LOST INDEPENDENT OPERATORS

Now before you say anything this is an continuation of yesterdays theme but slightly different as it hark backs to the times when Suffolk had plenty of Independent operators now of course is a different story, first up is a classic London Bus Guy Special GS 56 MXX 56 at the beginning of the 1970's operating for Bickers who ceased trading when Eastern Counties and Ipswich Buses jointly bought them out in 1988 both of them acquiring the fleet which was split between them.

From what i can gather from the Scottish registration  SRS 132 a Bedford Bella Vega of Bluebird of Ipswich must of been purchased from an operator up north in the early 70's?

 Sayers was a company i remember from my childhood as i travelled on on of their coaches to Cornwall now here i need some help as i can't identify what the coach is, the only thing i can gather from the registration XUP 962 was that it originated in the Newcastle area. This photo again from around 1970.

To finish with this ex Ipswich AEC Regal No 12 BPV 12 by the 1970's was with the Ipswich Coach Company owned by David Boughton who has since operated under many different named companies perhaps someone can enlighten me.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT:1

Copyright Ben Fosker. Man Nogle Catalan WKZ 2482

I have been challenged to come up with something completely different rather than the same old Ipswich Buses and First news, so here goes this is going to start a brand new feature which i will compile once every 2 weeks, of featuring the smaller independents that are still about in the area and one or two others that are not. Today we start with Ben Fosker's Venturer Coachways, Ben is well known in the Suffolk for his unusual taste in coaches! he also owned Running Footman sometime back.

Then registered KIB 6826 now i believe B916 SPR is this low driver Volvo B10M/Plaxton Paramount MK 2 originally new to Excelsior of Bournemouth.

A recent pictured captured last month at the Clacton Bus Rally sees this ex London Country Leyland Tiger WPH 135Y with an ECW body which was rebodied with an East Lancs EL 200 body whilst with it's last owner Hedingham

Photo Copyright Colin Humphrey.

Originally  New to Eastern National this long Wheelbase Leyland Olympian PLZ 2876 is seen in Felixstowe last year.

Photo copyright Ben Fosker

Here we see an ex Go Ahead and Your Bus Dennis Trident/Plaxton President X507 EGK.

IPSWICH BUSES THURSDAY ODDITIES

As can be seen by above i managed to capture Ipswich Buses Dart 94 X94 LBJ on the 16 today and thanks must go to IB who quickly answered my twitter question after my enquiry to what route it was on, not quite an oddity but more on that later on. Sometimes you wait ages to get one particular and in my case it's been a long wait finally Ex Lothian Dart 136 SN53 AVM on the X1 i'm hoping that 137 won't take as long. Now on to the oddities of the day first up 4 dedicated Dart 86 once again straying from home on the 12 see photo below, with Enviro 200 81 substituting on the 4,then IB's Open top Atlantean on the 15 and finally Scania Olympus 68 on the X5 which is an extremely rare working all seen below.

FIRST'S NEW DEMONSTRATOR

Copyright Yorkshire Bus And Coach Photo's https://www.flickr.com/photos/78232101@N08/sets/72157631471934420

Didn't feature this particular bus in my First Group orders blog but it is now the latest bus to be demonstrated with First Group. YX64 VOO an AD Enviro MMC has certainly done the rounds this Demonstrator and is currently on loan to First South Yorkshire at Rotherham numbered 33900 and was seen above in April with East Yorkshire, before that it has been at Cardiff, Arriva Yorkshire and Mac Gills in Scotland.

THE MANY COLOURS OF...

Photo Copyright Peter Horrex
Many Ipswich Atlanteans during the 1980's had all over adverts including 34 SDX 34R which had previously worn an Britannia all over advert, but by the time this photo was taken possibly around 1983 it had an wrap around advert for Ipswich Car Radio of Woodbridge Road, to the left is AEC Regent V 63 ADX 63B on the 4.

 Now i can't work out what this advertising it looks like windows the company looks like Posh Windows of 2 Beardsmore Park, Martlesham, Ipswich the bus concerned is Eastern Counties VR 290 VEX 290X in November 1993 heading out on the short version of the 94 to Wherstead Road Bridge.

1990 saw this Eastern Counties Leyland National LN 763 XNG 763S gain this rather tasteful Averills of Norwich, advertising BMW cars, seen here outside what was the then Norwich Bus Depot.

Photo Copyright Peter Horrex. Ipswich Atlantean 26 SDX 26R

Now this one i can remember, Townsend Thorsen were a Ferry company offering trips to Holland in the early 1980's however one fateful day in 1987 the Herald of Free Enterprise had left it's bow door open causing a fatal accident in which 193 people lost their lives, later the company become part of P and O ferries.

MONDAY BITS AND PIECES WEEK 2

Caught earlier on today was Volvo B7RLE 66985 KX05 MHO
An incident involving a young lady who had epileptic attack meant Upper Brook Street to be closed for a short period, sorry for the earlier post with many thanks to Steve Fountain for the correction.Several routes both First and Ipswich Buses delayed by up to 15 mins. Otherwise it was a rather dull day with only these things to note all IB, Dart 84 substituted for 86 on the 4 with 86 on the 12, Scania Omnicity 70 was on the 16 and Optare Excel 171 on the X3 in place of the usual ex Stagecoach London Dart.

Don't think i have noticed First Ipswich Volvo B7RLE 69011 with a East of England COOP Funeral services advert before but who knows how long i might of missed it.

1985 REVISITED/IB DART 94 RETURN

Eastern Counties VR 391 OCK 991K not long after it's arrival from Ribble as seen by the lack of ultimate destination blind during 1985?

I have featured this photo before but i have considerably cleaned it up to give a much better sharp picture here we see Eastern Counties Bristol Lodekka OT2 VDV 753 in it's last season at Felixstowe in 1985.

Again another chance to see a clearer image of two different Eastern Counties Bristol VR 368 TNG 368G and VR 138 SNG 4338M both seen during 1985.

Ipswich Buses Dart 94 Returns

Ipswich Buses East Lancs Dart 94 X94 LBJ has now returned from it's refurbishment no pictures of it yet i'm afraid.