A YEAR IN PHOTOS PART ONE

January 2014 saw Ipswich Buses repaint Scania/Optare Olympus 69 YJ60 KGY repainted into current fleet livery.

A chance with not much going on in to have a look back at my Photos in four stages the first chronicles the period January to March.

One bus that has survived the cull of the Scanias so far is one of only two left at the present time is First Ipswich 65590 V590 DVF.

And one that didn't seen back here in February was one of the hard seated ones 65673 SN51 UYG

At the end of February saw this rather fine version of the Ipswich Buses livery emerge on Scania 62 PJ54 YZV.

Arriving on loan from Norwich after being with Essex for a time the first ever Volvo B7L/Wright Eclipse came to Ipswich for quite a lengthy spell here's 66333 MV02 VBY in early March on the 60/61.

Before it received route branding for the 111 to Hitcham route E200 78 YX14 RWL appeared on several different including the 38 Free Shuttle

69428 AND 69005 READY TO RETURN

Photo Copyright Duncan Robinson

A short and sweet blog today,as can be seen from above, both Volvo B7RLE'S 69428 AU58 FFP and 69005 AU05 DME are ready to return from Rotherham, this will leave just Volvo B7RLE 69006 and Volvo B7TL 32494 to return in the New Year.

NOT QUITE THE END OF THE ROAD

First Ipswich 32491 AU53 HKJ at long last a proper photo, after waiting for three weeks i finally get her on camera.

Well well first up i must apologise for my rather rash blog, predicting the end of the Scanias, well it was meant to happen BUT with four vehicles still away at Rotherham, i would imagine they will stay in service until the New Year, 65588 was ploughing it's trade on the 64 to Saxmundham while poor old 65579 just can't stay away from the 60/61 and 65670 was also around.

  And from the other side the rather glamorous 69426 AU58 FFN was on the 65 to Aldeburgh and in the flesh for the first time she sure looks good, livery of the year?
Next week sees some small amendments to Ipswich Buses services service 4 gets an additional journey in the morning while the 8/13 go back down to every 12 mins, Carter's have made some minor adjustments to their timetables as well.

END OF THE LINE FOR THE SCANIAS AND ROUTE 55

Wednesday saw the end of a fine period of service for the Scanias 65579/88 T579 JNG/V588 DVF when i would imagine they withdrawn from service on the same day that the 55 to Bixley ended,Scanias have been in use since the Summer of 1997 when 10 541-50 P541-50 RNG were delivered to operate the Superoute 88, the 55 to Bixley was a spin off from the current route 4 currently operated by Ipswich Buses, which First took over in late 1999, renumbered to 62 a few years later this continued until 2012 when the route was split into two the 55 and 56, the 56 was withdrawn the following year after stiff competition from Ipswich Buses who resumed the 4 in September 2012. There is one other Scania 65670 left which has just been Mot'd whether it will see service before it's transfer to Colchester in early January, is unknown.

65569 S569 TPW seen here back in 2012 had two spells at Ipswich and has just been withdrawn from service at Colchester.

And finally the one that kicked it all off seen here back in 2009 is 65541 P549 RNG the early Scanias were of course designated as L113 the later ones as L94.

66980 RETURNS HOME/FARE INCREASES

Eastern Counties Bristol Lodekka FLF 446 GVF 446D, on the 509 to North Thorpe in Norwich.

No hesitations in putting up another classic photo of a Eastern Counties Bristol Lodekka as i haven't been out and about taking photos, not much to report today apart from a surprise return yesterday of Volvo B7RLE 66980 KXO5 MHJ with 60618 R781 MKW returning to Rotherham, leaving just Volvo B7RLE'S 69005/6/69428 and Volvo B7TL 32494 to come back in the New Year. First have announced a whole lot of fare increases in the region, Ipswich sees the majority of 10 trip, and bus passes remaining the same with an increase of 10p on some single and returns. Now this is the last blog before Christmas, so thank you everyone who has contributed to the blog, take a bow Sam Larke, Paulo Van Krieken and Chris Speed at First, Grahame Bessey, and Roy at the East Norfolk Blog, Zak Nelson, Steve W and not forgetting James Long who's been invaluable with his photos and not forgetting you my dear blog devotees

Probably the best thing this year was meeting Business Manager Chris Speed this year who has firmly became a great friend to this blog and to me personally, here is the photo of him and Ipswich Engineering Manager Barry Spurling back in September when we launched 32479 at the ITM which i helped organize, Chris of course is now much thinner of course due to a health scare not long after this picture was taken, but was still able to take 32479 to Showbus.

