AN EVENING WATCHING FIRST IPSWICH'S FRESH START PROGRAMME UPDATED

As i'm sick in bed at the moment i thought i would repost an earlier post from the last year, as this goes cap in hand with the award of the best customer service from last week, it also an interesting feature that deserves an second outing, as most people would be completely unaware of the process of getting a bus out every morning than back in during the early evening period, unfortunately some of the proposed changes to the depot layout have yet to take place plus an added picture the queue from the Foundation Street entrance.

Yesterday evening i spent two hours in the evening along with Steve W, David Warren and First Business Manager Chris Speed to look at the new programme introduced called fresh start which has been introduced to take vehicle presentation to higher standards than both inside and out current acting supervisor is Paulo Van Krieken who can be seen above illustrating that on a daily basis every part of the bus is cleaned to the highest standard, at this point cleaning the rear exterior panels and the wheel areas where they accumulate dirt. The peak time for buses to return to the depot is between 6pm and 8pm every night, currently buses enter from the rear of the garage in Star Lane were they wait there turn before being refuelled and as shown hand cleaned the parts of the bus that the bus wash can't reach, they are then driven through the bus wash by a shunter before being turned around and coming through only what can be called a very narrow lane in the running shed where health and safety becomes paramount, it's worth remarking that when the garage is upgraded during the year this will change so that the buses will enter from the front of Star Lane and be driven through the back of the depot thus overcoming the problem. The buses are than driven by the shunter back to the rear of the depot where they put into position ready for the next day, over night once all the buses have returned they are than cleaned internally, areas that are important are the cab areas, seating and floors, this programme was started on the 8th January you can tell by the way that the staff go about there business there is that they are all aware of the importance of having buses that they can be proud of, it was noting that the drivers have the utmost respect for Chris Speed, many years ago First could have quite easily turned around and closed Ipswich and the complete difference now in terms of the high quality presentation of the buses and the staff themselves is a credit to the company.

A view from the rear once again Paulo is reaching up to clean the top deck of 32487 where an accumulation of dirt needs to be cleaned.

Volvo B7RLE 66981 KX05 MHK being driven back through the running shed.

A not so easy night shot of sisters 66980/66981 KX05MHJ/K in the rear yard.

69010 AU05 DMY after finishing it's day is shown waiting it's turn to be driven in to be cleaned and driven through the wash.

Mr Speed shows as all how it should be done on the rear of Volvo B7RLE 69423.

Lastly my thanks to Paulo for inviting me along to watch the whole process of how a bus is maintained on a daily basis no doubt i have missed something along the way but when you hear so much it's not possible to remember it all there is also other things that i have learned but that that's all for another day.

69433 AND 65670 TO DEPART

Just a quick blog tonight with the news that Volvo B7RLE 69433 AU53 FFW and Scania 65670 SN51 UYC will depart this Saturday to Colchester, presumably once Volvo B7RLE 69006 and Volvo B7TL 32494 return from Rotherham. After all the excitement of the refurbishments in the last year what will we have to look forward to well i can safely say that there is plenty more things up Mr Speed's sleeves.

32494 READY TO RETURN

Many thanks to my friend Joe Thorpe at First Ipswich depot who has supplied me this afternoon with the first shots of Volvo B7TL 32494 AU53 HKM which are the copyright of Roger Bellward after emerging from the paint shops at Rotherham hopefully it will be returning to Ipswich this week. Wednesday i will be attending a special shoot at Ipswich depot the aim is to promote the work that First Ipswich staff are doing to ensure that Vehicle presentation is to the highest standards possible, this focuses on wheels,exterior panels, windows, cab area, seats and flooring, many thanks to Paulo Van Krieken for allowing me to promote this work. On this matter if anyone has any complaints in what is mentioned above than please contact me and i can pass it on to Paulo.

RAIL REPLACEMENT WEEKEND

Photos Copyright Richard Walker.

Over this weekend as last saw a large effort to replace Trains with buses, with First, Panther Travel and others supplying buses and coaches, seen here yesterday to provide extra capacity for journeys between Ipswich to Felixstowe and Lowestoft, for the Football match was First Lowestoft Volvo B9TL/Wright Gemini 37570 AU58 ECT and in the next photo Panther Travel Volvo B10M/Plaxton Premiere BIG 9895 piloted by Richard Walker undertook work to Felixstowe, today saw First Ipswich 69005 and coaches 20514/15 assist on Rail Replacement work.

THE BEST OPERATOR OF THE YEAR POLL

Above is Scania Omnicity 75 YN56 NVG on a rare visit to the X1 early last month, seen here in Dogs Head Street, Ipswich.

Just a quick blog to announce the winner of the best operator of the year poll, which was won by Ipswich Buses on 59% with First Ipswich on 41% second, after finishing second to Ensign in the UK Bus awards top Independent operator, on the blog to the left at the moment is another poll on the Best Livery used by a operator in the last year, please vote on your favourite.

69428 INTO SERVICE

Photo copyright David Warren

Photo Copyright James Long

As can be seen from above 69428 AU58 FFP entered service on the 53 yesterday and today was on the 75, many thanks to James Long and David Warren for the photos, 69005 which also came back on Monday has by and large been kept in the depot, also managed to get out yesterday but is back in the depot again. Also due back next week is Volvo B7TL 32494 with Volvo B7RLE 69006 the last one due back.

Freddie the Frog was in Ipswich yesterday promoting the 53 to Pinewood and for once Mr Speed isn't in the photo, 'Shocker' but Steve Fountain and Cliff Hussey are.

66980 IN SERVICE AND 69005/69428 COME BACK

As seen above I managed to capture Volvo B7RLE 66980 KX05 MHJ purely by default as I walking back from Handford Road and thought which way should I go to Tower Ramparts or the OCM, fortunately I choose to go to the OCM, while I was that way I thought I would pop down to the Ipswich depot, where on the forecourt was Scania 65588 and Volvo B7RLE 69010 while in the depot was one of the E200's and the returning Volvo B7RLE'S 69005/69428 which were having vinyl's applied before going back in service, both arrived yesterday, thanks to Joe Thorpe for the news. This now only leaves Volvo B7RLE 69006 and Volvo B7TL 32494 to come back next week hopefully when both Scania 65670 and Volvo B7RLE 69433 will transfer to Colchester and Scanias 65579/88 will be withdrawn.

Both First Volvo B12M/Plaxton Paragons together 20514/14 WV02 EUP/R

Fareline's VDL Jonckheere F94 CBD on the usual Tuesday only 121 one must wonder how they can get away with a Non Low Floor bus/coach in today's climate.