IPSWICH BUSES GOES UPHILL OR DOWNHILL.

Ipswich Buses Scania/Optare Olympus 68 YJ60 KGY on a rare trip on the 4 earlier this month .

This news has already been out for one day, but is going to be a major talking point, this is going to reflect my opinions which will be honest and truthful they may not be to everyone's liking. unhelpfully i can't actually find the changes on the government site so if anyone can help me out on that i would be grateful. Most areas such as Chantry, Whitton/Castle Hill and Whitehouse will undergo only small changes, one route that will disappear will be the 14 which is hardly a surprise as it's not commercially viable. The big change will be that night time Buses will finish between 10.00pm and 10.30pm not good if you are at the cinema or theatre and Sunday Buses at 8pm. Service 19 will change to number 7 confusing considering the Chantry via London Road has possessed that number up to a few years back since the very early days, this service will link Castle Hill to Asda. The 6/A circular service originally the 6 and 11 will split into the 2 and 6, i certainly fear for my old route the 4 if it goes hourly as that will certainly kill it off. Does Ipswich Borough Council want to kill this town further with these reductions, i would be interested to hear from the new Ipswich Buses MD and First Ipswich MD for there future plans, will we be seeing further reductions to the country network, sadly this town is dying which is a shame.

 First Ipswich Volvo B7RLE 69426/28 AU58 FFN/P found themselves regularly employed on the Greenwich/Gainsborough 60/61 last week along with others from the batch instead of the usual E 200's.

Seen in Ipswich Buses depot last week was a further Scania Omnicity Decker YR61 RVJ.

ANOTHER OMNICITY DECKER ENTERS SERVICE AND SATURDAY UNUSUAL SPOTS

A further Scania Omnicity Decker has entered service, this being 37 YR61 RUW on the 92 to Manningtree yesterday, meanwhile there seems to be two red liveried ones still in the depot, so 3 have departed for Hants and Dorset Trim since last weekend, 37 was also accompanied by 30 YR61 RPW on the 94 whilst Dennis Dart/EL 93 X93 LBJ see below had replaced 156 the MCV Evolution on the 97.

Meanwhile observations on town routes saw the return of  DAF/East Lancs Decker 54 tsee below o the X3 after a nearly 3 week spell on the Ex Carters routes, it re entered service after a short spell in the depot this week on the 15A 1635 service. The service 4 to Bixley/Martlesham had 3 Deckers employed in 16/58 and in the PM, Scania Omnidekka 60, it's also worth noting that the 6/A employs any of the three Optare Solo's 241/43/44 on a Saturday, this week it was 243, strangely the X5 to Ipswich Hospital had none of the new Scania Omnicity Deckers with 35/40 gainfully employed on the 10 to Castle Hill. Friday saw 3 Scania Omnicity single deckers employed on routes other than the 8/13, with 72 on the X3, 74 on the 4 with Enviro 200 106, whilst 70 was on the 6/A. First also had a Decker on the 60/61 with Volvo B7TL 32494, sadly i've lost my pictures for my visit to Cambridge on Thursday and also Friday's.

 Now seemingly a regular on town service 60/61 is First Ipswich Enviro 300 67406 SN13 CKC. Indeed more Volvo B7RLE's have been substituting most of the week with 44517 being off all this week.

IB Enviro 200 81 YX63 LGE showing the effects of the Snow ,of today's services there was a curtailment and diversion on the 13, whilst services X3/5/12/15A didn't operate. First services 60/61/75-77 and 64 didn't operate?

IB VERSA 148 RETURN/SCANIA OMNICITY DECKERS NEWS/VISITORS TO IPSWICH AND GALLOWAYS NEWS

After been missing in action for the last month of more Ipswich Buses Optare Versa 148 YK08 EPE returned to action on the Friday.With thanks to Stuart Ray these are the complete numbers and registrations of the ex Metroline Scania Omnicity deckers noticed today in the yard was 37 YR61 RUH, while in the afternoon a strange spot was Solo 244 on the X1, unusually today also saw a single decker work the 1540 15 service, which is normally worked off the 6.

30:  YR61 RPV

31:  YR61 RPY

32:  YR61 RPU

33:  YR61 RRV

34:  YR61 RSV

35:  YR61 RTV

36:  YR61 RUC

37:  YR61 RUH

38:  YR61 RUU

39:  YR61 RUV

40:  YR61 RUW

41:  YR61 RVF

42:  YR61 RVJ

43:  YR61 RVL

Visitors to Ipswich over the last week

 Daish Holidays are a popular Hotel and Coach operator running their own tours seen last week is Mercedes Benz Tourismo BJ16 KYN

 This unusual specimen belongs to Thompsons of Framlingham and is a Mercedes Benz Vario Sitcar Beluga and has been with them for a number of years

 Seen here today in the dusk is Daf Bova Europa GB04 FLG formerly RY04 ERN of Flagfinders of Braintree.

