IT'S TIME TO VOTE FOR YOUR BUS COMPANY!

Ipswich Buses Trident 25 SN51 AXP in the pouring rain yesterday morning on the 6 to Ipswich Hospital.

It's that time again, no not Christmas but for the best company of the year award, this year the lucky company may actually get something, In what has been a mixed year for most local companies, here is a run down for what has happened, Ipswich Buses have invested heavily in ADL Enviro 200's this year, and averted a strike by the drivers whilst we have said goodbye to East Lancs Olympians 40/41  Spectras 51/53, and Trident's 10/18/19 and the remaining X Reg Dart's that were Non DDA also left some being used to convert Beeston's remaining Scania Omnidekka's to single door, the major news was of course the buying of local independent Carter's with the fleet gaining IB numbers but retaining a separate identity, of which one Coach soon departed bring in a further ADL E200 in 77. For First Ipswich it's been a year of consolidation, the only movements being 2 ADL E 200's out to Norwich along with Volvo B12M 20514, next year will be interesting for both companies as more than likely there will be changes to the Park And Ride with First gaining the Martlesham end and IB the Copdock end. As for the Independents Beestons have had 2 buses on loan a Optare Metrodecker and a Scania/ADL 400, whilst 2 further Mini Coaches came in one second hand and one brand New. Galloways it was announced would be brought into the same company as Stephensons, with Galloway keeping it's identity, as contracts were lost, a fair few coaches went out although 2 new
Volvo B12BT/Van Hool's came in.

First Ipswich Volvo B7TL 32653 AU05 MUV about to take up a schools service.

EASTERN COUNTIES SPLIT 1984

Eastern Counties was split into two during September 1984, this allocation list of June 1984 shows that the above LL 749 MCL 931P an Leyland Leopard Alexander was allocated to Felixstowe along with sister LL 754 with LL 753 at Ipswich come September they were moved to the new coaching division Ambassador where they had only a short stay before moving on to OK Travel in the Darlington area, one example LL 751 MCL 933P ended up with Lough Swilly on school runs in Ireland. In 1985 Cambus took back Ambassador allocations in the Cambridgeshire area, whilst Eastern Counties took back 4 Willowbrook Leyland Leopards in 1987, LL792-4/96 OEX 792-94/96W.

Ex Ambassador Travel Leyland Leopard/Willowbrook LL 793 OEX 793W shortly after re purchase.

TWILIGHT IN IPSWICH

As dusk was approaching it was time to take some photos of some observations of the day, all from Ipswich Buses,the X3 was once again in the hands of 3 different types including Trident 23, an Ex Lothian Dart number unknown and  ALX 200 Dart 140 .On the 4 was Dart 84 and ALX 200 Dart 141 photo below,which was looking extremely scruffy at the rear, Dart 136 was on the X1 with Dart 88 whilst Park and Ride continued it's Optare Versa shortages with Scania Omnicity 70 YN56 NVB, 13 had Dart 86 and the 10 Castle Hill's solitary Decker was Lowlander 57 and on the 6 ALX 200 Dart 144.

A unusual visitor today in Crown Street was this Neoplan Euroliner YR02 UOG from Southern Star Coaches of Harlowthis originated with Don's of Dunmow.

