FLASHBACK AND A CAUTIONARY TALE

Ipswich Buses Bristol B21/Alexander 144 B114 LDX in the 1990's on the 3 during the time the route was shared with Eastern Counties.

Today's flashback ends this year's posts with the news that the blog is just about to reach 400,000 this in just over 4 years of reporting, after a slow year for the blog in terms of reporting there will be hopefully much more to report on next year with the changeover of the Park And Ride to First Ipswich and a new MD for Ipswich Buses. Lets hope that no more local based companies slip away from the local scene, there will be a rocky road ahead for many when the amount of money from local government for Concession fares reduces again to 20% in April and more cut backs to timetables and route abandonment, lack of provision for areas even in Ipswich with my area in Broke Hall having no provision in the evening or Sunday's, numbers of people using Buses is down in most parts of England, suffice to say traffic delays is a major cause and don't we know it in Ipswich.

Copyright ETCS. One of my favourite Bristol VR's at Ipswich was VR 405 KPW 405L, starting out in Peterborough after 8 years it came west to Ipswich, and boy did she fly down the A12 coming home on the 92/93 from Colchester.

MORE ON SATURDAY SERVICES ON A FRIDAY!

Ipswich Buses once again had some strange selections for the Saturday service on a Friday, including the above Scania Omnicity 72 YN56 NVD on the 16 with Dart 144 and if you look closely behind on the X3 was Scania Omnidekka 60 which was on the X3 with Lowlander 56 and Dart 137. The X1 had just the one Decker today with Dennis Trident 12 and Darts 139/41, the 4 had Darts 142 and 88 in the afternoon with Trident 23 as the extra bus in the morning. Unusually the 10 Castle Hill had Trident 25 and Lowlander 100, whilst the 8/13 had the 4 branded Darts 84/85/87.

NOT EXACTLY LOW FLOOR

As the title suggests Galloway weren't exactly doing themselves any favours putting out a Non Low Floor bus, with this Mercedes Benz/Plaxton Cheetah mini coach 4178 PP on the 118 service not only that but Typed out destination display.

SATURDAY SERVICE ON A WEDNESDAY

It's unusual for me too experience a Saturday service at the best of times as i tend to avoid the Town Centre however being a Christmas holiday, Ipswich Buses deployed a Saturday service on a Wednesday, in general the timetables don't differ to the weekday ones to the untrained eye, but today certainly threw up some unusual spotting for the enthusiast. Seen above IB ALX 200 Dart 142 was gainfully employed although with very little custom on the Free Shuttle around the town, the X1 which always seems to do very little trade against First's 60/61, had ALX 200 Dart 141 along with Scania Omnicity 70 see below, and Scania Omnidekka 61, the X3 had 2 Double Deckers Tridents 11 and 25 and a ADL E200 107. On my route the 4 was Trident 23 and Dart 139, X5 had Scania Omnidekka 62 in place of one of the usual Scania/Optare Deckers, the 16 had Dart 143, the 10 had Scania Omnicity 73 and the 13 had Dart 138. IB's Shotley service the 202 had Trident 21, whilst ADL E200 79 continued on Park And Ride duties.

 IB DennisTrident 11 LG02 FCX was one of two deckers on the X3 today.

FIRST ESSEX ALLOCATIONS DECEMBER

First Essex Dennis Trident 33191 LT52 XAB seen at Clacton Bus Rally.



BASILDON

DENNIS TRIDENT/PLAXTON: 33047/77/33178/33188/92/94

ADL ENVIRO 400: 33424/25/33504/07/44/45/46/48/49/51/52/53/55/57/58/59/61/62/63/67/68/70/72/73/74

DENNIS DART SLF/CAETANO: 41513/23/24/25/27/38/39/41/43/44/42519
ADL E20D :44659/60/61/62

WRIGHTBUS STREETLITE DF: 47650/51/52/53/54/55/56/57/58

VOLVO B7RLE/WRIGHT ECLIPSE: 66806/13/19/22/23/24/25/26/27

ADL E200 MMC:67160/61/62/63/64

VOLVO 7900 HYBRID: 69901/02/03/04/05/06/07/08/09/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19

