CANVEY ISLAND BUS RALLY

Today's blog includes a selection of photo's taken from yesterday's Canvey Island Bus Rally, above we have probably the newest bus on display ADL Enviro 400 MMC from Arriva Southern Counties 6540 SN66 WJF, along with Streetlite 4262 GN64 DXS.

This beauty certainly caught my eye yesterday this last in a batch of five bought for Maidstone & District 5385 LKP 385P a Volvo Ailsa with Alexander body remained unique within a NBC company.

A very recent restoration by Mundens is this superb Leyland Titan PD3/Massey CJN 436C now back in Southend Corporation livery. 

Bang up to date with this Tri Axle Evo Seti LX66 GXC from Ensign.

The order of the day in Canvey Island is now First Essex, seen working back to Basildon is Wright Streetlite 47564 SN15 AEU.

SATURDAY'S ATLANTEAN FLASHBACK

Photo by RJ Elseworthy.

Two new pictures that i have recently purchased for my ever growing collection of one of my favourite types of bus, the Leyland Atlantean played an significant part in the history of Ipswich Buses for nearly 28 years, seen above is 86 WPV 86L from the first batch of Roe bodies, the first two batches 84-88 WPV 84-88L, 94-98 TRT 94-98M had gorgeous brown leather seats, while the later batches from 1-5 HDX 904-908N were the first batches with green leather seats resulting from the change from ICT to IBT in 1974, from the batch 21-35 SDX 21-35R is 28 SDX 28R which after a substantial life in Ipswich saw a few more with the privatised Lincolnshire Roadcar. 

IPSWICH BUSES STRIKE CALLED OFF

IB Trident 14 LG02 FDJ has certainly been around and about this week Monday saw it out on the 4 at lunchtime, Wednesday it was on Carters route 94 to Colchester.

Just a quick notice that Unite the union have called the Ipswich Buses strike off this coming Monday, as both parties have reached an equitable agreement on pay for the lower third of drivers, both parties have agree to work more constructively with each other.

IB EMERGENCY TIMETABLE DETAILS

About time too i must say, my first capture of Ipswich Buses E200 77 KX59 GNY which was on the 8/13 routes yesterday.

Full Emergency timetable available here http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ipswichbuses.co.uk%2Fassets%2Ftimetables%2F10thoctobertimetable.pdf&h=UAQEaj7VF

South West Ipswich
13 Pinebrook Tesco Every 30 mins
15/A Thorrington Park Every Hour
Service 12/14/16 Will not run

North West Ipswich
8 Whitehouse Asda Every 30 mins
9/10 Whitton/Castle Hill Every Hour
Service 17/19 will not run

North East Ipswich
X5 Ipswich Hospital every 30 mins
6/A Ipswich Hospital every Hour

South East Ipswich
X3 John Lewis every 30 mins
Service X1 and 4 will not run

Other Details
Ipswich Town Shuttle 38 will not run, contracted services 73/173 will be run by other companies,school services 11A/18A/501/02/914/88 will run others will not, Park and Ride will run every 30 mins, 98/A Service may or may not run, all services apart from 13 will be run by Double Deckers services will finish at 1900, fares will be £1 per Journey.  

IB usually add  a Double Decker to the 202 in the afternoon for schools yesterday Trident 21 Y458 NHK did the honours.

IPSWICH BUSES STRIKE CONFIRMED

Ipswich Buses have purchased 8 new E200's this year from the first batch of four is 101 SN16 OGG.

Ipswich Buses drivers will hold an 24 hour strike next Monday, about 110 members of the Unite union will cease work from around 5 AM, over a row of the starting pay for drivers which is currently £8.66 the company has offered £8.81, but the union wants £10 per hour, with 90% of the drivers voted for the strike action, 66% of drivers have already accepted the new pay rate of £11 per hour. Talks are still ongoing with the union, however a contingency plan will be put into place with an emergency timetable available tomorrow, talks are also ongoing between IB and Suffolk County Council over School contracts and Park And Ride services.
Also in yesterdays Ipswich Star Ipswich Council leader David Ellesmere described the Travel Ipswich scheme as a disaster, chief concerns which have been widely commented on included uncoordinated traffic lights which have caused Buses to be caught in congestion, Real Time Passenger Information screens not showing when Buses should turn up i can vouch for that as currently the one at Broke Hall Shops doesn't work, no public toilets have been installed at the Old Cattle Market, despite protests, Coaches such as National Express can't operate from there, weeds have begun to show between paving slabs, when the slabs have been taken up they have been filled in with tarmac!

Ipswich Buses Dennis Trident 20 Y436 NHK on the 4 last week.

ANOTHER SHORT TERM LOAN FOR FIRST AT IPSWICH

Just a quick blog today with notice that First Ipswich have ADL E200 45118 ST09 JPT on loan for just a few days with sister to to the above 45119 RT09 JPT which unusually found it's way on to town route 60/61 to Greenwich/Greenwich, unfortunately i just missed 45118 by a matter of a few minutes which found it's way on to to the 70 to Woodbridge. IB wise there was very little in the way of unusual allocations most routes now settling down to largely Single Deckers, although the 15/15A found a return from the Carters fleet of Lowlander 57 with sister 58, while Dennis Trident 16 was on Carter's services.

Further to Saturday's blog the Ipswich Transport Museum launched the very nearly completed Eastern Counties Dennis Ace D3 later D973 CAH 923 this was delivered new in January 1938, upon withdrawal in 1949 the engine and gearbox was used in the chassisless E.C.W CD class of 1950, D973 then had a second life after passing initially to Ben Jordan(Dealer) at Coltishall by joining Bickers fleet at Coddenham by this time it was fitted with an Dennis engine and gearbox from  D976, after withdrawal it was then fitted with the body of D989 DVF 519 a later Ace from 1941.

FINALLY THE IPSWICH BUSES ENVIRO 200 MMC DEMONSTRATOR

Three different shots taken today at the Ipswich Transport Museum showing the Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 MMC, YX65 MWK, which has obviously been around quite a few places already, externally the bus has a rather an dull ADL livery, but of all the new Buses around it's probably the most smartest for looks, internally it looks rather spacious and airy, and at last we have moulded poles to the ceiling and floor, plus of course E Leather seating which i haven't got to grips yet, this is a Bus surely that will appeal to many operators, and has done so with big orders from Stagecoach,First Group and Arriva. To finish today on it's last appearance for Ipswich Buses today for the ITM's classic vehicles day was Dennis Lance 162 L162 ADX which will now pass to Otley College for use with their engineering apprentices, meanwhile Optare Spectra 52/53 X52/53 LBJ were withdrawn yesterday, with 53 passing to Lynx at Kings Lynn.

Ipswich Buses now Withdrawn Optare Spectra 53 X153 LBJ, shame as it was one of the most comfortable and fast buses.