MORE MUTTERINGS

Sadly now departed to that great scrapyard in the sky, but back in 2004 before cascade down to the Ipswich area Dennis Dart SLF Plaxton Pointer 2 43477 R477 CAH is seen in Castle Meadow Norwich.

Further to yesterdays blog i have looked back 11 years to 2004 and compared the scale of First Group's operation to that of 2015, the most important sell off a few years back was the sell of the entire London Operations, by looking back to the First Bus Handbook then you can see how much has been lost.
Glasgow: Cumbernauld and Stevenston, Manchester:Ince, sold to Stagecoach Wigan, Midlands:Sold to Stagecoach,Birkenhead and Chester, Closed Crewe,Newcastle Upon Lyme,Evesham,Hereford,Redditch sold to Rotala and Northampton,Leeds:Cherry Row,South Yorkshire:Halfway, Eastern Counties:Bury St Edmunds, Kings Lynn bus operations only,Essex:Braintree and Harwich,Beeline:Bracknell,Wales:Tycroes,Carmarthen,Llanelli,Maesteg and Pontardawe, Somerset:Yeovil,Bristol:Muller Road,Devon and Cornwall:Barnstaple,Plymouth and St Austell.

SUNDAY MUTTERINGS

Many thanks to Joe at Ipswich depot for sending me this the transfer of Volvo B7RLES 66976/78/80 to Norwich was completed this morning.

Now i don't like to moan very often on here but i think this open to debate, so please have your say if need be, it seems lately that First Group lately seem to be on the slide, throughout the UK, with the closures of Braintree, Bracknell, Plymouth and Hereford depots, most of those depots vehicles upon closure were rather old particularly Plymouth it seems to me that First seem to think that the major towns and cities such as Bristol and Manchester come off better for this years new bus orders, you only have to look at Stagecoach for example upon snapping up the Chester and Newcastle operations immediately invested in new buses which turned them into profit making depots, looking at the regional aspect here in Eastern England, we are rather rural in nature particularly Suffolk and Norfolk, indeed the last new buses excluding the ex Park and Ride B7RLE's was the 2003 batch of deckers for the 66 route, First in Ipswich under previous management particularly gave up many of their traditional routes, one example was the 90 route to Sudbury, which seems to do well with Beestons, Hedingham,Chambers and Stephensons equally as well have turned round previous First Essex routes. Steve W sadly has gone into retirement however yesterdays news on the movements up north in Norfolk was particularly worth reading http://busandtrain.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/first-vehicle-cascades-and-more.html so i won't repeat it here.

First Volvo B6 386 L101 WYS at the ITM back in 2003.

THE BEST AEC DOUBLE DECKER POLL

Copyright Clive Brown https://www.flickr.com/photos/cliveabrown/2828777874/in/photolist-5iYe7j

AEC RML 2610 NML 610E on the 37 to Hounslow.

Now time again for the best decker of the week poll, last weeks winner i can proudly announced with over half the vote drum roll please was the Bristol VR in all shapes and forms with 51%, the Lodekka came second with 29% and the poor Bristol K, last with just 18%. This week i have chosen the AEC as the make of bus, with two types familiar with former municipal operators in the Suffolk/Norfolk/Essex region that of the Regent III and the Regent V, along with the AEC RT and the Routemaster, so get voting.

Copyright Stuart Ray ICT AEC Regent III 22 EPV 22 in 1973 this would be likely be towards the end of it's life above you can see where offices are now in Crown Street are in Ipswich.

Copyright Barry Lewis https://www.flickr.com/photos/16179216@N07/15120898882/in/photolist-p3byr9

London Country AEC RT 4785 OLD 822 on the 441 to Old Windsor.

My vote goes for the AEC Regent V as i grew up just in time to witness the end of them during the late 1980's here we see 46 OPV 46 in 1974 with ICT in Crown Street. Copyright Stuart Ray

GALLOWAY SOLOS AND FIRST IPSWICH UPDATE

Many thanks to my colleague at the museum Owen for allowing me to use this photo, currently these two Optare Solo SR's are on loan until the two that are currently being built are ready in October one i can make out as KX15 BLK the other is also an KX15 as well by the look of things, these are going to be used for the newly won contract the 113/4 to Diss from next Tuesday. A footnote to yesterday's report is that currently ex Ipswich Volvo B7RLE's 66977/82 are at Norwich with 66976/78/80 leaving this weekend. Seen below is a better photo of the two Enviro 200's thanks Joe of the two on their way back to Ipswich with 44928 EU08 FHB leading, below back in May one of the departing Volvo B7RLES 66978 was unusually on the 53 sitting in for one of the regular E200's. In independent news Mulley's of Ixworth sister company of Beestons have two ex Dublin Bus Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 deckers one has been registered LW51 ZDY the other one is still awaiting registration.

