MORE ON IB SERVICE CHANGES

IB DAF Lowlander 58 PJ53 OLA seen on Tuesday in the Cricketer's lay by.

Just a quick update on the changes being made by Ipswich Buses on 24th May, service 6/11 Tower Ramparts to Ipswich Hospital will now link up as a through service from Ipswich Hospital, other changes are minor alterations to the timetable for services to the 7/9/12/13/15, personally i can't see why the 6 justifies a change to every 20 mins and a every half hour service in the evening they have tried to run a Sunday service in the past which wasn't successful, seems to be that Malcolm Robson is having the last laugh.

First Ipswich Volvo B7RLE AU58 FFN looking good in the Spring sunshine today about to take up a journey to Felixstowe.

THE CHANGING TIMES OF IPSWICH

From a picture taken from Stuart Ray we capture JDW Coaches ex Waveney AEC Swift YRT 895H approaching Dogs Head Street from this you see that the toilets on the left have been filled in and on the right is where the old Post Office sorting office was now occupied by the Buttermarket Shopping Centre.

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/81936099@N08/sets/72157637433582605 copyright Eric Simpson
Seen here is ICT AEC Regent 18 DDX 18 travelling down Lloyds Avenue on Ipswich Station, of course now Buses can no longer go down here after the Cornhill was paved over in the early eighties and the Ipswich Station X is also long gone.

Another one from Stuart Ray this shows Eastern Counties RLE 873 XAH 873H in 1975 which ended up with Cambus in 1984, from this view very little has changed or has it, the Mann Egerton Garage is long gone replaced by a monstrosity of a Cinema which is like a big white elephant unused for over a decade, the turning right from Majors Corner into Upper Orwell Street is also no longer possible with a cycle lane now in it's place.

MORE NEWS ON IB SERVICE CHANGES

Ipswich Buses Scania 74 YN56 NVF out on the 6 to Ipswich Hospital today.

I have learnt further on the changes to the 6 route that it will no longer serve my Estate on Broke Hall and will go back to it's original routing via Bixley Road, due to poor usage, now i don't like to be critical of a Bus company but i will be in this case, what is the difference in running a bus through Broke Hall than up Bixley Road, in fuel costs very little i would think, in actual fact Ipswich Buses i believe have been picking up more passengers coming through Broke Hall than on Bixley Road which is already well served by the 75/77 from First, not only that we are also losing our Evening and Sunday service 5/11 as well seems to me that we are being targeted by a company chasing their profits yet again.

Carter's Dennis Trident/Plaxton President LR52 WKH showing up nicely in the sun today.

FIRST IPSWICH COACH REPAINT AND TWO MORE ESCAPEES

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rtwelshbuses/sets/72157625964250249 Copyright Richard Turner


When asking Chris Speed a question i didn't think that it would get all this attention from everyone on Twitter, so with help from Flickr i can reveal that this is how 20514 WV02 EUP a Volvo B12M will look like on it's return the above photo shows First Cymru's Volvo B7R/Plaxton Profile 20325 YN57 BVY which is based in Swansea, sister 20515 has now returned to Norwich but has been helping out on contracts in Great Yarmouth.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/38156936@N02/sets/72157631622054088 Copyright Jampot 2

Above is something that Chris Speed will probably remember from his driving days S20 or in new money 67520 when it was transferred to Taunton with First Somerset and Avon is still going unless anybody no's different with Dobson's in Cheshire.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobbystransportphotos/sets/72157644663770489

Well this one was still going last year but with the changes with DDA has more than likely gone to the scrapman, seen with Oakleys Coaches is a horrid Mercedes Benz 0810D with Plaxton Beaver2 bodywork, this went to Glasgow in 2000 before escaping the First Scrapman and seeing further service.

EX FEC BUSES FINDING NEW HOMES

https://www.flickr.com/photos/129464815@N05/sets/72157647108206164 Copyright Callean Shields


Thinking about 65579 T579 JNG got me thinking on other escapees from the Eastern Counties fleet over the last few years, first up is 20502 AO02 RBZ see above which was transferred up to Glasgow,see above back in 2009, now news has reached me that 20502 and it's sister 20504 are to transfer down to Cornwall where it will ironically be back with 65579!

