Soccer Specials

Good Friday is traditionally when football matches are played and Norwich City were involved in their first game today over the Easter period. Local travel to home matches is regularly provided by Sanders Coaches and this is Volvo B8L / MCV eVoSeti 127 ED23 SAN on the NC2 to Carrow Road from Fakenham.

At the football ground two vehicles were of interest with the first being Phoenix Bussing’s Kassbohrer Setra S431D double decker N90 PBS operated by Romsey Coaches Limited.

Behind is the Portsmouth Team bus Lucketts’ Mercedes-Benz Tourismo BG22 NTJ.

My thanks to Dan High for the photos.

Roy

Sanders Coach Repaint

Today is the first day back in service of Sanders Coaches’ Volvo B8RLE / MCV eVoRa BV23 NUW following a repaint from all over white into the standard single deck yellow livery.

Number 532 has also received the 6/X6 branding for its Cromer to Great Yarmouth service via North Walsham and Stalham.

My thanks to Reg Vardy for the information and photos

Roy

North Walsham Area Sightings

Another different location for Dan High’s sightings today when he visited North Norfolk and specifically the North Walsham area.

His photos feature three of Sanders Coaches’ MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE Coasthopper’s with the first showing 518 BV21 OOA.

The second is of the North Walsham Travel Hub with another eVoRa, 521 BV21 OOD, awaiting its next duty.

The last is of a third eVoRa, 519 BV21 OOB, working the 54 service from North Walsham to Norwich. 

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Top Ten

With a couple of early family taxi runs this morning, the last one found me in Great Yarmouth so I decided to see what was lurking about the coach station and the seafront area.

My trawl netted me ten coaches including three each from Alfa Holidays and Caledonia Travel with the former providing a couple at the coach station. They were Mercedes-Benz Tourismos 120 BV20 HND and 136 BV22 WTT.

The only one from the Caledonian fleet there was another Mercedes-Benz Tourismo UMO 58, which was formerly NH69 RHH when with National Holidays.

Also present was a Leons Holidays VDL Futura from Stafford with its special plate LE23 EON.

Hiding behind those four was Go South Coasts' Mercedes-Benz Tourismo 91 MB19 ENZ parked in a very difficult position to get a reasonable photo.

The other two coaches there were both Yutong GT12s conveniently parked together - Yorkshire Rose YK74 PCY and KM Travel's 4465 KM (reported here yesterday in Norwich)

Continuing my journey along the seafront, Alfa Travel's Mercedes-Benz Tourismo 139 BF23 CFW was parked outside the New Beach Hotel with Caledonian Travel's Mercedes-Benz Tourismo BV22 WUW and Volvo 9700 LSK 814 about to leave their position opposite the Wellington Pier.

Roy

Lowestoft Yesterday

Dan High had a change of scenery yesterday and decided to cross the border into Suffolk to see what was lurking at Lowestoft Bus Station.

His first photo is of Great Yarmouth's Wright Eclipse Gemini 36215 BJ12 VWX leaving the bus station returning north on an X1 or X11 service.

ADL Enviro200 44532 SN62 DBO departs on the 106 circular service to Burnt Hill with its destination screen looking a little the worse for wear.

Also observed was Wright StreetLite 47646 SN15 AFF on another Lowestoft service, the 109 to Hollow Grove.

Thanks again to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Norwich Visitor

John Russell provides a photo of a visiting coach to Norwich City centre earlier today. It is a Yutong GT12 registered 4465 KM and operated by KM Travel of Barnsley.

Many thanks to John for the information and photo.

Roy

Essex Trainer

Regular contributor Mark Doggett has sent a couple of photos of a former First Eastern Counties driver trainer now in use with First Essex. It is pictured in Basildon.



It is Volvo B7RLE/Wright Eclipse Urban 66883 MX55 HHP in its mainly yellow Blockbuster livery

Many thanks to Mark for the photos.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 1st April 2026

The latest East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report contains no entries regarding any changes to our local bus services. 

However, Acle-based Our Bus is to cancel the operation of its 132 Heartsease to Keswick service in Norwich from 13th April 2026.

The full Report can be viewed here soon.

Roy

Tuesday in Norwich

Just three selected photos of the many supplied by Dan High of his sightings in Norwich yesterday.

