IPSWICH BUSES FALCONS REWIND

 From the first batch of East Lancs bodies, we see 104 YDX 104Y in the after Deregulation livery with Green skirt.

Some might say that there ugly, well i won't say that, but Ipswich Buses certainly knew how to buy the odd, indeed of the Northern Counties bodies there was actually one other buyer that being Hartlepool, most were sold on though for further work, ironically sold to First Group for use with First Leicester, Leicester as a council owned company had been very keen on Falcons, it was the last type of East Lancs bodies which were the most popular seeing use into the mid 2000's.

 The later built Falcon's from 1987 onward had a lot better appeal to the eye, from the last batch is East Lancs bodied 122 G122 VDX at Tower Ramparts.

Resting outside the canteen is Northern Counties bodied 108 C108 SDX which was later purchased by First Group.

REVISITING FEC IN 2006

Well 2006 wasn't a good time for me, as i suffered a nervous breakdown which took me out for around 2 years, however it's a good time to look back at how things were back in those days, this first picture illustrates how poor the First Ipswich fleet had become by 2006, with 25 year old Leyland Olympian's seen above ex Eastern National/Thamesway 34536 XHK 236X, how times change, meanwhile at Norwich then as brand new but now Ipswich allocated was Volvo B7TL 32656 AU05 MVA seen below, whilst at the bottom we have another Ipswich connection, well a vague one as i can't remember them running in Ipswich, bought from up North in Scotland, from First Glasgow, a batch of 3 came to Ipswich but i believe were completely rotten, seen below is Dennis Dart/Alexander 46017 J517 FPS.

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COMFORT AND RATTLES

Now this is an interesting debate, are today's modern Buses as good as we are led to believe, for a long time manufacturers haven't put the passenger at the forefront of there thinking, however that is beginning to change, the step up from the ADL Enviro 200 is the new MMC, version which should iron out a lot of the problems that the current model, don't get me wrong i'm not blaming the bus companies for this, in this climate where passenger levels are going down and the concessionary fares are biting at the operators, they have to buy the most economical bus there is, hence Ipswich Buses buying 4 more ADL E200's, now when i went on one it rattled considerably and this was one of the new ones as seen above by 103 SN16 OGJ, don't get me wrong any investment in new Buses is thoroughly welcomed and most of IB's fleet is pretty good in that terms as is First Ipswich's fleet, and road conditions also play a fair part in how a bus performs, the roads around the Town Centre are pretty bad. Buses of yesteryear while many view that time with affection, many did vibrate or rattle particularly the RE or the VR, BUT they were comfortable have operators and manufactures forgotten to pad the seats we ride on.

Seen here in the late 1980's is a particularly scruffy Eastern Counties Bristol VR 258 RAH 258W, in those days the Felixstowe bus terminated at the Railway Station.

EASTERN COUNTIES BRISTOL LS TWO LIVERIES

 What a difference an livery change, makes towards the end of their lives with Eastern Counties,when downgraded towards Bus work many of the Bristol LS's/MW'S received National Bus Company Dual Purpose livery even though their retained Coach seats, illustrating the Tillings Coach livery is LS 771 VVF 771 at Ipswich OCM, and below is LS 769 VVF 769 which i must admits suits it's body style, seen at Norwich Bus Station.

FIRST GROUP HAS SLOW START TO THE YEAR

First Group who operate throughout Suffolk and Norfolk, have announced that group revenue as dropped by 1.4% in the last three months,passenger volumes have also dropped by the same amount this has been due to lower high street footfall and traffic congestion, for those who don't follow First Group there has already been confirmed in the Lothian region that two depots will close these have been bought by Lothian Buses, with further efficiency measures to come which should improve margins for the whole year. For the Eastern region it has largely been a good year, with new and cascaded Buses from Leeds going to Great Yarmouth and Norwich, Ipswich will see an expansion to the fleet when they take over the Park and Ride from Ipswich to the Martlesham site with newer Buses expected, above is Volvo B7RLE 69428 and Volvo B7TL 32479 from the Ipswich fleet.

EARLY 1980'S OPEN TOPPERS RECALLED

As the sunshine is out, lets rewind to the summers of the early 1980's for me there was always unaccustomed joy at seeing Eastern Counties Bristol Lodekka OT 2 ex Western National VDV 753 plodding up and down the cliffs of Felixstowe Seafront complete with the ferries  in the background and like the Lodekka there a thing of the past, not forgetting the top picture we see IBT AEC Regent V 67, DPV 67D ,Ipswich were late comers to the open top indeed 67 wasn't destined for a long career as an open top being sold mid 1980's when Atlantean 9 MRT 9P was set alight destroying the upper deck and becoming the new open top, thankfully both survive in preservation.

FIRST IN FELIXSTOWE AND OTHER NEWS

Seen at Great Eastern Square Felixstowe is First Ipswich Volvo B7TL 32655 AU05 MUV.

For a change i decided on a trip to Felixstowe which holds a lot of affection on my part, for those outside of the area, First Ipswich operate from Ipswich through to Felixstowe incorporating parts of the town such as Old Felixstowe and Felixstowe docks, the only other operator passing through is Suffolk Norse on the 173 through Bucklesham on it's way to Woodbridge.
In other news the Buses that will be leaving the IB fleet in September should be Tridents 18/19 and Optare Spectras 52/53, the next four ADL E 200'S on order for September will be 105-108.

First Ipswich Volvo B7RLE 66987 KX05 MHV heading out to Old Felixstowe. Below First Ipswich Volvo B7TL 32487 AU53 HKE.