Sister 20504 AO02 RCU, picture by Stephen O'Reilly also going back down to Cornwall seen here yesterday at the Caledonia Depot.

From JB Bus Photos we see ex FEC Scania 65575 T575 JNG which escaped the scrap man's axe when it was purchased by Connexion Buses, transferred to First Northampton a few years back and sold to a dealer when Northampton folded this was the only one that was sold on.

IPSWICH BUSES MAY TIMETABLE CHANGES

Ipswich Buses Trident 11 LG02 FCX did one turn yesterday on the 16 before being substituted by an East Lancs Dart.

The following is a brief summary of the changes announced earlier this month,other services have still to be announced on the Suffolk On Board Website.

4 Tower Ramparts-Broke Hall-Martlesham Tesco
Service will no longer operate to Ipswich Railway Station off peak, timetable adjusted accordingly,peak time journeys will continue to use Ipswich Railway Station as a terminus.
Services 7/12/13/15/16 have only minor adjustments to timetable.
X5 Tower Ramparts-Foxhall Road-Heath Road Hospital
X5 replaces the 5 service and will terminate at Heath Road Hospital, service increased to every 15 mins daytime and every 30 mins evenings and Sunday.

Buckland's Volvo B10M/Jonckherre J12 BOC seen on a school trip at the Ipswich Transport Museum.

Ipswich Buses Dart 97 X97 LBJ which replaced IB Trident 11 on the 6 yesterday seen on Broke Hall, Ashdown Way.

TWO MORE EX LOTHIAN DARTS DARTS FOR IPSWICH BUSES AND 65579 IN CORNWALL

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cuthbus/ Copyright Chris Cuthill

Ipswich Buses have recieved two further Transbus Super Pointer Darts in 93 SN53 AVG seen above in Edinburgh in the former Harlequin livery while below is sister 94 SN53 AVK seen in Edinburgh last year in the later Madder Rose livery that it's been delivered in to Ipswich Buses.

65579 FINALLY GETS TO SEE SERVICE IN  CORNWALL

Ex Ipswich Scania L94UB 65579 T579 JNG has finally entered service in Cornwall operating out of Cambourne depot, which is also the host of ex First Essex Solo 53801 which of course spent some time operating out of Kings Lynn before going to Essex.

EASTERN COUNTIES IPSWICH ALLOCATION JULY 1999

An Eastern Counties import from Bristol three years previously this Leyland National 2 611 AAE 655V is seen heading back to Ipswich on the 97, copyright Peter Horrex.

Looking back to 1999, is all a bit hazy for me at the time i was working for Outdoors part of the Shout Shops chain, and we moved right over the road to where on a boring Winter morning i could sit upstairs and watch everything, approaching Tower Ramparts or the Old Cattle Market, this was the year that a certain Mr Chris Speed started his career at Great Yarmouth as a Driver, and the Number one in the Charts was ATB Nine AM till i come and Ricky Martin Livin le Vida Loca, the BIG Film was The Blair Witch Project, and The Soprano's launched on TV.

Heading towards Ipswich Railway Station was one of a new batch of Scanias for Ipswich which would soon leave when the V Reg Scanias arrived heading out on a 98 towards Shotley is 573 S573 TPW.Picture Copyright Peter Horrex.

Very shortly this Career at Ipswich Bristol VR 242 JAH 242V this last of a batch of 4 would finish it's days at Norwich seen in Trimley heading into Felixstowe.Copyright Peter Horrex.

Not one of my Favourite buses nor those of the Drivers, is 396 L103 PWR a Volvo B6 with Alexander Dash body which would soon leave the Eastern Counties replaced by more of the same from Glasgow.Copyright Peter Horrex.

Seen here heading back from Bawdsey on a 71 is an Ex Thamesway Leyland Olympian XHK 235X which were as slow as anything, top speed i believe was in the early forties .Copyright Peter Horrex.
Included below is the actual allocation for the whole of the fleet for July 1999.