Sanders Coaches' X55 branded MCV eVoRa Volvo B8RLE 529 BV72 KKD was employed on its usual designated route.

Also observed was First Eastern Counties Volvo B9 36223 BD12 SZZ awaiting its next duty in Castle Meadow. This is one of the former Doncaster liveried First Kernow ones which has recently received a repaint into the First Ultraviolet scheme. Confirmation of this can be found on the destination screen with reference to 'firstbus.co.uk/cornwall'

The third depicts Central Connect's Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Altas / EVM Cityline 228 RX25 TCJ on the 35 service to Hellesdon.

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Konectbus Changes

Konectbus has published changes to some of its services commencing on 12th April 2026 which are ‘designed to improve reliability, enhance connectivity, and better reflect changing travel needs’.

Three routes are of specific interest to users in East Norfolk with the first being a new route 2 between Eaton and Potter Heigham replacing part of the current 5B service. Picture shows the 5B being worked from Norwich by Konectbus (ex Go Ahead’s Bluestar) Mercedes-Benz Citaro HF55 JZD in December 2018.

There is also a new hourly service 10 between Norwich and Stalham replacing parts of current routes 5B,11B and 717. The current 5B Eaton to Stalham is being withdrawn and replaced by routes 2 and 10.

The Winterton and Hemsby to Norwich 717 service is being severely reduced to just two Saturday return journeys. The start of the 717 service was on 29th June 2024 and the photo supplied by Chris Speed records the inaugural run to Hemsby by ADL Enviro400 607 SN61 CZX.

My thanks to Mark for the heads up. Details of all the Konectbus changes, including the new timetables, can be found here.

Roy

37139 Moves to Great Yarmouth.

The latest permanent move from First Norwich to First Great Yarmouth is Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL 37139 SN57 HCY. 

I snapped the lime fronted decker on a previous visit to the town in late October last year working on route 2 to Market Gates.

Roy

In The Pink

It’s been some eighteen months since First Eastern Counties Wright StreetDeck 35199 SK16 GVY received its corporate ultraviolet livery.

However, Dan High’s trip on its X29 journey into Norwich earlier today revealed that its interior still retains its former First Norwich Pink Line branding.

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

Geoff Hanson Memorial Run

Geoff Hanson was a local transport enthusiast who passed away a few years ago. He was part owner of former Eastern Counties Bristol VR VPW 85S and every year a group of enthusiasts take part in a memorial run for him from Sheringham to Hunstanton via Wells-next-the-Sea.

A couple of photos from Dan High show the seven participants at their stop at Wells with the red VR among them.

While at Hunstanton Dan also got a photo of Lynx ADL Enviro400 MMC 67 YX73 PHJ about to work the 35 to Kings Lynn

My thanks to Dan for the report and photos.

Roy

Norwich Friday

Dan High has provided some photos from today’s sightings in Norwich’s Casrle Meadow. The first shows  Completely Coach Travel’s Van Hool TDX Astromega X28 CCT passing Furst Eastern Counties Wright StreetDeck Electroliner 36580 BK73 AKU picking up passengers for the 11A to Sprowston.

The other photo pictures Mercedes-Benz Vario/ Sitcar Beluga RIG 1302 from the Norwich-based Dolphin Travel fleet.

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy

First Great Yarmouth Latest

The latest news from First Great Yarmouth is that Coastlinks ADL Enviro400 33810 YX63 LJV and Volvo B9 36215 BJ12 VWX (pictured) have both returned to service following their repairs at Norwich.

Coastlinks 33818 YX63 LKG is undergoing its MOT whilst similar 33809 YX63 LJU is receiving welding repairs at Caister Road depot.

Meanwhile open top Coastal Clipper Volvo B9 37067 CRZ 488 is also having some welding work carried out.

My thanks to Steve N for the information.

Roy

Another MMC On The 8s

Another of Central Connect’s branded ADL Enviro400s was observed in use with Konectbus on their 8 Norwich Fast service

Dan High recorded the new ADL Enviro400 MMC 503 YX24 PLV on Norwich’s Castle Meadow earlier today.

My thanks to Dan for the photo

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 25th March 2026

The latest East of England Traffic Commissioner’s Notices and Proceedings Report includes changes to a couple of First Eastern Counties services.

