HBM: De Lijn contractor - Gruson Autobus 550139 (JDW 239) in Ieper - 1 Sep 2007 (DSCN0939)

Sat 1 Sept 2007 (approx 0922) – In addition to running its own buses (which have four digit fleet numbers), many services of De Lijn - the National bus/tram company of northern Belgium, are worked by contracted operators (these have six digit fleet numbers).

Gruson Autobus of Ieper, which is now owned by the Veolia Group, is the operator of 550139 (JDW 239), a Jonckheere Transit 2000 bodied Volvo B7RLE (new Dec 2002) sets down at the Grote Markt, Ieper when working the 0855 service 72 from Le Bizet.

The original Lakenhalle (Cloth Hall) was built in the 13th century and was one of the largest commercial buildings of the Middle Ages. Such was the damage to Ieper during World War 1 that after the war the building was re-constructed as near to being an exact copy of the original.

On the left are the stalls of the market traders occupying the Grote Markt.