RAINY DAY MONDAY

If you are not aware i am now cutting down the amount of posts per week as i was getting seriously run down so i will be only posting when there is something to report, today saw a massive tailback caused by an RTA on the Orwell Bridge which led to most buses being held up in traffic causing delays from eastbound buses of around 45-50 mins and in a way i was fortunate today as my bus was Scania/Optare 69 from Ipswich Buses driven by a driver celebrating his 65th Birthday, can't remember his name but what a lovely driver. The Old Cattle Market was particularly full up with 7 First Buses parked up anywhere they could find, hence the picture below, i pitied the First Ipswich Controller who was taking some grief from other companies drivers, seen below is Carters Leyland Olympian 427 G727 XDL now with an LED display and a nice hole in the roof where a tree branch has hit, which was subbing for one of the Tridents, one oddity of the day was First Ipswich E200 44928 which usually finds itself on the 59 or 70 was on the 60/61 see below, while Ipswich Buses had Dart 84 on the 12 and Dart 85 on the 8/13.

END OF LINE FOR EX EASTERN COUNTIES SCANIAS/VOLVO B10BLE'S AND DARTS AT FIRST ESSEX

Ex First Ipswich 65630 V830 FSC seen here back in August 2013 on the 61 was withdrawn in December.

With the DDA compliance now in full effect has meant that all the Ex FEC Scanias/Volvo B10BLE'S and Dart SLF's within Essex were no longer able to be used buses now withdrawn from service include Scania L94's 65566/65574/86/87/65630/31 plus Volvo B10BLE 66165/66177 and Dart SLF's 43480/83/85. Below you see Dart SLF 43480 R680 DPW on the 22 in Norwich and Scania L94 65574 on the 14 both taken in 2005.

THURSDAY FLASHBACK A VR DOUBLE

 Today's Flashback for a Thursday features once again my obsession with the VR, my all time favourite bus closely followed by the RE and the Atlantean.I have chosen two rather different Bristol VR's one that was still with Eastern Counties in VR 238 HAH 238V at Norwich Bus Station in Post Office Red deregulation livery and the other is in the second Cambus livery which added Blue to the bottom half, seen in Ely is 708 NAH 138P.

MORE THEY WERE AT NORWICH AND SOME FROM IPSWICH TO NORWICH

As i enjoyed yesterday's when they were in Norwich how about others that made the pilgrimage the other way well we kick off today's selection with an ex First West Yorkshire bus Dennis Dart Plaxton Pointer 47202 M202VWW that was allocated to Kings Lynn from 1997 with a brief spell at Ipswich in 1999/2000 before moving to Norwich in 2000.

Dennis Dart 47249 M249 VWW with the attractive Alexander body had a short spell at Ipswich during 2003.

While Dennis Dart/Plaxton 46375 M375 YEX was new to Ipswich for Superoute 66 duties before being replaced in 1999/2000 by Scania L94/Wright 65591-99/65601.

And finally with thanks to Peter Horrex for allowing me to use this, we go back to 1979 with Bristol Lodekka FLF 440 GPW 440D and Bristol RE RLE 869 WPW 869H, both finished their days at Norwich.

BEFORE THEY WERE IN IPSWICH

A chance today to view some of First Ipswich's fleet when they were in Norwich and some which have long since departed to the scrapyard in the sky!, kicking off with Volvo B7TL 32479 AU53 HJV now of course in the heritage Eastern Counties livery.

A bit of a double spotting here as we see Volvo B7TL 32655 AU05 MUY and Volvo B7RLE 69006 AU05 DMF in Park and Ride livery.

Dennis Dart 43477 R477 CAH certainly did the rounds when it was around and was one of the last Darts allocated to Ipswich 3 years ago, seen here on the 20 to Costessey.

 One of my great misfortunes was to travel on this Dennis Dart 46083 K283 XJB and it's sister 46081 in Ipswich as more often or not they were allocated to my route, talk about bouncing up and down in your seat, originally from London these emigrated firstly west to Somerset then late in their career to Norwich then Ipswich.

 Currently allocated to Ipswich is Volvo B7RLE 69008 AU05 DMV seen here on Sprowston Park and Ride.

