Great Yarmouth Electroliners On Their Way

The first of the ten Wright bodied Streetdeck Electroliners for First Great Yarmouth left the Wrightbus factory yesterday on delivery to the docks at Belfast. James Brompton’s photo shows 33689 BF26ZVA on its way.

Three others left the factory today with 36690, 36691 and 36692 also heading for the docks.

My thanks to James for the information and photo

Roy

X11 Surprise

Ashleybus contact us via X (formerly Twitter) to say that Doncaster liveried Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 36225 BD12 TAV was about to leave Norwich Bus Station on the X11 to Belton.

I caught the former First Kernow decker arriving in Gorleston about an hour later on the same working.

Ashleybus tells me that 36225 was used in Doncaster in 2022 at the depot’s open day and provides proof.

I’m grateful to Ashleybus for the information and photos. 

Roy

First Great Yarmouth Latest

The latest news from First's Caister Road Depot is that Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 36201 BN12 WOB has been withdrawn from service. The photo shows it in use in Norwich's Castle Meadow.

Meanwhile, open top Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 37065 CRZ 266 has returned to Great Yarmouth.

My thanks to Steve N for his report.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 6th May 2026

This morning's East of England Traffic Commissioner’s Notices and Proceedings Report contains a large number changes to services in the local area.

Sunbeam Coaches of Aylsham has amended the route, stopping places and timetable of its 1A service between Tuttington Church and Aylsham Market Place.
It is also amending the route, start and finish points, stopping places of its 3 service between Aylsham Market Place and Hoveton plus the 4 between Aylsham Market Place and North Walsham.
Additionally it is amending the route and timetable of its 1B route serving Aylsham Market Place.
All changes took effect from 14th April 2026.

First Eastern Counties is to amend the timetable of its 101 service between Lowestoft Bus Station, and Crestview Drive in Gunton from 24th May 2026.

Sanders Coaches is to amend the timetables of six of its routes from 24th May 2026 and they are:-
9/9A Station Approach, Sheringham to Oak Street, Fakenham
15/16/17/19/20/15A Cadogan Road Bus Stop, Cromer to Holt Market Place
34 North Walsham Travel Hub to Tesco layby, Stalham,
CH1 Cromer Bus Station to The Buttlands, Wells Next the Sea.
CH2 North Walsham Bus Hub to Cadogan Road in Cromer.
X55/55B Post Office, North Walsham to Norwich City Centre.

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

Roy

Open Toppers Return

Just in case you weren't aware (!) First Great Yarmouth open toppers were out on the road for the first day of the Coastal Clipper 1C services yesterday.



Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL 37533 CRZ 166 was outside the Britannia Pier and Joyland in the glorious sunshine.



Continuing our walk south to the Wellington Pier, we saw 37067 CRZ 488 passing the new wheel and the SeaLife Centre. It was deputising for 37069 CRZ 622 which was taken out of service due to electrical issues.



Returning to the car we caught up with 37066 CRZ 366 on North Drive passing the bowling greens.

Roy

On The 146

On Saturday Tim Miller was a passenger on the BorderBus 146 service to Norwich and its return to Southwold and Beccles.



He took a few pictures during the trip made by Scania N230UD 211 BB06 BUS with the first featuring the decker on Northgate in Beccles.



The service ran 10 minutes late as it was being held up behind a First Eastern Counties working in Kessingland and unfortunately there was nowhere on the route where the time could be made up. The next picture shows 211 on a busy St Stephen's Street in the fine city due to the opening of a new Forbidden Planet store.



A photo of the Scania in the High Street in Southwold is next where the 146 service from Norwich terminated.

It returned to Beccles not in service and is pictured at Morrisons with its next working being the Beccles Town Service.

My thanks to Tim for the report and photos.

Roy

Norwich Yesterday

Some photos taken yesterday by Dan High on Norwich's Castle Meadow feature in this post which was delayed due to a new Wi-Fi hub being installed by yours truly.



