NOT SUCH A GOOD FRIDAY

On what turned out to me a dull and later on, heavy rain day, services in Ipswich weren't working to plan, on what should have been at least a Saturday timetable, both First Ipswich and Ipswich Buses ran a Sunday service which quite clearly led to heavy loading's and long queues, at one stage all 3 allocated buses on the 60/61 saw the whole PVR of 3 all at Tower Ramparts, whilst Ipswich Buses had several problems particularly with the 13 Pinebrook Tesco and the 8 to Anglia Retail Park running late.Generally there hasn't been many unusual spots this week but yesterday saw Dart 93 out on the 3 to John Lewis and today on the 2/3/5/6 inter workings whilst Optare Versa 151 was on the 16 to Belstead Road and Halifax usually operated by the ex Lothian Darts 134-37 whilst sister 152 was on the 12. On other matters Dennis Trident 16 finished yesterday after completing it's day on the 1830 15A, whilst Optare Solo 243 has also finished now the PVR for the Solo's is down to two routes with 241 and 244 in Ipswich whilst 245 remains on Woodbridge/Felixstowe services,it has been reported that both Trident's 16 and 20 have been sold to Shoreline Suncruisers of Scarborough who took Trident 23, Lowlander 58 remains at the depot awaiting a decision on it's future after it's gearbox failed.

Trident 16 seen here 2 years ago on the X1 to Greenwich.

 Unusually for what was a Sunday service 3 Scania Omnicity Single Deckers saw action today including 73 on the inter worked 2/3/5 and 6 services, along with sisters 72 on the 15/15A and 12 and 75 on the 8's and 13.

A visitor to Ipswich yesterday was this Van Hool of Kings Tour's KC60 ABC. 

IPSWICH BUSES SCANIA OMNICITY DECKER 36 ENTERS SERVICE

Further to the report two days ago, another Scania Omnicity Decker 36 YR61 RUC entered service on Thursday on the 92-4 batch of services and has continued on these routes, today and yesterday keeping it company today was sister 30 and Scania Omnidekka 60/62, 60 was also on a late 97 to Shotley a regular working through the week. Saturday workings differ to week day workings for example the 15 and 15A is usually Decker worked, although ex Lothian Dart 135 was on today for a change, the 4 to Bixley swaps over to Optare Versa's on Saturday today with 146 and 147, whilst the 5 has 3-4 deckers working according to the service being every 15-20 mins, during the week there is one Enviro 200 working the 5 in the afternoon, which is frequently overloaded, Optare solo working is down to a PVR of only 2, usually 241 on 14's and 245 working from Woodbridge and Felixstowe as a result of the drop in PVR, 243 looks like it's career is over parked with the other withdrawn buses in the depot yard, from what i could see Dart 86 has now left, and Dart 94 remains with Lowlander 58, other buses there today was  Tridents 8/12/13/16/ 20/22/25 and 26, with Lowlander 59 and 100, Omnicity single decker 75, 2 Omnicity Deckers 46/47, Optare Excels 170/71 with 173 inside,Inside was Omnicity decker 34,44 or 45 and Dart 88.

Two deckers have substituted ailing Enviro 200'S on First Ipswich service 60/61 firstly, 32491 for 44519 whilst it was sister 44518 turn today with 32493 AU53 HKL.

TWO MORE SCANIA OMNICITY DECKERS ARRIVE AND OTHER NEWS.

Not a great shot but a further two Scania Omnicity arrived yesterday at Ipswich Buses which are believed to be numbered 46/47 YR61 RPX/RVA thanks to Nigel Diplock who sorted out the registration plates which had been taped partially over. The ex Carters routes certainly had a mixture of types on Monday and Tuesday including Scania/Optare 69 on Monday and Lowlander 56 on both days with Scania Omnidekka 62 on Monday. Currently 2 Ipswich Buses Scania Omnicity are off the road those being 71 and 72. As far as allocations to routes the 1 and 3 to John Lewis are Optare Versa operated for much of the day, whilst the 4 and 8 for the best part of the day are Enviro 200 worked however at 3.05 and 3.35 it changes to Optare Solo for 2 journeys then a Double Decker off schools and a Optare Versa off the 3, with the Enviro 200's swapping to the 3 and 2 respectively. Yesterday First had Mini Enviro 200 45119 out on the 60/61 instead of one the usually allocated Volvo B7RLE's, the allocation of 2 Volvo B7TL's to these routes has now ended since the roadworks in Melton finished last week.

Enviro 200 78 YX14 RWL was on service 13 today instead of Optare Versa with Stephen Hilton in charge see you're famous now for being on my Blog.

IB Scania/Optare Olympus 69 put in a rare shift on the ex Carters services 92-94 on Monday.

Seen on London Road this evening was Simmonds ex Travelmasters XIL 4072  a Volvo B10M-62/Van Hool new in 1998.

SUFFOLK INDEPENDENTS ON LOAN TO EASTERN COUNTIES.

