Another B9 Goes

A further withdrawal to report is First Great Yarmouth's Volvo B9TL 37578 AU58 EDJ. The Wright Eclipse Gemini is now parked up at Lowestoft.

My thanks to Steve N for the report and to Grahame for his photo

Roy

City Centre Activity

Following our recently reported demise of First Great Yarmouth's Volvo B9TL 37565 AU58 ECD, it subsequently turned up in Norwich working a number of city services. So its not the complete end of its use just yet! Dan High saw it in Norwich's Castle Meadow this morning.

Grahame recently exclusively reported the application of a special Pride livery for a First Norwich double-decker. Dan also got a photo of the Wright StreetDeck Electroliner, 36574 BK73 AKF, earlier today.

Visiting was Ipswich-based G12 CCC from the Three C's Travel fleet. The Jonckheere bodied Volvo B11B was previously registered RL15 RSL.

My thanks to Dan for his photos.

Roy

Local Coach Visitors

With some time to spare during yesterday afternoon, I decided to tour round the usual haunts in Great Yarmouth to see what touring coaches were lurking about in the holiday area and at the coach station.

A visit to the latter provided three coaches with the first being KM Travel's Yutong TC12 YG18 CWM.

In the middle of the trio was Shrewsbury-based Ministerley Motors' Scania K410EB4 YT19 EBU..

The final vehicle was Llew Jones Coaches' Mercedes-Benz Tourismo LJI 4670 in Shearings.com livery visiting the Norfolk Broads and Sandringham.

Afterwards driving along North Drive and saw a white coach heading towards me in the far distance. Quickly stopping and getting out of the car I caught Caledonian Travel's Mercedes-Benz Tourismo NH18 GGH heading back to its hotel.

Returning home via Jellicoe Road and Caister Road there was a coach at the Londis Petrol Filling Station on the west side of the road which was identified as Dartline's Irizar i6 YT20 ERZ.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 17th June 2026

The latest East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report contains no entries regarding any relevant changes to local bus services. The full Report can be viewed here soon

Roy

Electroliner Arrivals

Three of First Great Yarmouth’s new Wright StreetDeck Electroliners were at Norwich’s Roundtree Way depot this morning. 

One of them, 36697 BF26 ZVK, has subsequently arrived at Great Yarmouth’s Caister Road depot but is pictured at the aforementioned site.

The other two present at Norwich were 36693 BF26 ZVE and 36698 BF26 ZVL which will no doubt find their way to the coast in due course!

My thanks to Steve N for the information and photos.

Roy

Lowestoft Look In

I was on my way to Lowestoft this afternoon and looked in at the First Eastern Counties depot at Gasworks Road in the hope of viewing any of the Specialist Transport Solution buses based there for Sizewell C work.

I was rewarded with the view of two ADL Enviro400 MMCs with the first SN75 YWD being 34496 in the First numbering scheme. Unfortunately the one behind could not be identified.

Also present, poking out of the depot, was former First Glasgow Volvo B9TL 37542 MXZ 3342.

Roy

Coach Services' Departures

Regular contributor Jdraves1 reports the withdrawal of BJ60 BYX, a 2010 Volvo B7RLE Wright Eclipse 2. Unfortunately it was written off on Monday (June 8th) in an accident on the 357 route but what's unlucky is that it had newly painted panels 2 weeks prior.

Also previously unmentioned here is another withdrawal in the form of HF05 HXG, a 2005 Volvo B7RLE Wright Eclipse Urban back in December. It was new to Wilts & Dorset in May of that year.

Many thanks to Jdraves1 for his report and photos.

Roy

Norwich Pride In Ipswich

Continuing the Pride theme, Colin Sharman tells us that Norwich Pride liveried Volvo B7RLE saloon 69543 BF12 KWG has been operating from Ipswich since Monday of last week.

Last week on the Wednesday to Friday (3rd to 5th June) it ran empty at around 09.00 or so (presumably from Suffolk One) under Ancaster Road railway bridge and then later worked the Stowmarket 87 town service. It is seen here operating a Sprowston service in Norwich.

Many thanks for your report Colin.

Roy

New Pride Bus For Norwich

Details are slowly emerging of another special Pride liveried vehicle for First Norwich. We can exclusively reveal the vehicle being used is Electroliner 36574 BK73AKF.

The full reveal will take place soon, it will join another vehicle in Norwich 69543 BF12KWG which also carries a livery dedicated to Norwich Pride.

Many thanks to Zak at First for the information and photos.

Grahame. 

MetroDecker in Norwich

An unusual appearance in Norwich's Castle Meadow earlier today was this Central Connect branded red and blue Optare MetroDecker..

