Northerly Connections

60813 S664RNA departing Bradford Interchange

My first real bus photography trip using a Digital Camera was back in 2003, a weekend in April I decided to drive up to Sheffield and meet up with fellow enthusiast Ian, whom I had become friends with via various Bus groups on the internet and he is an expert on the Yorkshire Scene if you follow the Yahoo info groups. Friday was planned to take in South Yorkshire starting in Sheffield before moving on to Rotherham, Doncaster, Barnsley and Wakefield all on a Metro Day Ticket for £4.99 if I recall correctly!

Looking back on the photos now I came across a few familiar faces that have become local to us in the East of England.

Barnsley & District was a subsidiary of Yorkshire Traction and they acquired a batch of former Ambassador Travel Volvo B6's which had operated Park & Ride services in Norwich before heading North.

L74UNG seen in Barnsley Bus Station

Saturday was a mix of bus and train journeys taking in Huddersfield, Halifax, Leeds, Bradford and finally York via a few local Inn's for refuelling of course!

Bradford was home to a few vehicles that have since made the trip to East Anglia such as recently departed 60813 which I photographed and another Lowestoft survivor 30886 which i also managed to get on film, little did I know that quite a few northerners would be coming our way over the next few years!

30886 in Bradford with Sovereign and Overground branding

 Final photo is of Huddersfield liveried Dart 40603 M211VWW which along with sister 40602 arrived at Lowestoft initially in 2008 before heading to Norwich.

40603 M211VWW leaving Huddersfield Bus Station

You may notice my photography skills have improved since the trip but good memories of a weekend of Beer and Buses!

When Ollies Ruled Part One

34922 G122YEV enters Lowestoft Bus Station on the X2

All the recent posts regarding the Olympians still hard at work i thought i would share a few photos from my collection looking back at some of the vintage that operated around Norfolk & Suffolk.

Obviously the First Olympians ran in the Red & Cream of Eastern Counties and im saving those for another day!

First up is 34922 G122YEV, she pretty much worked out of every First depot during her life here after coming from First Capital, she is pictured in 2008 at Lowestoft and you will notice the unique destination screen!.

34111 W431CWX at Lowestoft in 2008 still wearing a rear ad from her Avon & Somerset days

34108 - 34114 arrived in October 2008 from First Avon, they were new to Yorkshire Coastliner and operated the express service between Leeds, York & Whitby to name but a few before being purchased by Firstgroup.

They began at Lowestoft for use on the X2 service, replacing the G-reg Olympians, Before ending up at Great Yarmouth, some were noted on loan at Norwich also (have photos somewhere!)

34113 W433CWX at Lowestoft shortly after arriving with FEC

Tri Axle Olympian 30103 K487EUX leaving Lowestoft in Sunny October 2008

The Tri axle Olympians are another post altogether, but could not resist a shot of one in this version.!

Part Two will look back at some of the Blue Bus Olympians and more............

Gemini Returns In X1 Livery

I am pleased to bring you the first pictures of Gemini 37573 AU58ECX in its new colours.

37573 has returned to First from the paint shops resplendent in its new Excel livery

The decker is currently at First's Kings Lynn depot and is awaiting an inspection and for its belts to be removed.

It should return to Great Yarmouth sometime next week

My thanks to Danny Beales at First for his help and permission to use the photos

Olympian Report

With the first month of 2015 drawing to a close, it is still difficult to believe that Great Yarmouth's Volvo Olympians are still in revenue earning service

This afternoon I witnessed 34111 W431CWX on the 13:50 Great Yarmouth Market Gates to Belton and the 14:16 return journey. The Olympian is shown in Gorleston High Street heading for Great Yarmouth, despite its incorrect destination display

Earlier in the week sister 34108 W435 CWX (right) was also noted on the same route by regular contributor Jamie Skinner

Their normal workings are usually on contract duties transporting workers to the Bernard Matthews factory.

This afternoon Jamie managed to photograph the sole Northern Counties Palatine bodied example as it was heading west on such a working. 34186 S686AAE was captured on film just as it was passing the Magdalen Arms on Church Lane in Gorleston

My thanks to Jamie for his reports and photos

The Olympians normal duties are to transport workers to Bernard Matthews

Paint Float Vehicles And More

Today was my first day out, for some time, observing activity following a short period of being 'confined to barracks' following an attack of the lurgy!

With a number of Volvo deckers recently disappearing to Yorkshire for DDA work and repaint, an equivalent amount of saloons have temporarily provided cover here

South Yorkshire Volvo B10BLE 66112 R912BOU at Gasworks Road this morning

Following Grahame's report that First South Yorkshire Volvo B10BLE 66112 R912BOU is now at Lowestoft, I escaped to the Suffolk town this morning to try and capture a photo of it

I thought I would initially look in at Gasworks Road depot before heading to the town centre and was pleasantly surprised to find 66112 outside the depot receiving attention. An hour later and it was seen back in service

South Yorkshire 62143 R589SBA passes Lowestoft Railway Station with the X2 from Norwich

Shortly after Tim Miller made me aware that another of the paint float vehicles was in use at Beccles on the X2 service heading for Lowestoft. Luckily I was in position at Lowestoft Railway Station!

Only transferred this weekend, Caetano bodied Dart EG52FHD is employed on X2 duty

I then walked to the bus station where another notification from Tim alerted me that a second saloon was on the X2 and surprisingly it was non other than ex Great Yarmouth 43859 EG52FHD which had stepped up to cover the route.

Dart SLF 43466 in Gordon Road

MX53VHC in use on the 115 service

At  the same time, the sole remaining Plaxton Pointer bodied Dart SLF allocated to Lowestoft (43466 R466CAH) made an appearance on the 101 service to Gunton Estate

Meanwhile the 9:59 1A from Martham, via Great Yarmouth, had a third paint float working it in the form of 60618 R781WKW

Suffolk Norse continues to work the 107 route and again they were employing ADL Enviro 300 SN56AYL on the service

Another Suffolk Norse route in Lowestoft is the 115 which operates MWFO from Kirkley to the Bus Station and Iveco minibus MX53VHC was seen in use on it this morning

Latest First News Updated

43859 Pictured at Caister Road shortly after entering service in June 2013 (showing a route it never worked!)

Latest transfers are taking place over this weekend with 43859 EG52FHD moving over to Lowestoft from Yarmouth, 43864 EG52FGA has also followed now its engine problems are sorted out.

Lowestoft Enviro 200's  45116/45117 & 44928 (VT09JPT/ST58JPT/EU08FHB) are also moving up to Norwich.

First South Yorkshire Volvo B10BLE 66112 R912BOU is at Lowestoft as originally reported, 30888 W743DWX remains on loan at Lowestoft from Yarmouth.

Many Thanks to Danny Beales for the Update.

First Volvos head South

60813 S664RNA pictured at the Seashore terminus back in July 2014

Three former Yarmouth Volvo B10BLE Wright Renowns which were recently withdrawn have made their way down to a new home with First Devon & Cornwall.

60813/60814 & 66126 all arrived in Plymouth yesterday to begin another chapter of their working lives. 60813/4 were new to First West Yorkshire whilst 66126 was new to First Hampshire.

They have been replaced at Yarmouth by Norwich Volvo B7L's 66334/66341 & 66344, all were new to First Midlands (Leicester & Northampton).