Sanders Coaches Volvo B8RLE MCV eVoRa 529 BV72 KDD passed him on the X55 to North Walsham while his bus was going under the Magdalen Street flyover.



On Castle Meadow he sighted two Mercedes-Benz Tourismos, A17 AWE and P1 AWE, from the Eastons Coaches fleet.



My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Ready For The Off

Three of  the four open toppers pictured inside First’s Caister Road depot this morning ready to go on the 1C service.

Further news from the depot is that two Volvo B9s are currently off the road - 37566 AU58 ECE with a  gearbox problem and 36287 LX59 DBY with electrical issues.

My thanks to Steve N for the information and photo.

Late News: 37069 will not now be available due to electrical issue.

Roy

Open Toppers Start Tomorrow

Just a quick heads up to let you know that four open toppers will be out on the road for the first day of the Coastal Clipper 1C services tomorrow.

They are expected to be 37066 CRZ 366, 37068 CRZ 599, 37069 CRZ 622 and 37533 CRZ 166 which have been especially hand washed for their duties. The timetable can be found here. Let’s hope the weather keeps fine and the rain stays away.

My thanks to Steve N for the information and photos.

Roy

Evening Tour

A quick tour around the Great Yarmouth area earlier this evening which involved five coaches at Beach Coach Station and two on Marine Parade



Two Mercedes-Benz Tourismos at the former were from the Alfa Holidays fleet - A155 BV25 LZK (pictured) and 120 BV20 HND.



Also present was Shearings.com branded VDL Futura FHD2 T321 BBC operated by Bluebird Coaches of Weymouth.



Next to that was Taylor's Coach Travel's Scania K410CB6 / Irizar i6s K7 TCT based in Yeovil. A notice in the windscreen suggested it was on tour of the 'Little Trains of Norfolk and the Mississippi Paddle Steamer'



At the northern end of the site was Simonds Volvo B12B TCF 496. It is assumed it was waiting time to operate a contract working.



I continued via First Great Yarmouth's Caister Road depot which had nine buses at the front and another two in the layby awaiting attention. Five of the red fronted Volvo B9s appeared to have already been prepared for their next duties.



Two Caledonian Travel coaches were observed on my journey home with Mercedes-Benz Tourismo NH18 CGH and Parks of Hamilton's Volvo 9700 bodied Volvo B11R LSK 615 noted on Marine Parade.

Roy

Norwich Today

A couple of photos provided by Dan High illustrating some of the bus activity at Norwich's Castle Meadow earlier today.



Konectbus ADL Enviro400 603 SN10 CFG was seen on the 10 from Wroxham to Norwich Fast service.



An interesting working was the unusual use of First Wright StreetLite 47473 SN14 EAG on the Park & Ride PR1 between Norwich Airport and Thickthorn. It is normally worked by a Wright StreetDeck Electroliner.

My thanks to Dan for the use of his photos.

Roy

Another Last Journey

A tow truck visited First Great Yarmouth's Caister Road depot this morning to take away another bus on its final journey. Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL 37136 SN57 HCU was being collected by PVS Barnsley Limited.



The green fronted decker moved from First Essex to First Eastern Counties in October 2025 and was subsequently observed in use in Norwich. However, in February this year it arrived at Caister Road to donate its gearbox to similar Coastal Clipper branded 37572 AU58 ECW with the former earmarked for scrapping.



My thanks to Steve N for the information and photos.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 29th April 2026

Today's East of England Traffic Commissioner’s Notices and Proceedings Report includes changes to services in the local area which may be of interest.

Our Hire Limited, operating as Our Bus, cancelled its 32 service between Corbett Avenue in Sprowston and St. Stephen's Street in Norwich effective 13th April 2026. A new 32 route has replaced it running from Keswick Hall Road to Carrow Park in Norwich commencing on the same date.

First Eastern Counties is to reintroduce its 1C Hemsby Beach to Great Yarmouth's Britannia Pier service from 2nd May 2026 with an amended timetable.

