Eastern Counties KUB 552V, WAH 588S (NIL 3957) and OEX 793W - Dec 1995

Sunday 31 December 1995 – After Eastern Counties Omnibus Company ceased parking its ‘Mildenhall’ outstation vehicles at Hurdle Drove Farm between West Row and Beck Row (possibly defined as ‘West Row’ outstation?) it began using the site of P&F Safepac/Safepac International in Fred Dannatt Road (at the corner of James Carter Road) on the outer edge of Mildenhall’s Industrial Estate. The site, unchanged today with a recognisable building, was a total improvement on the muddy and wet Hurdle Drove Farm as it had a firm surface built to handle Safepac’s HGV removal vans. ECOC was privatised in a management buy-out in February 1987 but in July 1994 the company was sold to the GRT Group who in June 1995 merged with Badgerline to form FirstBus. In this view the red vehicle is Willowbrook bodied Leyland Leopard LL793 (OEX 793W). It was new to ECOC in October 1980 as a National liveried coach and passed to Ambassador Travel in the ECOC split only to be returned to ECOC in its later years. The livery is that adopted by the privatised owners. The cream vehicle is LG588 (WAH 588S) that was new to ECOC as LN588, a Leyland National I in September 1977. In August 1995 it given an extended life when rebuilt by East Lancs as a Greenway. The livery is the GRT inspired layout. Under FirstBus ownership the company has inherited cascaded vehicles from group affiliated companies in the urban conurbations. The green and cream Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard was KUB 552V which still carried the livery of Yorkshire Rider. It was new in January 1980 to the West Yorkshire Road Car Company as their 2578.