MORE FROM NORWICH

In plain generic branding is Norse Dennis Trident/Plaxton President PN03 UMH on the Airport Park and Ride 603

 There was so much to photograph in Norwich yesterday I thought it was unfair to do just one blog on it, so today I will include the best of the rest so to speak, on Monday i will get back to looking again at the Ipswich area which has been rather quiet for now.

Seen here on the X11 Express service is Sanders Services Scania L94UB/Wright Solar 318 YNO6 NXR

Quite what route it was on I can quite fathom is 47887 MX03 YDB an Optare Solo from Stagecoach owned Norfolk Green.

In the older style First Barbie livery and not dedicated to any particular line is 33236 LT52 WWZ an Dennis Trident /Plaxton President on the 28 to Thorpe Marriot.

The solitary Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini at Norwich is an ex loan bus which was reacquired by First for Great Yarmouth before emigrating to Norwich seen on the Blue Line 25 to the University is 37562 FJ08 FYN.

DAY TRIP TO NORWICH

 36167 BD11 CFM a Volvo B9TL/Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini from First Norwich on Blue Line 26 to Norfolk and Norwich Hospital

Well it was a day trip to Great Yarmouth initially but a delayed bus put paid to that instead I made my way to Norwich for the first time in 12 years! It's completely impossible to put up all the photos I took all 80 of them on here so I will shut up and let the photos do the talking.

A recent transfer from Lowestoft is AD Enviro 200 45118 ST09 JPT on the 39 Purple line to Lakenham.

Konectbus Optare Tempo MX05 EKY on the 53.

Very unusual this MAN 18.270 Gas Powered/Caetano Ecocity 106 AU62 DWN on the 7 into Norwich.

Heading off to Dereham is the Konect Express service 8 ADL/Enviro 400 SN61 CZW.

The latest refresh of the First livery for the Norwich network is seen here on Dennis Trident/Plaxton President 33163 LR02 LXZ on the Purple Line 37 service to Mulbarton.

The mainstay of the First Norwich Single Decker fleet are in the hands of the ex Northampton Volvo B7L's such as 66325 MV02 VAY on the 13 to Attleborough.

And finally for today one of the ubiquitous Wright Streetlites here we see First Norwich 47510 SN64 CRV on the 14A to Wroxham.

FLASHBACK THURSDAY

 Today's First flashback we go back to 1986 when the bus world was changing and I was only 14 years old, today's picture is once again from my colleague at the ITM Stuart Ray's collection and shows the transition between the name changes of the Borough of Ipswich and the 1986 post deregulation name of Ipswich Buses. Pictured on the left is Leyland Atlantean/Roe 22 SDX 22R with the new fleet name and 17 RDX 17R with Borough of Ipswich fleet names.

Today's second flashback takes as back to around 1975/76 in a recent slide purchase we see former Bristol MW coach LS 814 3814 PW after conversion to a bus, the conversion was by Marshall's of Cambridge and saw the fitting of Bus seats and a roof mounted destination blind display, LS 814 lasted only another 3 years before withdrawal.

MORE RARE VISITORS TO IPSWICH AND MORE ON 20 YEARS AGO

Not quite a rare visitor as something you don't see everyday especially in the Tower Ramparts Bus Station, and in actual fact this is the only time I have ever photographed in all the time I have been on the blog is ex Metroline Dennis Trident/Plaxton President 22 LR02 BBJ seen here yesterday in the lay by near the Cricketers pub yesterday.

Also seen yesterday was Suffolk Norse Marcopolo PN57 CUA on a Swimming contract, in my day it was a rusty old Bedford!

While Soames Volvo B10M?/Plaxton T4 GET was also on a swimming contract.

20 YEARS AGO UPDATE
Further to the post i put up on Sunday with thanks to regular contributor James Long for the information, Bristol VR'S 179/80 were actually classified as VL as they both had Leyland 501 engines which made them go like rockets, Mercedes Benz 50/58 were L609D, while of course Leyland National 602/13/16 were Mark 2 variety's.
Lastly may I apologise for using a picture of Bryan Dickson's on Sunday without his permission, this has been corrected on editing the blog, all photo's came off a CD of images bought 10 years ago with full copyright permission, as I have stated before all recent pictures taken from Flickr have been fully credited, where possible the photos I use are my own and in most cases they tend to be. And finally the old School bus I was talking about GSX 112N a Bedford YRT in it's short career with Lothian.

Picture from Callum Colville https:https://www.flickr.com/photos/lothian_buses/7501635998/in/set-72157630420343382

BONUS PHOTO
 Many thanks to Joe Thorpe for this taken late on Sunday of Volvo B7TL/ ALX 400 32493 when it took over as a Rail Replacement duties from one of the Coaches.