CHELMSFORD inc Braintree outstation


VOLVO B7TL/ALX 400:32480(BE)/81/82/83(BE)/84(BE)/85(BE)/32651(BE)/52(BE)/54

ADL/DENNIS DART SLF/PLAXTON POINTER 2 42484/42930/31/32/33/34/35/36 
ADL/DENNIS DART SLF/PLAXTON POINTER MPD: 43801/02/43845/46/47/48  
ADL ENVIRO 200:44537/38/39/40/41/42/43/44/45/46/47/48/49/50/51/44900
ADL ENVIRO 200 MMC: 67165/66/67/68/69/70/71


OPTARE SOLO: 53112/13/14/15/16/17/21/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39

SCANIA OMNICITY CN94UB: 65028/29/30/31/32
VOLVO B7RLE/WRIGHTBUS:66794/95/96/97/99/66802/08/11/12/14/15/17/18/29/30/66837/69421/34/69532/33
ADL E35H/ADL ENVIRO 350:67901/02/03/04
BMC 1100FE SCHOOL BUS:68508/09/10/20/31/32/35/51
VOLVO B7RLE/WRIGHT ECLIPSE 2:69512/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20

CLACTON

 ADL/DENNIS DART/PLAXTON POINTER 2: 42918/42922/23/27/28/37

ADL ENVIRO 200: 44596/97/98/99
ADL/DENNIS DART SLF/PLAXTON POINTER MPD: 42555/56/57/61

SCANIA L94UB/WRIGHT SOLAR: 65665/66/67/68/69/70/71/75/76/90/91/92

COLCHESTER

VOLVO B7TL/ALX 400: 32068/87/32475/76/77/78
VOLVO B7TL/WRIGHT ECLIPSE GEMINI: 32628/32631/32640/41
DENNIS TRIDENT/PLAXTON:33044/78/80/86/87/88/33184/33186/90/95/96

WRIGHTBUS STREETLITE MAX:63328/29/30/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39/40/41/42/43/44

SCANIA L94UB/WRIGHT:62407/08/09/10/65672/73/74/77/78/79/80/81/82/83/84/85/86/87/88/89
VOLVO B7RLE/WRIGHT ECLIPSE:66798/66800/01/03/04/07/10/16/28/69429/30/31/32/33 

HADLEIGH

DENNIS TRIDENT/PLAXTON:33072/73/81/95/98/33132/33/34/36/89/91/33229/32
TRANSBUS TRIDENT/ALX 400:33373/76/83/84/85

DENNIS DART SLF/MARSHALL:41730/35
ADL/DENNIS DART SLF/PLAXTON POINTER 2:42482/83/85/87/88/89                         
ADL ENVIRO 200:44001/02/03/04/06/76/77/7/79/80/81

WRIGHTBUS STREETLITE:47521/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/47643/44/45/46/47/48/47652/53/54/55/56/57/58
  
WRIGHTBUS STREETLITE MAX: 63161/62/63/64/65/66/67/68/69/70

 Stored/Withdrawn/De licenced  
Trident:32856/32864(Braintree) 33074/90 (Hadleigh)
Volvo B7RLE:66809(Colchester) 66821(Basildon)
ADL Dart:42486(Hadleigh)
Trainers: 62139/95/97/66179: Chelmsford
Shuttles: 43480/53008: Chelmsford  43360: Colchester

Seen on Canvey Island in October was Wright Streetlite 47654 SN15 AEU of Basildon Depot.

EASTERN COUNTIES ALLOCATIONS DECEMBER 1981

Eastern Counties Bristol RE RL 668 seen here in Felixstowe during the summer of 1981.

The winter was cold and very snowy towards Christmas in 1981, Human League was Number One with Don't you Want Me and the highlight on the Television would be The Two Ronnies on BBC 1 and on ITV it was another repeat of the Bond Film Dr No.
The below list may not come out well on page but will give you an idea what was happening at the time.

Copyright Peter Horrex. A classic line up of two Bristol VR's VR 191 TEX 401R from Felixstowe Depot, VR 332 NAG 587G which was living on borrowed time being withdrawn in 1982 and Saxmundham allocated Bristol LH 919 TCL 139R.

IB ALLOCATION WONDERS/INDEPENDENT ROUND UP

I can't understand whoever allocates Ipswich Buses at the moment as there are a lot of strange observations yesterday, what i can't understand is the continual allocation of Double Deckers to the X1 yesterday Lowlander 54 see above was allocated to it along with Scania Omnidekka 60, the token Dart was 4 branded 85, sister 84 was on the X3 with the usually X5 allocated Decker 69. Dart 98 which had again taken up work on the 4 again was now on 15/A with sister 94, and on the 4 we seem to be going back to ALX 200 Dart's again with 143 which sounded like it was about to expire!.

