FIRST IPSWICH DEPOT EXCLUSIVE AND COMINGS AND GOINGS!

30888 W743 DWX a Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 will arrive as a swap for 32061 so it can operate the 66 to Martlesham. Photo Copyright Cameron Robinson Yarmouth Bus Page

In a surprise manner the three Enviro 200's of four due arrived at Ipswich from Clacton late on Friday these were 44517-19 YXO9  ACY/ACZ/ADO leaving just 44516 YX09 ACV to arrive after repairs, one will depart this week for refurbishment, while departing the other way was 65690-92 YS03 ZKK-M Scania L94UB/Wrightbus Solars with one of either 69532/33 PLO5 UBR/S Volvo B7RLE'S going during the week. I can also reveal that all of the remaining Scanias will be removed by September probably for scrap. 32061 W221 XBD as pictured in the last blog is leaving to return to Great Yarmouth in return for 30888 W743 DWX for use on the 66 to Martlesham.
In yet another exclusive i can reveal that the Ipswich depot will be heightened during November allowing the possibility of full height Double Deckers. 

Scania Optare Olympus 69 YJ60 KGY unusually appeared on the 5 on Thursday before going back onto 9's during the afternoon.

Ipswich Buses have now put up their timetables for the July 7th changes, Service as previously mentioned now extends to Martlesham but now misses out Tower Ramparts on the outward journey which i can see as deeply flawed, not only that who will additionally use this service is beyond me when First already run the 66 at every 15 mins rather than IB's 30 mins. The 19A will be axed with the 19 also cut back to serve Dales Hall road and not Castle Hill, the 14/A to Gippeswyk Park will now be revised into just the 14 with a new route. Service 33 is a new Sunday only service from Ipswich to Felixstowe running every hour.

32061 OUT ON TOWNS AND A NEW FIRST HYBRID LIVERY FOR IPSWICH

32061 W221 XBD a Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 a recent transfer in was unusually put out on the 55's.

Just a quick blog to mention that 32061 W221 XBD entered service on Tuesday, i believe but i finally caught up with it yesterday when it appeared on the town service 55 to Bixley, usually deckers don't appear on the town services so a rare opportunity to snap it, it's worth noting that the PVR on the 66 to Martlesham has now increased to eight so deckers will mostly appear on that route for the time being. Below is a taster photo that Chris Speed took of 69008 AU05 DMV in what looks like a hybrid livery at Rotherham works and very nice it looks too i wonder what the front looks like.

32061 ARRIVAL

32061 W221 XBD a Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 is the latest arrival at Ipswich Depot photo copyright James Long with thanks to Ipswich depot staff

32061 W221 XBD a Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 has arrived on loan from Great Yarmouth for the summer period to cover for the repainting and refurbishment of the current fleet of Volvo B7TL's, as can be told by the registration this is one from an batch that originated from First Leicester in 2000 and was cascaded to Eastern Counties at Great Yarmouth earlier this year.

IB East Lancs Trident 10 PO51 UMK seen today on the repositioned 7 Thorington Park Stand. 

ENVIRO 200S FOR FIRST AT IPSWICH AND HERITAGE LIVERY EXCLUSIVE

44519 YX09 ADO one of four AD Enviro 200's expected at Ipswich during July, seen here in Harwich with First Essex.

Four Enviro 200's have been confirmed for First Ipswich and will be repainted and refurbishment and possibly dedicated for use on route 53 to Pinewood the batch of four are currently at Clacton and are 44516-19 YXO9 ACV/Y/Z/ADO and are 35 seaters originally allocated to Harwich thee moved to Clacton when Harwich depot closed last year, many thanks to David Warren for spotting them parked up at Clacton. More than likely this will see the end of four Scania/Wright Axcess saloons from the remaining seven 65579/88-90, 65630-32 all of which are due to go by the end of the year due to DDA requirements. 62143 R589 SBA finally entered service on Monday briefly before being taken off with defective window screen wipers but was back in service the following day and has stayed on the 64/65 Aldeburgh services since. Other great news is that i can reveal the heritage livery for Ipswich Depot will be on Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 AU53 HJV which will be repainted into the 1987-97 Post Office red with lemon and orange stripes see picture below and will depart shortly for refurbishment and MOT at Rotherham, also departed today was Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse 69009 AU05 DMX for refurbishment.

