Sunny Saturday

A few photos from today whilst returning from a shopping trip plus a few in the village from this afternoon whilst enjoying the sunshine.

Various First vehicles are now relicensed and back in use after a couple of months out of action due to the ongoing situation. Timetable changes begin on June 1st meaning a bit more of the normal fleet will be seen out and about rather than just the Blue E400's. First sighting today to my surprise was former Manchester Volvo B7TL/ALX400 30960 YJ51RDU which has survived the recent cull of this type and was noted in Caister this morning on 8 duties.

Parked up at Caister Road was former Yarmouth Gemini 37043 YJ06XLT now sporting Lowestoft fleet names.

Another ex Leeds Gemini based at Yarmouth is 37022 YJ06XKL, seen above heading out of West Road in Ormesby heading for Lowestoft on the 1 service.

Finally we have 37174 SF07FDE which was heading towards Martham this afternoon, having not managed to photograph it since its arrival i have now got it twice in two days!. The only Blue Enviro 400 noted on the 1's in the village today was 33809 YX63LJU which is pictured below.

Strange how normal vehicles now become different variety after a long spell of having the former Excel Enviros around the town on most routes for the past couple of months!

Stay Safe, Grahame.

First Update

With the Covid 19 Lockdown now being eased First will be increasing their frequencies again in June. Various delicensed Buses are now returning to service and we are told that Lowestoft Depot will also be reopening and operational again shortly.

Yarmouth based Gemini 37174 SF07FDE has been reinstated and noted this evening back on the 1 service to Martham. Another Gemini 32348 was noted heading in the opposite direction shortly before, the first time that two Olympia liveried Geminis rather than E400's have been noted in the village at the same time for a couple of months!

We have been told that 5 of the Excel liveried Scanias have returned to Kings Lynn for use in their normal enviroment which means some Blue Enviro 400's will move back to Lowestoft from Yarmouth also.

Thanks to First for the Info and Updates

Stay Safe, Grahame.

Ex Halton Trio Surprise

Regular contributor Christian Newsome has provided a photo of three buses observed in Lowestoft yesterday. A surprising find, they were formerly owned by Halton Transport which ceased trading in January this year

The three buses were sold in an online auction in March and have been identified as Dennis Darts DK03TNL, PX55EGV and PX06 DWD. It is not known who the new owner is and where the vehicles will be used. Their current use appears to be target practice for Gulls!

My thanks to Christian for the information and photo.

Roy

Friday Flashback ~ April 2007

Friday Flashback returns revisiting the month of April 2007 which concentrates on the smaller operator.

We start by looking in at Beach Coach Station on the 3rd where we found Belle Coaches LIL9456. Numbered 13 in the fleet it was a Plaxton Paramount bodied Volvo B10M-60. The registration has since been allocated to a Kassbohrer Setra in the fleet.

We move on to the 12th where we observe Sanders' DAF SB220/Ikarus Citi Bus M832RCP arriving at Market Gates with a 785 service from North Norfolk. When I had taken this photo I remember the friendly diver came over to ask if I got a reasonable photo. I showed it to him and gained his approval! Another point of note is that the photo shows the shopping centre had yet to build the extension above the bus terminus.

Gorleston Beach was the scene a day later when R.W.Chenery's Setra 215HR 5092EL visited. Its appearance was thought to have coincided with a performance at the nearby Gorleston Pavilion.

We return to Market Gates for our final photo on the 17th of the month. It shows Ambassdor Travel's Plaxton Paragon bodied Volvo B12M-62 FN52HRG on the 497 service to London. It was new to the operator in November 2002 and in January 2012 it was re-registered KIG1856. It subsequently joined the Isle of Wight fleet of ALS Travel and made a return to its former home town when seen at Beach Coach Station in May 2018

Roy

Going Back to 28th May 2014

Another in our series of viewing previous posts from the same date in a different year and this time we go back to 28th May 2014.

I began with the news that  former First Leicester ALX400 32058 W218XBD should be out on the road in Great Yarmouth for the first time for First Eastern Counties that very day. Sure enough I caught sight of it in the town centre early in the afternoon and photographed it on summer service 3

34186 inside Caister Road during February 2014

The other news from Caister Road was withdrawn Olympian 34186 S686AAE was inside the depot ready to receive the gearbox donated from similar S687AAE and should be back in service the following week.

P109WJO and N962DWJ in Swift's Southtown Yard in December 2013

That day I also posted that two coaches with VOR signs had moved from Swift's Southtown yard, I contacted Kevin Boyne at the company for information as to their current whereabouts. He kindly responded by saying that both the blue liveried Dennis Javelin P109WJO and the Volvo B10M N962DWJ had been disposed of. The former went to 3D Travel of Cleator Moor in Cumbria whilst the latter ended up at P & M Coaches of Wickford in Essex.

I trust you are enjoying these look backs to the past although today's post hasn't been that easy as Blogger has changed the way of doing things making it initially very difficult!

Roy

Doubling Up

Ray Stringer has been in contact and provided a photo of two First vehicles running in tandem on Lowestoft 's Hollow Grove 101 service yesterday

He suggests this is due to social distancing issues requiring more than one vehicle on the route. In fact the reliefs are only operated on some services infrequently during in the day as at present demand is not enough to increase the number of vehicles on the service throughout all of the day. These services are being financially supported by the government

My thanks to Ray for the photo and to First for the additional information.

Roy

Service Alterations Registered ~ 27th May 2020

There were no changes to local bus services mentioned in today’s Notices and Proceedings Report published by the East of England Traffic Commissioner. The full report will be available to view here soon.

Roy