RETURNING E200'S TO IPSWICH

Many thanks to my good friend at First Ipswich, Joe Thorpe for the first picture's of the two AD Enviro 200's 44928 EU08 FHB/45119 RT09 JPT, which were awaiting collection from Rotherham Works 44928  was new to Olympus Bus,Harlow and 45118 to JPT, Middleton both are scheduled to be used on the 59/70/A/72 contract's from the 1st September next Tuesday, leaving Ipswich will be 66976/80/82 Volvo B7RLE's to Norwich this is due to the reduction of PVR on the 64 service. 20514 WV02 EUP Ipswich's Volvo B12M private hire coach is also still there work is being done slowly at present.

BEESTONS AUSTIN CXB 1948 READY FOR SHOWBUS

If you are off to Showbus this coming month then you will see this splendid Beestons 1948 Austin CXB with a Plaxtom Body  BCF 802 which since these photos have been taken has been fully restored by Cobus over the last three years, this beauty has not seen the light of day since the 1960's, and currently is the only example of this coach with a Plaxton body in the UK, the other example is currently on the island of Malta with Cancau. With kind thanks to David Burrows of Beestons for allowing me the chance to feature this one of a kind.

IB TRIDENT 22 IN SERVICE AND OTHER NEWS

Caught a fraction too early was Ipswich Buses Trident 22 LR02 BBJ which entered service yesterday on the X5 unfortunately due to the sun being in the wrong place in Tower Ramparts this was the best shot i could get. The other 3 Tridents are hopefully going to be 23-25 while the Mercedes Benz Citarios should be delivered within the next month. Ipswich Buses are still offering the £2 return ticket at least on routes X1/X3 presumably until the end of the School Holidays.

One of very few IB buses remain with names attached one of the remaining X Reg Darts which will be withdrawn later on in September is 96 X96 LBJ seen today on the 16.

LAST EX FEC SCANIA L113 WITHDRAWN AND DARTS IN PLYMOUTH.

Well it had to happen the last ex FEC Park and Ride Scania L113 CRL 65556 R556 CNG was withdrawn with First Essex at Clacton in May, also of noteworthy news is the withdrawal of the majority of the ex FEC New World First Bus Dart SLF's at Plymouth with the sale of the Plymouth operation to Stagecoach Devon, these are 42752/58/64/84 S652/58/64/84 SNG, this will leave one still in operation in Bath 42754, seen above in happier days is 65556 at Castle Meadow Norwich and below 42752 also in Castle Meadow.

ETCS OLD BUCKENHAM RALLY

First Norwich's ex London Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President 32100 LT02 ZCJ alongside EATM's Eastern Counties Bristol Lodekka LFL 57 557 BNG.

Welcome to a photo special of buses from today's ETCS Old Buckenham Rally.

 Today's star turn was Chris Speed's and Danny Beales Great Yarmouth AEC Swift 85 WEX 685M which also won best Classic Bus well done to you both, a pleasure to spend the day with you chaps.

As a contrast to our very own Ipswich Heritage Volvo B7TL 32479 was First Great Yarmouth's 32059 W219 XBD.

My favourite coach body the Plaxton Supreme V shown here by Smiths of Norton Volvo B10M FAH 275Y and the Cambridge Transport Society OK Motor Services liveried Leyland Tiger LFT 5X.

Two different generations on is a rare one from the ETCS a Dennis Condor/Duple H74 ANG with a staggering 110 seats from the China Motor Bus fleet followed by the ETCS Eastern Counties Bristol Lodekka LKD 229 OVF 229 which spent it's life by and large in Suffolk.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE DOUBLE DECKER PART ONE

With credit to Syd Eade, we see Eastern Counties Bristol Lodekka LKD 175 UNG 175 in the pre NBC classic Red and Cream with Gold fleet name in the early 1970's with the typical service blind for Norwich service 511, awaiting passengers in Castle Meadow.

The whole exercise is to eventually see what exactly was the most classic double decker pre 1980's was obviously if i listed every one on one poll that wouldn't work so each week i will split the poll into parts involving the different manufacturers so to me the most obvious one to start with is Bristol with the VR, Lodekka and the K series, i haven't split them up to include the different types ie VR series 1, 2 or 3 as that just complicates things, next week i will tackle AEC/Leyland to include the Regent 3 and 5, Atlantean, Routemaster, RT.