INDEPENDENTS ROUND UP

With Thanks to PSV Circle records, i can report that two new businesses have applied for licences those being Boomerang Coaches of Saxmundham for one coach and Y Not Touring of Sudbury for 7 Coaches, 5 at Great Cornard and 2 at Middleton. Two of the coaches which were not part of the sale to Suffolk Norse have been reported with new owners in Suffolk Volvo B10M/Plaxton V57 KWO is with Bucklands of Hacheston,Woodbridge and P616 FTV with M&A Dabbs of Felixstowe also an Volvo B10M/Plaxton. Mulleys of Ixworth have a further Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 from Dublin Bus LW51 ZHJ.

Mulleys X471 KUT Volvo B10M/Jonckheere seen here in Crown Street Layby on a school contract.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EVENTS: AN RETROSPECTIVE PART 1

A chance to look back at the highlights of the year, In March i was so busy conducting that i missed out on a lot of the rides, so i may or may not conduct next year for the Ipswich Bus Rally, only very recently finished off during the last year or so was this Sixty Nine Years old Northampton Crossley 146 VV 9146 the restoration was featured over the years in Bus And Coach Preservation Magazine, what a beautiful job. May saw 2 events firstly the ITM's Ipswich to Felixstowe run always see's a fine turn out for Buses including this Lowestoft AEC Regent II 21 GBJ 192 from the East Anglian Transport Museum, and finally for today the MNR at Dereham hosted there first bus event on a very hot day in the second week of May, although there wasn't too many Buses there it was my first chance to see Julian Patterson's gorgeous Eastern Counties Bristol RE RLE 864 WNG 864H in Dual purpose NBC red and white livery

IPSWICH BUSES ADVERTS

Copyright ETCS.

If you are not a member of my Ipswich Corporation/BoroughTransport/Buses group on Facebook you won't know what i'm talking about, the conversation has been all about adverts whether it be Trolleybuses, Regent V's or Atlantean T adverts, the distinguishing features of the trolleybuses were the rather narrow destination box, which allowed adverts on the front in between the destination display, typically Gordon's Gin as seen above on 116 a Sunbeam/Park Royal trolleybus, on the side was an advert for Arrowmint chewing gum a name all but forgotten. Know the photo below you certainly wouldn't get away with these day since Cigarette advertisements have been banned is that of Capstan a familiar name for smokers after the Second World War, also note no front adverts, in this typically austere setting of Electric House, Tower Ramparts School and the Car Park, Karrier/Park Royal 98 PV 6893.

By the time Motorbuses came along the adverts became smaller, note that both companies advertising here have long since gone as displayed on AEC Regent V OPV 48, Alan Manning Furniture Specialists on the front and on the side Starlite Club on Spring Road a Casino no less.

COLOURFUL BRISTOL VR'S

Photographer Unknown.

The 1980's and 1990's were a great time if you loved your Bristol VR's in what can only be described as solid workhorses they were literally everywhere across the region, Ipswich at it's peak had well over 30 and Norwich a great deal more, what i really liked was the wide ranging all over adverts on Buses, this was the time with no Mobile Phones or the Internet, when the best place to advertise your business or product was to have it splashed over a Double Decker Bus.First picture above we see VR 254 PCL 254W at Norwich Bus Station advertising one of England's biggest home builders Wimpey no relation to the old restaurant chain. Originally in Eastern Counties Dual Purpose livery, OT3 JNG 50N acquired this rather handsome blue and white livery for Radio Orwell in the late 1980's, Radio Orwell was re branded when the station was taken over by GWR to SGR FM and now the awful Heart, OT3 is now of course preserved by Richard Walker, seen here on Ipswich Depot forecourt. The final of the three illustrates an Norwich bus on loan at Kings Lynn, or it had worked into Norwich and was used by Kings Lynn, VR 252 PCL 252W is seen working an local service to Fairstead Estate advertising Ruymp building materials.

 Copyright ETCS

Photographer unknown.

