LOST INDEPENDENTS 1:BLUEBIRD COACHES

Originating with Costin of Dunstable in 1957 this BedfordSB/Duple SMJ 950 is seen in the Cavendish Street Depot yard.

Bluebird Coaches was a trading name used by JDW Coaches which ceased trading in 1981, the depot in Cavendish Street was taken over by Bantams who in turn was bought out by Ipswich Buses in 1988, the name was used again by Ipswich Buses who operated the ITM Bedford OB in Bluebird livery for a time from 1991 for a Sunday service.

Again seen in the yard in Cavendish Street Ipswich is MLO 997D a Ford R126/Duple new in 1966 to Super, Upminster.

NON DDA SINGLE DECKERS

 Rounding up my feature of favourite step entry Buses with two single deckers representing the main vehicles seen around Ipswich during the 1970's and 1980's, i have no shame in admitting that my favourite Single Decker was the Bristol RE, sadly i missed Eastern Counties ones as just as i was old enough to travel on my own there was very few left, fortunately Ipswich Buses surprised a few people personally i remember 118 TRY 118H as i was there in 1987 to see it's last ever run out on the 8 to Whitehouse if my memory serves me well, above we see her sister 120 TRY 120H the livery suited them well and the distinctive engine whine never leaves my mind. Eastern Counties replaced there RE's with Leyland Nationals, this one was LN 587 WAH 587S seen here on the forecourt of Ipswich Depot in the mid 1980's, showing the changed number sequence bought in at the time, 587 came into Ipswich with a White with Red Stripe livery as a relief bus for the Eastline 792 to Cambridge before being repainted into NBC livery minus the white stripe, come the mid 1990's LN 587 was rebodied as a East Lancs Greenway and still exists today.

MEMORIES OF NON DDA DECKERS

Ipswich based VR 287 VEX 287X was one of the last VR's at Ipswich before heading to Cornwall, briefly in preservation it sadly resides in Italy now.

We often look back with fondness to the time before Accessible Low Floor Buses became the norm during the last 17 years ago, Low Floor Buses have their attractions to today's masses, but to me they don't have the appeal of what came before us, maybe that's me getting older but the attraction of an Bristol VR or a Leyland Atlantean wins me over every time.

Leyland Atlantean 35 SDX 35R at Tower Ramparts with it's 2 different style of seating, now going restoration with Leon Wells.

Growing up in the 1980's was a delightful time, particularly great fun was had by going on the Southern Circular on a Saturday not knowing what would turn up one particularly time i had one of the Bristol RE's, the key was always hoping it was an Atlantean, 35 SDX 35R was one of the rarities as it had been given seats upstairs in the style of 36-40, whilst the bottom remained in the Green/Black Leather, during the early 1990's many from the 21-35 batch received what was an updated saloon improvements to bring them up to DIPTAC standards which had been introduced on Dennis Lance 160.

LABOUR RUN IPSWICH BOROUGH COUNCIL PLEDGES PARK AND RIDES FUTURE?

Ipswich Buses had Enviro 200 81 YX63 LGE out on Park and Ride duties yesterday subbing for the usual Optare Versa's.

An interesting piece arrived on my doorstep this morning from the Labour led Ipswich Borough Council they pledge the following, keep Martlesham and Copdock Park and Ride open, make sure the are fast reliable bus services from both sites, re open the Bury Road site and get Buses from the Park and Ride to stop to pick up Ipswich residents, currently Suffolk County Council is run by the Conservatives who are going to cut the subsidy to nothing within two years, interesting to also note is that Suffolk County Council have £220 million in their reserves.

Ipswich Buses Trident 17 LG02 FEM which had been out of action at the tail end of last year reappeared in December and yesterday was the first chance to snap when she appeared on the 15A
Other observations from yesterday included Dart 84/87/93/139 on 8/13, Dart 142 and Enviro 200 104 on the 4, Scania Omnidekka 60 on X1 with Dart SPD 137 and Dart 135/41 on the X3 and Enviro 200 82 on the 16, while First Ipswich had Baby E200 45119 out on the 60/61.