 During the period of 1974-1975 Eastern Counties suffered from extreme vehicle shortages with lack of staff and buses of the road waiting to be repaired with Eastern Counties borrowing buses from a range of East Anglian Independents, some were driven by Eastern Counties staff, others came with the staff and bus or coach, this included Norfolk operators, Cullings, Red Car,Semmence, Eastons Starlings,Smith, Neave, Bridges, Sovereign, Keymers, Mascot Seagull and Carters amongst many including Great Yarmouth Corporation , however on this blog we concentrate on the Suffolk Independents, all these great photos were taken by the late Philip Back and are copyright of the ETCS.  The first shows a Beestons of Hadleigh UWW 173F a Bedford Vam/Duple on Norwich Bus Station, followed by Partridge & Son of Hadleigh JNN 128D also a Bedford Vam/Duple  still in Barton livery alongside Eastern Counties Bristol Lodekka LFS 120 FPW 320C, which presumably were bought along with 4 others for Eastern Counties to loan as when the loan period was over they passed on to other operators in 1975. On loan from Theobalds of Long Melford was this fine AEC Regent V with Metro Cammell body LJX 16 which came from Halifax and had a productive career with Theobalds. These have all been spruced up digitally and show a particularly difficult period for Eastern Counties and other NBC companies.

MULLEYS AUCTION SALE REVISITED

Copyright Unknown, from a batch of cards acquired.

Mulleys have a long and winding history going back to early 1939, the very first bus being a Gilford A56/Willowbrook, UT 7836 from Whelton, Coalville withdrawn around November 1951 followed in the May by 7 AG 8604 a Gilford 1680T/Weymann from Western SMT as seen above obviously dragged out of the field where Jack Mulley had left them, this was withdrawn around June 1959, these dates are when they were spotted to be disused, these two and 27 other assorted Buses and Coaches made up the auction in May 1975. Below is another withdrawn Coach waiting to be auctioned in 30 a new to Mulleys CCF 958 a Leyland PS1/Duple coach new in May 1950 and withdrawn in 12/69 , by the look of it it wasn't complete, all were sold to unknown buyers, several survived in preservation including the Ipswich Transport Museum's Bedford OB PV 9371.

Copyright ETCS . Seen here is ex Norfolk Motor services Bedford OB/Duple GFW 674 which had a very short life with Mulleys of around three years and was also sold in the auction in May 1975.

SATURDAY AND FOOTBALL TRAFFIC

Double bonus on Saturday when Ipswich are at home as you get to see Visiting Coaches and go past the IB Depot, seen here unloading outside the depot is Tendring Of Clacton Mercedes Benz O814D/Plaxton C33F, whilst Squirrells of Hitcham had 2 including behind a 20 year old Volvo B10M-62/Van Hool C53F SNZ 7183 and a interesting Mercedes Benz 0112l/Ferqui unfortunately with the angle i can't make out the registration it's either YLZ 1389 or 90. Another visitor this time from Neals of Isleham is what i believe a Volvo B12M with Jonckheere body OIG 6923, and finally from Whincop of Peasenhall is a Volvo B12B H9 PMW also with Jonckheere body.

DOING THE ROUNDS

Ipswich Buses Scania/Optare Olympus 68 certainly did the rounds starting the day on the 10 to Castle Hill before coming off and doing one trip on the 3 then the 5 to Ipswich Hospital, the 15/A to Stoke Park on Saturdays is now completely Double Deck operated, due to the traffic build up at Heath Road/Foxhall Road the 2/5/6 routes were delayed and had several substitutes of note on the 5 to Ipswich Hospital was Optare Versa 146 up to 1530, along with Scania Omnicity deckers 32 and 37 and Scania Omnidekka 60, usually the 3 is Versa operated but today included Dart SLF's 84 and 88 while the 4 to Bixley had 2 Versa's 147 and 149. Now repainted into the new Galloway livery is 350 YJ65 EWG an Optare Solo SR but without fleetnames. Finally a puzzle Ipswich Buses have another 45 a Scania Omnicity Decker YR61 RVE still in London red alongside is a visiting Carters Heritage Trident LX05 GCJ, perhaps someone knows, it's not a great photo but my eyes certainly don't deceive me as i also saw it on Wednesday when i thought hang on a minute...... 

BUSES IN THE SNOW

 A round up of yesterdays and today's Buses in the snow, First Ipswich Volvo B7TL 32486 was one of the two regular deckers on the routes 60/61, today it was 32490/94.

Recently added to the fleet IB Scania Omnicity decker 38 YR61 RRU was on the 15 in the morning but spare in the afternoon.

Today saw a full service complement run with a few unusual turns such as Trident 20 Y436 NHK on the 30 past the hour 15A usually single decker run, whilst the 4 had 2 solos running between 3.30 and 5.00 in 241 and 243 whilst the 3 continues to see a allocation of a Solo today being 243 and a Scania Omnicity 70, Versa 147 was unusually on the 13, whilst the 8's continue to be completely run by ADL Enviro 200's, the 7/14/16 run for the first time in several days, with two ex Lothian Darts in 135 and 137, whilst on Colchester's was a rarity in Trident 13. Lowlander 58 is still awaiting it's fate in the rear yard of the depot, while 5 Scania Omnicity Double deckers in 32/34/35/41 and bizarrely 44 looked like it had the number 45 on its rear.

 IB Versa 147 YK08 EPD on the 13 to Pinebrook and Tesco.