Versa on Konectbus 8/8A

Following yesterday's report on the unusual use of a saloon on the normally double deck worked Konectbus 8/8A route, between Norwich Railway Station and Dereham/ Toftwood, a similar occurrence happened this morning!



Dan High witnessed Optare Versa 305 YJ60 KGU on the route at Norwich's Castle Meadow. The Versa was new to Anglianbus in September 2010 and was a frequent visitor to the Great Yarmouth/ Lowestoft area.

My thanks to Dan for the report and photo.

Roy

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 illustrated in this post as they have already featured on the blog in previous 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

First Norwich Gemini to receive new livery

 Norwich based Volvo B9TL 36180 BD11CDZ is the first of its type to gain the new corporate livery

Thanks to Sheldon at First for the photo.

Grahame.

Three Days in Dereham

Chad Lovick provides photos of First Eastern Counties' bus activity on three consecutive days in Dereham this week.



The first shows Volvo B9 36183 BN12 JYF in heritage livery running through the town on Tuesday whilst working the Excel D service.



On Wednesday he saw similar, but Charcoal Line branded, 36182 BF12 KXV also on the same route arriving in Dereham. It subsequently travelled further the following day on the Excel B to Peterborough. (I’ve been  corrected in that apparently it didn’t venture further than Dereham - see comment below!)



My thanks to Chad for his photos

Roy

J&M Preservations Latest Addition

J&M Preservations has announced the latest addition to its collection and (naturally) its a Dennis Dart!



It is an East Lancs-bodied version registered M454 LLJ, which has been safely recovered to group's Suffolk premises by Manchetts Recovery and are grateful for their expert help in getting the vehicle delivered.

New in the mid-90s, M454 LLJ was previously with Vale Travel of Aylesbury and before that was a former Yellow Buses vehicle, sporting its distinctive East Lancs EL2000 bodywork. Over the years, it’s seen a wide variety of use; from busy public routes leading towards its retirement as a spare support bus. Tired but not forgotten, it’s managed to survive the scrapyard and is now ready for a new chapter.

Follow its future progress on the J&M Preservations Facebook page. I'm grateful to Mason Lee for the information and photos

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 28th May 2025

There are a few changes to local bus services listed in today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report.

BorderBus has amended the route, start and finish point, stopping places and timetable of its Bungay to Great Yarmouth 580 service from 17th May 2025

Sanders Coaches has altered the route, stopping places and timetable of its X55/55B services between North Walsham Post Office and Norwich city centre from 18th May 2025. On the same day it changed the timetable of its 54 route between North Walsham and Norwich Bus Station

The full report is now available to view here.

Roy

Latest Loans

Grahame provides a quick update from Great Yarmouth's Caister Road depot which includes the loan of a couple of deckers from Norwich.

They are Wright StreetDeck Ultroliner 35141 SN65 OMJ and Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 36268 BG12 YKA. He suggests one could be cover for 36198 BN12 WNY, which caught fire last week and featured prominently in local media.

My thanks to Grahame for the update

Roy

Beach Coach Station ~ Sunday Evening

Yesterday evening I called in at Great Yarmouth's Beach Coach Station on the way home after dining out.



I discovered four coaches present with all of them being Mercedes-Benz Tourismos and two of them from the same fleet. The twosome were Alfa Travel's A159 BV25 LZO and A135 BV22 WTR; the latter a regular visitor to the resort



Green Line Holiday's GH19 GLC was parked next to them with Worcester-based Elgar Coach Holidays' EC15 PTC parked away from the others.



Roy

Hello Old Friend!

Regular contributor Dan High is spending some time in South Wales and earlier today he crossed paths with an old friend.



He observed First Cymru's Volvo B7TL/Wright Gemini 37057 YJ06 XMH which had been previously based in Great Yarmouth for use on Coastal Clipper services. It was now being employed on the Tenby Coaster service along with another ex Caister Road vehicle 37059 YJ06 XML. They had respectively moved to South Wales in March and February of last year replacing two Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TLs on the route

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Jeff Buckle RIP

Earlier this week, I learnt the sad news that local coach company great, Jeff Buckle, had passed away after suffering a period of illness.



