100,000 VIEW SPECIAL

Scania 65549 P549 RNG in May 2013 by this time her days were numbered, seen here on the short lived service 70 to Ravenswood.

Well I've finally cracked it the blog, has finally reached the impressive milestone of 100,000 views, which has taken nearly 2 and half years, when i first started out i thought hardly anyone would read it but little by little i have managed to grow the blog into something I'm more proud of, today i admit will be something of a nostalgia trip. Back in 2012 when i started we were in the midst of a bus war between Ipswich Buses and First Ipswich, during that time we have seen routes come and go like the 17,56,70 we have seen huge changes to the First Ipswich fleet, Ipswich Buses buying Optare Versa's for the Park and Ride, First bringing Enviro 200's in competition with IB's 13 service, and slowly but surely a lessening of the bus war. Today's Ipswich services are run by two efficient companies who have put the customer to the fore of their operations, and not forgetting of course the Independent operations of Carters, Beestons and Galloway among others, the future will see all buses having to become Low Floor Easy Access, apart from the step entrance buses which can be used on contracts. What will the next year bring who knows but rest assured i will be there getting the photo's

Before IB purchased Optare Versa's we had Anglian duplicating First's 64 and 65 to Aldeburgh in the end two companies operating over the same route saw Anglian withdraw, seen here is Versa YJ60 KGU.

Okay i know i featured this not so long back but for my livery of the year has to be First Ipswich's heritage repaint of Volvo B7TL 32479 AU53 HJV of which i had a small part to play, whether it went it has turned heads, especially at Showbus in September and something the staff can be proud of.

Now before i go i must pay my thanks to everyone who has provided information over the years including Chris Speed First Business Manager, Steve Fountain, Cliff Hussey at First Ipswich, Paulo Van Krieken, IB Managing director Malcolm Robson for telling me the answers to questions that he didn't have to, photographers, James Long, Mark Doggett amongst others, to all the other blog owners, Sam Larke, Zak Nelson, Roy and Grahame, Steve W, Kieran and anyone else i have forgotten.

69006 ARRIVES AT IPSWICH

Volvo B7RLE 69006 AU05 DMF awaiting to depart for Ipswich along with Wright Streetlite 47511 SN64 CRX.

And back inside Ipswich Depot it will now depart to Rotherham and will be refurbished then have a MOT as it's due on the 17th December.

Volvo B7TL 30888 W743 DWX was driven back to Great Yarmouth via Norwich returning with Volvo B10BLE 60622.
Many people have guessed at what route will be receiving the two excel liveried buses, suffice to say it will not be a new route but an already existing one. Many thanks to Paulo again for these pictures.

FINAL MONTH OF REFURBS

Scania L94UB 65579 T579 JNG which has been seeing plenty of action mainly on town routes lately will be withdrawn at the end of the refurbishment plan.

Back today should be Volvo B7RLE 66982 KX05 MHL with the last Volvo B7TL 32656 AU05 MVA leaving today, not fully confirmed for tomorrow will see Volvo B7TL 30888 leave Ipswich back to Great Yarmouth, with Volvo B10BLE 60622 R785 WKW returning to Ipswich and Volvo B7RLE 69006 AU05 DMF making its way from Norwich and departing the following day for refurbishment at Rotherham with Volvo B7TL 32491 AU53 HKJ returning . Next Tuesday will see the last 58 plate Volvo B7RLE in 69428 AU58 FFP leave for refurbishment with one bus coming back, on Thursday the 11th 69005 AUO5 DME will leave for repaint with another bus coming in from then on every time a refurbished
bus comes back one of the 4 Volvo B10BLE'S 60618/60622,62143 and 66112 will return to Rotherham. Also returning off loan from Colchester will be Scania 65589 V589 DVF.

 

 Volvo B10BLE 66112 R912 BOU seen here outside Ipswich OCM in Dogs Head Street

66977 IN SERVICE AND MORE NEWS

Not the best of days to be taken photo's standing out in the cold waiting for 66977 KX05 MHA to return from Felixstowe but as they say patience gets its reward. More movements happening this week are the last B7TL decker 32656 off to Rotherham tomorrow with B7RLE 66982 returning the end of the week will see B7TL 32491 returning with 69006 from Norwich arriving Wednesday then leaving for Rotherham on Friday, many thanks to Chris Speed for this, i can also explain the reason for the delay in 69426 returning this is currently being fitted with high back seats and painted into an Excel style livery for a route starting in April next year. More branding photos below 44518 YX09 ACZ offside view.

44519 YX09 ADO without the 53 route branding.

And for the boys on the Norwich blog 44517 YX09 ACY.

FIRST IPSWICH ROUTE 53 BRANDING SPECIAL

With many thanks to my good friend at First PauloVan Krieken for supplying these new images of the route 53 branding which was put on this morning, first up is Enviro 200 44518 YX09 ACZ waiting to take up duties on the 65B.

44519 YX09 ADO without the 53 route details but still with the hop into town branding.

44517 YX09 ACY has already but seen on social media but putting it up for those who haven't seen it.

And finally the full range view for the offside with Free WI-FI and relax get connected.

32488 ENTERS SERVICE SUNDAY ADDITIONS

Picture copyright of Bryan Dickson

As can be seen above 32488 AU53 HKF has now entered service but not on the route it was intended for, no wonder i didn't see it this morning, expecting it to be on the 66, it first entered service on the 64/65 on Thursday as mentioned in comments below meanwhile the last of the batch 32494 AU53 HKM left on Thursday, currently buses are at Rotherham at the moment, including 66976/80,69426 and 32491 plus the above 32494,this just leaves expected 69006 and 69428,32656 to be completely refurbished plus 69005 to be just repainted. Late addition 66977 arrived back Thursday but is not in service yet.

RETROSPECTIVE AND MODERN BRANDING

All photos in this feature are copyright of James Long.

Thinking on the branding theme, i thought why don't i show how it used to be done, starting off we have 544 P544 RNG part of of a batch of 10 541-50 when six years old in 2003 with Superoute 88 branding, although by this time it was common for them to appear on other routes due to overheating on the long haul to Bury St Edmunds.

Next we have the first Superoute 66 branded buses in Dennis Dart/Plaxton Pointer DP 79 M379 YEX part of a batch of six DP75-80 delivered in 1995 which were joined by two more the following year N625/26 GAH with a further example from Bristol L601 VHU, these lasted for 4-5 years when they were replaced by below 591-99/601 W591-99/601 SNG in 2000, below is the first of the batch 591 W591 SNG sadly these departed off to Glasgow after just over 3 years replaced by today's Volvo B7TL's 32479/86-94 with 32479/86 arriving in more recent years.

And bringing us bang up to date 32493 AU53 HKL offside and nearside.