COACH VISITORS AND OTHER THINGS

Not too much to report today apart from some local visitors from up north in Suffolk and Norfolk, as seen above, parked up in the Crown Street Lay By was Scania/Van Hool KIA 891 and DAF SB400/Van Hool T9 8333 UR from Simmonds and from Coach Services at Thetford came Volvo B12B PN06 KJZ. While the Park and Ride saga still rumbles on, Ipswich Buses seem to be having trouble with their Optare Versa's again, with at least 2 off the road, with Enviro 200's 79 and 81 see picture below,again deputising, meanwhile on town services Dart 84 was on the X3 with ALX 200 Dart 141 on the 6, 87 was on 15A, whilst 86 was on 8/13, Scania Omnidekka 61 was back on the X1, why they still put deckers on that route is anyone's guess, although it did come off when i noticed later this afternoon.

MORE ON PARK AND RIDE AND MONDAY'S OFF ROUTES

An unusual sight was this particularly scruffy IB ALX 200 Dart 144 Y295 FJN being used on the 13 this morning.

It seems that the Park and Ride story won't go away completely as Council Leader David Ellsemere has published his column in the Ipswich Star tonight, and his anger at First Eastern Counties, is it due to the fact that his council own the local bus company, of course some comments are of worthy but when he states that First will be running "Old Buses" pumping out dirty fumes, has he used his crystal ball to predict the future?

It's a welcome back to the off route feature, with plenty to note today IB East Lancs Dart 98 was back on the 4 with 134, whilst the 4 branded Darts continue to stray, with 85 on 15/A, 86 on X3 and 84/87 on the 10 along with Enviro 300 83, whilst First Ipswich unusually had Volvo B7RLE 69423/25 on the 60/61, see picture below, along with 69005, even stranger was 69422 on the 66 without guide wheels.

EASTERN COUNTIES COACHING RECALLED

I think we have done and dusted with the Park and Ride saga for the time being, and as there is very little to report of unusual sightings it is time to begin an new look at the coaches used during the 1960's and early 1970's. The Bristol MW with the earlier style body from ECW was superseded by the later body seen below in Norwich Depot from 1962 with LS 811 3811 PW accompanied by an unusual type for a Tillings company which was first received in 1967 with Bedford VAM/Duple CB836-39 LNG 836-39E followed by 6 more the following year CB 840-45 PPW 840-45F, Eastern Counties, of those one burnt out in 1972 CB 844, in general these were that not that popular being sold on after 6-7 years. Much more popular above illustrated by RE 894 SVF 894G at Ipswich OCM,was the Bristol RELH with 3 delivered in 1964 RE 876-78 AAH 124-26B, followed by RE 879-81 GNG 479/92/481C in 1965, 1966 RE GPW 882-86D and finally RE 894-98 SVF 894-98G in 1969, these pictures from circa 1972 show how by now the ghastly National Express white livery ruined the more elderly coaches which always looked better in  the cream and maroon coach livery of Eastern Counties.

FURTHER POINTS TO PARK AND RIDE DECISION

The Bury Road Park And Ride service which has now closed was originally operated by Optare Spectra's which were replaced in 2003 by DAF Lowlander's and cascaded to Town routes seen back in 2013 with it's original destination display is 52 X152 LBJ.

I have since yesterday read the report issued by Suffolk County Council furthering the information i put on the blog, the scheme that was originally suggested was that Ipswich Buses and First Ipswich would integrate the services into the 13(Ipswich Buses) and the 63-65 (First Ipswich) however the negotiations with IB broke down to highways infrastructure improvements within the timescale suggested, thus an alternative by FEC to keep the service running as it is, which would provide a service that wouldn't go round the houses, would offer the same journey time, simplified fare structure and improved service on the Woodbridge/Aldeburgh corridor, as well as keeping further links to Ipswich Hospital,Ipswich Station and Suffolk One. However one downfall could be the loss of First operating services in Snape,Tunstall and Knodishall.

An additional Park and Ride Service was added in 2003 to Martlesham, with 5 Transbus/East Lancs Dart's 84-88 which were cascaded to Town routes in 2008 after the loss of the contract to First Ipswich. Seen here is 86 PJ53 OLG now branded for the 4.

IPSWICH PARK AND RIDE GOES TO FIRST

When First Ipswich previously run the service they used Volvo B7RLES including this example 69425 AU58 FFM which now operates in fleet livery.

