Lowestoft Today

Regular contributor Dan High spent some time in Lowestoft earlier today and saw two Former Great Yarmouth Wright StreetLites on Lowestoft Town services on Gordon Road next to the bus station.

The first photo features 47502 SN64 CPV which had just arrived on a 102 service from Oulton Village

A second Streetlite, 47501 SN64 CPU, appeared on a 106 working from Burnt Hill. It had only transferred to Lowestoft from Great Yarmouth during the middle of last week.

Another bus recently transferred in was Wright Eclipse bodied Volvo B9TL 36266 BG12 YJY still in its Norwich Yellow Line livery.

On Dan's return to Norwich he caught up with Central Connect's Optare MetroDecker CT21 GAL on Castle Meadow. Formerly registered as YJ21 FDD, it was employed on the Harford PR2 Park & Ride service.

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Electric One's

Sunday services on the Lowestoft to Martham 1/1A services have always thrown up the odd allocation over the years but these days Yarmouth's new fleet of Electroliners appear to be becoming the norm for the moment.

 

36694 BF26ZVG is pictured at the top of West Road heading for Lowestoft, scene of the recent accident involving 36286 which is now withdrawn after putting itself into the side of the property in the picture.

 Coming the other way is 36692 BF26ZVD about to head towards Hemsby bound for Martham.

Grahame 

Another Yarmouth Arrival

 Driving past Caister Road Depot this morning where another arrival from Norwich has appeared.

 

36175 BD11CFZ was on the forecourt, sadly no photo as most of the Sunday shift drivers were busy chatting in front of it! She is pictured above on Prince of Wales Road in Norwich back in 2017.

Grahame. 

Sheffield Reds

Former Great Yarmouth based 36283 LX59DAU recently became a member of the SMT Bus and Coach Ltd fleet based in Sheffield.

 

Seen here still in its Coastal Reds livery, now numbered 283 with SMT it joins a few other former First vehicles within their growing fleet. It came to Sheffield via Leeds where it was on loan at First Leeds before being sold on.

Thank you to Chris Gaskin for the use of his photo.

Grahame. 

Withdrawn Buses

The rear yard of FirstBus Eastern Counties Caister Road depot is beginning to look like a bus graveyard. Yesterday I reported the demise of Volvo B9TL 37569 AU58 ECN and it is seen there with similar 36286 LX59 DBV which has finally been withdrawn following its argument with a house in Ormesby St Margaret.

Another Volvo to meet its end is 36193 BN12 JYT with its next journey due to be to the scrapyard.

My thanks to Steve N for the information.

Roy

Dan's Great Yarmouth/Lowestoft Trip

Dan High carried out a quick tour of Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft earlier today with two FirstBus double-deckers featuring in this post.

Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 36225 BD12 TAV is observed on Beaconsfield Road in Great Yarmouth on the 8 to the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston.

The second photo shows similar 36187 BN12 JYK on a Kessingland to Lowestoft 99 service.

My thanks to Dan for the photos

Roy

FirstBus Great Yarmouth Changes

This morning FirstBus Volvo B9TL/ Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 36200 B12 WOA was collected from Norwich and transferred to Great Yarmouth.

On the minus side another Volvo has been withdrawn with Coastal Clipper liveried 37569 AU58 ECN due to be scrapped.

My thanks to Steve N for the information.

Roy

Norwich Football Specials

As a birthday present, last night I was treated to tickets to watch the Norwich City v Southampton football match. An additional bonus was the taking of photos of buses and coaches taking supporters home from the event - twelve vehicles in total from five operators.

At the front of the queue to leave was Belle Coaches' Mercedes-Benz Tourismo LD11 HOL. It was the first of two from the operator with Scania K410EB4 BC17 BEL being the other one.

Second and third in line were Peelings' P55 FAH and P33 FAH. The former is a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo, previuosly a Shearings coach registered BF16 XPB which arrived in March this year. The latter is a Plaxton Panther 3 bodied Volvo B11R.

Downham Market-based D & H Harrod was employing Volvo B11R / Jonckheere N22 DHH, a former Lochs & Glens coach registered BU16 PBY.

SALEC Travel provided Van Hool bodied Volvo B12B YJ55 EZE for its city supporters.

Sanders Coaches provided the remaining six vehicles which included Scania N94UDs 113 YN53 CFF and 114 YN54 AFV plus Volvo B8Ls 128 PC 23 SAN and 129 EC2323 SHA. The saloons were Volvo B13RT 920 DLZ 822 (pictured) and 924 OC21 SAN.