CHRISTMAS PHOTO SPECIAL

Today's special is a crop of my slide purchases of the last year so we will kick off with one of the most recently bought one's this shows a particularly sunny day in August 1980 with Eastern Counties Bristol RE RL668 PPW 668F parked up on the forecourt of Felixstowe Bus Station.

The end is nigh for this beauty again in 1980 as IBT AEC Regent V 60 SDX 60 waits outside of the Football ground.

Another early 1980's photo here as IBT Leyland Atlantean 29 SDX 29R takes off from Tower Ramparts on the 7 to Chantry Estate.

Apologises for this one as it was converted from a slide projector slide which was difficult to cut in size, here nevertheless this a rare photograph of one the Bristol Lodekkas that ended up in Scotland seen here in Norwich is Eastern Counties FLF 496 MAH 496E on a 90 to Cringleford.

CHRISTMAS TREATS

IB Scania Omnicity 70 YN56 NVB was a surprise on the X3 today usually the preserve of the ex Stagecoach London darts which used to operate on the 4.
Now that the Schools have finished there seems to be a few treats available to the good people of Ipswich, including Ipswich Buses Opentop Atlantean 9 MRT 9P on the 5/11 on Saturday and Volvo Olympian 40 M640 EPV photo courtesy of Leon Wells on the 4 on Saturday afternoon no doubt to convey all the extra passengers due to the Football and Christmas shopping. Late bit of news First Ipswich has received 20515 which has taken the place of 20514, both Routemasters were here Friday for a society wedding which will be in Hello magazine this week.

I don't usually dole out platitudes but give this some thought, If you were to name an Operator of the year for Ipswich and Suffolk who would it be, Who came out with the best livery this year, Who gives the best Customer service? Let me know through Facebook, Twitter, comments at the bottom of the page or clivenxn@gmail.com

69426 ENTERS SERVICE ON THE 53

Many thanks to Richard Walker for allowing me to publish these photos with 69426 AU58 FFN which entered service today on the 53 to Pinewood.

69426 ARRIVES HOME AND 32100 AFTER REPAINT

Above is Volvo B7RLE 69426 AU58 FFN seen this morning in a series of snaps taken by James Long with the help of the depot staff showing the full extent of the Excel style livery

In this picture you can see the Esteban Civic V3 e- leather seats which has been already used by other First Group companies such as First Aberdeen's Sapphire Volvo B9TL'S and on Arriva Yorkshire's E400's. Many thanks also go to Paulo who also sent me some pictures which can be seen on Steve W's latest blog. Below is Norwich Trident 32100 LT02 WTE after leaving Simon Morris in Bluestem Road this morning love the Turquoise front. One other piece of news is that Volvo B10BLE 62143 has now left for Rotherham, all 4 will soon return to Eastern Counties at Great Yarmouth for the conversion of the W reg Volvo B7TL's to DDA standards.

32656 ENTERS SERVICE AND 69426 RETURNS

Just after i thought i was going to give up this week that i wasn't going to get anywhere with tracking down any of the recent refurbishments up popped both 66976 and 32656, Volvo B7TL 32656 AU05 MVA arrived back last Saturday but may have slipped out on Tuesday or Wednesday, but i got it coming in off a 64 from Aldeburgh before it lay over for the afternoon, before taking up a 75 to Felixstowe in the afternoon, i can also reveal for the first time that Volvo B7RLE 69426 AU58 FFN will arrive back tonight in it's excel inspired livery for use on the Felixstowe routes.

An nearside view as well of 32656.

And at last pictured this morning Volvo B7RLE 66976 KX05 MGZ.

YET MORE ALL OVER ADS

Seen here advertising Great Yarmouth's Pleasure Beach during the 1990's is Eastern Counties ex Ribble VR OT 351 OCK 995K. Pictures from Flickr

As there isn't an awful lot happening in the bus world as it's approaching Christmas and as the last feature went down pretty well i have chosen some more from around East Anglia.

One from Stuart Ray's collection where we have a long gone car dealer Tim Brinton Cars for Nissan on Woodbridge Road in Ipswich, approaching Tower Ramparts is Atlantean 30 SDX 30R.

Showing off the full extent of it's All over advert from the rear is Eastern Counties Bristol VR 255 PCL 255W with an ad for John Grose in Kings Lynn a well known Ford dealer still in existence.

One from an contributor to this page from Bryan Dickson of Eastern Counties VR 205 XNG 205S in Norwich with an all over ad for Norwich Energy Action.

Rounding up todays feature with Cambus ex Eastern Counties VR 301 VEX 301X in a rather bland all over ad for Peterborough's Evening Telegraph.