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

Roy

Konectbus To Become Central Connect

Recently announced on social media is that, in the coming months, Konectbus is to be rebranded as Central Connect. The operator confirms services will continue as normal but with a new identity. One change will see the Dereham to Norwich service 8 receive two relatively new buses complete with the new Central Connect livery.

This morning Dan High witnessed Konectbus ADL Enviro400 607 SN61 CZX passing Central Connect ADL Enviro200 MMC 346 SW16 BUS on Norwich's Castle Meadow. Both were on Park & Ride duties.

My thanks to Dan for the photo

Roy

Sunny Skegness

Regular Contributor Toby Cullum made the trip up to Lincolnshire today and photographed some of the very colourful fleet of Stagecoach East Midlands Open Toppers at work in Skegness. With the Yarmouth Open Top fleet about to hit the road for the summer season once again its always nice to see these vehicles in action.

 First up is " Sweetie The Seasider" DAZ5455, which is 12026 in the fleet, Formerly MX60BVB.

 The next one is "Rocky The Seasider" TIL7901, which is 12029, Formerly MX10MVT.

 "Sunny The Seasider" is up next, S815BWC which is 12034, Formerly MX10MVZ.

 12047 BLZ1423 (ex.MX60BVO) is named "Candy The Seasider"

 

Final shot is closed top "Milly The Seasider", 12030 PSU764 (ex. MX10MVU). This is one of two non open tops with Seasider branding.

In all there are currently12 vehicles in the Seasider fleet at Skegness.

Many Thanks to Toby for letting us share his photos.

Grahame.

Great Yarmouth Electroliners Latest

Registration details of the 10  Wright bodied Streetdeck Electoliners due for Caister Road have been published online and they are as follows.

The batch will be numbered 36689 - 36698.

36689    BF26ZVA

36690    BF26ZVB

36691    BF26ZVC

36692    BF26ZVD

36693    BF26ZVE

36694    BF26ZVG

36695    BF26ZVH

36696    BF26ZVJ

36697    BF26ZVK

36698    BF26ZVL

36692 has been noted on test runs at the factory, the front end being updated to the ones in use at Norwich.

Grahame. 

On Their Way

Two First Eastern Counties partial open top buses made their return to First Great Yarmouth earlier today having been stored in the Norwich area.

Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL 37069 CRZ 622 is pictured at Castle Meadow with another, 37066 CRZ 366, waiting for traffic to clear as Prince of Wales Road was closed due to a road traffic accident. The latter went back to Norwich so that 37533 CRZ 166 could be returned to Great Yarmouth.

My thanks to Michael for the photo.

Roy

Norwich Saloons

Chosen from todays observations from Dan High is this photo showing the contrast between these two saloons pictured on Norwich's Castle Meadow earlier.



Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse 69551 BF12 KWN heads for Long Stratton on the 36 passing Wright GB Kite Electroliner 63644 BK24 ADF picking up passengers for the 23A to Longwater Retail Park.



Another single decker, Wright StreetLite 63168 SN64 CJU, catches the sun on the 21 to the Norfolk & Norfolk University Hospital; the route is usually the preserve of Wright StreetDeck Electroliners.

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

First Great Yarmouth Latest

Around a week ago First Eastern Counties Wright StreetLite 47655 SN15 AEV was towed from Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth's Caister Road premises for engine replacement. It has since been towed from there to an undisclosed site where the work will now be undertaken.



However, Coastlink ADL Enviro400 33803 YX63 LJF is still awaiting gearbox replacement while Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL 37532 MXZ 3342 has just passed its MOT.

My thanks to Steven N for the information and photo.

Roy

Clipper Returns

There has been a couple of developments at First Great Yarmouth’s Caister Road depot with the first being the return of partial open top Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 37068 CRZ 599 from storage ready for the commencement of Coastal Clipper 1C services from 2nd May. You may also notice in the background of the photo the preparations taking place to receive the Electroliners due later this year.

