FIRST TAKE ON IB ON CHANTRY AND IB RESPOND AND TAKE ON GREENWICH

First have began to apply Coop adverts to their B7RLES both in Norfolk and here on 69009 seen in the last week of operation of the 56 to Broke Hall

With First's challenge to Ipswich Buses to begin on Sunday with a new 53 to Chantry/Pinewood, Ipswich Buses have registered a new X1 service to Greenwich (Holbrook Road) which one can presume is to be similar to Firsts service 60/61, this will start on the 6th January other noticeable changes will be a rerouted service 6 after many complaints about the removal of the section between Sainsbury's Warren Heath and Ravenswood Doctors surgery from Bixley Road. In other news Tower Ramparts Bus Station will reopen tomorrow i have included a picture that i took on Thursday below, while Museum Street reopened today, hopefully resulting in fewer delays. 

A wide view and a rare one at that of the completed bus station which makes one wonder what the difference is!

FLEET NEWS

First have now removed the five Scania saloons withdrawn last week, 65528/29/40/42/65628 moved to Clacton and in the process the Ransomes Euro Park base become redundant and has since closed subsequently Scania 65532  has since departed to Essex but for service, leaving just 61528/33/65550 which have all seen service again this week, confirmed now is the transfer of B7TL/ALX 400 32652 to Colchester, which is strange considering Ipswich are short of deckers with 66850 and 65631 both appearing on the 66, not good.

However sister 32653 AU05 MUV remains here for the time being!

IPSWICH PARK AND RIDE - A NEW ERA

One of Ipswich Buses new to Park and Ride duties is Optare Versa 146 YK08 EPC

And 148 YK08 EPE both outside the Old Cattle Market

Monday heralded the beginning of an new era for Park and Ride services in Ipswich when Ipswich Buses took over the contract using eight ex Nottingham City Transport Optare Versas refurbished with leather seating and air conditioning, one was out of service which was 153 with Enviro 200 82 YX63 LGF taking it's place although i did see it on Tuesday out of service when the light making taking photos difficult. Meanwhile First utilised it's ex Park and Ride Volvo B7RLE's on town and country service with the last pink one 69428 still in pink on the 60/61/70 routes and again on Friday on the 55/56, while 69424 is currently undergoing its transformation this week into the new livery. Contrary to my previous blog four Scanias remained in services for reasons i can't fathom especially 65550 which looks an absolute wreck along with 61528/33 and 65532, sisters 61538/65528/29/40/42 are now up at Ransomes euro park.

And another First repaint is 69423 AU58 FFK on the 60 to Gainsborough.

CHANGES A FOOT- A BUSY WEEK OF CHANGES

One of the Scania's due to depart on Monday is 61528 R116 GSF seen here at Tower Ramparts in Mid October on the 88 to Stowmarket.

First up are the changes caused by the change of operator for the Park and Ride Contract finishing today for First Ipswich and the beginning of another for Ipswich Buses on Monday. With First's contract ending the 9 Volvo B7RLES will transfer to normal duties in time for the new services beginning on the 18th November, so far with the recent repaint of 69427 this leaves just 69424/28/32 to be completed.With these buses coming into the fleet plus the recent arrival of  Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 decker 32652(AU05 MUP) will mean that 10 mostly early Scanias 61528/33/38/65528/29/32/40/42/50 plus the recently confirmed engine failure victim 65628 will depart to Clacton for storage, this will leave 7 Scania L94UB/Wright Axcess Floline's left with 65579(T579 JNG) the oldest. Meanwhile timetables have been announced for First's adventure into Chantry the 53 will run Monday to Sunday daytimes only at a 10 min frequency during the day and every 30 mins on a Sunday, while Ipswich Buses 13 to Pinewood/Tesco will also go to an every 10 min frequency, 2 mins ahead of First. Other changes relate to changes to the 55 Bixley Farm service with an every 20 mins frequency during the day, and every 30 mins peak hours and no evening or Sunday service. Confirmed fleet numbers for the two new Enviro 200s for Ipswich Buses are 81/82 and the new Trident LR02 BBJ as 22, the Enviros are being painted into an Hybrid livery of Park and Ride colours and standard IB livery while the Trident will remain in it's current Metroline red livery.

