NEW NUMBERS IN CHANGES FOR IB AND 32/34 ENTER SERVICE

Today Ipswich Buses changed route numbers reviving the 2 which used to be the 6 sorry no picture, but the two above show the X3 now the 3 on E200 SN16 OGH and the dropping of the X for the 5 to Heath Road Hospital shown by E200 YX63 LGF above, and below is the only Dart SLF in service today showing 6 87 PJ53 OLH which used to be the 6A.

 Both IB Scania Omnicity Deckers arrived over last weekend and were soon in service on Monday and Tuesday, above 32 YR61 RRU  on the  X5, and below 34 YR61 RSV also on the X5. Various spotting on Friday saw Lowlander 100 on the X1, Scania Omnidekka 62 on the X3, Trident 13 on the 4, Scania/Optare 69 on the 9 with Lowlander 55 on the 94 along with Scania Omnicity deckers 32/35 on the 92. Yesterday's spots include Lowlander 55 on the X3, Scania Omnidecker 62 and Trident 16 on the 4, and Dart SLF 87 on the X5.

IB Trident 16 took over from 62 during the afternoon yesterday on the 4.

BEESTONS FLEET

Bus Fleet

X568 YUG Volvo B10BLE/Wright B53F (Is this still in the fleet?)
YN03 DDA Scania N94UD/East Lancs H45/33F
YN03 DFE/J Scania N94UD/East Lancs H45/33F(DFJ is H47/31F)
YV03 PZL/M/Y Scania N94UD/East Lancs H47/31F( PZM is H45/33F?)
MX04 MYW/Y Scania N94UD/East Lancs H47/31F
YN54 OAE/H Scania N94UD/East Lancs H47/33F??
YN54 OBB/X Scania N94UD/East Lancs H45/33F(OBX is H47/33F??)
YN54 OCJ Scania N94UD/East Lancs H47/33F
YN55 NDY Scania N94UD/East Lancs H47/33F
YN55 NJZ Scania N94UD/East Lancs H47/33F
MX06 LDN Scania N94UD/East Lancs H47/33F
SN17 MTK ADL E40D/ADL H85F

Coach Fleet

FHJ 565 Mercedes Benz 1523L/UNVI C41F was SK07 LZD
524/526 FN Volvo B12BT/Van Hool CH61/18CT 526 was DW09 HAM
77 CJX Volvo B12M/Van Hool C53F was WA03 HPZ
219 GRA Scania K114EB/Van Hool C53F was BT02 LCT
221 GRA Volvo B12B/Van Hool C53F  was WA05 WLD/JN05 NEL/95-KY-3049
222 GRA Van Hool T916/Van Hool C49FT was YJ08 EBZ
226 LRB Volvo B10M-62/Van Hool C49FT was X777 GSM/YVF 158
YJ64 ATV Van Hool TX11/Van Hool C41FT
BF65 WHU Volvo B11R/Jonckheere C??FT
YX65 ZJU Volvo B11R/Plaxton C??FT
YX17 OHR Volvo B8R/Plaxton C59FT
There is a Midi Coach missing from my list can anyone remind me.

COLCHESTER INTERLUDE 2

Due to the loss of my camera today i can't bring you what i wanted to do however i always have a back up plan and this is the second time i have visited Colchester with several vehicles joining from Scotland including this 12 year old Scania L94UB SN55 JVK. Operating the 61 instead of it's usual 62/A/B was Volvo B7TL/Wright SN57 HDJ.

Hedingham and Chambers still have considerable presence in Colchester including the ADL Enviro 200 263 EU59 AYM on the 63 to Aldham Village Hall, whilst seen entering the so called Bus Station is Hedingham 1514 YN55 YZV an ex London Scania Omnidekka on the 87 to Brightlingsea.

I believe this has been transferred away from Colchester now but back a few weeks ago Trident 33195 LT52 XAF was working on the Green route the 62A.

