Eastern Counties 893 (EAH 893Y) at Barton Mills - 19 Aug 1984 (X846-14)

Sunday 19 August 1984 – Eastern Counties LT893 (EAH 893Y), a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Leyland Tiger, seen at Barton Mills when working the 1020 Norwich to London ‘Norfolk Flyer’ service 099 to London. It was new in February 1983 and passed to Ambassador Travel just a few weeks later in September 1984 when Eastern Counties was split up. It carried the Eastern Counties name in red letters along the top edge of the first large side windows. The National Express name was carried on the lower panels behind the rear wheels (white lettering on a blue block just visible in this shot). I had heard that the National Bus Company or National Express hierarchy were not pleased with the creation of this branding on the vehicles which defied the National Express corporate identity.

In the background, on the approach to Fiveways roundabout, is another coach working on a National Express service. That was United Counties 179 (EBD 179X), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Leyland Leopard new in July 1982, on a service 747 working from Bedford to Lowestoft. From 28 April 1985 this trip was extended back to start from Northampton at 0835. End to end service 747 linked Bristol with East Anglia offering, broadly speaking, a frequency of every two hours. Coaches started out from and ended up at principal mid-way points at the start of/end of the day. East of Cambridge United Counties participated on this one trip travelling east during the morning arriving at Great Yarmouth or Lowestoft in the early afternoon then returning in the mid to late afternoon arriving back home in the evening approx 2000/2030.

Millford’s Garage is on the left, then selling Texaco fuel from pumps right alongside the roadway, was subsequently redesigned and greatly improved. The new workshop buildings stood behind the new filling station and these buildings are now the workshops of the East of England Ambulance Service.