Two Sanders Arrivals

At the beginning of this month we speculated that ex Whippet Volvo B7RLE Wright Eclipse BF63 HFB had connections with Sanders Coaches. Dan High suggested links with the North Norfolk operator as it was being driven by one of their drivers.



Yesterday Stephen Purkiss published a photo of the two latest additions to the Sanders fleet, a pair of former Whippet of Swavesey Wright Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLEs. Both 551 - BF63 HFA and 552 - BF63 HFB are posed for the camera in the Heath Drive Depot Yard at Holt. They originally entered service with Whippet being used on the St Ives - Cambridge Busway in September 2013

I am grateful to Stephen for the use of his photo and the additional information.

Roy

New StreetDeck Registrations

Whilst visiting the bus lists on the web website, Reece Collison discovered the registrations of the 
fourteen new FirstBus Norwich Wright StreetDeck Electroliners which are reproduced below:- 

I am grateful to Reece for sharing the information

Roy

Returns To Sanders

Stephen Purkiss tells me 'another coach that has very recently returned to the Sanders fleet is this Van Hool bodied VDL SB4000 type number 805 - W20 SCL “Arthur Charles Gray” which is captured about to pass the Magpie Close turn while heading along Nightjar Road at Holt'.

He continues 'Originally delivered new to London based Anderson Travel of Bermondsey in May 2007 with registration YJ07 JWK this coach previously joined Sanders from New Enterprise of Tonbridge in May 2009 and was later allocated fleet number 803. Having received Sanders cherished plate 537 FN in January 2017 it regained its original registration YJ07 JWK in February 2020 when the 537 FN plate was transferred to then recently acquired Caetano Levante bodied Volvo B9R type 922 - FJ11 GMU'.

'Withdrawn and sold in May 2022 to Llew Jones of Llanrwst, YJ07 JWK had subsequently passed to Kendal based KT’s Coaches by May 2023 where it received their cherished plate KTS 96G. Having once more reverted to YJ07 JWK it returned to Sanders in August 2026 and has now received fleet number 805 and their plate W20 SCL. As we can see 805 is named “Arthur Charles Gray” and like coaches 802/804/900 & 932 it also carries the retro livery first introduced back in the mid-1980s.'

I am grateful to Stephen for the detailed information and photo.

Roy

Coach Services' Acquisitions

Regular contributor Jdraves1 reports on the arrival of three vehicles at Thetford-based Coach Services.



Former Sanders Coaches' Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse HF54 HHA joined the fleet a couple weeks ago. It was one of a dozen joining the North Norfolk operator from Go South Coast (Morebus) during April and May of 2018.



The other arrivals are two Mercedes-Benz EVM Citylines RV26 OAG and RV26 OAJ which are due to be used on the forthcoming S8, S9, S10, S10A Swaffham routes.

My thanks to Jdraves1 for the information and photos.

Roy

First Norwich Service Update

Following MarkC's report on the forthcoming changes to First Eastern Counties services at the end of August, he tells me that the operator has now placed details on its website which can be viewed here. The page also includes links to the new timetables.

Turquoise Line 13 and X13 routes are being replaced. (Photo: Luke Champney)

My thanks to Mark for the update.

Roy

Fiveways Open Top

Yesterday David Slater witnessed an unusual sighting on the A11 at Fiveways, Barton Mills of London sightseeing tour company Golden Tours 127 (BD16 YEE), a partial open top MCV eVoSeti bodied Volvo B5TL.

David says it was delivered in May 2016 and is one of 20 such diesel powered buses (125-144) that the company is currently having re-powered with battery-electric drivelines by Equipmake at Snetterton in Norfolk. He suspects, therefore, that that is where the bus was heading.

He had seen their 129 (BD16 YEG) on 17 July 2026 heading in the same direction.

Thanks again David for the photo and information.

Roy

Will First 36283 Return?

Following our post in early July regarding the loan of First Great Yarmouth Volvo B9TL / Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 36283 LX59 DAU to FirstBus Leeds, we have been asked when will it return?

It appears to be highly unlikely as it has now been sold on to SMT Bus and Coach Limited of Sheffield. A post on FirstBus Enthusiasts Facebook site shows 36283 at Rotherham Interchange yesterday with all vinyls removed operating on a 195 service to Treeton. Although it retains its Coastal Red colours, it has new fleet number 283 applied.

Roy