Arriva Colchester's fleet is all Single Deck and is made up mostly by Dart SLF's and Enviro 200's transferred in last year, this strange Caetano bodied Dart is HX04 HUK.

Seen heading back to Ipswich from London via Stansted Airport on the 250 is soon to be replaced Galloways 300 FJ61 EVN a Volvo B9R/Caetano Levante.

GALLOWAYS FLEET

BUS FLEET

227/28 3367 PP(ex AY05 KVF)/ AY55 DGV VDL SB120/Wright B39F

229 5946 PP(ex W231 CDN) DAF DB250/Optare H47/28F

244 2513 PP (ex YR02 ZYL) Scania L94UB/Wright B43F

278 AY09 BYC VDL DE02SB200/Plaxton B45F

279 4092 PP(ex MX53 FDN) Optare Solo M920/Optare B33F

310 1482 PP (ex YJ55 YGK) Optare Solo M880/Optare B27F

311 MX08 EHC Optare Solo M950/Optare B31F

330 YJ14 BGE Optare Solo M8900SR/Optare B33F

331 YJ60 GFA VDL SB180/MCV B36F

333 1440 PP Optare Solo M920/Optare B33F

337/46 YJ60 GFA/YJ60 GGO VDL SB180/MCV B36F

349/50 YJ65 EWF/G Optare Solo M9950SR/Optare B35F

357 M233 TBV Volvo B10M-55/Alexander B61F
359 M410 RVU Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties H47/30F
363 M208 RVU Volvo Olympian/Northern Counties H47/30F

COACH FLEET

209 3860 PP(ex S408 JUA) DAF SB3000/Plaxton C55F
220 2086 PP VDL DE4OXSSB4000/Van Hool C49FT
265 4178PP Mercedes Benz O816D/Plaxton C33F
289 5048 PP Kassbohrer Setra S415GT-HD C53FT
300-302/304-306 FJ61 EVN/P/T/U/V Volvo B9R/Caetano C48FTL
309 3319 PP(ex BN12 EOO)  Kassbohrer Setra S416GT-HD C49FT
318 FN62 CCD  Volvo B9R/Caetano C48FLT
319 BX13 BZA Volvo B13R/Volvo C53FT
320 YN13 AVV Volvo B9R/Plaxton C53FT
321 YN13 AWW Volvo B9R/Plaxton C53FT

327 YJ14 CEX Van Hool TX16/Van Hool C49FT

338 BF15 XPJ Mercedes Benz Tourismo/Mercedes Benz C??FT

339 NJI 9241 Volvo B10M-62/Van Hool C53F

341 FJ61 EYG Volvo B9R/Caetano C48FT

345 PO15 AZP Mercedes Benz 921L/UNVI C30F

355/6 YJ16 EPP/V Van Hool TX16/Van Hool C49FT

361 X400 MTT Volvo B10M-62/Plaxton C53F

362 FJ12 FYA Volvo B9R/Caetano C48FLT

IB TIMETABLE CHANGES/2 MORE SCANIA OMNICITY DECKERS ARRIVE/156 BACK IN SERVICE.

Newly arrived in the IB Depot yard was Scania Omnicity Decker YR61 RRZ, whilst a completed bus went out for a trial run 34 YR61 RSV which when i went past the depot was inside by the time i walked down Portman Road there it was camera not ready.

