MORE ON PARK AND RIDE AND MONDAY'S OFF ROUTES

An unusual sight was this particularly scruffy IB ALX 200 Dart 144 Y295 FJN being used on the 13 this morning.

It seems that the Park and Ride story won't go away completely as Council Leader David Ellsemere has published his column in the Ipswich Star tonight, and his anger at First Eastern Counties, is it due to the fact that his council own the local bus company, of course some comments are of worthy but when he states that First will be running "Old Buses" pumping out dirty fumes, has he used his crystal ball to predict the future?

It's a welcome back to the off route feature, with plenty to note today IB East Lancs Dart 98 was back on the 4 with 134, whilst the 4 branded Darts continue to stray, with 85 on 15/A, 86 on X3 and 84/87 on the 10 along with Enviro 300 83, whilst First Ipswich unusually had Volvo B7RLE 69423/25 on the 60/61, see picture below, along with 69005, even stranger was 69422 on the 66 without guide wheels.

EASTERN COUNTIES COACHING RECALLED

I think we have done and dusted with the Park and Ride saga for the time being, and as there is very little to report of unusual sightings it is time to begin an new look at the coaches used during the 1960's and early 1970's. The Bristol MW with the earlier style body from ECW was superseded by the later body seen below in Norwich Depot from 1962 with LS 811 3811 PW accompanied by an unusual type for a Tillings company which was first received in 1967 with Bedford VAM/Duple CB836-39 LNG 836-39E followed by 6 more the following year CB 840-45 PPW 840-45F, Eastern Counties, of those one burnt out in 1972 CB 844, in general these were that not that popular being sold on after 6-7 years. Much more popular above illustrated by RE 894 SVF 894G at Ipswich OCM,was the Bristol RELH with 3 delivered in 1964 RE 876-78 AAH 124-26B, followed by RE 879-81 GNG 479/92/481C in 1965, 1966 RE GPW 882-86D and finally RE 894-98 SVF 894-98G in 1969, these pictures from circa 1972 show how by now the ghastly National Express white livery ruined the more elderly coaches which always looked better in  the cream and maroon coach livery of Eastern Counties.

FURTHER POINTS TO PARK AND RIDE DECISION

The Bury Road Park And Ride service which has now closed was originally operated by Optare Spectra's which were replaced in 2003 by DAF Lowlander's and cascaded to Town routes seen back in 2013 with it's original destination display is 52 X152 LBJ.

I have since yesterday read the report issued by Suffolk County Council furthering the information i put on the blog, the scheme that was originally suggested was that Ipswich Buses and First Ipswich would integrate the services into the 13(Ipswich Buses) and the 63-65 (First Ipswich) however the negotiations with IB broke down to highways infrastructure improvements within the timescale suggested, thus an alternative by FEC to keep the service running as it is, which would provide a service that wouldn't go round the houses, would offer the same journey time, simplified fare structure and improved service on the Woodbridge/Aldeburgh corridor, as well as keeping further links to Ipswich Hospital,Ipswich Station and Suffolk One. However one downfall could be the loss of First operating services in Snape,Tunstall and Knodishall.

An additional Park and Ride Service was added in 2003 to Martlesham, with 5 Transbus/East Lancs Dart's 84-88 which were cascaded to Town routes in 2008 after the loss of the contract to First Ipswich. Seen here is 86 PJ53 OLG now branded for the 4.

IPSWICH PARK AND RIDE GOES TO FIRST

When First Ipswich previously run the service they used Volvo B7RLES including this example 69425 AU58 FFM which now operates in fleet livery.

Announced today in the EADT/Ipswich Star is that the Park and Ride services to Copdock and Martlesham have been saved, however have considerable debate there will be a 20% increase in fares going up to £3 per person before 12 PM and remaining at £2.50 after. The new contract will see First Ipswich take over the service next July and will reduce the Suffolk County Council subsidy from £700,000 to £200,000, there will be only 4 Buses per hour instead of the current 5. However all are not happy especially Ipswich Buses which is owned by the council, Ipswich Buses chairman Chris Mole described it as outrageous, while Council leader David Ellsemere has warned that there will be fewer and probably older Buses. and that the figures don't add up and that First can't make money on this, i don't think this is a good deal. The deal will be discussed by the County Council next week, where it's number five on the agenda which can be found on their web pages.Where does this leave Ipswich Buses for the future, IBC selling the company?.