Announced today in the EADT/Ipswich Star is that the Park and Ride services to Copdock and Martlesham have been saved, however have considerable debate there will be a 20% increase in fares going up to £3 per person before 12 PM and remaining at £2.50 after. The new contract will see First Ipswich take over the service next July and will reduce the Suffolk County Council subsidy from £700,000 to £200,000, there will be only 4 Buses per hour instead of the current 5. However all are not happy especially Ipswich Buses which is owned by the council, Ipswich Buses chairman Chris Mole described it as outrageous, while Council leader David Ellsemere has warned that there will be fewer and probably older Buses. and that the figures don't add up and that First can't make money on this, i don't think this is a good deal. The deal will be discussed by the County Council next week, where it's number five on the agenda which can be found on their web pages.Where does this leave Ipswich Buses for the future, IBC selling the company?.

Currently used on Ipswich Park and Ride by Ipswich Buses are these ex Nottingham Optare Versa's 150 YK08 EPJ.

IPSWICH BUSES MD TO LEAVE

IB Merecedes Benz Citaro 154 BF65 HVU was one of three introduced last year to replace Double Deckers on the 9 Whitton & Castle Hill, but seen here operating the 10 to Castle Hill last Boxing Day.

News has reached me that Ipswich Buses MD Jeremy Cooper has resigned his position, after around Eighteen Months during which has seen changes to long established route numbers, an strike by drivers called off and a move to ADL Enviro 200's as the main choice to replace the older Double Deckers in the fleet, an interim MD in Gary Bellamy who will take over in the New Year has been appointed until the new MD has been appointed. Personally i would like to thank Jeremy for his kindness towards the Blog, as he has always been gracious enough to have answered any of my questions.

IB ADL Enviro 200 101 SN16 OGG the first of four delivered in the first half of the year.

UPDATE TO FELIXSTOWE SERVICES

Eastern Counties ex Clarkes Services Foden PVSC6 FS 998 JBJ 833 seen at what looks like Peterborough.

Many thanks to a colleague of mine at the ITM Bernard Simpson, for updating my piece yesterday on the services taken over from Clarkes Services, the following services were replacements for their routes.
238 Felixstowe Ferry,Wolsey Gardens,Felixtowe Dock
248 Dock,Sea Road to Brook Lane(Fludyers Hotel) every 30 mins Sea Front service with Open top bus, Summers only.
249 Manor Road,Walton Church(Circular)Every 30 mins
In 1930/1931 Eastern Counties extended services 201 and 204 to Felixstowe Docks from Manor Road not as i previously thought.

Originally new to Norwich Omnibus Company as 47 in 1933 a Bristol GJW/Weymann LG 4 VG 5541 ECOC had by this time had taken control of the company and was retained as a separate company until 12/35 all services were then operated on hire to Norwich Omnibus Company it was eventually absorbed in 1954, two buses LG 4 and LG 6 in 1950 became open toppers and were renumbered HLG 4/6 and withdrawn after the summer in 1960 when they became HLG 496/97.

65 YEARS OF IPSWICH TO FELIXSTOWE DOCK : THE VERY BEGINNING

Eastern Counties Dennis Lancet/Mann Egerton DS 984 LRT 263 seen in the late 1950's alongside Bristol SC LC 546 VVF 546.

This month celebrates 65 years of Eastern Counties and the now First Eastern Counties operation of an bus service between Ipswich and Felixstowe Dock then numbered 201 now the 77 operating every hour from December 1951. This would be the company's last Suffolk Independent operator purchased from V.T and J.Faiers trading as Clarkes Services of Felixstowe who operated the service from Felixstowe Docks to Felixstowe, along with tours and excursions.  Apart from one bus which wasn't purchased the whole fleet came to Eastern Counties including some unusual Buses and coaches which included KS 904 GH 3818  an AEC Regal which had originated with Green Line, London in 1930 as T196 before joining London Transport with the same number in 1933, it gained a new Duple body in 1940 whilst with Valiant Direct Coaches, London and was withdrawn the following year, of the two Double Deckers one of which was not operated but allocated a fleet number, KD 29 ARR 832 and KD 28 ARR 831 both were AEC Regent/Park Royal new in 1934 came originally from West Bridgford UDC. The coaches which had fairly successful lives considering they were in a fairly standardised Tilling fleet, were FS 998 JBJ 833 a Foden PVSC 6/Plaxton withdrawn in 1959 and LRT 263 an Dennis Lancet/Mann Egerton DS 984 LRT 263.Seen below taken from the timetable book from 1952 shows that the service Eastern Counties had inherited from Clarkes Services was now incorporated into the 201 service.