Changes to Ipswich Buses Network

Service 1 replaces the X1 and is extended from Greenwich to Waitrose(Futura Park) Every 30 mins.
Service 2 replaces service 6 and continues to run via Ravenswood to Ipswich Hospital, every 30 mins.
Service 3 replaces the X3 to Futura Park and continues to run the same route now every 12 mins.
Service 4 will no longer serve Martlesham Tesco at peak times and terminate at Bixley shops and continues to run every 30 mins.
Service 5 replaces the X5 to Ipswich Hospital and from 1855 will run every 30 mins and extended to Sidegate Lane as the 5E, on Sundays this will run every hour from 2000.
Service 6 replaces the 6A and remains every 20 mins and will terminate at Ipswich Hospital, Evening and Sunday journeys will only operate to 1850 Monday to Saturday and 1852 Sunday every hour.
Service 7 replaces the 19 and 17 and will extend to Anglia Retail Park, and will run every hour instead of every 30 mins.
Service 14 timetable will remain the same but route has changed and is now sponsored by Ipswich Borough Council.
Service 15 will continue to go via Cardinal Park from Tower Ramparts on Evenings and Sundays.
Service 15A will no longer operate via Cardinal Park to Stoke Park and resume the normal Monday to Saturday route during evenings and Sundays, inwards journey to Tower Ramparts from Stoke Park will continue to operate via Cardinal Park before reaching Tower Ramparts.
Service 16 Belstead Road and Halifax now reduced to every hour.
Service 8,9,10,12,13 have only minor timetable changes
All services will now continue after 2000 and are sponsored by Ipswich Borough Council.

MCV Evolution 156 re entered service yesterday on the 8 and today was on the 13.

GALLOWAYS LOAN FROM STEPHENSONS AND OTHER THINGS

Currently Galloways seem to be a bit short of buses so anything is likely to put in an appearance on their routes, however on 118's to Framlingham today was Stephensons 412 an ex HAD, Shott Dennis Dart MPD B29F see above whilst on the 114 was an non DDA coach X400 MTT a Volvo B10M-62/Plaxton, also thanks to David Green for correcting me at the end of last month the Kassbohrer Setra i saw was 289 5048 PP and the Mercedes Benz/Plaxton Cheetah was 4178 PP ex AY08 CRU. After a days absence a Double Decker in Volvo B7TL 32492 was back on town routes 60/61, yesterday saw Enviro 200's 44516/9 and Volvo B7RLE's 66984/69428 and 69010, with E200 44518 on Felixstowe's whilst today's compliment was 32492, 69426 and one other sister vehicle and 66984/86. Whilst IB wise Dennis Trident 16 was on 4's with later in the afternoon Scania Omnicity 74 which had been on 8's up to 1430, the 13 had 3 Optare Excel's in 170/71/73 whilst Optare Versa 149 see below took up late duties on the 9's usually operated by Trident 16, whilst on late 15A's was Scania Omnicity 40 and Lowlander 54.  Whilst on Colchester and Manningtree's was Lowlander 55/59/100 and Scania Omnicity Decker 35 with Dart 93 taking over from 98 on Shotley's.

IB TO TRY MERCEDES BENZ/MELLOR DEMO

I was very fortunate to catch this coming past me this morning along West End Road, before it reached Constantine Road depot this was a Mellors Coachcraft Mercedes Benz Strata LO67 CGX not the greatest of photos but never mind this particular version seats has three configurations 1/ Passengers seated 18, standing 3 and one wheelchair, 2/ Passengers seated 21 and one standing and 3/ Passengers seated 14, 6 standing and two wheelchairs, length is 7.7m and 2.3m with a MPG of 22 miles, many operators have taken similar designed minibuses including Stagecoach East Kent, obviously IB are thinking of replacing the 15 year old Optare Solo's.

 Currently Mercedes Benz Citaro 154 is off the road, seen in the depot yard this morning so Double Deckers have been substituting with Lowlander 58 today and Trident 12 LG02 FDC as seen above, Scania Omnicity 74 replacing 154 on Tuesday. Other unusual spots the last three days have SPD Dart 135 on the 4 on Tuesday, 137 the following day along with Scania Omnicity 75, yesterday saw 4 Versa's off the road with Scania Omnicity 71 on the X1 and Dart 87 on the X3, whilst Lowlander 100 had a rare day out today on the 15A and 2 journeys on the 6/A.

IB Scania Omnicity 75 at the Martlesham Tesco end of  route 4 which finishes in just over two weeks.