 Now preserved by Viv Carter with Carters is Eastern Counties Bristol VR 294 VEX 294X.

FIRST ESSEX BRAINTREE DEPOT TO CLOSE

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fwc439h/16942906867/in/photolist Copyright Steven Hughes.
First Essex use this rather attractive version of the Olympia livery for Volvo B7RLE's in Colchester and other depots in Essex this particular one started out with First Manchester before being used temporarily by First Ipswich for Park and Ride in late 2008.

While not quite in this area news reached me on Tuesday officially that First Essex are to close Braintree depot now i knew of this sometime back but i have held back from releasing it until it was officially announced, Braintree will know only have an outstation with work being transferred to Chelmsford and Colchester Depots from the 1st November, there will be no forced redundancies, this comes when First Essex will open there new £3.3 million depot in September.

BEESTONS REPAINT AND IB/FIRST NEWS

Well It certainly has taken me long enough to photo this recent Beeston's repaint of Optare Solo KX54 NLC which has been in dealer white along with it's sister for a few years know, what it will be used on after they lose the 30/39 routes is anyone's guess. Ipswich Buses Trident 22 is now back at Constantine Road Depot after completion of the new livery. First Ipswich should have there two refurbished Enviro 200's back from Rotherham this time next week, thanks Chris,and talking of Enviro 200's 44519 YX09 ADO which is usually on the 53 was on the 60/61 Greenwich/Gainsborough routes, while IB had ALX 200 Dart 139 on the 98 Shotley service while an X3 Dart was on the X1 and 142 was parked up in Crown Street Lay-by.

WEDNESDAY FLASHBACK VARIETY.

 Time for another Wednesday Flashback, and a quick reminder to people that the majority of photos are my own and when i do source them from Flickr i properly link them to that persons stream, this is in accordance to Flickr rules, if people wish to use my photos from my stream you may do so as long as you credit me, unfortunately i can no longer use certain peoples photos, which is a shame but there we go. Top and bottom pictures are my own and retain my copyright, first one shows a series 2 Bristol VR VR 147 GNG 713N in Norwich Bus Station in Deregulation Post Office Red, below we see ICT AEC Regent V SDX 58 on the 3 to Rushmere Heath, slightly spoilt by a car in the foreground by the look of the young girls outrageous flares we can pin it down to the later part of the 1970's

FIRST IPSWICH BUSES PREVIOUS COLOURS

All Photo's Copyright Unknown.If these belong to anyone please contact me and i will withdraw them from view.

Volvo B7TL 32486 AU53 HKD seen here back when new in 2004 on Blue Line 25 to Costessey Park And Ride, in the day when Overground was the catchphrase.

When new Ipswich's Volvo B7RLE'S  were used on Norwich's Park and Ride service's here we see 69008 AUO5 DMV heading out of Castle Meadow.

Again in Castle Meadow we see another Volvo B7TL in 32656 AU05 MVA originally destined for 

Park and Ride they were replaced by some of the earlier Volvo B7TL's

Well it did work in Ipswich for a time usually with a paper label fixed over the number blind originally from First in Leeds, 47202 M202 VWW was a Plaxton Bodied Dart new in 1994 before arriving a few years later in Suffolk,by 2005 it had emigrated up to Norwich.

MY SCHOOL DAY BUSES

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tiptree-jon/16246589492/in/photolist-d8uDHm-d4jVcf-mPE2yg-dDMiWd-4han7M-r6qnxc-qKE22W Copyright Jonathan Greenwood.

IBT East Lancs Leyland Atlantean 36 RBJ 36W when new inside Constantine Road Depot on 3rd October 1981.

What peaked my interest in Buses i don't really know was it in 1981 when i was bought a Matchbox Royal Wedding Londoner bus or when my Primary School hired an Ipswich bus to go to the Wolsey Theatre, or was it watching Eastern Counties Bristol Lodekka Open Top OT2 VDV 753 heading along the cliffs in the Summer.
Initially my primary school hired Suffolk County Council buses which were in a hideous Brown and Orange livery well it was the early 1980's and usually it an ex Edinburgh/Lothian Bedford GSX 112N which seemed to gather an impressive amount of moss on the window sills in the winters. For longer hires the school after a time would hire in Ipswich Borough Transport Atlanteans my first ride would of been one of the 73-76 batch of ECW body's LDX 73-76G, then lucky me one of the very first East Lancs Atlanteans 36 RBJ 36W on a trip to Stowmarket.  By the time i went to Copleston i had elevated myself to becoming a bus enthusiast.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rossendalian2013/11426789793/in/photolist

My chosen bus for trips to the Swimming Pool was GSX 112N seen here with Lothian in 1976.

