IPSWICH DOUBLE DECKERS FROM THE 1980'S AND 1990'S

Carrying on from Sunday's blog we have now reached the 1980's, but as i have mentioned previously Ipswich bought mainly Single Deckers right through this period and into the 1990's and haven't bought Double Deckers in large numbers since the 1970's, in 1984 Ipswich Borough Transport went an tried 2 different Double Deckers in the Dennis Dominator and the Leyland Olympian, both came with an unusual single door arrangement a la Nottingham and both with East Lancs bodies 82 B82 NDX being the Dominator and 45 the Olympian, 45 had a particularly short life span of just 2 years being swapped for 3 ugly Dodge S56 minibuses from Eastbourne, the narrow door didn't catch favour although the Dominator was with 81 F81 ODX arriving in 1988. Strangely by 1995 Ipswich went back to the Olympian by this time manufactured by Volvo in 40-41 M640 EPV/M41/42 EPV in 1995. Another time i will complete the story taking as up to today from the Ex London and Trent Olympians in 1998 to the Scania/Optare's in 2011 and Ex Lothian Tridents in 2015.

Archive photos from the Jim Long Collection.

IPSWICH'S SINGLE DECKERS OF THE 1980'S

Taking the story up from the previous post we have now reached the 1980's when the now General Manager and latter Managing Director Barry Moore's influence took hold, particularly with Bus orders and the dominance of Dennis as the go to company, now that dominance of AEC was over, we start at 1980 when the decision was made that some of the aforementioned AEC Reliance's were now life expired and generally disliked so in came five Bristol RE's a well known and generally liked type that was far more reliable than the Swift's and Reliance's from Leicester 118-122 TRY 118-22H already 11 years old these were withdrawn finally in 1987, 118 below being the final one in service in June 1987 seen below. When new single deckers were needed for the Chantry services in 1983 the Dennis Falcon with the rather angular East Lancs bodies were chosen these being 100-105 YDX 100-105Y, as can be seen above the later privatised livery was far more pleasing. Double Deckers became a thing of the past during the mid to late 1980's with only 3 bought one an Leyland Olympian with East Lancs body being sold on in 1987 45 B45 NDX whilst the others Dennis Dominator 82 B82 NDX and 81 F81 ODX were more successful.

Coming to the mid 1980's and the Falcon buys continued one being 106 C106 SDX with one can only describe as an livery that was not used any further although the combination of the East Lancs was 

far more pleasing than the Northern Counties bodied 107-113 C107-113 SDX, 110 seen below. The final Falcons received went back to the more pleasing East Lancs bodied with their slightly off centre grilles in 1987/88 with E114-17 KDX and 118-124 G118 -124 VDX, 118 seen below when fairly new. 

IPSWICH BUSES ADL ENVIRO 200 MMC ROAD TEST

I wasn't expecting it to be back so soon, but a quick change of plans saw me experience the New Model Change ADL Enviro 200 MMC demonstrator YX65 RKK from Alexander Dennis which i photographed when it was at the Ipswich Transport Museum last month, you can see the interior view from then below, fortune favoured me today as i hopped off the 4 and on to the 10 Castle Hill & Whitton service, what is noticeable as soon as you sit down is how comfortable the seats are compared with the Mercedes Benz Citario that IB have, on Norwich Road the bus was particularly rattle free and smooth, but as soon as you enter Castle Hill the pole nearest to me at the back began to rattle, this i put down to the roads which i can only describe as bumpy and rough as well as the numerous speed bumps which certainly don't help, acceleration away from stops was pretty good the driver certainly handled it well, obviously IB won't be buying them next year but it's certainly something to think about, already the big groups have switched from the standard E200 it looks and feels much more substantial than the E200 as the price to buy reflects this, there are also the little touches like Free Wi Fi sockets on the back of the seats that are becoming common place these days on Buses which passengers like, if you are a progressive company it's certainly a must have bus.

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.