Currently used on Ipswich Park and Ride by Ipswich Buses are these ex Nottingham Optare Versa's 150 YK08 EPJ.

IPSWICH BUSES MD TO LEAVE

IB Merecedes Benz Citaro 154 BF65 HVU was one of three introduced last year to replace Double Deckers on the 9 Whitton & Castle Hill, but seen here operating the 10 to Castle Hill last Boxing Day.

News has reached me that Ipswich Buses MD Jeremy Cooper has resigned his position, after around Eighteen Months during which has seen changes to long established route numbers, an strike by drivers called off and a move to ADL Enviro 200's as the main choice to replace the older Double Deckers in the fleet, an interim MD in Gary Bellamy who will take over in the New Year has been appointed until the new MD has been appointed. Personally i would like to thank Jeremy for his kindness towards the Blog, as he has always been gracious enough to have answered any of my questions.

IB ADL Enviro 200 101 SN16 OGG the first of four delivered in the first half of the year.

UPDATE TO FELIXSTOWE SERVICES

Eastern Counties ex Clarkes Services Foden PVSC6 FS 998 JBJ 833 seen at what looks like Peterborough.

Many thanks to a colleague of mine at the ITM Bernard Simpson, for updating my piece yesterday on the services taken over from Clarkes Services, the following services were replacements for their routes.
238 Felixstowe Ferry,Wolsey Gardens,Felixtowe Dock
248 Dock,Sea Road to Brook Lane(Fludyers Hotel) every 30 mins Sea Front service with Open top bus, Summers only.
249 Manor Road,Walton Church(Circular)Every 30 mins
In 1930/1931 Eastern Counties extended services 201 and 204 to Felixstowe Docks from Manor Road not as i previously thought.

Originally new to Norwich Omnibus Company as 47 in 1933 a Bristol GJW/Weymann LG 4 VG 5541 ECOC had by this time had taken control of the company and was retained as a separate company until 12/35 all services were then operated on hire to Norwich Omnibus Company it was eventually absorbed in 1954, two buses LG 4 and LG 6 in 1950 became open toppers and were renumbered HLG 4/6 and withdrawn after the summer in 1960 when they became HLG 496/97.

65 YEARS OF IPSWICH TO FELIXSTOWE DOCK : THE VERY BEGINNING

Eastern Counties Dennis Lancet/Mann Egerton DS 984 LRT 263 seen in the late 1950's alongside Bristol SC LC 546 VVF 546.

This month celebrates 65 years of Eastern Counties and the now First Eastern Counties operation of an bus service between Ipswich and Felixstowe Dock then numbered 201 now the 77 operating every hour from December 1951. This would be the company's last Suffolk Independent operator purchased from V.T and J.Faiers trading as Clarkes Services of Felixstowe who operated the service from Felixstowe Docks to Felixstowe, along with tours and excursions.  Apart from one bus which wasn't purchased the whole fleet came to Eastern Counties including some unusual Buses and coaches which included KS 904 GH 3818  an AEC Regal which had originated with Green Line, London in 1930 as T196 before joining London Transport with the same number in 1933, it gained a new Duple body in 1940 whilst with Valiant Direct Coaches, London and was withdrawn the following year, of the two Double Deckers one of which was not operated but allocated a fleet number, KD 29 ARR 832 and KD 28 ARR 831 both were AEC Regent/Park Royal new in 1934 came originally from West Bridgford UDC. The coaches which had fairly successful lives considering they were in a fairly standardised Tilling fleet, were FS 998 JBJ 833 a Foden PVSC 6/Plaxton withdrawn in 1959 and LRT 263 an Dennis Lancet/Mann Egerton DS 984 LRT 263.Seen below taken from the timetable book from 1952 shows that the service Eastern Counties had inherited from Clarkes Services was now incorporated into the 201 service.