IPSWICH DECKERS OF THE 70'S AND EARLY 80'S

74 LDX 74G was from the first batch of Atlantean's bought in 1968 this is the second livery carried  from 1974

Well the first one is a bit of a cheat, as we move forward into the 1970's One Man Buses began to come into Bus managers thoughts as economy was the order of the day, that and the shortage of Drivers and Conductors that many companies began to feel, services were cut or didn't run at all the boom days of the 1950's and 1960's were over, as more commuters began to use their cars. The first One Man Double Deckers came in 1968 with the first use in 1970, Ipswich coming late to the party of their advantages, the first four were the elegant Eastern Coach Works bodied Leyland Atlantean 73-76 LDX 73-76G, ECW had only been available to the nationalised bus companies prior to the embargo being lifted, from 1974 an new livery coinciding with the change to Ipswich Borough Transport with a predominately cream and less green this livery was not perpetuated further being used just on 73-76 and a few AEC Regent V's, along with the single door. Ipswich kept faith with the Leyland Atlantean throughout the 1970's but this time with Charles Roe bodies from 1973 until 1977, 83-88 WPV 83-88L, 94-98 TRT 94-98M, 1-5 HDX 904-908N, 6-10 MRT 6-10P, 11-20 RDX 11-20R and 21-35 SDX 21-35R, subsequently later on it was revealed that in 1976 Ipswich were seriously giving thought to the Volvo Ailsa. 1980 saw Ipswich keeping faith with the Atlantean with five with East Lancs bodies 36 RBJ 36W and 37-40 RGV 37-40W, with the thought of more Double deckers being needed Ipswich purchased four Atlanteans from West Yorkshire PTE which originated with Leeds 41-44 UNW 401-404H with Roe bodies of which one never received Ipswich livery 42 UNW 402H withdrawn after just over a years use, and two which received altered front panels similar to the later Roe bodies which rather spoilt their looks.

 86 WPV 86L was from the first batch of Atlantean's bought in 1973 with Roe bodies. Below is 44 UNW 404H one of 4 bought from West Yorkshire PTE in 1980.

Two Atlantean's for the price of one on the left is Roe bodied 27 SDX 27R and the right East Lancs 37 RGV 37W.

MONDAYS RELATIVELY QUIET

Monday's these days is about the only chance to i actually get to visit the centre of Ipswich, some would say that's a good thing. As far as unusual observations there was very little to report, on the X5 to Ipswich Hospital there was only 1 Decker instead of the usual 2, with ADL E200 101 seen above  Dart 137 was also allocated, the 15/A Thorington Park each have 1 Decker allocated these days as does the 10 to Castle Hill & Whitton. On the X1 was Dart 88 whilst Scania Omnicity 73 was employed on the X3. As far as the Branded for the 4 Dart's 84/86/87 were on the 8/13, whilst one actually was employed on the 4 in 85. First Ipswich Mini E200 Dart 44928 EU08 FHB usually on the 59/70 routes was once again on the 60/61 see below.

IPSWICH AEC SINGLE DECKERS

Continuing last weeks theme charting the career of Ipswich's single deckers, the first batch of single deckers arrived in the form of AEC Regal/Park Royal 7-12 BPV 7-12 in 1953 for routes to Chantry Estate and to replace the remaining single deck trolleybuses using the low bridge on Bramford Road, these were followed in 1955 by 2 more in 19/20 DDX 20, 20 is seen just behind the Town Hall entering Princes Street. It wasn't until 1967 that more single deckers arrived with the less than popular AEC Reliance this time with Massey bodies 69-72 HPV 69-72F, 72 seen below is pictured at the rear of Constantine Road Depot.

Replacing the Regals began in 1972 with Ipswich again choosing the AEC product with the Swift, while Great Yarmouth found it to be a good product, firstly the batch Willowbrook bodied 79-82 JRT 79-82K , 79 below than the following year with East Lancs 89-93 DDX 89-93L proved as troublesome as the examples that London Transport had, most were withdrawn by 1983, 79-82 with 89-93 following a couple of years down the lines, Leyland by then had absorbed AEC and the next time it was another British Bus company in Dennis that dominated Ipswich's orders in the 1980's.

ICT AEC Swift 91 seen at Tower Ramparts in the early 1980's.

THREE LIVERIES ONE BUS

 Going through and sorting my photo collection today i came across Eastern Counties Bristol LHS 930 WEX 930 in 3 different liveries, the first picture is at Great Yarmouth in Commuter Express livery, followed by two taken in the late 1980's, the second shows her in NBC Dual purpose livery without NBC Fleetnames and the third in the hideous battleship grey colours at Ipswich OCM where it finished it's career.