THE OTHER MERCEDES BENZ DEMONSTRATORS

Just a quick blog tonight to illustrate the two other Mercedes Benz demonstrators both are from Colin Humphries Flickr page and can be reached here https://www.flickr.com/groups/1014762@N22/, the first one was on loan in July/August 2007, currently this bus is with Bennetts Coaches

The Citario above was on loan during July 2011 and is seen on the 1 to Ravenswood, soon to be amalgamated with the X1, BF60 OEZ is now a member of the Your Bus fleet of Nottingham.

300TH BLOG AND FINALLY WHAT IPSWICH BUSES ARE BUYING

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/welshpete2007
Welcome to the 300th Blog, as can be seen from the above headline Ipswich Buses have finally let us know that 3 Mercedes Benz Citario's are on order believed to be used on the current X5 service although this has not been confirmed so take it with a pinch of salt, Ipswich Buses have already trialled a Citario this year on the Park and Ride service as seen below BG63 VVE, seen above is an Cardiff Bus example which entered service at the tail end of last year 104 CE63 NYX, but it's not the only Citario that's around at the moment as Galloway's have been trialling one around Stowmarket seen below is a photograph from Mark Smith, who's copyright it remains is BP14 FYZ.

300TH BLOG SPECIAL BONUS PHOTO

As it's the 300th Blog today, I have raided my archive of slides and negatives for this rather colourful Eastern Counties Leyland National LN 771 XNG 771S with a Glasswells of Norwich all over ad, taken at the old Norwich Bus Station probably in the late 1980's as we can just about see to the right is a Series 2 VR still in NBC red livery and at the top you can just about make out VR 204 XNG 204S.

IB ATLANTEAN 9 OUT IN THE SUN ON THE 5

Just a quick blog today,with a picture of Open Top Leyland Atlantean 9 MRT 9P out on the 5, caught this purely by accident as it was in the lay by, but got pressed into action due to the delays caused by the delays caused by the closure of Foxhall Road, such was the strength of the sun didn't allow for many great pictures so to finish we have First Ipswich Volvo B7RLE 69426 AU58 FNN.

IB ROUTE DIVERSION

Due to a Burst Water Main on Foxhall Road this has meant buses on route 5/X5/11 have been diverted from Foxhall Rd Bridge via Derby Road, Felixstowe Road and Bixley Road, as seen above by Ipswich Buses AD Enviro 200 80 YX63 ZVV on Bixley Road, this has been in effect from last Thursday until Thursday this week, this has caused no end of difficulties with most buses I have seen running late

Heading the other way down Bixley Road and displaying the wrong blind is IB Dennis Trident 12 LG02 FDC.

MONDAY FLASHBACK

Something i know my good friend over in Norwich Kieran will probably enjoy so as he has done such a wonderful revamp of the blog especially for you a classic shot from my archive of a Leyland National 2 LN 626 UVF 626X in an all over advert for Norwich COOP of cause that's all changed now with all the regions of the COOP under the one name East of England.

MEMORIES OF THE NORTHERN CIRCULAR

Well after James Long prompting, I thought I'd better include the Northern Circular, introduced in July 1981
, this was a clockwise and anti clockwise service which took in the Northern section of Ipswich as well as linking the Eastern area of Ipswich, and Gainsborough to the Railway Station, personally i can't remember too much about the route, apart from one Sunday one I ventured out must of been around 1985, when instead of taking home the 4 to Broke Hall I used the Anti Clockwise 21 to get home on recent purchase Leyland Olympian/East Lancs 45 B45 NDX, now I always did like this bus and was disappointed a few years later when it was sold along with 3 Atlanteans 96-98 for 3 horrid Dodge Minibuses from Eastbourne 211-13 D471-73 UHC.

