Quartet On The Move

On East Yorkshire Enthusiasts Facebook Group this morning is the news that four Alexander Dennis Enviro400s had arrived on loan from Konectbus.




The quartet are Konectbus 629 SN65 OAJ, 631 SN65 OAM, 632 SN65 OAO and 633 SN65 OAP. They are still in the Norwich Park & Ride colour scheme with 632 being the first to receive East Yorkshire branding. Apparently whilst they are 'up north' the foursome are be repainted.

I am grateful to jdraves1 for his photos to illustrate this post.

Roy

Worthing Bus Changes

My daughter has sent me a couple of photos featuring Stagecoach South ADL/Transbus Enviro300 GX60 PCZ newly painted into the latest livery. It was on display on South Street in Worthing today promoting up and coming service changes in the area.



The changes are expected to take place tomorrow (Sunday) to 'provide better services and improve punctuality', so the official blurb says!. Hopefully I will be in the town towards the end of the month to sample the service for myself.

Roy

Coach Services 80

On Monday last Coach Services introduced a new 80/80A service between Thetford and Mildenhall providing an half hourly service to Brandon. jdraves1 tells me that route 80 has a school variant of the 80A which goes through Beck Row whereas the 80 avoids it.

He provides a photo of Volvo B7RLE/ Wright Eclipse Urban HF05 HXG which was spotted working the service on its first day.

Thanks again to him for providing the information and photo

Roy

Mulleys Second Arrival

Regular contributor jdraves1 reports that the second Volvo B7RLE/ MCV Evolution recently acquired by Mulleys Motorways from Simonds is now in the former's orange livery. BT13 YWE was captured on its first day in service.

My thanks to jdraves1 for the information and photo.

Roy

Ambassador Arrival (& Departure!)

Following our feature on Gapton Hall Estate (Gapton Threesome - 29th March 2025) where we featured a vehicle at Ambassador Travel, driver Phil Redman contacted us with details of a recently acquired coach.

Neoplan N2216/3SHDC Tourliner OY24 ZWZ was purchased from Reays of Wigton, having been new to them in March last year. Adorned with fleet number 258 it is intended to have Just go/ National Holidays livery applied

My thanks to Phil for the information and photo.

Just after posting this, Robert Kelly tells me that he observed one of Ambassador Travel's 22 plate National Express vehicles on a low loader on the A47 heading away from the town. He also noted that two of the National Express 19 plates have had their National Express branding removed and are now in all over white..

Roy

Exhausting Work

First Great Yarmouth reports that partial open top Volvo B9TL 37069 CRZ 622 is having work undertaken on its exhaust system at the Caister Road depot.

My thanks to First for the information and photo.

Roy

Sanders Latest Arrival

On social media Sanders Coaches has announced the arrival of the first of two more Plaxton Leopard coaches joining the fleet this year. Volvo B8R AV72 VKT is wheelchair accessible, PSVAR compliant and seats up to 72 passengers. It carries fleet number 911



The coach was previously new to Beestons Coaches as their FHJ 565 in October 2022.

My thanks to Sanders for the information and photo.

Roy

New Repowers In Service

Dan High was on duty at Norwich's Castle Meadow today when he observed Wright StreetDeck New Power EV 71025 CMZ 5293 in service.



For the record the six recently repowered vehicles, together with their previous identities, are as follows:-

71016 W6 FAL formerly 35103 SM15 WCR

71020 MXZ 7674 formerly 35109 SO15 CUJ

71022 CMZ 5332 formerly 35207 SL16 RFF

71023 XIG 1723 formerly 35200 SK16 GVZ

71024 XIG 1724 formerly 35208 SL16 RFN

71025 CMZ 5293 formerly 35113 SO15 CUW



Dan reports that 71023 XIG 1723 was also in use and is pictured in Norwich earlier today.

My thanks to Dan for his photos

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 2nd April 2025

Today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report contains details of some changes to services in our local area.

REL Felixstowe has gained approval for an operating centre at Beach Station Depot on Walton Avenue in the town for 13 vehicles. Whether this will proceed or not is open to speculation following recent developments. Felixstowe Travel Limited surrendered its operating licence on 27th March 2025 relating to the same site.

Our Hire has amended the route, stopping places and timetable of its 80 service between Wroxham and Dereham from 30th March 2025.

Konectbus has amended the route, start and finish point, stopping places and timetable of its 717 St Stephen Street, Norwich to Kingsway, Hemsby service from 31st March 2025.

The same operator has also amended the route, start and finish point, stopping places and timetable of its 5B service between Norwich Bus Station Stand A / Easton College / Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and Stalham from 30th March 2025.

Ambassador Travel is to cancel its 73C service between the Cantley Cock Public House and East Norfolk Sixth Form in Gorleston from 10th July 2025.

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

Roy

First Great Yarmouth Update

Firstly, I've been asked many times about the future of partial open topper Volvo B7 32348 LK53 LZL. It will not be returning to Norwich as its City Clipper decals are being removed at Caister Road and will remain at the seaside for this summer season.

A couple of Coastal Reds Volvo B9s are having their rear axles replaced - 36186 BN12 JYJ and 37564 AU58 ECC.

Wright StreetLite 47503 SN64 CPX requires a new engine and Volvo B9 37574 AU58 ECY is undergoing inspection in Norwich.

Regarding MOTs, open top 37067 CRZ 488 has passed while 33810 YX63 LJV and 37532 MXZ 3342 are currently having theirs carried out.

My thanks to First Great Yarmouth for the update

Roy

StreetLite Repaint

That's the first quarter of the year gone then with March being a busy month for the blog publishing more than 40 posts! We continue with the first post of this month featuring the news that one of First's Wrightbus StreetLites being repainted in the Flying Banana bus livery reminiscent of the 1990s.



Looking forward to see that operating on First Great Yarmouth routes 2 and 3 serving Bradwell, Burgh Castle and Belton.

Many thanks to Tom Green for the information and photo.

Roy

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