COUNTDOWN TO DDA 2017

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ipswichbuspage/9839167483/in/photolist  Copyright Colin Humphrey

Just a short look at the quantities of Volvo Olympians currently left within First Group currently within East Anglia the amounts are very few indeed of 112 Olympians still in service in the UK, there are  3 at Great Yarmouth, 3 Alexander Royales 34110/34112/34113 illustrated by 34108 above 2 years ago and one Northern Counties Palatine 2 34186 currently with gearbox failure thanks Jamie and Essex still has 34305 L305 PWR at Chelmsford, the majority of the Olympians are now centred on West Yorkshire 40 and Cornwall/Devon/Somerset 50. Ipswich Buses still have their 2 East Lancs Olympians 40/41 and Carters also have 3 one and All Leyland Olympian is 26 years old seen below is 427 G727 XDL.

IB ODDITIES/IB DART 137 IN SERVICE AND OTHER EXCITING NEWS!

IB Transbus Super Dart 137 SN53 AVP entered service on Wednesday on the 8/13 Whitehouse Asda/Pinebrook Tesco and has stuck to the two routes since, seen here today at Tower Ramparts.

It seems to be a good day Thursday or Friday to catch some odd workings on Ipswich Buses routes so let's kick off with Enviro 200 81 YX63 LGE on the X3, another one spotted but no photo was X5 branded Dart 139 on the 8/13 and below we see Dart 93 X93 LBJ on the 19 usually operated by Solo or any of the ALX 200 Darts, and to finish with another ALX 200 Dart 142 Y292 FJN on the X1 with X3 branding all in all a confusing day. Excel 173 broke down shortly after leaving Tower Ramparts on a 13 about 11.00am and on the 4 was Dart 84/88 in place of the regular ones 86/87. As it's the third anniversary of the blog some very exciting news as i will be quizzing Ipswich Buses new MD Jeremy Cooper plus First Ipswich's Chris Speed later this month, Monday will be a special blog with pictures from the EATM 50th Anniversary event and the following Monday pictures from the Peterborough rally.

IPSWICH BUSES MD SPEAKS TO THE STAR

Ipswich Buses Dart 96 X96 LBJ seen last week on the 6 to Ipswich Hospital.

Ipswich Buses new MD Jeremy Cooper yesterday spoke to Paul Geater of the Ipswich Star, highlights included the need to maintain the Sunday and evening services, and states that he has been pleased that the Ipswich Borough Council are committed to improving the services. One other thing of note is that the advertising on the windows currently is a promotion for the National Catch The Bus Week so finishes on Sunday, so apologises for the mix up.

 IB East Lancs DAF 57 PN52 XBJ seen a couple of weeks ago outside Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre or should it be the Sailmakers!

FIRST GAIN TWO CONTRACTED SERVICES

One of the usual buses used on the 39 Rushmere service is Beestons Optare Solo KX54 NLC seen back in 2013 when they first took on the service.

News has reached me that First Ipswich have gained both the 30 Ipswich to Woodbridge  and the 39 Ipswich to Rushmere these are both currently operated by Beeston's, in response they have put up for sale 3 of their ex Nottingham Solo's.Meanwhile  Ipswich Buses have put ex Lothian Dart 137 SN53 AVP into service on the 8/13 today. Seen below is one of the 3 Optare Solo's for sale by Beeston's FP02 XMB seen back in November 2013.

IPSWICH BUSES DAY TICKET ADVERTISING/TUESDAY FLASHBACK

Just a quick blog tonight heralding a new initiative on Ipswich Buses of an All Day Ticket advertising which is appearing on most of the fleet, ticket price is £3.50 Adult and £4 for a group in off peak hours, newly acquired Dart 136 from Lothian appeared on the Cornhill yesterday to kick off the campaign. A quick update on yesterday's First news is that 2 further depots are to close in addition to Bracknell, those being Newcastle Upon Lyme depot in the Potteries which will be absorbed in the Adderley Green, Stoke depot and in the Midlands, Hereford. One other bit of news is that First's school journeys on routes 87/88/987 are now included on the public timetable.

A newly acquired scan which dates in the early 1980's well there's is a Leyland National 2 in the background which helps, here we see Eastern Counties LFS 86 BNG 886B in the hubub of Norwich.

FIRST TO ROLL OUT NEW DRIVER TRAINING PROGRAMME

A former Ipswich bus 60807 S658 RNA a Volvo B10BLE/Wright Renown the favoured bus now for First Group trainers.

First is to roll out a new Driver Training programme which will be accredited to City And Guilds, has already been trialled by Bolton, Southampton and Essex and endorsed by CPT
The course for new drivers will take 20 days with 3 days of customer service training and a minimum 2:1 driver/trainer ratio with the amount of time behind the wheel increased by 30 per cent. MD Giles Fearnley said that we recognise that the bus sector must become more customer focused,while Linda Guthrie, First Head of Driver Training said that We're no longer looking for bus drivers, we're looking for customer service agents that we can train to drive a bus. In other First news it has been reported that First Hampshire/Dorset/Berkshire have announced the closure of Bracknell on August 19th current allocation 53 buses.

Galloway gain route 113/14 from Simmonds

With thanks to Steve's Bus and Train Page i can report that Galloway's are to take over the 113/14 to Diss from Ipswich, starting from September 1st, to date there is no other info on the other routes which are up from tender

Seen back in March is Galloway Optare Solo 1440 PP seen on tendered service 116 to Debenham.

BEALES AND SPEED'S SWIFT ON IT'S WAY HOME

Well it's about time i would add! Chris Speed and Danny Beale's ex Great Yarmouth AEC Swift 85 WEX 685M has left Rotherham today and making it's way back slowly i would imagine to Great Yarmouth after passing it's MOT, i know both of them are eager to get it on the preservation scene again, i'm hoping it will pop down to Ipswich during August, so watch this space! As a bonus a fully restored image below from the early 1980's in the earlier blue and cream colours.