Thank You Toby for this picture of Galloway's on loan Optare Solo SR YJ16 DDA ready for action for work on the 119 to Framlingham.

DDA COMES INTO EFFECT

Eastern Counties All Leyland Olympian OL 31 J621 BVG seen in the early 1990's at Norwich Bus Station.

Well it finally came to pass on January 1st when the DDA requirements for Double Deckers to be fully accessible to all many types will have bitten the dust in the last year, including Leyland/Volvo Olympians many will have passed into preservation as have the first generation of Low Floor Deckers like the Dennis Trident and the Volvo B7TL, we all wondered 20 odd years ago whether this was just a fad, but fully accessible Buses soon became accepted, now those very vehicles are being preserved, while many will still love the classic Buses the march of time will continue, we all have our favourite periods of time for Buses mine was the 1980's, we mustn't forget that today's generation will love the Low Floor Buses like the Dart SLF and too hold there interest we must accept them into the fold, in the hope that they will love our periods of time.

Seen here towards the end of it's time at Ipswich FEC 65589 V589 DVF has now been saved by the ITM, after badgering them and Chris Speed at First we managed to save her for preservation, this was an typical bus type for the First Group during the late 1990's being an early generation of the Scania L94UB with Wright Floline body 

WHO'S BEST AT FLEET PRESENTATION

First Ipswich Volvo B7TL 32493 AU53 HKL was refurbished back in 2015 and for a Bus of 13 Years old is in a very good condition.

Fleet presentation is particularly important to companies these days, as it can make all the difference particularly in Towns and Cities where more than one bus operator serves a section of a route or in some cases operates over the same route, the difference between being clean inside and out and not being clean in my opinion can sway a customer, for an example i can only equate to First Ipswich and their deep clean programme implemented by Chris Speed, just over two years old to keep to a regimented standard programme which gave the Ipswich Depot to become runner up in their inter company awards, five years ago standards where absolutely shocking, filthily Buses and drivers who quite honestly were under appreciated. Ipswich Buses have in their last year have let things slip presentation wise, they are still clean, BUT it is the livery which concerns me, a new livery was introduced some months back now while the Single Decker fleet has Buses in the current livery the Double Decker fleet has some still carrying the green and white livery introduced in the early part of the Millennium, both companies have what many would consider an ageing fleet, however if they look right, don't break down does it really matter.

 Ipswich Buses Transbus SPD Dart SLF 134 SN53 AVG, with E Leather seating certainly ticks the boxes for presentation and for a bus 13+ years old.

EASTERN COUNTIES LOST ROUTES

Copyright Peter Horrex

 Most of the empire of Eastern Counties is of course now lost, with mostly only the core routes still existing in Suffolk with First Ipswich now operating the  Stowmarket, Felixstowe, Aldeburgh, Saxmundham, Woodbridge, Martlesham services, many rural services which operated sometimes just once a week have vanished. The 232 to Waldringfield displayed 'service' is now in the hands of Suffolk Norse route 179 which has only one service from Ipswich during weekdays, Bristol MW LM 644 KAH 644D is seen waiting time at Waldringfield.
In the picture below we see a service introduced in the late 1970's the 218 to Claydon,today after several different companies have tried and failed with services including Ipswich Buses 18/A and Galloway 110, It's now part of the 88 group of services to Stowmarket operated by First Ipswich, below we see an Series 2 Bristol VR VR 398 ENG 398K in the old depot on the OCM now demolished.

Copyright Clive A Brown

 Galloway Plaxton Centro AY09 BYC seen on the 110 to Claydon now absorbed into the 88 group of services by First Ipswich.

Today the service to Waldringfield is operated in the main by Suffolk Norse with 2 Optare Solo's based at Ipswich, above is YJ55 BGV.