BUS WARS II - FIRST FIGHTING BACK?

32490 AU53 HKH seen outside the currently being rebuilt Tower Ramparts Bus Station this week.
First Ipswich have given notice to withdraw services 56 to Broke Hall via Foxhall Road, 70 to Warren Heath Sainsburys and the 87 Stowupland to Ipswich Service from the 19th November but start running a new service the 53 to Pinewood Chantry in the South West of Ipswich. Ipswich Borough Council leader David Ellesmere has stated that First having already created problems with there running of services in the East of Ipswich are now trying the same tactics in the South West of Ipswich while cutting a badly needed service from Stowupland, he urged people to ignore Firsts new service and use the Ipswich Buses 13 to Pinewood Tesco via Chantry. The new 53 will run every 10 mins while the 55 to Bixley Farm via Foxhall Road will now run every 20 mins.

Ipswich Buses Lowlander 100 PN52 XBM  seen turning into High street whilst on diversion this week.

FIRST IPSWICH EX TRANSDEV LANCASHIRE VOLVO B7RLE'S IN VIEW

First Ipswich's two new B7RLE'S 69532/33 PL05 UBR/S

Pictured above is 69532/33 PL05 UBR/S at the rear of Foundation Street in Ipswich, now with First Ipswich branding and legal lettering, now i would imagine just waiting for it's destination screen to be programmed and it's ticket machine to be fitted.

FIRST IPSWICH PROFILE

FIRST IPSWICH PROFILE SEPTEMBER

With not too much to report this week, i thought i would put up the current First Ipswich fleet as it currently stands, although with changes due to coincide with the launch of the new Enviro 400's on October 25th for the X1 and the end of the contract for Park and Ride at the start of November it will soon be out of date. So far 69426 is currently up at the Ransomes Europark in preparation for a repaint so things are beginning to move. If anyone has any ideas for another fleet profile they would like to see let me know,will add the two arrivals shortly.

32491 AU53 HKJ one of the batch of 8 Volvo B7TLs for the 66 to Martlesham back in 2003.

CURRENT IPSWICH FLEET

Volvo B7TL/Transbus ALX 400 

30887 W742 DWX  note has a Alexander body and a capacity of H49/29F

32479/86-94 AU53 HJV/HKD-H/J-M capacity H47/29F

32653 AU05 MUV note has a Alexander Dennis body.

One of the current Scania L113/Wright Axcess ultralows is 61528 R116 GSF

Scania L113/Wright Axcess Ultralow

65542/47/50  P542/47/50 RNG all are B47F

61528/33/38  R116/21/29 GSF all are B40F

65528/29/32/40  R148/49/52/40 GSF all are B40F

65590 V590 DVF is a Scania L94UB example with a Wright Floline body

Scania L94UB/Wright Axcess Floline B40F

65579  T579 JNG

65588-90  V588-90 DVF

65628/30-32  V828/30-32 FSC

65690 YS03 ZKK is an ex Essex example of the Wrightbus Solar 

Scania L94UB/Wrightbus Solar 

65670/72-76  SN51 UYC/E/G/H/J/K

65690-92  YS03 ZKK-M

69425 AU58 FFM is a Volvo B7RLE with a Wrightbus body

Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse

66850 MXO5 CHD
66981/87 KX05 MHK/V
69005/7-10  AUO5 DME/V/X/Y
69421-33 AU58 FFH/J-P/R/S/T/V/W

TWO MORE VOLVO B7RLES FOR FIRST IN IPSWICH

TWO MORE VOLVO B7RLES FOR FIRST IN IPSWICH

69426 AU58 FFN edging its way through the roadworks in Crown Street, Ipswich

First Ipswich's 2 latest arrivals ex Transdev Blackburn via Ensign Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse PL05 UBR/S

Two ex Transdev Blackburn(Lancashire) Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse have turned up at Ipswich depot in the form of PL05 UBR/S, no fleet numbers yet, seemingly replacements for either 65542/47 or 65550 but not confirmed and only speculation at this time on my part both were stored at Dagenham and came via Ensign. This is part of an ongoing restructuring program which will see Ipswich depot being upgraded with newer buses over the next few months, with the vast majority of the Scania L113/L94UB's being withdrawn, out of interest 65528/29/32/40/88-90/65628/30-32,61528/33/38. It has also been confirmed that First East England and Midlands group will now be split back into two operating companies with two managing directors. Not reported elsewhere is that Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 30887 is now an Ipswich bus and will not be returning to Great Yarmouth as originally planned.

TOWER RAMPARTS BUS STATION WORK BEGINS

TOWER RAMPARTS WORK BEGINS!

IB DAF/East Lancs Lowlander 58 PJ53 OLA trying to turn left from the Crown Street Lay by on Tuesday morning.

Work has began rebuilding Tower Ramparts Bus station on Monday, with temporary bus stops positioned around Crown Street, with other stops located outside Christchurch Park and Wolsey Theatre, staff were on hand from Ipswich Buses and Suffolk County council to aid people to their respective shops. Monday was a disastrous day for many particularly as work has began on Norwich Road with Traffic lights not in tune with the volume of traffic, this has been changed to being operated by human hand, avoiding the 1 hour journey time from Whitton and Castle Hill, which interestingly had it's stop moved from outside the Cricketers pub to the Crown Street lay by, which is also now overcrowded.

CHANGES TO SERVICE 6 AND THE BROKE HALL AREA IN THE NEW YEAR?

IB's ex Stagecoach London Dart 141 Y273 FJN  on the 4 to Bixley and Broke Hall at the temporary stop in Crown Street.

A petition has been handed in to IB's managing Director Malcolm Robson this week after complaints that service 6 which served Sainsburys and Ravenswood was rerouted to serve Lindbergh Road instead, residents now can longer visit Sainsburys for shopping or visit Ravenswood surgery, IB have said that they have received loads of complaints about services around the Broke Hall area and are now in discussions with local councillors about improvements to services in the New Year.