EASTERN COUNTIES COACHES THE 1980'S

Following on from the 1970's feature we reach the 1980's the decade when the coaching operation of Eastern Counties was taken away in 1984 becoming Ambassador Travel although coaches for some time were still allocated to individual depots, whilst the Peterborough and Cambridge area was transferred to Cambus on December 1st 1985. Above we see freshly shopped out in the dour National Express livery is Willowbrook bodied LL 792 OEX 792W at the Cremorne Lane, Norwich this passed to Ambassador Travel in 1984 before returning to Eastern Counties in 1987 for bus operation with LL 793/94/96 OEX 793/94/96W and LL 808/09 JCL 808/09V.

1982 deliveries were again Leyland Leopards but this time with the rather poor ECW bodies which later on needed considerable strengthening in the rear boot area!, here we see LL 879 XPW 879X in National Holiday branding but on National Express service 099 one of 14 , LL 826-28 WEX 826-28X, LL 876/77 XPW 876/77X,  LL 878 CAH 878Y, LL 879 XPW 879X and LL 880-86 CAH 880-86Y.

Prior to the split in 1984,  Eastern Counties changed to the new Leyland Tiger with Plaxton Paramount body for 1983/84 deliveries with LT 887-94 EAH 887-94Y, LT 897-900 A897-900 KAH and LT 895/96 A895-96 KCL, delivered in 1983, LT 887-94 were painted in Norfolk Flyer for the 099 between Norwich and London, LT 895/96 were also Flyer coaches but in National Express livery, LT 900 had a high floor Paramount 3500 body in Ambassador Holiday livery, along with sister vehicles delivered the following year LT 901/02 A901/02 KAH. Seen below is a rare image of LT 896 A896 KCL which transferred along with sisters LT 890/895 to Midland Red in exchange for 3 MCW Metroliner coaches ML 903-05 A666-68 XDA in June 1984.

Seen here on the forecourt of Ipswich depot, is LL 788 PWW 706R a Leyland Leopard with Alexander body was one of 3 coaches with dual purpose seating which came from West Riding, the other 2 sadly had very short careers with Eastern Counties both written off within a year of their arrival. In the last year of the decade dual purpose coaches again made an appearance with 5 high floor Duple bodied Dennis Javelin S6-10 G706-10 JAH