20514 ARRIVES AT IPSWICH FOR RAIL REPLACEMENT

Photo Copyright James Long, 20514 seen here outside Ipswich Railway Station in July

The above coach 20514 WV02 EUP a Volvo B12M/Plaxton Paragon has arrived at Ipswich to cover Rail Replacement duties at Bury St Edmunds for the next three weeks i believe. Also on Rail Replacement duties today was a Volvo B10M/Plaxton Premiere BIG 611 from Panther Travel.

32656 RETURNS HOME

 

Both these photos have already appeared on Steve W's blog already today but for those who haven't seen them i will repeat them here, Volvo B7TL 32656 AU05 MVA arrived home very late last night so many thanks to contributor Paulo again, so contrary to expectations 69426 did not arrive back, so that leaves just the one decker to come back in 32494, on the single decker front another saloon will arrive back on Tuesday, with 69428 leaving up at Rotherham will be 66980,69005,69006,69426.

Sunday morning bright and early sees a rare visit to Broke Hall in the form of First Ipswich 69010 AU05DMY.

Another rare visit to Broke Hall on Sunday was IB 79 E200 YX63 ZVW on a Evening and Sunday only extension of route 5.

66976 INTO SERVICE AND THE END OF 65670?

Pictured together which is a rarity in itself is Scanias 65670 SN51 UYC and 65579 T579 JNG last month, 65670 yesterday was in the yard with various panels off and hasn't been seen on it's regular route the 60/61 all week, with both due to be withdrawn by the end of the month, it's probably unlikely we will see 65670 in service again. Volvo B7RLE 66976 soon went back into service on Thursday on the 64/65 but with the weather as it is i didn't stand around waiting. On the IB front service 4 will have an additional service from the 5th January from 7.14 from Bixley Farm.

MORE ON MOVEMENTS

Yesterday saw the return of Volvo B7RLE 66976 KX05 MGX while shipping out to Rotherham was as predicted 69428 AU58 FFP to be refurbished and fitted with high back seats for the Felixstowe route, meanwhile expected back on Saturday is the above 69426 AU58 FFN when freshly repainted into First's Marmite livery last October, the livery will be as standard livery but with a different colour front, while leaving for just a repaint will be 69005 AU05 DME.
It was interesting to hear yesterday on BBC Suffolk the ramifications of the court trial about whether Buggies should make way for Wheelchairs for which First's Business Manager in Suffolk and Norfolk, Chris Speed made the point that it now will be even more difficult for the driver to ask people to move their buggies, i won't go too much further than that as it's a very emotive issue to address.

32491 IN SERVICE

Just a quick blog tonight, firstly,apologises for the quality of the photo it didn't quite come out right by the time i waited for it my hands were so cold i messed it up. 32491 AU53 HKJ entered service today on it's usual route the 66 to Martlesham, whilst recent repaint 66982 was on the 75.

MORE FAVOURITES

As you know the blog reached 100,000 views this week I thought i would indulge you with a few more memories in photography form, above from the collection of Stuart Ray is Great Yarmouth AEC Swift 74 PEX 174K in 1984, no matter how I tried in early 1984 to go on this magnificent beast I never did, although I did have a tour of Yarmouth routes the following year.
Another bus I wholly loved was the Bristol VR of Eastern Counties, seen here on the right in the Old Cattle Market still with it's Scottish destination display intact is a series one VR, VR 322 NAG 587G, again from Stuart Ray. Checkout the unusual bumper the bus has, very strange.

I know i'm a sucker for a Bristol VR this time in Cromer is Eastern Counties VR140 SNG 440M.

 Another Stuart Ray one used in the Ipswich Buses History book in the late 1980's sees 3 all over advert buses all with companies that no longer exist, all are Leyland Atlanteans with the classic Charles Roe body are 34 SDX 34R,86 WPV 86L and 97 TRT 97M.

 To finish off with is Eastern Counties LFS 104 DNG 404C in Lowestoft interesting to see the driver still has the Summer dust jacket on something which would come increasingly rare in the 1970's was the sometimes sloppy attire that could be seen in the summer in the 1970's

69006 BRIEFLY IN SERVICE/RETURN OF 60622

Volvo B7RLE 69006 AU05 DMF briefly entered service today on the 60/61 before being taken out of service at 10.00 when it was taken back to the depot and sent off to refurbishment at Rotherham.

Interestingly the bus that took over from it was Volvo B10BLE 60622 R785 MKW picture below

 

Above is 66982 Which entered entered service on Wednesday on Town Services and is seen here in the twilight yesterday on the 64 to Saxmundham/Alderburgh thanks to David Warren for the picture for which remains his copyright.

This caught me by surprise today being Galloway's on loan Alexander Dennis AD 200 YX14 RWB 

 Beeston's latest Scania Omnidekka still in London red is YN54 OAE