COUNTDOWN TO DDA PART 2

Today continuing the theme of the Countdown to DDA, with a further selection of step entrance Double Deckers coming to their end of days.
One of only two Alexander RL bodied Volvo Olympian remain with First both in East Scotland one pictured here is 34290 P191 TGD had a spell with Essex, and is allocated to Bannockburn while sister 30744 is at Galashiels. Copyright Chris Cuthill  https://www.flickr.com/photos/cuthbus/14583346519/in/photolist

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jaybbusphots/16859769231/in/photolist
We saw the Low height version of the Alexander body above on the Olympian which was more common with Stagecoach specifying the vast majority of the orders from Alexander seen here is 31762 R923 WOE from First Bradford.

Copyright Barney Staples https://www.flickr.com/photos/74802869@N03/16114063804/in/photolist

 First Group back in 2005 bought up quite a lot of ex London Olympians this example with the Northern Counties Palatine body came from London General then down to the south coast with First Hampshire & Dorset at Southampton before migrating west to Devon & Cornwall, seen here is 31821 P908 RYO at Penzance Railway Station.

CEASED INDEPENDENTS 1 : BICKERS

Copyright Stuart Ray above and below photo. Pictured in 1984 shortly before it passed to Stonier's is AEC Reliance NPT 992M.

Bicker's started operating in 1925, when Mr G Bickers purchased a 14 seat Model T Ford for use on services from Coddenham into Ipswich, this vehicle is now preserved and can be seen at the Ipswich Transport Museum, the business expanded during the 1940's and again in 1955 with Ling's of Boxford. In 1968 the Ipswich to Otley service was taken on from P&M coaches and the Debenham to Ipswich from Eastern Counties in 1974. When J.D.W ceased in December 1981 Bicker's took over the Ipswich to Woodbridge route extending it to Bawsey when Eastern Counties withdrew their service. Put up for sale during 1988 half the services and Buses/Coaches were sold to Ipswich Buses and Eastern Counties. Seen below after take over is Bedford YMT/Plaxton's 170 TBB 283S with Ipswich Buses and CB 814 RCH 511R with Eastern Counties, and the final photo is Ex Devon General Bristol SU 356 EDV taken in 1978.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmightycat/5991103739/in/photolist

EATM 50TH VISIT

To say the weather was a disappointment was putting it mildly, today at the EATM 50th Anniversary weekend and after yesterday's blistering heat did we expect this? Anyway it was nice to catch up with Sam Larke and Kieran from the Norwich Buses Blog as you can see we had a trip out to Beccles on wonderful re bodied ex Eastern National Bristol RE, which was a prototype for the B51 chassis while a trip out to Lowestoft where i was to stay for an hour was postponed for another time, although i did experience an First Lowestoft Dart/Caetano Nimbus for the first time and i was pleasantly surprised to find it was rattle free, my thanks to the ITM , Michael Slinn and Owen Phillips and the superb Eastern Counties Bristol LS 829.

EX LT MCW Metrobus M394 GYE 394W came from the Great Yeldham Collection in Essex

One can only be impressed by the standard of the EATM Trolleybus collection an Chassis less Metro Cammell London Transport Trolleybus 1521 FXH 521 built in 1940.

 A line up of two Trams London Transport EMB/English Electric 1858, Blackpool Preston Mc Guire 159 and London Transport Trolleybus AEC/MCW 260 CUL 260.

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.