Scania L94 65558 R258 DVF and it's sister 65557 had a short term at Ipswich late in their life's before moving to Northampton.

MONDAY BITS AND PIECES

Not too much to update on today's spotting so to speak, just a few observations which may be of interest, firstly Ipswich Buses remaining three non DDA Darts 89/92/96 are now scheduled to be used only on the 16 to Halifax and Belstead and School journeys, 92 being noted on the 16 this morning. As can be seen above the 4 buses usually allocated to the 4 East Lancs Darts 84-87 are still wondering off route and not as i mentioned on Saturday, above 85 was on the 8/13 whilst 87 was on the 12,whilst Trident 11 was on the 4.

MONDAY RECALL

Yes a chance of name from the normal flashback for a rare photo in my collection of an Eastern Counties Bedford VAM/Duple CB 837 LNG 837E bought in for the Summer Season in May 1967, they were part of a batch of 4 all destined for comparatively short careers of 8-9 years being unusually non standard coaches for a NBC company, seeing them in white was a travesty when they looked good in the pre NBC coach livery. 

EASTERN COUNTIES BRISTOL LK/LKH FLEET MARCH 1966

Eastern Counties Bristol LK 280 LNG 280 Ipswich OCM during the 1950's showing off the low bridge type of the series.

Bristol LK/LKH Fleet standings March 1966

LK 127-142 HPW 127-42 Bristol K5G/ECW H30/26R 1949

LK 143/44  FNG 399/400  Bristol K5G/ECW L27/28R 1946  Note LK 143-49 were rebuilt with new
LK 145-47 FAH 101-03 Bristol K5G/ECW L27/28R 1944      ECW Bodies in 1953
LK 148/49 FAH 104/05 Bristol K5G/ECW L27/28R 1945

LKH 150 FAH 106 Bristol K5G/ECW H30/26R 1945 Rebuilt with new ECW body 1953
LKH 151 HPW 81 Bristol K5G/ECW H30/26R 1948

LKH 152-64 KNG 152-64  Bristol K5G/ECW H30/26R 1949/50

LKH 165 HPW 87  Bristol K5G/ECW H30/26R 1948

LKH 166-73 OVF 166-73  Bristol K5G/ECW H30/26R 1953/54

LKH 239/71 HPW 83/84  Bristol K5G/ECW H30/26R 1948

LK 240 FAH 107  Bristol K5G/ECW L27/28R 1944  

LKH 241/45/47-49 FAH 241/FNG 245/47-49  Bristol K5G/ECW H30/26R 1945      
LK 242-44/46 FAH 109/FNG 141/42/46 Bristol K5G/ECW L27/28R 1945            
All above were ECW Rebodies during 1953

LKH 250-60 KNG 250-60 Bristol K5G/ECW H30/28R 1950
LKH 261-65 LNG 261-65 Bristol K5G/ECW H30/28R 1951
LKH 266-75 LNG 266-75 Bristol K5G/ECW H30/28R 1951/52

LK 276-79 LNG 276-79 Bristol K5G/ECW L27/28R 1950
LK 280-300 LNG 280-300 Bristol K5G/ECW H30/28R 1950/51
LK 301-05 MAH 301-05 Bristol K5G/ECW L27/28R 1951

LKH 306-32 MAH 306-32 Bristol K5G/ECW H32/28R 1951
LKH 333-42 NAH 933-42 Bristol K5G/ECW H32/28R 1952
LKH 346/47/58 HPW 76/77/80 Bristol K5G/ECW H30/26R 1948

LK 369/72/80/82/95 KNG 369/72/80/82/95 Bristol K5G/ECW L27/28R 1949/50
LKO 396/97 CAP 221/29 Bristol K5G/ECW O33/26R 1940

LKH 398 GVF 73 Bristol K5G/ECW H30/26R 1950
LKH 399-417 HPW 75/86/88-104 Bristol K5G/ECW H30/28R 1949
LKH 418-39 HPW 105-26 Bristol K5G/ECW H30/28R 1949

Highbridge Bristol K5G LKH 328 MAH 328 was allocated to Norwich and is seen in the old bus station during the 1950's on the 93 to Trowse.