As for the football result Norwich lost 1-0

Roy

Norwich Wednesday

Our regular reporter Dan High was in his usual position on Norwich's Castle Meadow earlier today and here is a selection of some of his sightings.

Thought to be on its first day in service, FirstBus Eastern Counties Wright StreetDeck Electroliner 36702 LX76 ZFS was observed on the 28 route to Thorpe Marriott.

Jubilee Coaches' green Dennis Javelin/Plaxton Profile YU05 ZHT was noted outside the entrance to the Castle Mall Shopping Centre.

Later seen in the same location was Bakers Dolphin Gold Service branded Irizar i8 BD24 GLD.

On Theatre Street in the city was Central Connects' Yutong GT12 YK25 OMG on Flixbus duty with the 007 service from London.

Our final photo is of Norwich-based ICT Coaches' Mercedes-Benz Tourismo BV26 HUZ on University Drive.

Our thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 14th October 2026

Today’s East of England Traffic Commissioner’s Notice and Proceedings Report contains no entries affecting our local bus services. 

However, of particular interest is that FirstBus Eastern Counties has amended the routes and timetables of its excel services from 13th September 2026

The full Report can be viewed here soon

Roy

FirstBus Update

The latest from First is that two Volvo B9TLs have been withdrawn. They are Great Yarmouth's 37564 AU58ECC and Lowestoft's 37532 MXZ 3342. The latter is parked up at Norwich

Similar 36174 BD11 CFY and 36225 BD12 TAV have moved down the coast from Great Yarmouth to Lowestoft.

My thanks to Steve N for the information.

Roy

Norwich Today

Three photos from Dan High's photos taken today in Norwich include Central Connect's Mercedes-Benz Sprinter / EVM Cityline 228 RX25 TCJ on the 50 service from Mousehold Heath to the City Centre.

Passing through Castle Meadow was Marett's Chariots' BMC 850 VF62 GAA. It began life with Welsh’s Coaches of Upton, Pontefract in September 2012 with the registration 1308 RW.

The final photo is of one of FirstBus new Wright StreetDeck Electroliners 36701 LX76 ZFP travelling on Red Lion Street on the 26 to the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital with Norwich Castle in the back ground.

Thanks Dan.

Roy

Charcoal Line Improvements

People in the Bungay and Halesworth area have been fighting the withdrawal of the daytime X41 FirstBus service to Norwich with much of the Charcoal line route being reduced to an hourly service. There were reports that it was having a ‘significant practical impact on daily life’ with overcrowding, longer journeys, missed appointments and difficulties accessing work, education and healthcare.

The introduction of a revised service from 1st November follows sustained pressure from Bungay Town Council and Bungay Traffic Forum. The operator has acknowledged the increased passenger numbers on the route especially by school and college students.

The November improvements can be viewed HERE and my thanks to Mark C for bringing this to my attention.

Roy

Revisited Norwich March 2011

Been a while since we had a trip back in time, today we go back 15 years to March 2011 and a visit to the city which were a lot more frequent than they are these days!

 

First up we begin with Norfolk Green Optare Tempo YJ58VCC seen here working the X29 from Fakenham, now run by First of course. This was prior to the Kings Lynn based operator passing to the Stagecoach group.

 

Next up we have Eastons Scania Omnilink YN08HXZ which was originally a demonstrator before passing to Beestons of Hadleigh prior to arriving in Norfolk. This did pass to Sanders after its stint with Eastons.

 

Konectbus were trialling Mercedes Benz Bendi Bus BX02YYW which was on loan from Brighton & Hove. They did go on to purchase some of the type but were only short lived, these being ex London examples.

 

Norse were running  Park & Ride services in the city at this time with assorted couloured Dennis Tridents and single deck Agoralines. This White example was classed as a spare vehicle and is seen at Norwich Bus Station about to head out to the airport. This example was last noted in use with Preston Bus.

Finally the main fleet of First in Norwich had a large influx of ex London vehicles. 32206 LT52WTM was part of a batch of Volvo B7TL from First London. This spent the majority of its days at Great Yarmouth after starting off at Norwich.

Hope you have enjoyed this little look back.

Grahame.

Norwich Friday

Dan High was out and about in the Norwich area yesterday and found Konectbus ADL Enviro400 635 SN65 OAU on the 5 at Rackheath on its way to the City.

