A CHAT WITH FIRST'S CHRIS SPEED

Volvo B7TL 32494 AU53 HKM at Tower Ramparts today.

This blog today is primarily about an chat today i had with Chris Speed who is First's Business manager for Eastern Counties, firstly he explained to me how he started out as a bus driver at Great Yarmouth, before taking an Business Management degree returning to First he become operations manager at Norwich where he successfully turned round the business before in recent months becoming Business manager splitting his week into three days at Ipswich and two at Great Yarmouth. Chris understands that Ipswich has been undervalued in the past and told me that future investment will include refurbishment for the current Volvo B7RLES and Volvo B7TLS and the disappearance of the remaining Scanias, resulting in an all Volvo depot. The depot will also be refurbished with the possibility of the depot being lowered to allow for higher deckers in the future, as many routes such as Felixstowe's and Stowmarket suffer from capacity issues. Three Training buses will also be repainted into heritage liveries including the Tilling red and cream with gold fleet names, Great Yarmouth blue and cream and Lowestoft brown and cream. He is obviously keen to see First succeed here and with this new investment programme this will in no doubt improve matters, what is very refreshing from talking to him is that he is very much focused on his drivers and passengers. I would like to thank Chris for his time and hospitality it was much appreciated.

IB Enviro 200 78 YX14 RWL  has now been repainted into the new livery and branding for the 111.

ENVIRO 200 ON THE 38 SHUTTLE SERVICE

New Enviro 200 for Ipswich Buses is 78 YX14 RWL

Well not an awful lot to report at the moment, however i was fortunate on Wednesday to spot IB's new Enviro 200 78 YX14 RWL on the Free Shuttle service standing in for the usual Optare Solo which is being repainted into an special livery for the Waterfront shuttle service, 78 as pictured has free WI-FI and will be equipped with Real Time passenger information technology which will be used on the 111 to Hitcham service. After nearly two months after when it was going to be fitted into the bus station stands i have noticed that they are beginning to fit out the bus stations with the technology this will enable passengers to know what times the buses arrive and depart.In other news Ipswich Buses have gained the 173/74 from Beestons which runs from Felixstowe to Woodbridge via Kirton and Trimley.

Now also in the new Hybrid livery as previously mentioned is 61 PJ54 YZU at Tower Ramparts.

69005 GETS A REFURBISHMENT

IB Dart/ALX 200 143 Y294 FJN has now been debranded and is now in generic livery.

First Ipswich 69005 is now to be fully refurbished along with a full repaint into an unknown livery as well known it crashed into a florist in Stowmarket, lets hope that this is a start to hopefully tidy up the fleet, currently the fleet looks a right mess yesterday 65589 V589 DVF was on town routes and looked particularly untidy, with fogged up windows and the paintwork looked particularly bad. As can be seen above IB Dart/ALX 200 143 Y294 FJN has had it's vinyls stripped off and is now the spare bus for either in the main, the X1/3,4,X5 although as above yesterday it was on the 1 to the Havens while recent repaint Scania/East Lancs Decker 62 PJ54 YJV was on the X3 to John Lewis. 

A FURTHER ENVIRO 200 FOR IPSWICH BUSES

YX14 RWL seen on Friday at the front of Constantine Road Depot photo copyright James Long.

Ipswich Buses have purchased a further AD Enviro 200 No 78 YX14 RWL in part exchange for Dart/East Lancs 137 T137 KPV which finished it's last day of service on the 4 as as substitute bus for one of the regular branded 4 darts, it should be subsequently repainted with branding i believe for the take over of service 111 Hitcham via Bildeston, ironically this was a service taken over from the original Squirrells company back in the late nineteen eighties. A further repaint into the hybrid livery has been as predicted bus 61 Scania/East Lancs PJ54 YZU as seen below after repaint, photo courtesy of James Long and remain his copyright.

FIRST NORWICH 66333 ON LOAN IN IPSWICH

66333 MV02 VBY a Volvo B7L/Wrightbus Eclipse on the 60 to Gainsborough

Currently on loan to Ipswich at the moment is 66333 which previously had been on loan to First Essex has made it's way up to Ipswich to cover for 69005 which is being repaired after accident damage when it collided into a traffic light and a Florist Shop whilst in Stowmarket. First have now also taken over full control of the Ipswich to Claydon and Bramford service after Galloway's 110 finally stopped on Saturday, the First service is numbered 89 and is usually worked by single deckers due to a height restricted bridge en route.

Ipswich Buses Trident 11 LG02 FCX was unusually on the 1 to Warren Heath via Ravenswood today.