan additionally provides a photo of one of the two StreetLites recently transferred from First Essex. This was 63168 SN64 CJU at Castle Meadow on a service to Harleston today. The other one, 63167 SN64 CJO, has yet to appear in service in the city.



My thanks to you both for the photos.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 22nd October 2025

Today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report contains a couple of entries which may be of local interest

Thompsons Coaches of Framlingham has received authorisation to increase the number of vehicles at their Charnwood Estate premises to thirteen.

Simonds of Botesdale has a new operating centre at the Postwick Park and Ride site on the outskirts of Norwich for three vehicles.

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

Roy

New At BorderBus

The latest addition to the BorderBus fleet is this former Bee Network (Stagecoach Manchester) Scania N230UD OmniCity double decker. Newly painted in the BorderBus livery is YT59 RYM which has been given fleet number 220.



Roy

Norwich Activity

Dan High was in position in Norwich this morning and sends a couple of photos of bus activity in the city.



First Eastern Counties Wright StreetDeck Electroliner 36575 BK73 AKG was on the 24 route to Thorpe St Andrew.



The other picture features an operator not normally gracing the pages of this site. It is Sunbeam Coaches with their Mercedes-Benz Vario / Plaxton Cheetah YN06 CYX appearing in Castle Meadow

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

First Bus Changes

Starting from Sunday 2nd November, First Eastern Counties is making improvements to bus services in the coastal area with some of the funding coming from the Government and Norfolk County Council's Bus Service Improvement Plan



In Great Yarmouth there will be increased evening and Sunday frequencies on the 1/1A between Great Yarmouth and Martham with amendments to service 8 which will no longer extend evening journeys to Martham . There will also be improvements on the 7 between Great Yarmouth and Norwich with buses running every two hours during the day Monday to Saturday plus additional evening journeys.

Over the border in Suffolk, First is introducing a new 107 Monday to Saturday service between Gunton St Peter and Lowestoft town centre in partnership with Suffolk County Council. There will also be a revised timetable on the X2/X21/X22 Lowestoft - Norwich corridor to improve punctuality with evening service improvements

Further information can be found on the First Bus website here. My thanks to Mark Cockrell for bringing this information to my attention.

Roy

First Essex Transfers

Noted on the Bus Times website earlier today is the transfer of two Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TLs from First Essex to First Eastern Counties. They are 37134/6 SN57 HDJ/HCU with Lime Urban Fronts and were previously based at Colchester. No doubt some photos will appear soon.

Roy.

Sanders Soccer Specials

With Norwich City Football Club playing a home match earlier today against Bristol City, Dan High was providing his support to the canaries.



Sanders Coaches provides a number of home match buses for supporters and Dan got photos of some of them including MCV EvoSeti bodied Volvo B8L 128 PC23 SAN on the NC2 to and from Fakenham.



His second photo shows Volvo B7R /Plaxton Leopard 910 PD 24NAN employed on the NC4 route from Diss.



On the NC1 working from Holt was Scania N270UD OmniDekka 134 W26 SCL



Finally, another Scania, this time a N94UD version, 113 YN54 AFU attended from North Walsham with the NC11.

Thanks for the photos Dan. As for the result, Norwich lost and dropped to 20th in the table, just one point from the relegation zone!

Roy

Another Ipswich Enviro300 Moves To Essex

Another First Ipswich Park and Ride branded ADL/ Transbus Enviro300 has recently transferred to First Essex. 67776 SN62 AXU was photographed leaving Chelmsford market today on the c1 to Broomfield Hospital by Dale Bell



My thanks to Dale for the photo.

Roy

Beach Coach Station Duo

Yesterday afternoon I was passing Great Yarmouth’s Beach Coach Station and observed two coaches present



My photo shows Skills Coaches’ VDL Futura SIL 9543 parked next to Alfa Travel’s Mercedes-Benz Tourismo A135 BV22 WTR beneath a rainbow.

Roy

Norwich On Tuesday

Regular contributor Dan High continues to provides photos of activity in Norwich's Castle Meadow and these are from yesterday morning.



The first features First Eastern Counties Volvo B9 36179 BD11 CDY on the excel A route to Peterborough covering for a shortage of Scania 250UD / ADL Enviro400s



The second shows Flagfinders' (Transport Made Simple) ADL Enviro200 MX12 DZE on the Simonds' PR3 Postwick Park & Ride route at Castle Meadow. Dan took a ride on it and wasn't too impressed with its performance!

Thanks for the photos Dan

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 15th October 2025

Today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report contains a large number of entries concerning local services.

First Eastern Counties has introduced two new school and college services which started on 31st August 2025. They are the 963 between Turban Centre in Woodbridge and the Thomas Hills High School at Framlingham plus the 980 from Ellough Road in Beccles to the East Norfolk Sixth Form College in Gorleston. They both run on Mondays to Fridays when the school and college are open.
The operator is also varying the routes and timetables of the 40/ 40A/ X4 / 41A /41 and 941 between Norwich and Bungay plus the 982 from Beccles Road, Lowestoft to the East Norfolk Sixth Form College in Gorleston from the same date.

BorderBus has amended the timetable of two of its services; the 146 between Southwold and Kessingland and its continuation to Norwich. It has altered the route and timetable of the 524 between Southwold and Beccles. All changes took effect from 1st September 2025

Sanders Coaches has amended the timetable of its 34 service from North Walsham Travel Hub to the former railway station site in Stalham from the same date.

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

Roy

Norwich On Monday

Dan High has provided some photos of activity in Norwich's Castle Meadow yesterday and here's a couple of them



First Ultraviolet Wright StreetDeck 35676 MF22 SYH was pretending to be Turquoise on the X13 Attleborough to Norwich railway station



Also passing was Completely Coach Travel's Jonckheere bodied Volvo B12BT S28 CCT. It was new to First Aircoach of Dublin as 08-D-70461 in 2008.

