66950 ARRIVAL AND IB ROUTE 4

66950 WX55 TZM a Volvo B7RLE/ Wrightbus Eclipse Urban seen here on Saturday at Ipswich OCM still with Norwich Network posters! photo copyright James Long.

As seen above 66950 arrived late on Thursday night and was soon put to work on the 64 to Aldeburgh, then Felixstowe's on Saturday and back on the 64 again today, which i did see but due to the sun in front of me was unable to capture on camera. Like other B7RLE'S it will receive the refurbishment procedure in due course. I can also exclusively reveal that the replacements for 69532/33 will be 66982/83 from Colchester.I hope to impart another exclusive on the return of a very special bus hopefully returning to Ipswich in the next blog  which you are probably smart enough to guess at right know, of which i will furnish some of the first photos very shortly. In Ipswich Buses news i can confirm the routing of the extended service 4 to Martlesham, the main part of the route from the Old Cattle Market to Bixley farm is the same as it is presently while from Bixley Farm it will continue down Foxhall Road on to the A12 to Martlesham, coming from Tower Ramparts it will continue along from Princes Street to the Railway Station.

An interloper on the 4 today was ALX 200 Dart 144 Y295 FJN

And another IB 16 LG02 FDN taking the aboves place on the X5

And counting the days down before it's departure to Colchester is Volvo B7RLE 69533 PL05 UBS

66950 AND YET MORE VOLVO B7RLES COMING TO IPSWICH

Pictured above is one of i believe of 5 Volvo B7RLES coming from Norwich this is the first one 66950 WX55 TZM seen here in Norwich in 2011.

From what i have been told over the next few weeks all five of Norwich's Volvo B7RLE'S 66950/57/59/69006/11 WX55 TZM/U/W, AU05 DMF/Z of which 66950 should arrive today with the rest to follow, this has allowed Scania L94UB 65631 V831 FSC to transfer to Colchester, this still leaves 45116 Enviro 200 YX09 ACV  the last remaining one to come which has now re entered service in Clacton so should be on it's way shortly. As predicted the two ex Transdev Volvo B7rle's 69532/33 will be also heading to Colchester in return for two of Colchester's B7RLE'S .

The latest bus to come to First Ipswich is on loan 66112 R912 BOU a Volvo B10BLE

As can be seen above is the last for now on loan Volvo B10BLE in 66112 R912 BOU, whilst soon to come back from Rotherham in the next week is are 66981 KX05 MHK,69008 AU05 DMV Volvo B7RLE'S and possibly heritage liveried 32479 Volvo B7TL AU53 HJV.

60622 ENTERS SERVICE

60622 R785 MKW first day in service was Friday seen here at Tower Ramparts

As can been above Volvo B10BLE 60622 entered service on Friday on the 53 to Pinewood although the first arrival this week 66112 R912 BOU still hasn't entered service as far as i can see,both should by mid week depart when Volvo B7RLE'S 69008 AU05 DMV and 66981 KX05 MHK arrive back from refurbishment as mentioned in previous blog's this will be in a new hybrid livery. I can also confirm that the ex Park and Ride Volvo B7RLE'S will also be refurbished with leather seats many thanks to Chris Speed for that bit of news.

A pleasant surprise yesterday instead of the usual fare on the 4 was IB Scania Omnicity 75 YN56 NVG which was a master lesson in how a bus should be, smooth performance rattle free.

Late addition a further surprise on the 4 today was Open Top Atlantean 9 MRT 9P disappointingly it only did 3 trips before being substituted by DAF lowlander 58

MORE FIRST IPSWICH COMINGS AND GOINGS

44517  YX09 ACY a AD Enviro 200 seen at Tower Ramparts on a 53 after recently transferring in from First Essex.

44518 YX09 ACZ another AD Enviro 200 entered service on the 53 on Saturday but on Monday unusually had strayed onto the 60/61.

More news on the various comings and goings at First Ipswich seems to keep me really busy at the moment, as can be seen above 44517 YX09 ACY a AD Enviro 200 entered service on Monday on the 53 to Pinewood while 44518 YX09 ACZ entered service on the Saturday also on the 53 before unusually seeing service on the 60/61 Greenwich/Gainsborough routes on Monday, 44519 YX09 ADO entered service on Monday due to bus shortages on the Felixstowe routes before departing on Tuesday for Refurbishment. In comes a further Volvo B10BLE 66112 R912 BOU which has also been fully refurbished and has recently been on loan from First South Yorkshire to West Yorkshire at Bradford, this will be here for one week only until 66981 and 69008 return next week. Another Volvo B7RLE 66850 MX05 CHD has departed and yet another unknown Volvo B10BLE should arrive again for one week.

Seen Here at Simon Morris is IB Dart 87 PJ53 OLH after it's recent repaint, photo copyright James Long.

 Seen here whilst with First South Yorkshire is on loan Volvo B10BLE 66112 R912 BOU

FIRST IPSWICH DEPOT EXCLUSIVE AND COMINGS AND GOINGS!