From the Stuart Ray collection we see one of the magnificent Ipswich ECW bodied Atlanteans 74 LDX 74G in 1970 i always thought how majestic and stylish these were.

IPSWICH BUSES TO DIVERT 6/A THROUGH BROKE HALL ON EVENINGS AND SUNDAYS

Ipswich Buses East Lancs Dart 93 X93 LBJ typical fare for Sunday routes is seen on the X3 last month.

Just a quick blog tonight to inform people that Ipswich Buses service 6/A Tower Ramparts-Hospital-Tower Ramparts service will now serve Broke Hall from Sunday and Evenings from the 4th October, this will take over the current Council subsided 4/A Ipswich Rail Station-Broke Hall-Ravenswood-Ipswich Rail Station/Ipswich Rail Station-Ravenswood-Broke Hall-Ipswich Rail Station service operated by First Ipswich who for the first time in 16 years won't operate onto Broke Hall. Times for the 6/A will depart on Monday to Saturday evenings and Sundays at 22 past each hour for the 6 and 42 past the hour for the 6/A reaching Broke Hall at 48 past the hour(6) and 02 past the hour for the 6A.

Not commonly used now on the 6/11 routes are the Alexander 200 bodied Darts for which Double Deckers are the usual choice.

INDEPENDENT NEWS FOR AUGUST

https://www.flickr.com/photos/trfc3615/10784051566/in/photolist-rDFjWg-hqX5Py-ecMR3b
Copyright Mark Haldon

Recent purchase for Chenery of Long Stratton is this Neoplan Tourliner C59FT seen here with it's previous owner Ellisons, St Helens, Merseyside.

Not a great lot to report from the last two months, all the news courtesy of Terminus August /September issue.

Carters of Capel St Mary have NK51 ZSR a Volvo B10M/Caetano C49FT Ex TGM, while leaving

 the Coach Services, Thetford fleet are X547 EGK a Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President and YJ04 YJA a Scania K114EB4/Irizar. Galloway have a brand new Mini coach in 345 PO15 AZP a Mercedes Benz Atego/Unvi C30F  see photo below and 346 YJ60 GGO a VDL SB180/MCV B36F ex Reays Wigton, Cumbria and out at Simmonds, Diss are 3 Volvo B10M/Plaxton coaches A378 XMC,D807 SGB and E883 HTL.

Photo Copyright Paul Green.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/peagreenbus/19723610965/in/photolist-w3UEo2

FIRST ODDITIES IN THE NINETIES AND NOUGHTIES

All photos Copyright Unknown
This odd Olympian/Roe 34529 NTC 129Y

came from First Somerset and Avon in 2004 and was originally at Bury St Edmunds before ending it's days at Norwich.

Whilst Alexander bodied Olympians are certainly common enough, this awful destination box style certainly wasn't 34922 G122 YEV is seen here arriving back from Colchester.

Bought from Midland Bluebird in 1995 this was one of two Leyland Leopard/Alexander typical of the Scottish Bus Group of the 1970's here we see 1810 DLS 353V , these oddities came in mainly for increased contract work in the Bury St Edmunds area.

Allocated to Ipswich for the majority of it's training career, 90279 GUW 503W a Leyland National 2 was uniquely Volvo engined during it's time with First Centrewest in London before coming to Ipswich in 1999.

66982 TRANSFERS TO NORWICH

Something that i haven't  mentioned this week but happened last weekend was First Ipswich Volvo B7RLE 66982 KX05 MHL has transferred to Norwich, as seen above it was only repainted last December, If i remember rightly i caught this very early in the morning hence the considerable shadow. Footnote to yesterday ADX 2 was used initially on the 9B Whitehouse, later on it became the 8.

WEDNESDAY FLASHBACK 2 VERY IMPORTANT BUSES

Here we see one of the of the original AEC Regent III's from 1950 2 ADX 2 that took up the responsibility of the first motor buses for Ipswich Corporation when they first operated on 14th May 1950 on the Whitehouse 8 route, sadly even though ADX 2 was saved during the 1970's it later on was mistakenly scrapped.

In a photo from Syd Eade we see Eastern Counties LKD 207 VVF 207 which were sold to Lincolnshire Road Car in 1973 only to return after 7 months during the great swap during the winter when Lodekkas went North and Scottish Bus Group Bristol VR's came south, it received NBC red during 1974 and was the last one of it's batch from 1958 to be withdrawn in 1976.