FIRST IPSWICH ROUTE 53 BRANDING SPECIAL

With many thanks to my good friend at First PauloVan Krieken for supplying these new images of the route 53 branding which was put on this morning, first up is Enviro 200 44518 YX09 ACZ waiting to take up duties on the 65B.

44519 YX09 ADO without the 53 route details but still with the hop into town branding.

44517 YX09 ACY has already but seen on social media but putting it up for those who haven't seen it.

And finally the full range view for the offside with Free WI-FI and relax get connected.

32488 ENTERS SERVICE SUNDAY ADDITIONS

Picture copyright of Bryan Dickson

As can be seen above 32488 AU53 HKF has now entered service but not on the route it was intended for, no wonder i didn't see it this morning, expecting it to be on the 66, it first entered service on the 64/65 on Thursday as mentioned in comments below meanwhile the last of the batch 32494 AU53 HKM left on Thursday, currently buses are at Rotherham at the moment, including 66976/80,69426 and 32491 plus the above 32494,this just leaves expected 69006 and 69428,32656 to be completely refurbished plus 69005 to be just repainted. Late addition 66977 arrived back Thursday but is not in service yet.

RETROSPECTIVE AND MODERN BRANDING

All photos in this feature are copyright of James Long.

Thinking on the branding theme, i thought why don't i show how it used to be done, starting off we have 544 P544 RNG part of of a batch of 10 541-50 when six years old in 2003 with Superoute 88 branding, although by this time it was common for them to appear on other routes due to overheating on the long haul to Bury St Edmunds.

Next we have the first Superoute 66 branded buses in Dennis Dart/Plaxton Pointer DP 79 M379 YEX part of a batch of six DP75-80 delivered in 1995 which were joined by two more the following year N625/26 GAH with a further example from Bristol L601 VHU, these lasted for 4-5 years when they were replaced by below 591-99/601 W591-99/601 SNG in 2000, below is the first of the batch 591 W591 SNG sadly these departed off to Glasgow after just over 3 years replaced by today's Volvo B7TL's 32479/86-94 with 32479/86 arriving in more recent years.

And bringing us bang up to date 32493 AU53 HKL offside and nearside.

FIRST BRANDING AND CORRECTION

First up before we get to the nitty gritty of today's news is an correction to yesterday's news Volvo B7RLE 69006 AU05 DMF did not arrive yesterday from Norwich apologises this is twice I have been literally taken for a ride so please if you send me information please make sure it's right.Now to Branding as you can see from the branding is applied on both sides with Superoute 66 also a smaller version is applied to the rear on the back with the route information appled in the middle of the bus, 5 or 6 Volvo B7TLS will receive this branding with the other 3 or 4 remaining in normal livery, the 53 is also having branding applied to the E200's this time 3 of the 4 will receive branding, one remaining in the normal livery. Many thanks to Chris Speed for enlightening me on this and other things, i also saw for the first time the New Vehicle tracking system for Ipswich which will when fully turned on show exactly where the First Ipswich buses are located at any time, particularly showing when buses are running early or late, eventually the software will be able to communicate to the ticket machines  to give drivers up to date information. In other news Volvo B7TL 32488 AU53 HKF returned yesterday.

A much better picture of 66978 heading out to Felixstowe this morning.

66978 IN VIEW AND OTHER NEWS

Not the best picture i have taken by a long means took four of 66978 at different points and this is the only one of reasonable quality of her heading into the Old Cattle Market on the 66 to Martlesham Heath. Below is the last of the ex Colchester Volvo B7RLE'S to arrive from Colchester 66976 KX05 MGZ which went straight to Rotherham, another new arrival today was 69006 AU05 DMF which came from Norwich this morning, while heading out to Colchester was 65675 SN51 UYJ just leaving 65670 of these lovely buses to remain at Ipswich, which was on the 60/61 today, while Scania 65588 V588 DVF was on the 55 while sister Scania 65579 T579 JNG was having it's MOT at HB Commercials. Noteworthy for being at Ipswich for some time Scania 65569 S569 TPW has been withdrawn in Colchester and gone for scrap.

 VISITORS TO IPSWICH

Seen in Crown Street lay by today was VDL Bova Futura YJ12 KFD of Nova Tours.

Three C'S TraveL Scania/Irizar YN07 LDL

Finally Beestons Van Hool Astra 229 LRB.

66978/84 BACK IN SERVICE

Just a quick blog with 66984 KX05 MHN in service today after replacing poor old 66986 which seems to be in the wars of late, also in service today was sister 66978 which i missed but was on the 88/89s to Stowmarket.

Finally after being service for a few weeks i managed to get a proper shot of Volvo B7RLE 69424 AU58 FFL

THE MANY COLOURS OF EASTERN COUNTIES ALL OVER ADS

Today being a complete washout!, i thought i would back at some of the more interesting all over ads that graced the Eastern Counties fleet, so to kick off is one time Ipswich allocation FLF 457 JPW 457D in a Solid Fuel advisory services "Come home to a real fire" all over ad.

 Seen here in Norwich is an all over ad for Phoenix Assurrance on VR 223 BVG 223T.

 VR 251 PCL 251W in a Lathams of Potter Heigham bright yellow all over ad on the 702 to Yarmouth.

VR 257 PCL 257W at Cromer Bus Station inspiring people to listen to BBC Radio Norfolk.

One from my native Ipswich and another free Shoppers Bus in VR 276 TAH 276W.

 Back to the 1970's with this VR 307 LFS 280F with what was one of the first all over ads for Eastern Counties seen here in Norwich Bus Station with Courage comes to Norwich ad. There is plenty more Eastern Counties that had all over ads, but next time i'm bored i will have a look at Ipswich Buses.