 Seen here heading around the old Cranes Factory in an area which now has a large retail park is AEC Regent V 65 DPV 65D still in it's original livery was finally repainted in the then current livery the following year, to a young enthusiast the remaining 3 in the IBT fleet 63-65 ADX63/64B, DPV 65D were an exciting prospect as they offered up something of a bygone area, even in Winter I would avoid the staple fare of Atlanteans on the 4 for these magnificent buses, fortunately for me they seemed to spend most of there remaining days on the 2/4/6 routes.

Seen here in 1984 heading down Bixley Road is Atlantean 29 SDX 29R on the Clockwise 20 service this was prior to the route being diverted into Broke Hall the following day, my memory consists of one of the ex Leeds Atlanteans being frequently used in the early morning on a school days only service complete with one of the remaining conductors although it could have been the 43 school service, memory hasn't been too kind on that front. Photo's come from Stuart Ray, who no doubt will pick me up on anything I missed and who's notes have jogged my memory no end.

OUR NEW LOOK...

Welcome to your new look Ipswich Bus Blog!

Kieran from Norwich Buses Blog has been busy rebuilding Ipswich Bus Blog to give it a fresh new look. It's now easier to find our previous posts, see what's popular, check us out on social media and locate the pages you need to find!

The new Ipswich Bus Blog header.

IB TRIDENT 22 ON SHOTLEY ROUTE AND A FURTHER REPAINT FOR BEESTONS

Not the best of images as it was a little bit hurried, Ipswich Buses Dennis Trident/Plaxton President put in a rare shift on the 202 Shotley service today, although with it being the School Holidays anything goes, following this photo is another repaint for Beestons in Scania Omnidekka YN54 OCY on the Sudbury route and finally a new overall rear advert has appeared on the rear of First Ipswich Transbus Volvo B7TL'S 32487/88 for Jonathan Waters Estate Agents.

IPSWICH BUSES 1980'S DEMONSTRATORS:A SMALL TASTE

Today's look back for a Easter weekend, looks at the curious types of demonstrators that Ipswich tried out during the early 1980's again from Stuart Ray's collection we see JGF 321K an ex London DMS repainted by IBT for Maxwell gearbox and is seen coming down Princes Street in October 1983, the bus itself had a very short life span being scrapped a few years later.

Again from Stuart Ray, this shows a very bizarre combination of a Marshall body on a Dennis Dominator single decker from Darlington 14 GHN 814V, this lead to Ipswich buying Falcon's but not Dominator's in 1983.

This unusual beast being the right word to describe this Leyland Articulated bus 2008 FHE 291V came down on loan from South Yorkshire PTE in Sheffield to try out use on the 12/13 routes, while they certainly could shift the crowds it certainly didn't catch on in the halcyon days of the 1980's but just over 20 years later they became a subject like Marmite you either loved them or you loathed them.

MEMORIES OF THE SOUTHERN CIRCULAR

Image Copyright Ipswich Buses

Now who remembers the Southern Circular service run by IBT from 1982 but the finish date now that's where my memory begins to play funny tricks, someone out there will know won't you, from the age of 11 I would spend every Saturday and some school nights on the peak hour extension which took in RSJ Works off Nacton Road and then visiting Hadleigh Road Industrial Estate on the way back into the town now this was enjoyable if you got the right bus particularly any of the Leyland Atlanteans but not 41/43/44, or worse still any of the horrid remaining AEC Swifts although any ride on a Bristol RE I wouldn't mind so much. Starting in 1982 the journey took in most parts of Ipswich starting from outside Electric House taking in Colchester Road, to Ipswich Hospital, Foxhall Road, Felixstowe Road, Nacton Road then Orwell Bridge and Wherstead Road into Town with the 18 being the clockwise route and the 19 the anti clockwise route.

Stuart Ray captures Leyland Atlantean 5 HDX 908N on the Wherstead Road bridge on the anti clockwise 19.

While heading down Heath Road is Leyland Atlantean still in ICT livery after 11 years on the clockwise 18 during 1983.Copyright Stuart Ray

And I always appreciated a ride on the East Lancs Atlantean's this one is 40 RGV 40W heading again down Heath Road towards the Foxhall Road Roundabout, during 1983 copyright Stuart Ray.