TWO FURTHER ENVIRO 200'S FOR IPSWICH BUSES

One of the first two enviro 200's in the new Hybrid livery is 82 YX63 LGF

Ipswich Buses have purchased a further two AD Enviro 200's numbered 79/80 YX63 ZVV/W arrived last Friday afternoon while Dennis Darts 133/34 R133/34 FBJ departed to pastures new. Transferred into Ipswich for First Ipswich from Lowestoft yesterday was 32656 AU05 MVA with 32655 AU05 MUY to come shortly, this has allowed the release of Volvo B7RLE 69421 to Colchester.

One of the ex Nottingham City Transport solo's  FP02 XMB has been repainted into Beestons rather nondescript blue livery 

BORISMASTER IN SERVICE

BORISMASTER ON TRIAL IN IPSWICH

New bus for London LTZ 1100 in service on Tuesday.

Borismaster aka "The New Bus For London" entered service on Monday on the free shuttle service which navigates around the town centre, passenger levels weren't actually high, considering what was on offer, unfortunately due to time constraints i couldn't experience it, so if any of my loyal readers have been out on it and wish to do a little report for me i would be most grateful.

FIRST IPSWICH SWAP TWO B7RLES FOR TWO VOLVO B7TLS

First Ipswich are to swap two of their B7RLES, one of which is 69430 and the other now confirmed as 69421 and has already departed to Colchester, while Ipswich will receive two Volvo B7TL's in 32655/56 from Lowestoft when their current repaints of the ex X1 Volvo B9TL/Wright Gemini's is completed. 30887 will also be leaving shortly to Braintree, we won't miss it's numb bumb seats!, thanks to Steve W for the news.

An unusual visitor to Tower Ramparts this week was Norse's ex Dublin Bus Volvo/Alexander RH Olympian now registered R397 LHK.

Another unusual visitor to Ipswich was this very handsome ex Colchester Leyland Olympian H48 MJN in the fleet of Talisman on Ipswich to Felixstowe Rail Replacement.

BORISMASTER ARRIVES

BORISMASTER LTZ 1100 ARRIVES ON LOAN

Many thanks for this great picture from David Warren of LTZ 1100 arriving yesterday at the Ipswich Buses depot from London.

Ipswich Buses have on loan from TFL the 100th Borismaster LTZ 1100 aka the new bus for London on trial for the following week it will run Monday to Friday on the free shuttle 38 service whether Ipswich Buses purchase any is left open to debate. In other news Tower Ramparts bus station reopened last Saturday, with additional stops and better lighting, albeit with no real time information until January, one small complaint was there are no shelters outside the shopping centre, however this should be remedied again in January when the Iceland food hall opens. On Monday First Ipswich commenced service 53 to Chantry running every 10 mins, the destination of Brookwood was confusing most people and people were letting it pass, examining buses leaving Tower Ramparts most buses were leaving carrying very few if any passengers, which was widely predicted not helped by being interworked with the 60/61 to Gainsborough, the older Scanias were being used particularly on Tuesday was 61533/65672/73/65588. Ipswich Buses in retaliation have applied  to run an X1 to Greenwich(Holbrook Road) starting in January which will go up against First's 60/61. Two more withdrawals from the First Ipswich Fleet have been 61528 and the last Superroute 88 Scania 65550.

Ipswich Buses East Lanc Olympus Scania decker 69 YJ60 KGY in Tower Ramparts

SATURDAY AMENDMENT

69422 AU58 FFJ the last bus on the 56 to Broke Hall

Once again apologises for my mistake on this the five mentioned Scanias on yesterday's blog have moved to Spalls of Dallinghoo for storage, Spalls also act for First in Ipswich recovering buses after breakdowns. Last bus out tonight on the withdrawn 56 today should be 69422 as seen above. Hopefully next week i will report on the new 53 to Chantry/Pinewood.

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.