SCHOOL DAY BUSES AND COACHES

A quick blog looking at the various coaches and buses that enter Ipswich either for contracts or schooldays only services.Here we see a Volvo B12T/Jonckheere Mistral WCF 99 Ex Bebb, Rhonnda of Mulleys Motorways, new in 1998.

The Volvo B10M/Plaxton Premiere has been a staple of coach companies for over 20 years now and this Soames one 11 PKN looks in excellent condition.

On school swimming duties is Kassbohrer Setra BV10 ZKL of Galloway.

And to finish today's selection we see Ipswich Buses Dennis Trident 18 V126 MEV heading into the OCM having coming off a School Days Only 18A.

THE END OF AN ERA IN IPSWICH:1980

Once again i must thank Peter Horrex for his use of his excellent photos and whose copyright these remain, 1980 for me was not only the start of an interesting pick up of liking buses it was also an end of  an era for crew operated buses for the Ipswich area, one of my earliest memories of a bus was being taken by by brother to the fireworks on Christchurch Park this would have been around 1979, and while i waiting for the 4 there came a Bristol FLF of Eastern Counties on the 252/3, hence my love affair with the Lodekka and all things Bristol began, the first picture illustrates FLF 440 GPW 440D at Felixstowe Dock curiously the blind is set for Holbrook!

The end was all nigh for this Bristol MW LS 835 APW 835B by this time it was probably too long in the tooth for National Express Work at 16 years old.

I won't hear a bad thing said against the Bristol RE, compared with today's buses which seem well soulless, these had real character something which today's just don't have, to hear a Bristol RE and it's engine at full pelt was a real delight, here we see RL 501 APW 501J on the 220 about to return to Ipswich from Harkstead, a route that has long since vanished.

FOOTBALL PHOTO SPECIAL

Photo special today illustrating what happens on a Football day,kicking off with Pale Blue liveried Ipswich Buses Dennis Trident 19 V162 MEV this was one of two tridents that i saw on Park and Ride duties.

Ipswich Buses Optare Spectra 52 X152 LBJ was providing extra capacity on the X5 to Ipswich Hospital today.

Ipswich Buses Enviro 300 83 SK07 DYA found itself unusually on Park And Ride duties.

Spotted just about before it moved off from the Crown Street Lay By is this French Left Hand Drive

 Iveco Irisbus coach BK-094-FR from Jules Benoit Lens.

This rather attractive coach appeared in the OCM today from The Kings Ferry a Scania/Irizar YT60 OSE in VIP livery.

Footnote to yesterdays blog, when speaking about the Mercedes Benz Citarios i was speaking about the 3 that Ipswich Buses have ordered for delivery in September, sorry for the confusion. In other news First Ipswich Volvo B7TL 32491 has finally returned to service after several months off the road, leaving 32486 still waiting until the end of the month for repair.

IPSWICH BUSES DART 98 BACK INTO SERVICE

Ipswich Buses Dart 98 X98 LBJ re entered service on Wednesday on the 8/13 services after refurbishment, many thanks to a good friend of mine Andrew Berry who sent me the picture and who's copyright it remains, in further news it was bought to my attention thanks to Steve at Bus And Train page that the Mercedes Benz Citarios are due in September so therefore will be carrying 65 Plates. Finally a big thank you to the staff at First's Ipswich depot for being such a friendly lot on Wednesday, particularly Engineering Manager Barry Spurling and Paulo Mota, news i believe will be forthcoming shortly on the changes to the garage itself, once i'm able to have a chat with the elusive Mr Speed. I can also confirm that subject to change that 69426 AU58 FFN the beautiful excel liveried Volvo B7RLE should be at the Museum on the 25th May for the OMO running day at the Ipswich Transport Museum.

 69426 AU58 FFN a First Ipswich Volvo B7RLE back in Late December seen waiting to go out on a 65 to Aldeburgh.

IPSWICH BUSES NEW MD AND FURTHER NEWS ON REPAINTED COACH

Ipswich Buses have appointed Jeremy Cooper who is currently working for Stagecoach East Kent as their Commercial Director, Jeremy is known as a Enthusiast who owns preserved AEC Regent V AFN 778B, he started work today, good luck to him, Jeremy can be seen in the picture above from the Canterbury Times top right.

Photo from Joe Thorpe, thanks Joe.
20514 WV02 EUP has finally been repainted into the excel livery as previously mentioned, it will have vinyl's attached to the sides displaying Eastern Counties and Private Hire together with a gold logo on front, it will hopefully return next Thursday when i shall bring you some of the first pictures.

IB Spectra 50 P442 SWX made a rare but welcome return to town routes today with this surprise allocation to the 7 Thorington Park Route.

EX IPSWICH AEC REGENT V SEES THE LIGHT IN CARDIFF

Mark Doggett has been in contact with me after spotting this rather find in Cardiff of Ex Ipswich AEC Regent V 60 SDX 60 with an ex Taff Ely AEC Regent Open Topper and an Ex Ulsterbus Bristol RE BX1 2590 alongside her, 60 is believed to be in the hands of a preservation group and is currently listed on DVLA as SORN and untaxed since April 2001 now if anyone has any information on this lovely bus it would be most welcome. Picture at the bottom is by Stuart Ray of the bus at the end of it's life at Electric House alongside Leyland Atlantean 20 SDX 20R.

ITM IPSWICH TO FELIXSTOWE RUN

A few pictures taken from today's Ipswich to Felixstowe Run, unfortunately i hadn't take my memory card out with me so had to use my I Phone for taking pictures, and i don't think there that bad in truth, so the first one we see Lodges Bedford SB/Duple Vega MJB 481 followed by a preserved Go Dons of Dunmow Leyland Leopard/Plaxton Paramount A62 OJX.

Here we see a fine addition to the road run this year which was at the Norwich Running Day back in March, in ex Crosville Bristol RE ERG 53 UFM 53F, have those twin lights from the latter RE's been added?

The venerable old Westcliff on Sea Bristol K AJN 825 made a very fine appearance on a rather dull day.

Road Run sponsor Galloway's supplied their latest coach piloted by Andy Cook, in a Mercedes Benz Tourismo in a rather handsome livery style.