It is amending the timetable of its service 7 between Great Yarmouth’s Market Gates and Norwich Bus Station from 12th April 2026.

The operator is also altering the route, start and finish point, stopping places and timetable of its Excel A, B, C and D services between Norwich Bus Station and Dereham Market Place from 12th April 2026.

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

Roy

Norwich Monday

This week has proven to be a problem in posting anything to the blog due to commitments during the early part of the week to be followed by a bout of the dreaded lurgy! However, things are gradually returning to normal with posts being backdated.

Monday was a busy day for Dan High with a total of more than 90 photos sent providing me with the difficult problem of deciding what to use and what not to! He blames regular contributor Mark Doggett who accompanied him on Norwich’s Castle Meadow. The first I’ve selected is that of ADL Enviro200 270 YX61 BXL.

Earlier, another of the Transport Made Simple fleet appeared in the shape of Simonds ADL Enviro400 591 SN11 BTU repainted in their blue livery from its previous Borough of Redbridge white.

Next up is one of those First Eastern Counties new powered StreetDecks 71016 W6 FAL on the 11A service to Sprowston.

A former First Kernow Wight Eclipse bodied Volvo B9TL 36227 BD12 TBU, still in its Doncaster colours, was seen working Fakenham X29 journeys.

I am grateful to Dan for the wide variety of photos - it’s all your fault Mark!!

Roy

First 33423 Remains

A week before Christmas last year we learnt that the once pride of the fleet First Eastern Counties ADL Enviro400 33423 SN60 CAA had been withdrawn from active service due to chassis deterioration.

It still remains inside First's Caister Road depot and is pictured there earlier today but without any engine or gearbox. Its last journey is expected to be to a scrapyard.

It was acquired from Connex in Jersey during June 2013 and gained celebrity status with its tinted windows. However, it later received Coastlink livery and, with the tint removed, became just another member of the fleet.

Here is a short video of it passing through Gorleston High Street during February 2015. (My apologies if any adverts appear)

My thanks to Steve N for the photo.

Roy

Norwich Today

Following Chad's earlier report of Central Connect's 502 YX24 PLU at Dereham, here is the same bus arriving at Norwich's Castle Meadow. Photo credit Harry Holmes.



Also witnessing its use on the 8 was Dan High who got this shot of its return journey to Dereham passing Sanders Coaches' Volvo B7RLE / MCV Evolution 534 KP12 BUS.



Passing through was Coach Services Plaxton bodied Volvo B7R AR08 KXD. The operator acquired it from an unknown MOD contractor in early 2019.



Dan also noted Dolphin Autos' Volvo B12B / Plaxton Panther BU54 DAY. It was earlier with Freestones of Beetley as their KX07 HDJ and retains its blue livery.



Dan additionally captured this photo of Volvo B7R / Plaxton Profile YN06 RVE which is currently a member of the H Semmence fleet. It was acquired from Coach Services during February 2022.



My thanks Harry and Dan for their photos.

Roy

Dereham Today

Chad Lovick provides some photos taken in Dereham this morning, including one of Central Connects' ADL Enviro400 MMC 502 YX24 PLU on its first day in service with Konectbus on the 8 Norwich Fast.



His next photo is of First Eastern Counties' Volvo B9 / Wright Eclipse Gemini 36271 BD12 YDK on the excel D service heading for Norwich



Also observed was the last London red liveried double decker with Konectbus, 651 LX58 CXB, arriving on the 21 service from Fakenham



First Eastern Counties Scania N250UD/ Enviro400 City YN69XZZ was destined for Norwich on on the excel A service



My thanks to Chad for the photos.

Roy

Norwich Wednesday

Dan High was observing activity in Norwich yesterday and here are three of his photos for your perusal



The first is of Sanders' newbie Yutong GT14 803 YK26 LCY complete with a Canaries scarf draped across the top of the front screen - possibly on its was to an away match on the south coast.



Another of the Sanders' fleet appear in the next photo showing Coasthopper MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE 548 BU75 WNH

The last is of Sunbeam Coaches' Plaxton bodied Volvo B12B G21 SUN also seen on Castle Meadow.

My thanks to Dan for the photos.

Roy