Eastern Counties LH691 (RAH 691F) at Newmarket - Sep 1979

Saturday 29 September 1979 - Eastern Counties Omnibus Company LH691 (RAH 691F), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol LH new in June 1968, seen in Fordham Road, Newmarket about to work the 0930 service 976 to Mildenhall. The route was via Moulton, Kentford, Kennett, Red Lodge (Boundary Road Corner then Red Lodge Inn) and Worlington (presumably it did a ‘double run’ in Red Lodge from Boundary Road to the pub and back). Upon arrival at the Church in Mildenhall (1010) it did a clockwise circular via Field Road and College Heath Road back to King Street (1019) from where it then departed at 1020 for the return service to Newmarket via the same route as its outward trip arriving back in Newmarket at 1105.

It is fascinating to see the timetables for all the bus services in the Mildenhall area around this time. The present day service (2016) of Stephensons operates every hour but in the timetable dated 30 July 1978 issued by Eastern Counties, the then principal operator, offered just six trips per week operated on only three days of the week (Tuesday and Saturday for Newmarket’s market days and on Friday for Mildenhall’s market day).

For those interested, the buses to Newmarket left Mildenhall at the following times (departure time, day of operation and service number shown):
1011 T 979
1020 S 976
1222 S 977
1233 F 978
1346 S 976
1453 F 976
1757 S 977

The times from Newmarket to Mildenhall were:
0930 S 976
1040 F 978
1225 S 976
1245 F 976
1400 T 979
1710 S 978