30888 W743 DWX a Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 will arrive as a swap for 32061 so it can operate the 66 to Martlesham. Photo Copyright Cameron Robinson Yarmouth Bus Page

In a surprise manner the three Enviro 200's of four due arrived at Ipswich from Clacton late on Friday these were 44517-19 YXO9  ACY/ACZ/ADO leaving just 44516 YX09 ACV to arrive after repairs, one will depart this week for refurbishment, while departing the other way was 65690-92 YS03 ZKK-M Scania L94UB/Wrightbus Solars with one of either 69532/33 PLO5 UBR/S Volvo B7RLE'S going during the week. I can also reveal that all of the remaining Scanias will be removed by September probably for scrap. 32061 W221 XBD as pictured in the last blog is leaving to return to Great Yarmouth in return for 30888 W743 DWX for use on the 66 to Martlesham.
In yet another exclusive i can reveal that the Ipswich depot will be heightened during November allowing the possibility of full height Double Deckers. 

Scania Optare Olympus 69 YJ60 KGY unusually appeared on the 5 on Thursday before going back onto 9's during the afternoon.

Ipswich Buses have now put up their timetables for the July 7th changes, Service as previously mentioned now extends to Martlesham but now misses out Tower Ramparts on the outward journey which i can see as deeply flawed, not only that who will additionally use this service is beyond me when First already run the 66 at every 15 mins rather than IB's 30 mins. The 19A will be axed with the 19 also cut back to serve Dales Hall road and not Castle Hill, the 14/A to Gippeswyk Park will now be revised into just the 14 with a new route. Service 33 is a new Sunday only service from Ipswich to Felixstowe running every hour.

32061 OUT ON TOWNS AND A NEW FIRST HYBRID LIVERY FOR IPSWICH

32061 W221 XBD a Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 a recent transfer in was unusually put out on the 55's.

Just a quick blog to mention that 32061 W221 XBD entered service on Tuesday, i believe but i finally caught up with it yesterday when it appeared on the town service 55 to Bixley, usually deckers don't appear on the town services so a rare opportunity to snap it, it's worth noting that the PVR on the 66 to Martlesham has now increased to eight so deckers will mostly appear on that route for the time being. Below is a taster photo that Chris Speed took of 69008 AU05 DMV in what looks like a hybrid livery at Rotherham works and very nice it looks too i wonder what the front looks like.

32061 ARRIVAL

32061 W221 XBD a Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 is the latest arrival at Ipswich Depot photo copyright James Long with thanks to Ipswich depot staff

32061 W221 XBD a Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 has arrived on loan from Great Yarmouth for the summer period to cover for the repainting and refurbishment of the current fleet of Volvo B7TL's, as can be told by the registration this is one from an batch that originated from First Leicester in 2000 and was cascaded to Eastern Counties at Great Yarmouth earlier this year.

IB East Lancs Trident 10 PO51 UMK seen today on the repositioned 7 Thorington Park Stand. 

ENVIRO 200S FOR FIRST AT IPSWICH AND HERITAGE LIVERY EXCLUSIVE

44519 YX09 ADO one of four AD Enviro 200's expected at Ipswich during July, seen here in Harwich with First Essex.

Four Enviro 200's have been confirmed for First Ipswich and will be repainted and refurbishment and possibly dedicated for use on route 53 to Pinewood the batch of four are currently at Clacton and are 44516-19 YXO9 ACV/Y/Z/ADO and are 35 seaters originally allocated to Harwich thee moved to Clacton when Harwich depot closed last year, many thanks to David Warren for spotting them parked up at Clacton. More than likely this will see the end of four Scania/Wright Axcess saloons from the remaining seven 65579/88-90, 65630-32 all of which are due to go by the end of the year due to DDA requirements. 62143 R589 SBA finally entered service on Monday briefly before being taken off with defective window screen wipers but was back in service the following day and has stayed on the 64/65 Aldeburgh services since. Other great news is that i can reveal the heritage livery for Ipswich Depot will be on Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 AU53 HJV which will be repainted into the 1987-97 Post Office red with lemon and orange stripes see picture below and will depart shortly for refurbishment and MOT at Rotherham, also departed today was Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse 69009 AU05 DMX for refurbishment.

Seen here in the 1987-1987 Post Office red livery is VR 241 JAH 241V at Sudbury

IPSWICH BUSES NEWS

Ipswich Buses Dart 140 Y272 FJN with removed vinyls for the 4.

The buses that have been chosen for the service extension for service 4 are to be 3 from the batch of East Lancs Darts 84-88 with two already in fleet livery the three are likely to be 85/87/88 PJ53 OLE/H/K one of which 85 is already under preparation for repaint at Simon Morris, these will also have dedicated branding.

62143 R589 SBA a First Volvo B10BLE/Wright seen here soon after arrival outside Ipswich Bus Depot photo copyright James Long.