Jeff was the former owner of Great Yarmouth coach business Caroline Seagull Coaches which closed on 31st of March 2008. At the time the company had relocated to South Denes and I visited a month or so later when I observed at least thirteen coaches still on site.



I later met Jeff on the eve of the Reynolds Coaches Retirement Auction at their Ormesby Road garage in Caister during early August 2018. I remember him talking about the merits (and mostly otherwise!) of the Mercedes-Benz Tourismo.

He subsequently established a two vehicle Reynolds of Caister business to operate school runs from the same premises. Our thoughts are with the family and wide circle of friends at this sad time - rest in peace Jeff.

Roy

Two Queens At Quorn

Nigel has been in touch regarding a visit he made last weekend to the Great Central Railway.



'The Heritage Bus Rally at Quorn & Woodhouse station held last Saturday included two vastly different double-deckers with local connections. Bristol G-type VG 5541 was new as Norwich Electric Tramways 43 in 1933 and became Eastern Counties LG4 (later HLG4/HLG496) in 1935, remaining in the fleet until 1960 thanks to being converted to open-top ten years previously.



Meanwhile W219 XBD was making its first appearance after restoration and repaint into original condition as Leicester City Bus 219. This was previously in Great Yarmouth Transport livery as First Eastern Counties 32059 with both repaints being performed by Darren Sentance of DS Coachworks in Sheffield ten years apart!'

I'm grateful to Nigel for the detailed report and photos. It's good to see First 32059 out and about again

Roy

In Norwich Today

Dan High has provided some photos of bus activity in Norwich this morning. His first contribution is an image of Konectbus ADL Enviro400 SN65 OAA in the new livery but with the recent addition of PRIDE embellishments.



He was also in the right place at the right time to snap the new First Eastern Counties Norwich Sightseer partial open topper ADL Enviro400 LK58 KHL stretching its legs on Rampant Horse Street.

Its appearance in the city was due to the open topper being out on route learning duties. 

My thanks to Dan for the photos

Roy

Norwich Sightseer Revealed

Following our report that the Norwich Sightseer open top service is to begin this Saturday 24th May (Norwich Sightseer - 16th May 2025), Zak Nelson has forwarded this image of ADL Enviro400 33427 LK58 KHL resplendent in its new livery.

Buses will run every hour from 10:00 to 16:00, seven days a week from 24th May to 20th September 2025 with the timetable available for download here

We are grateful to Zak for providing the image and very smart it looks too

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 21st May 2025

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

Roy

EATM 1960s Weekend

Last weekend the East Anglia Transport Museum held their 1960s event at Carlton Colville and Colin White attended on the Saturday.



He has sent along a few pictures with one showing First Eastern Counties Wright StreetDeck Ultroliner 35196 SK16 GVV carrying out park and ride duties



Parked up together was this former London Transport duo in the form of RM613 WLT 613 and RT1163 LYF 104. The former is a Routemaster of 1960 vintage whilst the latter is a Leyland Titan dating from 1951



Former Great Yarmouth Corporation AEC Reliance AEX 85B features in the next photo alongside another London Transport vehicle RF626 NL626, an AEC Regal IV / Metro-Cammell built in 1953.



Also present was a line up of a number of vintage cars.

My thanks to Colin for the photos

Roy

Ensign Yesterday

Mark Doggett made one of his many visits to Ensign at Purfleet yesterday and has provided a couple of pictures of his findings



His first photo features First Eastern Counties Wright StreetDeck NewPower EV 71020 MXZ 7664. New to First Bristol as 35019 SO15 CUJ, it has yet to turn a wheel service with Counties.

The second is of former First Eastern Counties MX58 DXZ which has now been converted to open top and painted as a Butterscotch Breezer for Ensign's Southend seafront service.

My thanks to Mark for the information and photos.

Roy