EASTERN COUNTIES ALLOCATIONS 1968: PART 2

LFS 66 66 CNG a Eastern Counties Bristol Lodekka LFS classis seen here at Edgefield Memorial about to return to Norwich on a 25A. The Peterborough allocation which is missing from the scan is FLF 344-347/354-57/454/55/60.

I may have used this photo before however it's worth another showing, here we long time Ipswich allocated Bristol MW LM 645 KNG 645D towards the end of it's life in the late 1970's approaching Ipswich Railway Station on what is now operated by Carter's 93 service, then the 207.

EASTERN COUNTIES ALLOCATION 1968

We go back on the blog to pre One Man operated bus days with a look back to just before the first Bristol VR's came into the fleet and introduced one man operated buses allocated to Felixstowe for Seafront services on the 248 was LKO 282 WNO 482 is a Bristol KSW5G ex Eastern National seen here at Epsom Downs for the Derby freshly painted into cream and maroon, check out the recent article from John G. Lidstone in the past 2 month copies of Bus And Coach Preservation Magazine for detailed information on this batch of Buses. Below you see part of the allocation list for June 1968, i will put the other 2 pages on the blog in the following days.

 Above we see LC 511 TVF 511 a Bristol SC in Bury St Edmunds earlier in the 1960's although by 1968 this was allocated to Ipswich.

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.