IPSWICH AEC DOUBLE DECKERS

Prior to the introduction of the Leyland Atlantean fleet of Double Decker's Ipswich had a predominately AEC fleet of both Single and Double Decker's with the Regent III, Regent V, Regal, Reliance and finally the Swift. Motorbuses as they were called back in the 1950's were introduced to Ipswich in 1950 with an route to Whitehouse, gradually the Trolleybuses were withdrawn as the cost of Electricity became to high, Buses took there place and were finally withdrawn in 1963. Below from the first batch of Motorbuses is ADX 3 a Park Royal bodied Regent III seen here at Electric House during the 1960's on Training duties behind is Sunbeam/Park Royal Trolleybus 123 ADX 193 from the final batch of Trolleybuses delivered to Ipswich. The later batches of Regent's came in the guise of the Regent V, the vast majority of which were bodied by East Lancs up to 62, 63-64 were Massey bodied and the final 4 were Neepsend, above picture shows 49 PPV 49 an East Lancs bodied Regent V passing through the Cornhill on the infrequent Ipswich Station X.

66 DPV 66D from the final batch of 4 became the Ely Playbus later in life and still exists albeit in a very poor state, fortunately all 3 others exists from the batch 68 with the ITM, 67 became an Open Topper and exists somewhere in Europe while 65 DPV 65D this year was bought for Preservation.

SQUIRRELLS COACHES/THOMPSON COACHES FLEET

SNZ 1783 Is a 1998 Volvo B10M/Van Hool which came from Soames back in 2013.

 Squirrells Coach Fleet

LEZ 1045  Mercedes Benz O404 Hispano Carrocera C53F 1999
S139 RWA  Mercedes Benz O404 Hispano Carrocera C53F 1998
Y369 UOM  Mercedes Benz O404 Hispano Carrocera C49FT 2001
MEZ 3873  Volvo B10M/Van Hool C55F 1998
SNZ 7183  Volvo B10M/Van Hool C53F 1998
J400 MWG  Kassbohrer Setra C53F 2003
YLZ 1389  Mercedes Benz 0112L/Ferqui C35F 1998
YLZ 1390  Mercedes Benz 0112L/Ferqui C35F 1998
S299 JRM Mercedes Benz 0814D/Autobus C33F 1998
OO05 FLX  Mercedes Benz 616CDI/Koch C23F 2005
LA55 XMD Mercedes Benz 1223L/Ferqui C39F 2006
NG57 HFD Ford Transit M16 2007


Thompsons Coaches

E7 TCS Volvo B10M/Van Hool C70F 1994
M333 CLS Volvo B10M/Jonckheere C53F 1995
W6 AMS  Volvo B10M/Van Hool C53F 2000
FL02 ZXK Volvo B7R/Jonckheere C53F 2002
WJ02 VRT Volvo B12M/Van Hool C49F 2002
YJ04 GYS Mercedes Benz 0815DT/Sitcar C29F  2004
MX54 ZVZ Mercedes Benz 311CDI/Concept M16 2005
YN07 VBG Mercedes Benz 0816D/Plaxton C33F 2007
EN60 HBD Ford Transit M8 2011

E7 TCS Is the oldest coach in the fleet and has increased seating of 70 ideal for school use as used here on a swimming contract in Crown Street, Ipswich

IPSWICH BUSES INTO THE FUTURE

Currently out of service with a failed engine for a while now, Dennis Trident 17 LG02 FEM has had it's engine rebuilt and is awaiting a new MOT for which it will replace Optare Spectra 52.

As part of a new feature i have started to talk to the Big Bosses of our local companies on their future plans, first up Jeremy Cooper of Ipswich Buses.
Currently still in it's dealer white livery recent acquisition E200 77 may be repainted short term based on the current white livery. The current Carters fleet will not be repainted, instead IB are looking at ways to move forward with the brand, as they are quite happy with the smart livery.
Disappointingly the current diversion into Broke Hall of the 6/A will stop in January as the Council stop the funding, but the campaign has started here as i have kick started an appeal to my local councillor, other changes may include extra X5 peak services and extra 14's on Saturdays, very shortly SCC will be talking to IB and First in regards to the Park And Ride provisionally finishing in the Summer, in which case the Ex Stagecoach Darts will be replaced by the Optare Versa's.

Optare Versa 148 YK08 EPA in it's first week in service during November 2013.

MONDAYS OBSERVATIONS

Now above i would say is a fairly rare outing for a Dennis Dart of any variety, of course in their early days they worked the Martlesham Park and Ride from 2003 until 2007, but today saw Ipswich Buses Dart 84 PJ53 OLC and ADL Enviro 200 81 both on Park and Ride, problems with the Versa's again?. Other less major observations saw Dart 94 on the 19 while sister 98 escaped the confines of the 4 to be on 16 with sister 93 on the 16, and the 4 had the unwelcome return of an ALX 200 Dart in 144, it's worth noting that during the week the 4 is Single Decked worked but Saturday's 2 Decker's are used, recent acquisition ADL E200 77 was on the X5, whilst ex Lothian Darts 136 was on the 4 and 137 on the X3. Ipswich Buses Trident 20 was in use on Carters service 92 to Colchester.

Parked up ready for a run out on Midday 4's was IB Trident 14 LG02 FDJ.

MORE COLOURFUL OR NOT! ADVERTS

Once again so little happening again in the Suffolk area i find myself dipping into my collection again for some colourful adverts, although in these two cases rather dull!,these two both come from Eastern Counties and are rather dull in appearance, firstly seen at Long Stratton outstation long since closed is VR 254 PCL 254W shortly after deregulation in 1987 advertising people signing up for St Johns Ambulance, whilst VR 396 ENG 396K in July 1975 started advertising London and Manchester Assurance and traveled round the Eastern Counties depots until repaint into NBC Red in May 1978, when it finally settled down and lived it's life at Ipswich until withdrawal, it's seen here in Peterborough.

COLOURFUL ADVERTS

Two contrasting adverts one possibly tasteful the other in rather dubious taste, the first one shows IBT Leyland Atlantean 34 in an extremely colourful all over advert which was the first for the council owned company and was followed by 2 others Atlantean 86 WPV 86L which i showed last month had a Betabake all over advert whilst 97 TRT 97M had a short lived CKN Vollkswagen livery, Britannia Stores were situated on Woodbridge Road. Below one of the two converted Bristol VR's purchased from Ribble was OT 352 NCK 980J which experienced many different colours during it's time at Yarmouth, starting out in Venetian Blinds NBC livery before graduating to Eastern Counties Cream livery in the late 1980's, before this monstrosity for Pleasurewood Hills Theme Park.

 Copyright ETCS

BEESTONS DEMO AND NEW ARRIVAL

 Many thanks to Jason Player for allowing me to feature the latest demonstrator that Optare have provided for Beestons for 2 weeks this has already been in Suffolk with Borderbus who incidentally have a Wright Streetdeck on loan SL15 ZGP, The Metrodecker from Optare is the first Doubledecker that they have produced since the Spectra which finished production about 10 years ago, First have already trialled one early this year for tests, and this bus certainly catches the imagination and to me is more like a bus than the Wright Streetdeck! What you won't find is any rattles or poles coming lose us all poles and fixtures are moulded directly to the ceiling as the photo below shows, with well spaced seats made from e leather is this a serious contender to take on ADL's E400 MMC?

Borderbus Streetdeck SL15 ZGP which is currently on loan, thanks to Borderbus for the photo.

Photo from Beestons twitter fleet, the latest arrival for the coaching fleet is this new Mercedes Turas T900 seating 33.