44519 INTO SERVICE

Photo copyright James Long

Another quick blog again today sees the above First Ipswich Enviro 200 44519 YX09 ADO finally entered service a week after it's arrival back this afternoon on the 53, 32479 in it's post Deregulation livery should be back this afternoon at Ipswich depot and will be checked over prior to re entering service. Meanwhile AEC Routemaster 39480 JJD 480D and not 39623 has been chosen to come to Ipswich for a few summer Sundays to operate the Felixstowe's against Ipswich Buses 33 service.

IB East Lancs Dart 88 PJ53 OLK also now repainted into the new livery was unusually earning it's keep on the 10 to Castle Hill and Whitton, usually this is double deck operated but due to current traffic problems in the Norwich Road area it was added to the route.

66959 ARRIVES AT IPSWICH

66959 WX55 TZM a Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse seen here today at Foxglove Close on it's way towards Felixstowe on the 75 this morning. Thanks again to James Long for whom it remains his copyright.

Just a quick blog tonight to say that 66959 WX55 TZM one of the 3 remaining Volvo B7RLE'S at Norwich has arrived at Ipswich and was put straight into service on the Felixstowe's this morning, unfortunately the last Enviro 200 at Clacton 44516 which was supposedly due here at the weekend never arrived, while sister 44519 has still not re entered service.

Volvo B10BLE 62143 seen here resting at Tower Ramparts on Saturday whilst on the 60/61s

FIRST IPSWICH CHANGES FOR AUGUST

69432 AU58 FFV a Volvo BRLE yesterday on 60/61s to Gainsborough/Greenwich.

Not to much to report, fleet wise today apart from saying that Enviro 200 44519 hasn't returned to service yet as it was still in the depot yesterday. In other news First have announced there changes for August 31st the main plus being the takeover of the 192/H from Ipswich Buses, for which i would imagine the Trident used on this service will join the main fleet it will be renumbered to X66/H66 and will extend to the Old Cattle Market, the 66's extension to Halifax will be cut back to it's original terminus at the Railway Station. Other changes include less pm journeys on the 55 to Bixley and minor timetable adjustments to the 64/A/65 to Aldeburgh/Saxmundham, 67 Martlesham and the withdrawal of the 89 from Claydon at 0846.

While Maidenhall Green was closed during the week the Double Deckers had to find other routes including 59 PJ53 OLB an East Lancs Lowlander.

44519 FIRST PICS AND 23314

Taken from Chris Speed's Twitter feed today are two images from the first Enviro 200 44519 to arrive back from Rotherham this evening, first one shows the exterior view and the second the interior view following below is the first shots of 23314 which had arrived from Portsmouth early this week many thanks to James Long and the depot staff for permission to take the photos.

 It is certainly nice to see First Ipswich growing again after years of neglect, with new managers in place and new contracts being won, lets hope it continue. Many thanks for this news goes to Chris Speed at First for the continued updates.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS AND IB REPAINTS

Another repaint for Ipswich Buses is the last EL Dart to be repainted 88 PJ53 OLK

Another repainting following on from Optare Solo243 YN04 LWJ seen below at Constantine Road Depot photo from IB's twitter feed is a fully refurbished EL Dart 88 PJ53 OLK as seen above which is the last ex Park and Ride Dart to be done. However today was a strange day for the wrong buses being on the wrong routes, included 2 Double Deckers on the 1 to Ravenswood, 1 on the X1 to Greenwich and 1 on the X5 to Ipswich Hospital, while EL Dart 99 was on the 15, 93 on the 7 and one other on the 11, First Ipswich were not to be out done either they had 65672-74 all on the 53 which was highly strange hopefully the passengers will get over their numb bums. As far as i know there will be refurbished buses due to arrive this week, plus the exchange deal with Clacton for Enviro 200 44516 more news later in the week.

An unusual visitor to Old Cattle Market at 0930 was ex Dublin Bus Volvo Olympian/Alexander RH 1482 PP.

What looks like a recent Purchase for Mulley's was a Volvo B10M/Jonckherre coach X472 KUT still in it's last owners livery seen here in Crown Street lay by.

32479 NEARLY READY A FIRST PEEK !

Many thanks to Chris Speed for this exclusive first peek of 32479 AU53 HJV at Rotherham Works and boy doesn't she look absolutely stunning, just one more coat to go on plus the vinyls and she's ready to go, the livery really does suit her love the wheel trim is spot on too. Also due to return this week is one of the Enviro 200's possibly 44519, while the last one due from Clacton 44516 is due here next weekend with one of Ipswich's remaining Scania saloons.

Remembering how it was VR 143 GNG 709N in the early 1990's showing how nice the livery looked when newly repainted, some say it was fussy in my opinion it was simple but quietly effective.

Single deck style here with LN 592 WAH 592S at Kings Lynn this time check out the Leyland badge.

66850 IN SERVICE AND 23312 ARRIVAL

66850 MX05 CHD was soon in service after it's arrival yesterday afternoon from Rotherham seen here in Belmont Road this morning on the 53. Photo copyright James Long

As seen above 66850 MXO5 CHD a Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse arrived back yesterday afternoon from Rotherham and was straight back into service this morning on the 53's as seen above, below is a picture of 23312 YN54 NYT taken with the kind permission of the Ipswich depot staff, again by James Long.