GALLOWAYS NEWS

Now withdrawn are the following Volvo Olympian M409 RVU replaced from Stephensons with M408 RVU, also withdrawn is 331 YJ60 GFA a DAF MCV Evolution, also leaving the fleet is Mercedes Benz Plaxton Cheetah 170 5516 PP re registered Y733 OGV before sale, 340 NJI 9244 re registered P736 UAH a Volvo B10M/Van Hool Astron,326 YJ14 CDX a Van Hool TX16 and 258 a DAF SB120/Wright Cadet 1754 PP re registered Y294 HUA before sale.

ANOTHER SCANIA OMNICITY DECKER ENTERS SERVICE AND OTHER NEWS

A further Scania Omnicity43 YR61 RVL, whilst 3 have remained in either the depot or the rear yard, along with withdrawn East Lancs Dart 86 has entered service last Thursday on the ex Carters routes before managing a day on the X5 on Friday before settling down in use on the 10's to Castle Hill on Saturday and today. In other  news it came to my attention after completely forgetting that the Beeston service to Sudbury has now been reduced to every 90 mins daytime Monday to Saturday.

 Visitors to Ipswich over the last week or so has seen Simmonds Volvo B12M/Van Hool 224 ENG
Grebe Coaches reside in Beccles but no fleet list exists as far as i now what i can make out is it's a Mercedes Benz Unvi MIL 3520.

 Now this is particularly unusual as it's a Bova Magiq C49FT of Cooks of Westcliffe On Sea, It started with Mayne of Buckie in 2008 as M17 YNE before passing to Cooks in 2010.

 Bought this year is Beestons Is Volvo B8R/Plaxton YX17 OHR.

BURY ST EDMUNDS SCENE

Not the greatest of photos taken long distance is Coach Services of Thetford CS67 BUS which I believe is a Volvo B9RLE with MCV bodywork on the 84 at Bury St Edmunds Bus Station.

 Stephensons have taken over most of the old First network of services, which is mainly in the hands of Enviro 200's and the Scania Omnidekka this one is 648 BV55 UCT.

Originally tried out as a Scania Demonstrator by Ipswich Buses this Scania Omnicity ended up being operated by Nottingham and is now with Mulleys for use on town services, seen here on the M22 to Nowton Estate.

Like Ipswich Buses, Coach services have invested in the later Scania Omnidekka although this particular one LX59 CPK has come the way of Stagecoach London.

 This fine machine is a Scania L94UB/Wright Solar 244 2513 PP owned since new,operating there Stowmarket to Bury St Edmunds Service

 Operating the 11 out of Bury ST Edmunds is ADL Enviro 400 19600 AE10 BXN from Stagecoach East Cambridge is the first time I have snapped a Stagecoach bus in service.

Operating the 753 service to Colchester is yet an other earlier Scania Omnidekka with East Lancs body operating with Chambers as 1502 YN55 PZD.

And yes another Scania Omnidekka/East Lancs  hiding it's age with the dateless plate WVE 284.

COLCHESTER INTERLUDE

 First Essex have some of the same batch of ALX 400 Volvo B7TL as Ipswich have including this which was heading to Chelmsford 32481 AU53 HJY.

Seen in Osbourne Street and heading towards Brightlingsea on the 87 is Hedingham 1518 YN06 JYC.

 For a few years the Wright Streetlite was in vogue for First Group but subsequent problems with the type has now lead them not ordering anymore on local route 65 to Tollgate Retail Park is 63334 SK65 PXR.

Heading towards North Station on the 62A is ex First Scotland East 37139 SN57 HCY a Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini, now allocated to Colchester

Illustrating the hard worked Scania L94UB/Wright Solar type is 65685 YR52 VFO, the Essex fleet now also consists of ex Ipswich 65670-75 and 65690/1 but also recently transferred in from First Scotland East examples.

Since the loss of contracts Arriva Colchester Fleet consists of ADL Darts, Enviro 200's and Volvo B7RLE'S including ADL Dart/Plaxton Pointer 2 3413 SN54 HKE.

 Seen in Osbourne Street is Dennis Trident/Plaxton President 33080 LN51 GNP from the First Colchester fleet.

Seen waiting time is Panther Travel ADL Enviro 200 AB62 PAN on the 81A to Dedham.

LOWESTOFT INTERLUDE

Two literally for the price of one, Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 37564 AU58 ECC and ADL Enviro 200 45116 VT09 JPT outside Lowestoft Bus Station.

Still in Barbie livery is Ex First South West Dennis Dart/Plaxton Pointer 2 42943 WA56 OAS.

Heading into the Bus Station from the Great Yarmouth Allocation is Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President 32206 LT52 WTL.

The highest number Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse 2 Is Yarmouth allocated 36185 BN12 JYH which came from West Yorkshire In 2016, seen here on an X1 short run.

Anglian have a diminished role in services in North Suffolk and Norfolk,seen here just about to pass the station is Scania Omnicity YN05 HFF on the 61 to Kessingland.