FIRST IPSWICH VOLVO B7TLS IN THE WARS

A quick update on yesterday's blog, 65579 T579 JNG Ipswich's Scania was parked up over the Weekend with a to be transferred sticker, which got many minds thinking that it was off to Cornwall however that wasn't the case, due to a mix up  the old girl was subsequently back in service today substituting yet again for an ailing Enviro 200 on the 53. As can be seen from above Ipswich have a bit of a problem at the moment with I believe 3 Volvo B7TL's off the road, including 32486 which needs a new engine and has now been joined by 32491 which as can be seen has been deposited at the back of the depot and now 32487, whether this means any temporary additions to cover the losses we will have to wait and see.

Sitting in the Old Cattle Market after a weekend of Rail Replacement was First Ipswich Volvo B12M/Plaxton Paragon 20514 WVO2 EUP while sister 20515 was parked inside the depot, also alongside is Beestons Scania Omnidekka YN54 OAE.

WESTERN GREYHOUND:THE DOMINO EFFECT

 Ex Pennine MPD Dart KN52 NFT on the 595 in Bocastle on the last day of service on Thursday picture copyright Steven M Guess https://www.flickr.com/photos/steves-travels

Sadly another independent company has left the bus scene albeit one in the south western part of England, Western Greyhound which had been one of the biggest Independent operators in the country sadly went into receivership on Thursday know you maybe thinking why have I included this on the Ipswich Bus Blog well suffice to say that First Devon & Cornwall will be taking over the majority of services and there has been talk of particular buses moving from Ipswich to help out, suffice to say I have asked the man in the know Chris Speed and he has said that all First Operating companies have been asked to help out and that no particular bus as yet has been singled out to leave.

By the same day the vast majority of the Western Greyhound fleet had moved to First's Cambourne depot where we see various Optare Solo's and Darts and interestingly an Bristol VR ex Western National AFJ 706T. Photo copyright Shane Webster https://www.flickr.com/photos/57604pendenniscastle/.

MORE ON 1985 AND OH WHAT A YEAR

Eastern Counties LN 593 WAH 593S braving the snow as heads to Dennington on the 273, yes in those days buses ran! I must thank again Peter Horrex for this picture for which it remains his copyright. Yes and what a year 1985 was who remembers the awful snow which inflicted misery in the January the big film of the month of March was Mad Max 3 Welcome to the Pleasuredome, with Mel Gibson and Tina Turner who also sang the theme tune and the number one was PWL's first number one You Spin Me Round Like a Record by Dead And Alive.

Ipswich Buses got themselves into a lot of bother during the end of the year when late deliveries of the Dennis Falcons meant the hiring in of Buses particularly AEC Swift's from Great Yarmouth, but also Northampton and this Bristol RE from Southend JEH 179K which originated with PMT but was bought from Oxford in 1984, photo and copyright Stuart Ray.

Photo copyright Peter Horrex.
This rather handsome all over advert from Interlink appeared on Eastern Counties VR 255 PCL 255W during the year, seen at the Felixstowe Dock terminus.

Photo Copyright Stuart Ray.
Here we see the last remaining IBT  ex Leeds Atlantean 44 UNW 404H for which i had a soft spot for this must of been one heck of strain lugging that over the Orwell Bridge with it's notorious heavy steering and lack of ventilation.

NORWICH RUNNING DAY  TIMETABLE

 

32487 ON THE 60/61 AGAIN AND 65579 LIKES THE 53!

Not an awful lot happening again this week Ipswich wise as you can see from above all the happenings concern buses straying off route, so both are from Monday's offerings firstly First Ipswich Volvo B7TL 32487 AU53 HKE appeared on the 60/61 Greenwich/Gainsborough routes while poor old Scania 65579 T579 JNG appears to have settled down to a life of 53's seen both today and Monday as below.

WEDNESDAY FLASHBACK

Once again my thanks to Peter Horrex for his allowance for me to use his photos for which they remain his copyright this photo continues the theme of long lost depots today's photo shows the Stradbroke depot which is now used for housing, here we see Driver Hughie Curtis with VR 187 PVF 359R In November 1983.

NORWICH RUNNING DAY

Just a quick blog to remind people of the Norwich Running day,  there will also be a bus leaving from Ipswich Railway Station provided by First with celebrated 32479 which will leave approx 0900, with yours truly aboard, you may even see me on conductor duties, although that's not confirmed. Routes will be hopefully as followed.
Route A . County Hall-Thorpe Road/Rail Station-Castle Meadow-Tombland-Rail Station/Riverside-County Hall.
Route B. County Hall- Thorpe Station/Rail Station- Castle Meadow-St Stephens- County Hall.
Route C. County Hall- Trowse-Caistor St. Edmunds- Stoke Holy Cross-Upper Stoke- Poringland- Arminghall-Trowse- County Hall.
Route D. County Hall- Mulbarton Common.
If vehicles are available a tour to Mousehold/Brittania Road will also operate.

IPSWICH BUSES FLEET 1987

From my own collection we see Ipswich Atlantean's 4 HDX 907N and 32 SDX 32R in the Pickup Livery of Cream and Green.

1-35 Leyland Atlantean AN68/1R/Roe(9 of course was O43/29F rest were H43/29F) 1975-77
1-5 HDX 904-8N, 6-10 MRT 6-10P,11-20 RDX 11-20R,21-35 SDX 21-35R

36-40 Leyland Atlantean AN68C/1R/East Lancashire H46/27D
36 RBJ 36W,37-40 RGV 37-40W

63 ADX 63B AEC Regent V/Massey H37/28R
82 B82 NDX Dennis Dominator DDA907/East Lancashire H43/27D

83-88/94/95 Leyland Atlantean AN68/1R/Roe H43/29D
83-88 WPV 83-88L,94/95 TRT 95/96M

100-05 Dennis Falcon HC SDA 406/East Lancashire B44D
100-105 YDX 100-05Y
106  C106 SDX Dennis Falcon HC SDA 416/East Lancashire B44D

107-113 Dennis Falcon HC SDA 416/Northern Counties B45D
107-113 C107-113 SDX

144-47 Bristol B21/Alexander (Belfast) B49D
144-147 B114-17 LDX

200-202 Dodge S56/East Lancashire B21F
200 C200 WGV, 201 D201 SDX, 202 D202 YDX

203-08  200-202 Dodge S56/Northern Counties B21F (205-08 B20F)
203 D203 YDX,204 C204 WGV,205-08 E205-08 GPV

 211-213 Dodge S56/East Lancashire DP24F
 211-13 D471-73 UHC

 3 Pictures again courtesy and copyright  of Stuart Ray's Collection firstly we see unique Dennis Dominator 82 B82 NDX in the summer of 1988 on excursion duties, followed by 204 C204 WGV one of the first four Dodge Minibuses and the IMP branding on the 31 Dale Hall Circular entering the OCM and finally 111 C111 SDX an Northern Counties Dennis Falcon which only Ipswich and Hartlepool took I wonder why!

65590 REALLY IS THE PITS/EAST BERGHOLT OUTSTATION PIC

Thanks to Richard for this picture of Scania/Wright Axcess Floline 65590 V590 DVF at Barham Pits, still largely intact it even still has passenger information on the side windows.

And finally on today's rather short blog a chance to introduce you to Peter Horrex's wide collection of images, for which remain his copyright who has kindly allowed me the use to put them up on the blog, thanks Peter here we see long time Ipswich allocation Bristol RELL RLE 875 YAH 875J at the long gone East Bergholt outstation in 1980, not many years after RLE 875 ended up at Cambus in 1984.