Also as an addition to the news mentioned in the last blog is that all the new Sunday services provided by First Ipswich the 65B and the 116 will be provided free of charge for the first two weeks.

MORE RAIL REPLACEMENTS AND MORE COMINGS AND GOING!

69009 has returned from refurbishment and is seen here today on the 77 to Felixstowe route

As can be seen above 69009 AU05 DMX has returned from refurbishment and was put back into service today after arriving from Rotherham yesterday also now departed is Enviro 200 44517 YXO9 ACY leaving just 44516 still to arrive, also arriving on Monday was Volvo B7RLE 69011 AU05 DMZ which entered service yesterday on the 55 to Bixley before emigrating onto the 60/61Greenwich/Gainsborough routes today and will depart to Rotherham tomorrow with Volvo B7RLE 66850 MX05 CHD returning tomorrow.

Volvo B7RLE 69011 AU05 DMZ seen here today on the 60 to Gainsborough.

23312 YN54 NYT a Scania K114 EB/Irizar PB coach seen here with First Cymru.

Two further coaches have or will arrived at Ipswich for work on the current Ipswich Rail replacement contract they are 23312/14 YN54 NYT/V Scania K114 coaches from First Hampshire at Southampton and in future will be used for both Rail Replacement work and private hire.

FIRST IPSWICH RAIL REPLACEMENT & SUNDAY ROUTES GAINED

37562 FJ08 FJN a Volvo B9TL/Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini seen here at Ipswich Railway Station today.

A matter of days have gone by and yet we have more news on First Ipswich, firstly Ipswich has gained a four week contract covering both mainline and branch line services from Ipswich for Greater Anglia Trains run by Abelio, Currently Ipswich has 20515 WV02 EUR a Volvo B12M/Plaxton Paragon coach and 37562 FJ08 FJN a Volvo B9TL

/Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini from Norwich although the Double Decker will be replaced by 20514 WV02 EUP during the week. Freshly repainted 66981 KXO5 MHK entered service on Saturday on the 53's as predicted although sister 69008 had moved on to the 64 today. Other work gained are Sunday services 116 to Debenham and 65B to Woodbridge from Ipswich both are timetabled to run 3 journeys a day, interestingly Hadleigh Community Transport have picked up the 202 to Shotley service again with three journeys all services are under contract to Suffolk County Council. A late arrival into the depot this Afternoon was Volvo B7RLE 69011 AU05 DMZ from Norwich while Scania L94 65632 V832 FSC was dumped out the back presumed withdrawn.

Seen today on the 53 is 66981 KX05 MHK a freshly repainted Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse

66981 AT IPSWICH DEPOT

Another quick blog this evening with pictures of 66981 KX05 MHK on the forecourt of the depot in Foundation Street and once again my thanks to James Long for supplying the photos of which they are his copyright.

69008 IN SERVICE

Just another quick blog today with a picture of 69008 AU05 DMV on the 53 to Pinewood, from seeing it up close today, i'm unsure about it, i don't know whether i like it or not. Enviro 200 44518 departed this morning, with Volvo B7RLE 66981 due back this afternoon, Volvo B7TL 32479 in the heritage livery is due back next Thursday. Many thanks to Paulo at First Ipswich and Mark Doggett who introduced himself to me this morning and supplied today's news.

69008 ARRIVES HOME

Just a quick blog tonight with a picture courtesy of James Long, of the arrival home of 69008 yesterday evening, vinyls are still to be applied. 

BLOG STATEMENT AND LAST DAY OF CURRENT 4 ROUTE

Last day of the current routing of the 4 included this IB East Lancs Dennis Dart 94 X94 LBJ seen here at Broke Hall Shops under menacing clouds.

First up a statement over the last week there has been some discussion and difference of opinion on Twitter and privately on the way i use this blog, i won't go into too much detail  suffice to say not all of it's been nice, i apologize to anyone who has been offended by the manner that i go by my source material and the way i share that information out. Now i'm celebrating two years of doing this blog, my prime objective is to gather news as newspapers do and be the first one to give out that information, however that is not always the case and i respect the ways that others do it. So a thank you to the many people who have helped me particularly Chris Speed and Paulo at First Ipswich who have been nothing but courteous to my many questions! Just to say whether possible i do not go in for the politics of preferring one company over the other or for that matter or looking at facets of the bus industry other blogs do that and do it better than i can ever do.

One of the EL IB Darts 85 PJ53 OLE to be used on the new route 4 complete with WI-FI

66950 NEXT IN FOR REFURBISHMENT

Perhaps one of the last times i get to photo what is now an increasingly rare event for the town routes anyway is First Ipswich 65632 V832 FSC a Scania L94UB/Wright Axcess Floline.

I can confirm that the next bus in line for refurbishment will be Volvo B7RLE 66950 WX55 TZM recently transferred in from Norwich, meanwhile the swap of 69532/33 will now wait for the delivery of the Norwich B7RLE'S. On a secondary a Volvo B7tl cant remember which one and two Volvo B7RLE'S 69428/29 have received advert's for various East of England Cooperative services in the case of 69428/29 Funeral Services and the Volvo B7TL their supermarkets.

A recent visitor to the Crown Street lay by was this Belle Coaches of Leiston Setra OJI 4756