IBT'S FORERUNNER TO THE PARK AND RIDE!

Back in 1980, Ipswich Borough Transport had a good idea or so they thought, and when you look at the route you can see that today's Park and Ride service, or the 38 free bus uses pretty much the same route, with a special blind the remaining AEC Regent's ploughed there way around Ipswich Town Centre, with a special plaque on the front of the bus with Bluey the Kangaroo, picking up passengers from the Car Parks was an idea way ahead of it's time, the service was doomed to failure unfortunately and we had to wait another 16 odd years before the Park And Ride came to town.

AEC Regent 64 ADX 64B was also still in the fleet in 1980 and survived to the end of conducted services, it has since been exported to Japan!

MONDAYS OBSERVATIONS IN IPSWICH

Well yesterday, was certainly a better day to be out in Ipswich observing the new timetable working for Ipswich Buses and seeing how the traffic was effecting services that run through Major's Corner for the next 3 months, suffice to say the weather was good and the traffic situation wasn't too bad either.The past interworking of services are still happening of note was Dart 134 coming off a 6A and going onto a 15, while the 15 also contributes a single decker to the 6A around 11.30, the 6A no longer has a double decker that works through to the 4 at 11.35, this is now operated off a Needham Market School service than back to depot, before 3 journeys on the 4, then a school service from 2.30 onwards. As far as unusual workings concerned there weren't that many apart from Scania/Optare 68/69 on the X5, and Dart 85/87 back working the 8/13 with 84 on the 6A with 138 see below on the 13, above also but not that much of a strange working now that a selection of First Ipswich Volvo B7RLE's have guide wheels although in this case 69422 AU58 FJJ hasn't.

IB Enviro 200 104 SN16 OGK completed all four now photographed, on the 12 yesterday.

HOMAGE TO THE SWIFTS

Today's recall goes back to the 1970's again and is a homage to the AEC Swift which here in Ipswich wasn't particularly well loved, the first batch of Ipswich AEC Swifts were 77-82 JRT 77-82K and were Willowbrook bodied, many tended to be in the depot rather than be on the road, 82 is of course is now preserved by the ITM and is still as tricky as ever! The second batch were the East Lancs bodied 89-93 DDX 89-93L these survived until 1985, whilst the earlier 77-82 survived until 1983, replaced by the first Dennis Falcon's 100-05 YDX 100-05Y. Meanwhile seen around 1974 and on hire to Eastern Counties during there shortage of buses is Great Yarmouth Corporation Transport Willowbrook bodied 65 LEX 865H part of a batch 10 58-67 in 1970, followed by another 11 68-78 PEX 168-78K in 1972, then Great Yarmouth switched to local ECW bodies with 79-90 WEX 679-90M in 1973, illustrated by 82 WEX 682M below, Yarmouth also purchased two more ECW bodied Swifts when Lowestoft finished in 1977 NRT 564/65L and we mustn't forget that some of the 58-67 batch have spent some time on loan to IBT during their bus shortage of 1985, Yarmouth's last batch of Swift's 79-90 lasted into First Bus days.

IB ENVIRO 200'S DAY FOUR AND OTHER OBSERVATIONS

Just a quick blog today following up Wednesday's edition with pictures today of the other Ipswich Buses Enviro 200's, for which we see 101 SN16 OGG on the 15 to Thorington Park after which it joined sister 102 on the 6/A, 103 and 104 were employed on the 8/13 services, Dart 134 was also on the 15A, since the arrival of the Enviro 200's the 4 to Broke Hall/Bixley/Martlesham has reverted back to the usual branded 4 Darts in today's case 84/85, with sister 87 still on the 8/13, while Scania/Optare Olympus 68 was on the 6. Only one other observation to note was First Ipswich Volvo B7TL 32489 on the 60/61.

IB Enviro 102 SN16 OGH was parked up in the Crown Street Layby before taking up on the 6/A service.

While sister Enviro 200 103 SN16 OGJ was on the 8/13 services, and below First Ipswich Volvo B7TL 32489 AU53 HKG on the 61.

IB ENVIRO 200'S ENTER SERVICE

Well we have all been waiting and as the saying goes you wait for one bus to come along and another one does too, anyway all four Ipswich Buses E 200's entered service today, 101 SN16 OGG had been on the 8/13 early in the morning before coming off and fortunately came back and parked up on the old 53 stand, the only one that was missing was 102 SN16 OGH which this afternoon appeared on the Park and Ride service,103 SN16 OGJ seen above was initially on the 15 before swapping over to the 6/A, and 104 was employed on the 15A, unfortunately all my other pics came out blurred, so another day wasted...

IB Scania Omnicity 72 YN56 NVD unusually spent it's day on the 4 

SUNDAY RECALL

 Today's recall sees an all over advert link, during the 1980's Ipswich Borough Transport/Buses exploited this to good effect as did the newly bought out Eastern Counties, firstly in 1985 we see Ipswich Atlantean 18 RDX 18R with Garneys & Hill advertising a company long since vanished as is Eastern Counties VR 290 VEX 290X advertising Allied Carpets, thinking back to the 1980's there was so many all over adverts especially on the Atlantean's that i'm surprised i never listed them!

THURSDAY OBSERVATIONS AND GALLOWAYS TAKE OVER

As another blog has featured some of yesterday's Ipswich observations, i won't repeat too much what's has been said, however at long last i was pleased to be able to catch Suffolk Norse's latest addition to the fleet in Optare Solo  YJ55 BGV, which has taken over the 179 service to Woodbridge from the previous Iveco's.

One of three Double Decker's employed on the X3 yesterday for IB was Dennis Trident 15 LG02 FDK alongside was Lowlander's 56 and 58 with no destination display and Optare Spectra 53, a trident was also employed on the X1, as was 11 on the 4 and again today.

I'm all alone says First Ipswich's now solitary AD Enviro 200 44516 YX09 ACV yesterday at Ipswich OCM.

GALLOWAY TAKEOVER

It's been announced on Facebook that local operator Galloway's has been bought by the Eastern Transport Holdings Group which includes Essex operator Stephensons ,who operate in both in Essex and West Suffolk at Bury St Edmunds, the changeover date will be on 29th November.

Seen yesterday was Galloway's MCV Evolution YJ60 OGM on the 119 service.