Seen here in the 1987-1987 Post Office red livery is VR 241 JAH 241V at Sudbury

IPSWICH BUSES NEWS

Ipswich Buses Dart 140 Y272 FJN with removed vinyls for the 4.

The buses that have been chosen for the service extension for service 4 are to be 3 from the batch of East Lancs Darts 84-88 with two already in fleet livery the three are likely to be 85/87/88 PJ53 OLE/H/K one of which 85 is already under preparation for repaint at Simon Morris, these will also have dedicated branding.

62143 R589 SBA a First Volvo B10BLE/Wright seen here soon after arrival outside Ipswich Bus Depot photo copyright James Long.

60618 AND 62143 ARRIVE AT FIRST IPSWICH

60618 R781 WKM outside Ipswich Bus Garage in Foundation Street

60618 interior and very nice too, check out the new seat upholstery plus new poles, photos 

courtesy of James Long and remain his copyright.

62143 R589 SBA seen here outside of Rotherham works after refurbishment has recently been on loan at First West Yorkshire at Bradford.

As can be seen above two Volvo B10BLES have arrived from First South Yorkshire, these are to enable the Volvo B7RLES then the Volvo B7TLS to be refurbishments and if the above is the standard to which these buses have been done than we can be well pleased, finally i am pleased to announce that recently i have surpassed over 50,000 views this years so many thanks to my loyal readers, with all this excitement happening this year, i hope to keep you fully updated. In other news thanks to Steve W's blog, Ipswich Buses have registered a Sunday Ipswich to Felixstowe service and have dropped long term route the 2 to Gainsborough, considering the long time this route has been in existence and the fact it used to serve my Grandmas home this is sad news.

FIRST IPSWICH EXCLUSIVE

69008 AU05 DMV one of two Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse to depart for refurbishment this week.

The second one to depart this week will be 66981 KX05 MHK

As has been mentioned in previous blogs the First Ipswich bus refurbishment has begun in earnest with two Volvo B7RLE's leaving this week 69008 AU05 DMV and 66981 KX05 MHK with either Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renown 60622 or 60626 R785/89 MKW arriving to act as paint spares, many thanks to Chris Speed for this exciting news.


Not a great photo due to the gloom,is 41  M41 EPV a Volvo Olympian/East lancs still earning it's keep seen today on the 500 Suffolk Show Ground Service with Leon Wells at the helm.

In other news as mentioned in the last blog First have changed most of their timetables over the bank holiday weekend with the addition of several enhancements and timetable changes both in the Ipswich and Lowestoft area. As can seen above Ipswich Buses had to use all of their resources to cover the new 500 service to the Suffolk Showground at Trinity Park today i spotted about ten Double Deckers including Tridents 14,18-20,22 Spectras 51-53 and Olympians 41/42 the service was doing well early in the morning before subsiding by lunchtime, by all things considering IB have done an excellent job no doubt with the Adult fare at £2.00 return this has improved the congestion around Felixstowe Road no end.

Seen below is 32493 AU53 HKL a Volvo B7TL/ALX 400 on the first day of service heading to the new extension of the route to Maidenhall Green, Halifax a touch confusing

IPSWICH TRANSPORT MUSEUM BUS RUNNING DAY

ITM's Mulley's Bedford OB PV 9371 in Wright Road today.

A selection of photos from today's bus running day at the Ipswich Transport Museum although not quite on a par from the old October running day when more buses attended nevertheless there was a good selection of buses to be found.

ITPG ex Ipswich Buses Optare Excel alongside an London Transport Country area RML JJD 419D

EATM ex Ribble and Eastern Counties Bristol VR VR 385 OCK 985K outside the OCM in Dog's Head Street.

LFS 125 GNG 125C from the ITM collection ready to take on passengers in Wright Road.

ITM's Bristol K KNG 374 heading up Felixstowe Road on it's way back to the Museum.

Last but not least First Ipswich had out a Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse on the 4A 69428 AU58 FFP.