WEDNESDAY FLASHBACK INVOLVING THE FLEET NUMBER 123

As there is not an awful lot of news going around at the moment, I thought I would start an occasional series based around my total page views as I'm just about to hit 123,000 so I'm featuring buses with the number 123, first up is one from Stuart Ray's collection of East Lancs Dennis Falcon 123 in the early 1990's at the Woodbridge Road Roundabout in the company of sister company Lag/DAF Panoramic E643 LNV of Ipswich Travel now that's a story all by itself, created by the acquisition of Bantam Coaches and the joint buy of Bicker's back in 1989.

Well this is a sort of 123 as this was it's number pre First national renumbering back in 2004, taken by Ipswich Busman Leon Wells whilst he was on loan there this was an acquired bus back in August 1999 from First Beeline, although the awful Barbie 2 fadeout livery didn't quite fit these lovely Leyland Olympians with Alexander bodies, now the FEC Anglia Yellow and Red, here it shows it's national number of 34956 shame none made there way into preservation, although a Northern Counties one has, i was going to feature LFS 123 but to no avail.

EX IPSWICH VOLVO B10BLE'S GO GREEN

It's my intention now to do shorter blog's now on in, as Sam Larke will be helping out on a more regular basis, today's is a case in point. Ex First Eastern Counties and before that First Bradford and First Manchester, Volvo B10BLE'S 60813/60814 S664/65 RNA have appeared at First's Buses of Somerset Taunton depot after a brief period with First in Plymouth, arriving in East Anglia in 2004 they started out at Norwich depot before moving to Ipswich and finally Great Yarmouth, another ex FEC B10BLE 66126 is still in Cornwall at present. Photo's come from good friends of the blog, Stuart Ray and Leon Wells and both are taken in the summer of 2009 with 60814 on the 66B peak time service and 60813 on the 173 to Felixstowe after First had taken on the service when Country Travel went into administration.

 

RAIL REPLACEMENT SATURDAY PHOTO SPECIAL

 A selection of today's Rail Replacement from Ipswich to Billericay is the focus of the above photos, first one shows Reliance's Setra 225 BX07 NLF, followed by Scania/Irizar 274 YP12 NUK and 271 YP12 NUH, then we have Kings Ferry Scania Caetano Levante 6.11 FJ10 EZH/ 6.10 FJ10 EZG. Also lurking on standby in the corner was First Ipswich Plaxton Paragon 20514 WV02 EUP below.

And to finish with we have a selection of visitors to Ipswich at the top is City Circle Neoplan PN13 TFO and from Ensign we have Volvo Olympian/Alexander Royale WJY 759 and Optare Olympus PO58 KPN. Late news 65579 has returned to Ipswich as i revealed yesterday this is to cover for Volvo B7TL 32486 with a failed engine.

NOT QUITE THE END OF THE SCANIAS

I have been advised to take down what i put up on here earlier today, i must say i am disappointed to do it, but needs must, i will refrain from falling into the same trap i'm not falling into doing to what others do, as the blog is continuing to grow month by month for which i am extremely grateful, i have added a Facebook page where photos from here and what i don't will go up on there, if you wish to tweet me privately i have a new one which is clive_nixon, news will continue on the blog twitter feed.

Well i have 2 exclusives for you tonight, first up 65588 V588 DVF is staying at Great Yarmouth until September, from whence the ITM will all being well acquire it for our collection, this i quote is not definite but after today's meeting brings us a step closer to acquiring a unique bus'., and you're wondering what the picture of 65579 is up there for well it's coming back to Ipswich at the weekend thanks to Chris Speed for that.Late news i can also confirm that Norwich are to receive 23 Streetdeck's for delivery later this year, on another note well done to the Ipswich team at First who have added 18% growth to passenger levels.

OLD OR NEW BUS/ MORE OFF ROUTE

From my own collection the classic Bristol VR in series 2 VR 164 JNU 137N and Series 3 VR 306 PRC 852X.

This is a subject which has been debated on Facebook the last few days, bought about by Ipswich Buses refurbishing 4 of their 2000 X Reg darts, personally i'm not a fan of the darts but anything that saw off the horrid Ford Transits and their like was a good thing.
Fact, prior to today's Low Floor buses, buses were easy to maintain than today's where there are far more things that can go wrong, in the good old days in London they could take a Routemasters engine out and put in a new one on the same day, and then put it out in the evening peak. That's not to stay there wasn't problems with older buses you only have to look at the problems that London Transport had during the 1970's with the AEC Swift even Ipswich had problems with them.Today's buses have many advantages over their predecessors in lower floors, heating or Air Con, but when things go wrong like needing a new gearbox or engine then the bus could be off the road for sometime.

MORE OFF ROUTE AND MERCEDES BENZ DEMO IN VIEW

Well i spotted one again today this being IB Dart 144 Y295 FJN on the X1 instead of the X5, while the next photo is a sort of off route, as it's a Mulley's Optare Solo on loan to Galloway's CN06 BXJ and finally after days of waiting i finally capture IB's on loan Mercedes Benz Citario BG63 VVE on it's usual haunt the Martlesham and Copdock Park And Ride.

44519 STRAYS AGAIN AND 65588 STILL IN NORWICH SERVICE

Well it seems to be a common occurrence these days branded buses straying off onto other routes although 44519 hasn't got any branding it still wasn't on it's regular route, indeed yesterday was strange day as a further 4 branded Dart was out and about on Town services, thanks David, and while waiting at OCM who should we bump into but Mr Speed again, who we had a little chat with, who told me that Ipswich's two coaches won't be repainted just yet, however the one thing that we both wanted to snap the Mercedes Benz Citario didn't come out, the only thing i did snap that i haven't done before was the new Beeston's livery see below on Scania Omnidekka YN54 ODE now with vinyl's fully attached and finally talking of vinyl's 32488 has had it's 66 branding taking off.

 And finally thanks to a new contributor to the page in Dan who took the photo of my pet bus in Scania 65588 which is defying being withdrawn in Norwich today whilst on the Green Line 15 to Blofield Heath.

MISPLACED DART AND SHOWBUS NEWS

First Ipswich 66987 KX05 MHV on the Sunday's only 4/A to Ravenswood  seen here approaching Broke Hall Shops.
Welcome news came today that Showbus has been confirmed for the 20th September BUT at Woburn Abbey, in Bedfordshire, so with a Wildlife Safari and buses and connections to Milton Keynes we should be well catered for.

IB Dart 87 PJ53 OLH confusingly on a 5 to Ipswich Hospital with 4 Branding well at least it's not in your face than a E200 with Freddie the Frog branding.