EASTERN COUNTIES THE EARLY DAYS OF FIRST: THE IPSWICH ALLOCATION

An example of the Bristol VR fleet at Ipswich at the time was VR 180 OEL 236P ex Wilts and Dorset,which didn't have a lot of time left on the Ipswich allocation being withdrawn at the end of 1996 with our very own Jim Long upstairs on the bus. The nearest allocation sheet I could find to 20 years ago was this one,so enjoy the memories. This gives a picture of how the influence of the GRT group which became First was now taking hold.

IPSWICH ALLOCATION APRIL 1995

Leyland Olympian/Northern Counties: DD3
Bristol VR/ECW: VR 143/161/163/164/165/179/180/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/191/192/198/207/237/240/241/242/243/244/250/256/258/270/275/276/287/290/306/309
Dennis Javelin/Plaxton: 14/17/19
Dennis Lance/Northern Counties:36/37
Dennis Dart/Plaxton: DP 75/76/77/78/79/80
Volvo B6/Plaxton: VP 84/85/86/87/88/89/90/91/92/93
Leyland National: 569/591/602/613/616/767/769/778
National Greenway: LG 568/585/784
Mercedes Benz L608D : 50/58/711/714/716/717/745/758/759
Iveco/Carlye: IC 81/82/83/94
Ford Transit: 894/908

Both on the allocation although allocated to Felixstowe for town services was ex Leicester Iveco IC 82 F702 MBC and ex Norwich allocated Mercedes Benz MA 717 C717 BEX.

Seen here a little later in life with the additional 500 series added is Dennis Lance 536 K736/37 JAH one of two that later emigrated down to Essex, seen here in the OCM Ipswich.

Here we see Volvo B6/Plaxton Pointer VP 89 M589 ANG when relatively new on the 1 to Greenwich still operated by First to this day.

Seen her on Private Hire in 1996 was Ipswich allocated LG 784 UFX 854S which originated with Stagecoach Southdown before being converted to a National Greenway by East Lancs. Photo copyright and courtesy of Bryan Dickson.

ROUTE 66 CELEBRATES 20 YEARS

 Taken by Richard Walker a good friend of the blog is the original publicity  material from back in 1995.

This month celebrates the 20th anniversary of the 66 to Martlesham, and in those days travelling was done by Dennis Darts with Plaxton Pointer bodies, above shows DP 79 M379 YEX and already the destination display is playing up which was more often than not, these were part of a batch of batch of six, which were followed by another two the following year in N625/26 GAH plus an additional bus from Bristol in 1997 415 L501 VHU however by 2000, bigger and Low Floor buses were needed and so the Darts were shipped off to Norwich and Scania L94UB/Wright Axcess buses in 591-999/601 W591-99/601 SNG came in to replace them seen here is a picture from James Long is W591 SNG when fairly new at Ipswich Garage, these were replaced in turn in late 2003 by the current incumbents the Volvo B7TL'S 32479/86-94, seen at the bottom albeit with no branding is 32490 AU53 HKH, and as a bonus at this time many strange and wonderful buses appeared with Eastern Counties especially in the mid 1990's but none as strange as this unusual Mercedes/Alexander articulated bus K1 GRT from Aberdeen or what was then Grampian which I believe is now preserved by First, it also appeared at Norwich first, and then came to Ipswich, time went on to show that while First did buy Articulated buses they did buy any of that type and so it remained unique.

 

 

BEESTON'S SHADES OF METROBUS

Picture taken from Paul Green /www.flickr.com/photos/peagreenbus/

Again not a lot to report today and looking through a whole lot of pictures today I was surprised to find that I had seen Beeston's livery somewhere before and I was right, well sort of, as can be seen at the top we have a picture of Metrobus Scania Omnidekka 474 YN53 RYC in Brighton 2011 and then the picture I published a few weeks back as a comparison of the two liveries, the Metrobus blue being a slightly different tone. Now for the more serious news 2 changes are listed on the March service changes are the 62 Ipswich to Saxmundham with the follow route changing Service will now extend from Framlingham to Saxmundham serving the villages of Great Glenham & Farnham/Rendham on alternate days. Revised timetable to reflect these changes. - See more at: http://www.suffolkonboard.com/buses/bus-service-changes/march-bus-service-changes/#sthash.7qFtWl9t.dpuf   

And finally the 196 changes as well with a rerouteing round the villages of Stratford St Andrew, Great Glenham and Sweffing see further details by using the link provided above.

WEDNESDAY FLASHBACK INVOLVING THE FLEET NUMBER 123

As there is not an awful lot of news going around at the moment, I thought I would start an occasional series based around my total page views as I'm just about to hit 123,000 so I'm featuring buses with the number 123, first up is one from Stuart Ray's collection of East Lancs Dennis Falcon 123 in the early 1990's at the Woodbridge Road Roundabout in the company of sister company Lag/DAF Panoramic E643 LNV of Ipswich Travel now that's a story all by itself, created by the acquisition of Bantam Coaches and the joint buy of Bicker's back in 1989.

