Javelins L18SLT and FN02HGY with recent arrival Volvo FP51EUN

Smiths Coaches Visit

Joe Leathers-Watson paid a visit to the Blofield depot of Smith's Coaches during yesterday afternoon and found most of the fleet on site

Seen at the front of the yard were Dennis Javelins L18SLT, FN02HGY and recent arrival

Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B10M 333SXU peers out of the garage

Volvo B12M FP51EUN

Also observed was Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B10M 333SXU (previously Y152EAY), Toyota Coaster BV55UES and Iveco Eurorider S1WDA.

The latest arrival, a Jonckheere in a slightly different Smiths livery, was parked right at the back of the other coaches so no picture could be taken

However, one of the chaps at the depot opened the garage so Joe could get a photo of the company's oldest vehicle - a Bedford YMT. New in December 1979 to Smith of Alcester, JKV412V joined the Blofield fleet in 1994

Also sitting in the garage was another Toyota Coaster, YAH434

My thanks to Joe Leathers-Watson for the report and photos and to the staff at Smiths Coaches for their assistance with this information

Service Alterations Registered ~ 2nd April 2014

The latest Eastern Area Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report was published yesterday on the Gov.UK website.

Publication No 2176 includes little of interest to the East Norfolk/East Suffolk area other than the change of an operating centre for Feeline Executive Travel. With a registered address of Market Mews in Stalham, the partners Richard Hopkiss and Pamela Hopkiss have moved the operating centre from Norwich Road, Wroxham to The Archway in Stalham. Two vehicles will be allowed to operate there.

Information source: Traffic Commissioner for the Eastern Traffic Area - Notices & Proceedings Report 2176 - published on 2nd April 2014.

Anglian Scania Damaged

Regular contributor Tim Miller reports the sighting of one of Anglian's Scania OmniCity deckers at Car & Commercial's Beccles premises earlier this morning

Scania 553 AO57HCC sustained front end damage following an accident yesterday.

Tim had no further information to hand but I have subsequently noted on Steve W's blog that it was invoved in an accident with a Royal Mail van and that the twenty or so passengers and the driver were unhurt.

My thanks to Tim for the report, update and photo of 553 at CarCom this morning

BIG6620 Repaint

Bova Futura BIG6620 is now in Rigby's of Altham livery. Photo: Dave Sharpe

Some two weeks ago I reported the disposal of Reynolds of Caister Bova BIG6620 to Rigby's of Altham

The Lancashire operator has wasted little time in repainting it into their orange colour scheme which transforms the coach completely

A photo of the new livery has been reproduced with the permission of Dave Sharpe 

Ensignbus Activity ~ March 2014

Freshly painted in Anglian livery, YN03WRP at Car & Commercial in September 2012

Photo courtesy of  Tim Miller

Ross Newman has supplied details to Essex Buses Yahoo Group of Ensignbus dealership activity for the month of March

Among the disposals is the sale of former Anglianbus Scania OmniCity YN03WRP to Landmark Hire of Arlesey in Bedfordshire

London red liveried WRP was transferred from Metrobus to the Suffolk based operator in September 2012 and received its Anglian colours later that month.

With the introduction of the new Anglianbus network a year later, WRP was declared surplus to requirements and subsequently moved on to Ensign (dealer)

Latest Update From Caister Road

Three deckers due for further attention in the Caister Road workshops

Regular contributor Ryan has supplied the latest update from First's Caister Road depot

ADL Enviro400  33423 SN60CAA is currently out of action with a suspension problem

Three Presidents are also currently off the road; 32204 LT52WTK for inspection, 32208 LT52WTO for inspection repairs and

32213 LT52WTW with engine problems

Vehicles due for attention last week included Norwich's LR02LXX for an MOT

A trio of Olympians are also due in the workshops; 34111 W431CWX is to have an MOT  with both 34108 W435CWX and 34110 W437CWX awaiting parts

Former Jersey Nimbus 43862 EG52FGK is receiving attention to its engine and similar 43865 EG52FGU and 43866 EG52FGV are here from Lowestoft for their MOTs

Finally Volvo 20514 WV02EUP is out of service with inspection repairs

My thanks to Ryan for his detailed report and photos

Norwich Outing

A rushed visit to Norwich yesterday in between grandparent duties and I only had a short amount of time for bus observations due to a business appointment

A pair of Norfolk Green Optare Tempos greeted my arrival at Norwich Bus Station

The day gave me my first opportunity to sample the Enviro400s on the X1 between Great Yarmouth and Norwich - I usually take the car for the large amount of shopping. Today was different - no shopping!

Whilst 33821 YX63LKL looks very impressive from the outside, I was very disappointed with the ride quality. With it being a milder day than usual a very noisy cooling system was in operation

So I thought I would turn my attention to the free WiFi on offer and found it quite a problem trying to type with the bus continually bumping around! When I did get access to the system I found it to be quite fast. Looking around the bus I saw quite a number of customers were also using the service

Swift's Volvo S11WFT turns from Westlegate into St Stephens

However, I arrived at Norwich bus station on time and, as the bus turned in, two Norfolk Green buses were parked up ahead of me and I got a photo of them from the top floor of the Enviro. Both were already sporting Stagecoach fleet numbers - Optare Tempos YJ59NNZ as 25131 and YJ56ATU as 25121

On completing my business appointment, I wondered

Former Anglian Optare Solo AO57BDY is now in the konect fleet

back along St Stephens Street and was fortunate in capturing Swift Taxis Volvo S11WFT appearing from Westlegate on its way to Castle Meadow for its 13:00 TR4 service to Ormesby. This runs once a fortnight and on Mondays only

I was quite surprised at the number of former Anglian buses on Norwich services now in Konect colours. I got a photo of shiny Optare Solo 952 AO57BDY

outside QD Stores heading for Gertrude Road on the 50

My final photo is of Semmence Mercedes Vario/ Plaxton Beaver S707JJH in St Stephens Street. I

Semmence Plaxton Beaver S707JJH on an East Harling service

was unaware of this working by the Wymondham operator. There was no identification of the service other than a white card displaying 10A.

An enquiry on Traveline showed this to be a daily service connecting East Harling with Norwich and this was the 13:20 departure; having already started its journey five minutes earlier at Castle Meadow