Wright StreetDeck 35287 SL67 VXR has returned to First Norwich off loan and has been replaced by similar 35286 SL67 VXP.

My thanks to Steve N for the information and photo

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 22nd April 2026

Today's East of England Traffic Commissioner’s Notices and Proceedings Report includes more changes to services in the local area which may be of interest.

Simonds of Botesdale introduced a new 482 service between Diss Bus Station and Bridge Street, Framlingham from 13th April 2026

First Eastern Counties is to amend the route and timetable of its 99 / 998 services between Lowestoft Bus Station and Pier Avenue in Southwold from 24th May 2026.
The operator has also amended the timetables of its 40/ 40A / X41/ 41A / 41 Halesworth/Bungay to Norwich services from 2nd November 2025.
Also noted was the start of the 100 Norwich Sightseeing service from 23rd May 2026 with a revised timetable.

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

Roy

Norwich Monday

A couple of photos from Dan High's sightings in Norwich's Castle Meadow earlier today. The first is of Our Bus Mercedes-Benz Sprinter BP14 FKE passing First Eastern Counties StreetDeck Electroliner 36568 BK73 AHZ. Affectionately known as Bruno, the former was arriving from Heartsease on the 32 route.



First Eastern Counties Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 36180 BD11 CDZ was operating on Blue Line service 25 throughout the day.



My thanks to Dan for the photos

Roy

Local Sightings

With it being a pleasant mild April day with the sun shining, I thought it would be good to exercise with a walk along Great Yarmouth's Seafront.



As we neared the Britannia Pier, I noticed Setra 416GT-HD EU14 GXR owned by Barking, Ipswich-based C & J Coaches was parked up. It was still in the previous owner's colours of Lodges Coaches and the reason for its presence was that Great Yarmouth Football Club were playing Ipswich Wanderers at the nearby Wellesley football ground.



I looked in at the Coach Station on Nelson Road North and found two coaches present. The first seen was KM Travel's VDL Bova 893 KM.



The other vehicle was Millennium Travel's Mercedes-Benz Tourismo G19 MTL on charter to Alfa Holidays.

Roy

Early Start For Lochs & Glens

Lochs and Glens Holidays offer a number of tours to Scotland from the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft area throughout the year. They regularly require an early start on a feeder coach to join up with the main tour.

Just to give you an idea of the early timings for the feeder coach, regular contributor Tim Miller provided a lift for his friend to join the service at Lowestoft at 04:30 this morning! (That's really early!!) The coach involved was Volvo B11RT Jonckheere JSV N23 MKT from Mil-Ken Travel of Littleport, Ely.

My thanks to Tim for the photo.

Roy

Norwich Sightings

A couple of photos from Dan High's sightings on Norwich's Castle Meadow earlier today. The first shows Completely Coach Travel's Irizar i6s M28 CCT passing First Eastern Counties Wright StreetDeck New Power 71023 XIG 1723.



The second features First Great Yarmouth's Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 36215 BJ12 VWX in its Coastal Reds livery on a working from the seaside to the city on the 7 route.



Again my thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Another Dolphin Acquistion

Dolphin Travel has added another vehicle to its fleet in the form of AFSC Limited's (operating as Marett's Chariots) BMC 220 YK55 AUA.

After being purchased from Keighley & District in West Yorkshire in January 2019, the BMC was subsequently re-registered to M31 AAM and received fleet number 509.

My thanks to Dan High for the photo.

Roy

33423 ~ (Not So) Final Journey

First Eastern Counties ADL Enviro400 33423 SN60 CAA has departed Great Yarmouth's Caister Road depot for the final time.



Withdrawn in December last year, due to chassis deterioration, it subsequently lost its engine and gearbox and is pictured leaving this morning on tow for an initial stay at Lowestoft's Gasworks Road depot prior to its last journey to the scrapyard.

Also in Great Yarmouth depot is former First South West partial open topper 37796 LX59 CXO still in its Lands End Coaster livery. It arrived in August last year.



My thanks to Steve N for the photos

Roy