Listed on Bus Times as being with the Simonds fleet, T21 GAL has fleet number 501 and was previously registered YJ21 FDD. It was part of a cancelled order for Reading Buses in June 2021 and was later with Centaur Travel of Crayford.

My thanks to Dan High for the photo which shows it about to leave on the 82 service to Roydon.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 10th June 2026

This week's East of England Traffic Commissioner’s Notices and Proceedings Report includes just the one retrospective entry of relevance to the local area.

First Eastern Counties had ceased operating its 983 Repps Road, Martham to East Norfolk Sixth College, Gorleston service from 3rd October 2025. 

The full report can be viewed here soon on the Government’s website.

Roy

Ex First Ipswich Repaint

During mid January an Ipswich Park and Ride liveried ADL/TransBus Enviro300 migrated south to First Essex. This morning 67774 SN62 AXK was observed in Chelmsford Bus Station in the latest Ultraviolet colour scheme. 

My thanks to Dale Bell for the information and photo. He had earlier provided a photo of it being employed in Chelmsford in the Park & Ride livery for my post of  2nd February 2026, which can be viewed by clicking here.

Roy

Dan Visits Great Yarmouth

Regular contributor Dan High swapped his usual Norwich location for Great Yarmouth today and took up residence at Market Gates Bus Station to view some of the new Electroliners.

He did get a photo of one them during his short visit, in the form 36689 BF26 ZVA, heading for Caister on the 8s.

My thanks to Dan for the photo.

Roy

Another Withdrawal

With the gradual entry into service of the new Wright StreetDeck Electroliners the Volvo B9TL/ Wright Eclipse Geminis are beginning to be withdrawn from service.

We have already reported the demise of 37579 AU58 EDK but another, 37565 AU58 ECD, was condemned over the weekend. It is seen here on Lowestoft Road in Gorleston returning with the Coastal Clipper 1 service from Lowestoft in February 2023.

Roy

Simonds Activity

Dan High witnessed some double decker activity by Diss-based Simonds in the central area of Norwich yesterday.

Their Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL SN56 AGV was noted travelling eastbound on Castle Meadow on a Postwick Park and Ride service

Soon after another Simonds double decker passed in the same direction with ADL Enviro400 MMC 512  YY74 OBU displaying Hartismere EE315 as its destination! I assume it was heading for Great Yarmouth to operate a workers contract to the Cranswick Country Foods  factory as reported on the Bus Times website.

My thanks to Dan for the photos

Roy

Old & New

Great Yarmouth's Route 8 is about to be transformed into full electric operations, the new fleet slowly being introduced into service. 36695 BF26ZVH & 36689 BF26ZVA were both out in use today.

 36695 seen here in Beaconsfield Road on Driver Changeover.

 

Soon to be withdrawn from use are some of the original batch of Excel Volvo B9TL's, 37578 AU58EDJ is seen here entering Beatty Road en route to Caister.

Grahame. 

In The Pink

Pink liveried driver trainer Wright Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE 69436 WX59 BYN has appeared at First Great Yarmouth's Caister Road depot this morning.



In other news Volvo 9TL/ Wright Eclipse Gemini 37579 AU58 EDK has been withdrawn.

My thanks to Steve N for the information and photo.

Roy

The Wright Way

Observed by Dan High in Norwich City Centre yesterday was PTS Group's (Wrights Coaches) Plaxton Elite bodied Volvo B11R W28 PTS.

The 57 seater was acquired from Shaw of Cornforth as SA17 ELE in November last year. It also saw use as Park of Hamilton's LSK 878.

My thanks to Dan for the photo.

Roy

First Electroliner In Service

The first electric bus in service at Great Yarmouth is 36695 BF26 ZVH on the 8 to the James Paget Hospital.

The photo shows the Wright StreetDeck Electroliner at the Magdalen Square bus stop in Gorleston on the way to the hospital.

I hoped to get a photo of it on Church Lane returning to Great Yarmouth and I quickly took this - thinking it was 36695, but found it to be another one! It was 36690 BF26 ZVB on driver training duties with 36695 following soon after.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 3rd June 2026

Today's East of England Traffic Commissioner’s Notices and Proceedings Report includes changes to Sanders Coaches' operating centres.

It has removed the use of Completely Coach Hire's premises at 56 Old Cattle Market on Hall Road in Norwich and replaced it with a new centre at Unit 49 White Lodge Trading Estate in the City for twenty vehicles. A new operating centre has also been registered at a storage site on Cornish Way Business Park in North Walsham also for twenty vehicles.

The full report can be viewed here soon on the Government’s website.

Roy

Welsh Visitor

On a run along Great Yarmouth's seafront this afternoon I observed a coach parked at the Palm Court Hotel on North Drive.

