FIRST IPSWICH RAIL REPLACEMENT & SUNDAY ROUTES GAINED

37562 FJ08 FJN a Volvo B9TL/Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini seen here at Ipswich Railway Station today.

A matter of days have gone by and yet we have more news on First Ipswich, firstly Ipswich has gained a four week contract covering both mainline and branch line services from Ipswich for Greater Anglia Trains run by Abelio, Currently Ipswich has 20515 WV02 EUR a Volvo B12M/Plaxton Paragon coach and 37562 FJ08 FJN a Volvo B9TL

/Wrightbus Eclipse Gemini from Norwich although the Double Decker will be replaced by 20514 WV02 EUP during the week. Freshly repainted 66981 KXO5 MHK entered service on Saturday on the 53's as predicted although sister 69008 had moved on to the 64 today. Other work gained are Sunday services 116 to Debenham and 65B to Woodbridge from Ipswich both are timetabled to run 3 journeys a day, interestingly Hadleigh Community Transport have picked up the 202 to Shotley service again with three journeys all services are under contract to Suffolk County Council. A late arrival into the depot this Afternoon was Volvo B7RLE 69011 AU05 DMZ from Norwich while Scania L94 65632 V832 FSC was dumped out the back presumed withdrawn.

Seen today on the 53 is 66981 KX05 MHK a freshly repainted Volvo B7RLE/Wrightbus Eclipse

66981 AT IPSWICH DEPOT

Another quick blog this evening with pictures of 66981 KX05 MHK on the forecourt of the depot in Foundation Street and once again my thanks to James Long for supplying the photos of which they are his copyright.

69008 IN SERVICE

Just another quick blog today with a picture of 69008 AU05 DMV on the 53 to Pinewood, from seeing it up close today, i'm unsure about it, i don't know whether i like it or not. Enviro 200 44518 departed this morning, with Volvo B7RLE 66981 due back this afternoon, Volvo B7TL 32479 in the heritage livery is due back next Thursday. Many thanks to Paulo at First Ipswich and Mark Doggett who introduced himself to me this morning and supplied today's news.

69008 ARRIVES HOME

Just a quick blog tonight with a picture courtesy of James Long, of the arrival home of 69008 yesterday evening, vinyls are still to be applied. 

BLOG STATEMENT AND LAST DAY OF CURRENT 4 ROUTE

Last day of the current routing of the 4 included this IB East Lancs Dennis Dart 94 X94 LBJ seen here at Broke Hall Shops under menacing clouds.

First up a statement over the last week there has been some discussion and difference of opinion on Twitter and privately on the way i use this blog, i won't go into too much detail  suffice to say not all of it's been nice, i apologize to anyone who has been offended by the manner that i go by my source material and the way i share that information out. Now i'm celebrating two years of doing this blog, my prime objective is to gather news as newspapers do and be the first one to give out that information, however that is not always the case and i respect the ways that others do it. So a thank you to the many people who have helped me particularly Chris Speed and Paulo at First Ipswich who have been nothing but courteous to my many questions! Just to say whether possible i do not go in for the politics of preferring one company over the other or for that matter or looking at facets of the bus industry other blogs do that and do it better than i can ever do.

One of the EL IB Darts 85 PJ53 OLE to be used on the new route 4 complete with WI-FI

66950 NEXT IN FOR REFURBISHMENT

Perhaps one of the last times i get to photo what is now an increasingly rare event for the town routes anyway is First Ipswich 65632 V832 FSC a Scania L94UB/Wright Axcess Floline.

I can confirm that the next bus in line for refurbishment will be Volvo B7RLE 66950 WX55 TZM recently transferred in from Norwich, meanwhile the swap of 69532/33 will now wait for the delivery of the Norwich B7RLE'S. On a secondary a Volvo B7tl cant remember which one and two Volvo B7RLE'S 69428/29 have received advert's for various East of England Cooperative services in the case of 69428/29 Funeral Services and the Volvo B7TL their supermarkets.

A recent visitor to the Crown Street lay by was this Belle Coaches of Leiston Setra OJI 4756


 

66950 ARRIVAL AND IB ROUTE 4

66950 WX55 TZM a Volvo B7RLE/ Wrightbus Eclipse Urban seen here on Saturday at Ipswich OCM still with Norwich Network posters! photo copyright James Long.

As seen above 66950 arrived late on Thursday night and was soon put to work on the 64 to Aldeburgh, then Felixstowe's on Saturday and back on the 64 again today, which i did see but due to the sun in front of me was unable to capture on camera. Like other B7RLE'S it will receive the refurbishment procedure in due course. I can also exclusively reveal that the replacements for 69532/33 will be 66982/83 from Colchester.I hope to impart another exclusive on the return of a very special bus hopefully returning to Ipswich in the next blog  which you are probably smart enough to guess at right know, of which i will furnish some of the first photos very shortly. In Ipswich Buses news i can confirm the routing of the extended service 4 to Martlesham, the main part of the route from the Old Cattle Market to Bixley farm is the same as it is presently while from Bixley Farm it will continue down Foxhall Road on to the A12 to Martlesham, coming from Tower Ramparts it will continue along from Princes Street to the Railway Station.

An interloper on the 4 today was ALX 200 Dart 144 Y295 FJN

And another IB 16 LG02 FDN taking the aboves place on the X5

And counting the days down before it's departure to Colchester is Volvo B7RLE 69533 PL05 UBS