Well this is a sort of 123 as this was it's number pre First national renumbering back in 2004, taken by Ipswich Busman Leon Wells whilst he was on loan there this was an acquired bus back in August 1999 from First Beeline, although the awful Barbie 2 fadeout livery didn't quite fit these lovely Leyland Olympians with Alexander bodies, now the FEC Anglia Yellow and Red, here it shows it's national number of 34956 shame none made there way into preservation, although a Northern Counties one has, i was going to feature LFS 123 but to no avail.

EX IPSWICH VOLVO B10BLE'S GO GREEN

It's my intention now to do shorter blog's now on in, as Sam Larke will be helping out on a more regular basis, today's is a case in point. Ex First Eastern Counties and before that First Bradford and First Manchester, Volvo B10BLE'S 60813/60814 S664/65 RNA have appeared at First's Buses of Somerset Taunton depot after a brief period with First in Plymouth, arriving in East Anglia in 2004 they started out at Norwich depot before moving to Ipswich and finally Great Yarmouth, another ex FEC B10BLE 66126 is still in Cornwall at present. Photo's come from good friends of the blog, Stuart Ray and Leon Wells and both are taken in the summer of 2009 with 60814 on the 66B peak time service and 60813 on the 173 to Felixstowe after First had taken on the service when Country Travel went into administration.

 

RAIL REPLACEMENT SATURDAY PHOTO SPECIAL

 A selection of today's Rail Replacement from Ipswich to Billericay is the focus of the above photos, first one shows Reliance's Setra 225 BX07 NLF, followed by Scania/Irizar 274 YP12 NUK and 271 YP12 NUH, then we have Kings Ferry Scania Caetano Levante 6.11 FJ10 EZH/ 6.10 FJ10 EZG. Also lurking on standby in the corner was First Ipswich Plaxton Paragon 20514 WV02 EUP below.

And to finish with we have a selection of visitors to Ipswich at the top is City Circle Neoplan PN13 TFO and from Ensign we have Volvo Olympian/Alexander Royale WJY 759 and Optare Olympus PO58 KPN. Late news 65579 has returned to Ipswich as i revealed yesterday this is to cover for Volvo B7TL 32486 with a failed engine.

NOT QUITE THE END OF THE SCANIAS

I have been advised to take down what i put up on here earlier today, i must say i am disappointed to do it, but needs must, i will refrain from falling into the same trap i'm not falling into doing to what others do, as the blog is continuing to grow month by month for which i am extremely grateful, i have added a Facebook page where photos from here and what i don't will go up on there, if you wish to tweet me privately i have a new one which is clive_nixon, news will continue on the blog twitter feed.

Well i have 2 exclusives for you tonight, first up 65588 V588 DVF is staying at Great Yarmouth until September, from whence the ITM will all being well acquire it for our collection, this i quote is not definite but after today's meeting brings us a step closer to acquiring a unique bus'., and you're wondering what the picture of 65579 is up there for well it's coming back to Ipswich at the weekend thanks to Chris Speed for that.Late news i can also confirm that Norwich are to receive 23 Streetdeck's for delivery later this year, on another note well done to the Ipswich team at First who have added 18% growth to passenger levels.

OLD OR NEW BUS/ MORE OFF ROUTE

From my own collection the classic Bristol VR in series 2 VR 164 JNU 137N and Series 3 VR 306 PRC 852X.

This is a subject which has been debated on Facebook the last few days, bought about by Ipswich Buses refurbishing 4 of their 2000 X Reg darts, personally i'm not a fan of the darts but anything that saw off the horrid Ford Transits and their like was a good thing.
Fact, prior to today's Low Floor buses, buses were easy to maintain than today's where there are far more things that can go wrong, in the good old days in London they could take a Routemasters engine out and put in a new one on the same day, and then put it out in the evening peak. That's not to stay there wasn't problems with older buses you only have to look at the problems that London Transport had during the 1970's with the AEC Swift even Ipswich had problems with them.Today's buses have many advantages over their predecessors in lower floors, heating or Air Con, but when things go wrong like needing a new gearbox or engine then the bus could be off the road for sometime.

MORE OFF ROUTE AND MERCEDES BENZ DEMO IN VIEW

Well i spotted one again today this being IB Dart 144 Y295 FJN on the X1 instead of the X5, while the next photo is a sort of off route, as it's a Mulley's Optare Solo on loan to Galloway's CN06 BXJ and finally after days of waiting i finally capture IB's on loan Mercedes Benz Citario BG63 VVE on it's usual haunt the Martlesham and Copdock Park And Ride.