Wet & Wintry Sunday

Whilst some of the country was treated to snow, we on the east coast were enjoying a wet and wintry day with, surprisingly, quite a few visiting coaches present along the seafront area.

In the coach parking area beside the Britannia Pier were a trio of coaches. They comprised Coopers Tours Beulas bodied Iveco Eurorider R777JCS, Ogdens Travel's VDL Futura YK15OJO and bringing up the rear was Riddlesworth Preparatory School's Sitcar Marlin bodied Mercedes Benz YJ08NTA

Further along, nearer the pier, was Simonds' Van Hool bodied Volvo B12B YVF158 with a friendly driver onboard. On the opposite side of the road, outside the New Beach Hotel, was a Van Hool T916 registered YJ09CUU and operated by Hertfordshire-based Mason Coaches.

At the other end of Marine Parade, close to the SeaLife Centre, were two National Holdays' and a single Shearings Holidays' coach. All were Setras with the former represented by NH11MTH and NH13JWH and the latter's 220 (BF10VCN).

Roy

Greenline Visitor

Earlier today the town received a visit from a Greenline Coaches Scania K420EB4/ Interlink Finesse HD coach. Based in Stourbridge, GC17GLC looked very smart in the company's green colours when sighted on Marine Parade.

My thanks to Tim Miller for the photo

Roy

Ex Reynolds' Coaches Find New Owners

Two of the quartet of Caister-based Reynolds' Coaches made available for sale in August, have now found new owners.

221WPH on school duty at Burgh Road in Great Yarmouth in November 2016

221WPH now at Derrick Ball Coaches. Photo: Darren Beacher

The oldest was Plaxton bodied Dennis Javelin 221WPH, which was originally thought to have been sold for preservation. The coach, new to Woodward of Glossop in 1989 as F740MVR, is now with Derrick Ball Coaches of St Helens on Merseyside and still retains the Reynolds silver grey livery.

The second coach traced is former MOD Plaxton Premiere bodied Dennis Javelin AT55CZH which was acquired by Straffords Coaches of Wrexham during August this year. It also continues to carry the Reynolds livery, but with various embellishments, which can be viewed HERE

The information regarding 221WPH was posted on Friends of the PSV Circle Facebook Group, which later revealed that another former Reynolds vehicle, 7289DD, was now with W & M Travel of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire

My thanks to Darren for the use of his photo.

Roy

Series 5 on the 61

Our Lowestoft correspondent Simon Bartram reports that a Series 5 liveried Konectbus appeared on the 61 service during early yesterday afternoon.

Normally found on Norwich services, the Optare X1200 Tempo 411 (MX58ABV) was employed on the 13:32 Lowestoft Tesco to Kessingland via Lowestoft

My thanks to Simon for the report and pictures.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 6th December 2017

For the second consecutive week there are no changes to local bus services to advise following the publication of today's Notices & Proceedings Report by Eastern of England Transport Commissioner.

However, the full report can be viewed by clicking HERE

Roy

Sunday Shearings & More

A surprise at Beach Coach Station this lunchtime was this Shearings' Setra wearing an overall advert for the operator's own holiday business. It was BG63VVN complete with fleet number 632

Also in town and parked up on Marine Parade were two similar National Holidays' Setras NH14EBH/KBH; both based here whilst visiting the Thursford Spectacular.

Nearby was a Grand UK Holiday's branded BU16UWY from the Olympia Travel fleet based in Wigan. The coach is a Jonckheere SHV bodied Volvo B11R.

An unidentified Majestic Tours coach was also observed in the Burlington Palm Hotel car park off North Drive.

Roy

Saturday in Norwich

My first trip up to Norwich for a while with the camera today, hoping to see the latest FEC heritage repaint in use but that never materialised, typical when you make a planned trip! I had a few to catch up on anyway so all was not lost.

First up was the other heritage liveried Volvo B7L 60916 YG02DKU which was working the 23 service this morning, my first efforts of it in service.

Next up is Yarmouth Volvo B7TL 32212 LT52WTV which is currently on loan to Norwich, seen here in Castle Meadow.

Stagecoach Norfolk run the X29 service between Fakenham and the City and various vehicles can be noted on the route, today saw Coasthopper liveried 37439 SN16ORJ employed on the service.

Borderbus of Beccles have recently aquired 3 ex Stagecoach London Scanias and 209 LX59CNE is the first to have been refurbished and seen in use in Borderbus livery, today on the 146 service to Southwold.

The demise of Anglianbus has been well reported as we all know, vehicles are now gaining Konectbus fleetnames after the fleet was rebranded, Optare Versa 307 AU11ESG seen here in St Stephens on the 37A to Mulbarton.

Finally on my way home i noted First Southampton loanee 32809 T809LLC changing drivers at Caister Road whilst working the 1 service to Lowestoft.

Grahame.