It was Scania K410EB6 /Higer BX69 BTX from the Brent Thomas fleet of Tonypandy, which took some time in confirming details as it was originally registered as YN69 XXT.

Roy

Open Topper Update

The latest from First Great Yarmouth is that ex First Kernow partial open topper 37796 LK59 CXO has left the depot for a repaint following repair.

It was new to First London before being acquired by Metroline. It then passed to Ensign before ending up with First Kernow running the Land's End Coaster service as an open topper.

Photo courtesy of Southern England Bus Scene.

Roy

Norwich Today

A couple of photos from Dan High who was stationed on Castle Meadow in Norwich earlier today.

The first is of First Eastern Counties Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 36174 BD11 CFY which recently returned from Cornwall after leaving Norwich in July 2024. It's about head off to Sprowston on the Pink Line 11A service and there is nothing remotely pink about it!

Also observed was Simonds Irizar i6s coach YT26 AFK which looked to be on a private charter. It was new to the operator in early May.

My thanks to Dan for his photos.

Roy

Electroliner Arrivals

Another of First Great Yarmouth’s new Wright StreetDeck Electroliners arrived at Caister Road just before lunchtime today.

It was 36695 BF26 ZVH which is seen inside the depot in Steve N’s photo soon after arrival. 

He later got a photo of this afternoon’s arrival 36691 BF26 ZVC

Thanks for the information and photos Steve.

Roy

Lynx Changes

West Norfolk independent operator Lynx Bus has published changes to some of its services which are to take effect from Monday 1st June 2026.

They include the following routes:-
Service 33 Kings Lynn to Hunstanton - improved frequency with buses operating every two hours
Service 33A Hunstanton Town Circular - new service
Service 33B Hunstanton Town Circular - new service
Services 34/35/36 Kings Lynn to Hunstanton - improved connections to the QE Hospital
Service 36 Coastliner Kings Lynn to Fakenham - revised service
Service 44 The loop - New Kings Lynn to Hardwick circular route

More details on the Lynx Website

To help provide these changes Lynx has acquired eight Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530s from Bus Vanin on the Isle of Man. They are to receive fleet numbers 1 - 8  and are as follows:-

1) KMN-210-L 2) KMN-214-U 3) KMN-215-U     not yet arrived 4) KMN-218-U     now FX12 MUB 5) KMN-219-U     not yet arrived 6) LMN-225-D     not yet arrived 7) LMN-229-H

8) LMN-230-H     away for repaint

No's 2 and 4 have already received the Lynx red colour scheme with the latter to be branded for the new Loop service.

Making way for them will be the withdrawal of nine older OptareTempos:-

3 - YJ55BKG    7 - YJ56WVA    11 - YJ07VSK    12 - YJ07VSL    13 - YJ07VSM 14 - YJ07VSN 15 - FD54JYA    19 - FD54JYF    30 - MX05ELH

In other news DAF DB250 Gemini 57 - LJ04LEU has been withdrawn for scrap with two new E400 MMCs (68 and 69) expected soon for Coastliner.

I am very grateful to Sam Larke for his help in preparing this report and to 'Reg Vardy' for his photo of four of the new arrivals.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 27th May 2026

Today's East of England Traffic Commissioner’s Notices and Proceedings Report includes changes to BorderBus services in connection with the Latitude Festival at Henham Park in Suffolk.

LAT1 Halesworth to Latitude Festival - amended timetable effective 21st July 2026.
LAT2 Halesworth to Latitude Festival - amended timetable effective 24th July 2026.
LAT3 Latitude Festival to Southwold - amended timetable effective 24th July 2026.
LAT4 Kessingland to Latitude Festival - amended route and timetable effective 24th July 2026.
LAT5 Tesco, Beccles to Latitude Festival - amended timetable effective 24th July 2026.

The full report can be viewed here soon on the Government’s website.

Roy

Grim Reaper Visits

The grim reaper called into First Great Yarmouth's Caister Road depot early this morning in the form of a Trevor Wigley tow truck.

Making its final journey to the scrapyard was Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 37139 SN57 HCY.

My thanks to Steve N for the information and photos.

Roy

Emergency Rail Replacement

With Reedham Swing Bridge braking down but remaining open to river traffic, Anglia Railways quickly arranged rail replacement services between Lowestoft and Norwich at short notice earlier today.

Lowestoft- based Angies Tours (P J Overy) immediately stepped into the breach by providing at least two coaches. The 14:17 departure was provided by Scania K410EB6/Caetano Levante BV17 GOU which was new to De Courcey of Coventry in March 2017.

The second coach observed was Neoplan Tourliner Y24 TEY, thought to be the 15:48 rail replacement. Its registration recognises Angies' associated Colchester-based business Teys Tours.

My thanks to Tim Miller for the report and photos.