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Wightrider ~ Local Representation

In addition to the former Great Yarmouth AEC Swift, 'Reg Vardy' reminds me there were other participants from our local area at the Wightrider event on the Isle Wight this past weekend.



His first photo shows the VR190 Group's Eastern Coach Works bodied Bristol VR VPW 85S in Eastern Counties colours.



Next is Chambers of Bures' Leyland Olympian/ Alexander RL double decker G864 XDX. - new in November 1989.



The last picture is of Smith's (Peelings) Plaxton Supreme bodied Volvo B10M with the March 1992 registration of FAH 275Y. (See Comment below)

My thanks to 'Reg' for the photos.

Roy

Wightrider

This weekend witnessed the Wightrider Bus Weekend held on the Isle of Wight with former Great Yarmouth AEC Swift 85 WEX 685M flying the flag for the Norfolk town.



Some sixty vehicles took part with Joe Wilson taking some photos for us including that of Northern Counties bodied Scania K846 LMK. New to London Buses in August 1992, it wears Redfern Travel (Johnsons Brothers Tours) colours.



Next up is ex London Travel Alexander Dennis Enviro200 LK08 LKD. Entered by the Bromley Preservation Group it is presented in Metroline livery.



Our fourth photo features privately preserved South Vectis Eastern Coach Works bodied Bristol LD6G SDL 268 from 1959.



One of the eldest appearing was 1929 constructed Jersey Motor Transport Leyland PD1 SV 6107. When new it carried Jersey registration plate J 1199.



I am grateful to Joe for all the photos.

Roy

Lodging In Yarmouth

A 1956 built Duple bodied Bedford SBG was observed in Great Yarmouth around lunchtime today. It was Lodge of High Easter's MJB 481. It paid a visit o the town in October last year and was probably heading to the seafront area of the town.

My thanks to Jamie Skinner who managed to get a quick photo of it travelling eastwards on St Nicholas Road.

Roy

Coastlinks In Essex

Mark Doggett provides an update on the three ex First Eastern Counties Coastlinks branded ADL Enviro400s recently transferred to First Essex. He provides a photo of 33811 YX63 LJY in ultraviolet at Braintree yesterday on the 170 from Chelmsford.



He also called in at the Westway garage in Chelmsford and sighted 33806 YX63 LJL, still in Coastlinks colours, and 33805 YX63 LJK in the new livery but yet to enter service.

Again my thanks to Mark for the information and photo.

Roy

Ensign Visit

Mark Doggett's recent visit to Ensign's premises at Purfleet revealed two First Eastern Counties Coastal Reds liveried Wright bodied Volvo B7TLs still present almost eighteen months since their withdrawal.



They were 37044 YJ06 XLU and 37154 YN06 URH with ex Coastal Clipper open top 37000 LX53 AYY (later CRZ 366) also present.



My thanks to Mark for the information and photos.

Roy

Norwich Activity

Regular contributor Dan High was out and about in Norwich earlier today and here's a selection of the photos supplied



Recently repainted Sanders Scania K30UB Omnilink 325 YT11 LPN was recorded on Castle Meadow on the 45 heading for Holt.



Konectbus ADL Enviro200 247 YX62 OTY was noted westbound on the same road with the 5B service.



At the Bus Station was First Eastern Counties Wright StreetDeck 35141 SN65 OMJ on the X2 destined for Lowestoft.

My thanks to Dan for the regular supply of photos.

Roy

Sanders' Exiles At Great Dunmow

During the summer of last year, Don's of Dunmow acquired a trio of East Lancs bodied Scania N230UDs from Sanders Coaches. Mark Doggett recently called in at their Great Dunmow premises and found all three present with one of them still in Sanders' colours.



BIG 9807, previously PN09 ELJ when with Sanders, had obtained Don's Coaches livery of white and blue.



The second sighting was of BIG 9895, formerly registered PN09 EMJ, still retaining its Sanders' colours.



The third was BIG 9861 which was the first to receive its white and blue repaint and was PN09 ENJ when with the Norfolk operator.

My thanks to Mark for the photos.

Roy

MOT Day

A couple of photos showing buses in LG Perfects yard in Great Yarmouth awaiting attention this morning. The larger of the two was First Eastern Counties Volvo B9 BN12 JYK awaiting its MOT.



The other vehicle present was Our Bus Mercedes-Benz Sprinter EVM Cityline RV68 YNZ, previously with Stuarts of Carluke in Scotland.



My thanks to First for the photos.

Roy

Ipswich Transfers

Mark Doggett visited Ipswich yesterday to get photos of the three recent Wright StreetLite arrivals from First Essex. He managed to get two of them in service with the third absent having broken down.



Those he managed to track down were Olympia liveried 63331 SK65 PXN and red 47669 SN15 ACV. They were both being employed on 800 Park and Ride duties.



Fortunately he had taken a picture of the third, 63329 SK65 PXL, in Basildon a few weeks before its transfer to Ipswich.

My thanks to Mark for the information and photos.

Roy

Sanders Heritage Scania

Sanders have revealed another vehicle in one of their classic liveries. Scania K30UB Omnilink YT11LPN was revealed on Tuesday in Sanders Services colours and was noted in use this morning.

 

Stephen Purkiss caught up with her this morning in Fakenham Market Place operating the 29A service to Easton College.

 

The bus has gained fleet number 325 and it is its first day in use after arriving at Sanders in September.

Above is the one of Sanders former vehicles carrying the livery taken by myself in Castle Meadow.

Many Thanks as always to Stephen for use of his latest photos.

Grahame.