FIRST IPSWICH RAISING MONEY FOR PROSTATE CANCER/FRIDAY FLASHBACK

First Ipswich Volvo B7RLE 66987 KX05 MHV outside the Ipswich OCM on the 61 yesterday.

Today is an special plea to all my fellow Bus Lovers to give as generously as you can to a cause that's very dear to my heart as it effects a member of my family, First Group this year have chosen Prostrate Cancer UK as there chosen charity, Ipswich depot through one of their lady drivers Alison Clark have organised a 24 hour static cycle using two exercise bikes from 10 am tomorrow until 10 am Sunday at the Old Cattle Market Bus Station.

FRIDAY FLASHBACK

Today sees us visiting Cromer Bus Station and we see Eastern Counties VR 134 RAH 134M shortly after deregulation still in NBC Red.

AN VAN HOOL ASTROMEGA SLEEPER BUS VISIT/ AND A IPSWICH ATLANTEAN REAPPEARS

Well it was one of those days where not an awful lot happens, no oddities in terms of buses being on the wrong routes, well there was one that being First Ipswich Volvo B7RLE 66957 on the 53 deputising for Enviro 200 44517 which i later saw undergoing a road test, while it's non branded sister 44519 was working on the 88/89 Stowmarket runs,Volvo B7TL 32479 has now returned to Ipswich due to a bus being involved in a RTA on Monday. Then i spotted the above beast belonging to MMB Band services unloading outside the Corn Exchange from what i can make out from their website is a Van Hool TX27 Astromega sleeper bus registered SB59 MMB which caters for 7-16 people and has a huge kitchen area and multiple TV's amongst other things. Lately there has been a lot of rumour flying about First and there position in Ipswich, I can categorically state that they are not leaving Ipswich and that the depot now has a new lease, you may have noticed that there Buses have been looking a little dirty lately well that's been due to their washer being out of use for 10 weeks this will be solved by next week, as new parts are on the way. Below i have an surprise my thanks to Tony Hunter who spotted ex Ipswich Buses Atlantean 2 HDX 905N at Plaxton's Anston repair centre previously with Loughton Junior and Infant School as an library bus, new owner unknown, and now minus an centre exit door, makes it the second Atlantean from Ipswich Buses to reappear this year the other being 83 WPV 83L with whom we still don't know who owns it.

32479 ON LOAN TO NORWICH/ITM 50TH PLUG

Ipswich are currently loaning Volvo B7TL VA 479 32479 AU53 HJV to Norwich for this and next week releasing a bus for a Bernard Matthews contract, 32479 will all being well be at the ITM 50th Anniversary on the 15th November along with Chris Speed's Great Yarmouth AEC Swift 85 WEX 685M along with other special guests including a rare tripo back to Ipswich of ICT AEC Regent III 24 EPV 24.

IB CITARO SERVICE PICTURES

Well after 12 days of not being able to get out i finally get to see Ipswich Buses Mercedes Benz Citaro's in service, well two out of the three as one 155 was taken out of service as early as 10.15, came in to Tower Ramparts, then parked up in the Lay By and when i came back later had disappeared, so the allocation today was Trident 22, Scania Olympus 68/69 and Citaro's 153/54. Below also saw me capture a golden oldie in Galloway Volvo B10M/Vanhool NJI 9244 today in Crown Street Lay by not many of these stylish beasts exist locally so made a nice change to spot one.

Galloway NJI 9244 a Volvo B10M/Van Hool on Swimming Contract.

NEW BLOG SCHEDULE

Eastern Counties Bristol Lodekka LKD 196 VVF 196 in Norwich around 1968 onwards was withdrawn in 1974 never recieving NBC Livery.

This is how things will be changing from now on in, blogs will appear less frequently partly due to health reasons and also i have run out of ideas, from now on in there will be one at the weekend and 1-2 during the week depending on the news that is available to me if people can help me out by spotting anything unusual or new either contact me via E-Mail or via Twitter. This week has seen the introduction of the IB Mercedes Benz Citarios and my good friend Steve W has written a good report on them, glowing maybe not, he made quite a few good points see it here http://busandtrain.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/what-grey-day.html#comment-form
I was to join him yesterday but unfortunately due to my continued problems i haven't yet.

FLEET NEWS

Beestons have a further coach in Scania K113CRB/Van Hool Alizee C44FT new to Durham Travel Services this was acquired from Silver Choice, East Kilbride, a further Scania Omnidekka ex Go Ahead London has been bought from Ensign in YN03 DFE.

Seen here is Eastern Counties Bristol RE RLE 869 WPW 869H at Felixstowe Bus Station in 1982.

TAKING A REST

I'm sorry to say for the time beginning that due to personal health problems and with my dad being ill, i no longer have the time to devote to the blog at this current time, unless someone is willing to takeover this will be the last one for some time unless things improve, unfortunately the blog has taken over my life leaving me with very little time for other things.

MORE EX FEC BUSES ON THERE WAY OUT/THURSDAY FLASHBACK

https://www.flickr.com/photos/marauder43366/5155112903/in/photolist-8RxisX-5avXKf-xQYNZJ

Recent withdrawals in both Plymouth and the Bristol area have seen the final ex Hong Kong Darts which were at Norwich withdrawn from service the last one in use was 42754 S653 SNG above when with Devon & Cornwall in Plymouth, bought back from Hong Kong when New World First Bus changed ownership in 2001/02, they didn't stay long in Norwich being transferred out from 2005 onwards being swapped with some of Devon & Cornwall's P and R reg non Air conditioned buses. Recent buses placed into reserve elsewhere within First see's Scania's 65578 T578 JNG withdrawn in the Potteries at Adderley Green and in Scotland Glasgow have both 65591/93 W591/93 SNG in reserve with 65595 W595 SNG at Scotland East's Bannockburn depot. For Thursday's flashback another recent slide purchase sees Eastern Counties Bristol FLF 457 JPW 457D in a rather attractive all over add, originally allocated from new at Ipswich this transferred to Norwich mid 1970 seen here in the old Norwich Bus Station.