69424 is one of the last B7RLE's in Park and Ride Livery seen on a very wet Thursday.

TWO NEW AD ENVRO 200'S FOR IPSWICH BUSES

YX 63 LGE an new AD Enviro 200 with it's sister YN63 LGF behind seen in Ipswich Buses Depot on Thursday. Photo Copyright Leon Wells.

Ipswich Buses have purchased two new AD Enviro 200 single deckers their first new ones since the batch of Scania Omnicites back in early 2007, registered YX63 LGE/F currently in dealer white livery it's unknown what livery they will be painted into. IB have also announced cut price tickets for the months of November and December, both ten trip and weekly tickets will be reduced to £10 presumably to win passengers over with the imminent arrival of First on Chantry next week. Confirmed repaints into the new First livery continue with 69421/22/25/26/27/29 having been done, with just 69423/24/28/32 to be done. Meanwhile Galloways have announced that they are to take over the Stowmarket town service from First on November 4th now being renumbered 387 in line with their other local routes. Just a quick plug here for my friend Steve W's new blog covering his rail and bus journeys in North Suffolk http://busandtrain.blogspot.co.uk/

Another recent repaint into the new First Livery is Volvo B7RLE 69422 AU58 FFJ

The last single deck bought by IB was Enviro 300 83 SK07 DYA

FIRST SPLIT EAST ENGLAND AND BRING BACK EASTERN COUNTIES!

69425 AU58 FFM is the latest repaint into First Ipswich livery seen today 

A recent First Ipswich repaint is 69421 seen earlier this week at the Copdock Park and Ride interchange.

As previously mentioned on previous blogs First our beginning a period of change, and was confirmed by a statement on their website that First East England will once again be split back into two operating companies, Essex and Eastern Counties, currently Ipswich depot is managed alongside Colchester, Clacton and Harwich depots and will revert back to Norwich control on the 4Th November and means once again that the legal lettering will revert back to a Norwich address. Meanwhile 32652 AUO5 MUPa Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 has turned up at Ipswich depot and will act as an additional double decker, this will probably mean the end for both remaining Scanias 65542/50 (P542/50 RNG) and also the last buses in the Eastern Counties fleet with roller blinds. Further reaction to the new Old Cattle Market bus station in Ipswich has been far from complimentary in the local press with most people disappointed at the lack of toilets, with the nearest toilets at Major's Corner this is hardly a good welcome to Ipswich, how funny that the council marked out a bay for the National Express service to London, and that National Express have decided to keep their temporary stop at Cardinal Park due to better facilities.

BUS STATION REOPENED

A side on view of the newly revamped Old Cattle Market Bus Station in Ipswich

The Old Cattle Market bus station in Ipswich reopened in Ipswich on Monday with a new forecourt area, paving and bus shelters, on my visit on Monday you would think that little has changed, with the left hand side bays as before, the bus station parking area also remains as before. Further news on the bus war is that Ipswich Buses have registered amendments to the 13 Chantry/Pinewood/Tesco service, no doubt upping the frequency back to every 10 mins and perhaps cheaper fares. Ipswich Buses have also purchased an further Dennis Trident/Plaxton President  in LR02 BBJ, note the old Ipswich registration in BJ! this has come from Ensign via Metroline, London. Also recently arrived are the ex Nottingham Optare Versas for Park and Ride duties, YK08 EPC/D/F/J/U/V painted in a light blue livery.

Galloways late registered Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart R80 PSW in the Old Cattle Market Bus Station.

OLD CATTLE MARKET BUS STATION TO REOPEN!

Many thanks to David Warren for this photo of 69426 AU58 FFN which has now been repainted into the new First livery

Old Cattle Market Bus Station will reopen next Monday after a prolonged rebuilding after utilities were found to be closer to the ground than expected. Meanwhile progress on Tower Ramparts is proceeding two weeks ahead of schedule with engineers expecting it to reopen in early November. However problems will persist within the town with three weeks of roadworks in St Helens Street and the London Road/Handford Road junction where traffic lights will be updated. In fleet news one of the last 3 original "Superroute" 88 Scanias in 65547 was withdrawn on the 21st September it's last day spent on town routes, while 65542 is thought to be the next to be withdrawn leaving 65550 to bravely soldier on.