Roy

New Flixbus Service

David Slater reports that a new Flixbus service started today with the 950 from Heathrow Airport to Norwich. 

The first northbound trip (06:00 from Heathrow) was worked by Cozy Travel of Sandy's OU23 CYM which was seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills. It is a Neoplan Tourliner that had been new to Whippet Coaches in July 2023 and still carries Whippet fleet number FX44. After Whippet Coaches ended their four year Flixbus contract Cozy’s apparently took on the lease of the six former Whippet Neoplan coaches.

Departing Heathrow (Central) at 0600 this trip travels via Luton Airport Parkway (0650-0655); Cambridge (Parkside) (0810-0820); and Thetford (0920-0925) arriving Norwich (Bus Station) at 1015. he full service has six daily trips each way although not all serve Cambridge Trumpington Park and Ride (TP&R) and Norwich (University of East Anglia).

Departures from Norwich are:

0025 arriving Heathrow 0430

0200 arriving Heathrow 0610

0335 arriving Heathrow 0800

1100 arriving Heathrow 1530 (omits UEA and TP&R)

1250 arriving Heathrow 1720 (omits UEA and TP&R)

1500 arriving Heathrow 1920 (omits UEA)

 

Departures from Heathrow are:

0600 arriving Norwich 1015 (omits TP&R and UEA)

0740 arriving Norwich 1215

0940 arriving Norwich 1405 (omits UEA)

1740 arriving Norwich 2210 (omits TP&R and UEA)

1910 arriving Norwich 2330

2120 arriving Norwich 0140

The service is operated by Transport Made Simple/ Central Connect from their Diss depot with the the Neoplans currently on loan to them until new vehicles arrive.

I am grateful to David for the information and photos.

Roy

Swaffham Observations

Earlier today regular contributor Dan High decided to observe bus activity in Harry Hill’s favourite Norfolk town of Swaffham.

First Eastern Counties Scania N250UD / ADL Enviro400 City 36910  YN69 XZP was being employed on the B excel service to Kings Lynn, Wisbech and Peterborough.

Seen at the bus stop was Konectbus ADL Enviro400 622 SN65 OAA destined for Dereham on the 11 route.

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Sanders Acquires Semmence

Sanders Coaches have announced their acquisition of H Semmence & Company of Wymondham. The takeover means that additional operational coaches join the fleet together with the majority of the Semmence staff.

Sanders Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B8R CE24SAN outside their Bessemer Road depot
(Photo: Nick Farrow)

All existing Semmence operations will be moved to Sanders recently built Bessemer Road depot in Norwich. All contracts and private charters are to continue as normal and will be completed by a mixture of vehicles acquired from Semmence together with some of Sanders own fleet.

Optare Solo YK04 KVU, when with Ambassador Travel, has been acquired by Sanders

Fleet wise the following become part of the Sanders fleet although not all will be operational:-

YO54 DRX	Dennis Javelin
KIG 8457	Volvo Sunsundegui
KIG 8426	Jonckheere Mistral
JL09 RSL	Plaxton Panther
YN06 RVE	Volvo
BF63 ZSK	Volvo B9 Caetano
BF63 ZSL	Volvo B9 Caetano
EHZ 5362	Volvo B9 Caetano
FJ09 DXC	Scania Caetano
Y176 KCS	Jonckheere Mistral
KIG 7738	Volvo Sunsundegui
KIG 1890	Jonckheere Mistral
PN06 TVP	Iveco
YK04 KVU	Optare Solo
AU02 VXY	Volvo

Volvos BF63 ZSK and KIG 7738 when they were both operated by Ambassador Travel

As part of the takeover Norfolk County Council school bus routes and local bus services will be operated by Sanders Coaches with effect from Sunday 24th May 2026.

My thanks to Kieran Smith at Sanders for his help with the preparation of this post.

Roy

Not Another One!

Another of First Great Yarmouth's Wright StreetDeck Electroliners has arrived at Norwich's Roundtree Way depot.



The latest is 36696 BF26 ZVJ which is seen here in a photo provided by Steve N. Thanks Steve.

Roy

Blue Wednesday

There appeared to be a predominance of blue in the photos sent by Dan High regarding Norwich activity yesterday.



Simonds branded Volvo B7TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini SN55 AGV was employed on the PR3 Postwick Park & Ride.



Seen at the same location is First Eastern Counties Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini BD11 CFY. It had recently returned from a stint with First Kernow and was acting as a staff bus.



The third photo features First Eastern Counties open topper 33427 LK58 KHL, another former First Kernow bus.

A fourth blue bus is Konectbus ADL Enviro200 YY64 TXP is shown here with fleet number 785 which seems to indicate the fleet is/has received a re-numbering.

My thanks to Dan for the photos

Roy