When in the city he saw Sanders Coaches' Wright Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE 553 BJ11 ECW arriving with the 45 from Holt

Thanks for the photos Dan

Roy

Three Tourismos

Passing Great Yarmouth’s Beach Coach Station at lunchtime today I observed three Mercedes-Benz Tourismos.

The first was Greenline Holidays’ GC22 GLC with the others being BV20 HNC and BV19 YFH from the Alfa Holidays’ fleet.

Roy 

Dan’s Tour

Regular contributor Dan High was touring around the county earlier today taking in Dereham and Fakenham before returning to Norwich.

His first photo is of Konectbus ADL Enviro200 754 YX62 DMU at the Beech Road stop in Beetley on its way to Fakenham.

It is also observed at the latter preparing for its return journey. On the opposite side of the road are two Lynx double-deckers with ADL Enviro400 DU61 FVY taking on passengers.

Dan also got a photo of Flixbus branded Yutong GT12 YK25 OMF on his return to Norwich Bus Station. The Central Connect coach’s destination is London Victoria on the 007 service.

Finally a look in at Castle Meadow in the city and one of the new Wright StreetDeck Electroliners 36709 LX76 ZGA was preparing to leave on the 11A to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

My thanks to Dan for his photos.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 7th October 2026

There are a number of changes highlighted in today’s East of England Traffic Commissioner’s Notices and Proceedings Report.

Central Connect has introduced a new O2 Langer Road, Felixstowe to Suffolk One Sixth Form College, Ipswich service on college days only from 1st September 2026.

B R Shreeve has changed the routes, stopping places and timetables of services to the Thomas Mills Hugh School at Framlingham from 3rd September 2026. They are MILLS1 from Thorpeness Alms Houses, MILLS2 from Butchers Arms Public House in Knodshall and MILLS3 from Saxmundham Primary School. It has also commenced a new MILLS4 schools service from the Butchers Arms Public House in Knodishall to the school.

Sanders Coaches has amended the timetable of its 805 Queens Head in Earsham to Hobart High School  in Loddon from 3rd September 2026. The operator has also amended the route and timetable of its 34 North Walsham Travel Hub to Tesco lay by in Stalham from the same date.

Thompsons Coaches have been granted an increased authorisation of 14 vehicles at its operating centre at Charnwood Estate off Saxted Road in Framlingham.

The full Report can be viewed here soon

Roy

Jubilee Coach Sales Updated

Earlier today I saw that Rollesby-based Jubilee Coaches has advertised the sale of two of their vehicles on the Used Bus & Coach Trader Facebook site.

The first is Marcopolo Viaggio bodied Iveco Irisbus Eurorider L333 JCR, although I suspect the personalised number plate will be retained by the operator. It was new to Suffolk County Council in September 2007 as PN57 CTZ.

The other is Kassbohrer Setra S416GT-HD W28 JCR which was new to Spencer of Ellistown in Leicestershire in October 2011 as BF61 HCD.

Roy

BorderBus Rail Replacement

Dan Pretty took photos of two BorderBus single deckers employed on Ipswich to Stowmarket rail replacement duties yesterday.

The Beccles-based operator has rarely provided vehicles for this sort of work but supplied two MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLEs 113 BB73 BUS and 116 BB75 BUS.

I am grateful to Dan for sending in his photos.

Roy

FirstBus Update

A transfer and two withdrawals feature in this evening’s news update. The former involves the permanent move from Great Yarmouth to Lowestoft of Wright StreetLite 47512 SN64 CRZ.

Lowestoft’s 44454 YX09 HKO has been removed from active duties which mainly included use on town services.

Great Yarmouth’s Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodied Wright B9TL 36285 LX59 DBU has also met the same fete. I was fortunate in obtaining a photo of it yesterday in Gorleston High Street on its way to Lowestoft.

My thanks to Steve N for the information.

Roy

Foursome Leave Norfolk

So far unreported here is the recent disposal of four buses by Norfolk-based Our Bus. The operator, which has its office at Acle and a garage at South Burlingham, has sold the quartet to Nick Maddy Coaches of  Hereford.

All are Optare Solos with YJ62 FZD and YJ62 FZV being the M920 version while YJ59 GHX is an M950 model.

The remaining Solo, YJ59 NNL, is an M880 type and has yet to enter service with its new owner.

The information was found on the Friends of Buses and Coaches Facebook site.

Roy