'Ipernity HBM

Tuesday 2 April 2013 (0848) – CT Plus OS14 (YJ60 PFK), an Optare Solo, seen queuing in Shepherdess Walk by The Eagle when waiting to turn into City Road, London N1. CT Plus was owned by the HCT Group (which closed in August 2022) began as a social service operation named Hackney Community Transport. Not only was the group very active on London Buses contracted services but in January 2012 it won the contract to operate the bus network on the island of Jersey (Channel Islands). The board on the wall of the pub carries the words of a verse from the rhyme ‘Pop! goes the weasel’ (said to have been written by 1856 in a performance at the Theatre Royal): “Up and down the City Road, In and out the Eagle, That's the way the money goes, Pop! goes the weasel"

Saturday 19 June 2010 (1431) – A lot of the exterior filming for the BBC comedy series 'Dad's Army' was filmed in the Thetford area and earlier this day a statute of the pompous character Captain Mainwaring had been unveiled. The paving blocks were laid in the form of the triangular Union Flag arrows seen in the opening credits of the programme. Coach Services Limited Alexander-Dennis Enviro200 SF07 KCE swings from Bridge Street into what was the then bus station/car park on town service T1. This vehicle had been new in March 2007 to Whitelaw of Stonehouse, Lanarkshire and I heard it had been sent for scrap in December 2021.

Sunday 11 February 1990 (approx. 1550) - Dack’s of Terrington St. Clement (Rosemary Coaches) B493 UNB, a Plaxton 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger TRCTL11/3RZ that had been new to Smiths-Shearings in March 1985. It was seen in Mildenhall High Street when working the 1505 National Express service 099 from Thetford to London (Victoria). Earlier in the day this duty first covered the 0640 Swaffham-London service 096 (arriving 1020) followed by the 1100 London-Thetford service 099 (arriving 1415). After working the current trip back to London it would work the 1900 service 096 back to Swaffham. *A regular feature on Mondays for many Ipernity members is the challenge to submit a photograph featuring a bench under the title of ‘HBM’ or ‘Happy Bench Monday’. Similarly on Fridays the topic is ‘HFF’ or ‘Happy Fence Friday’ with photographs featuring a fence.

Monday 11 March 2019 (0858) – Two vehicles operated by Coach Services Limited of Thetford seen in Mildenhall bus station. Nearest the camera is SN63 NBB, an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 new in September 2013, seen prior to working the 0915 service 201 to Thetford. Beyond that is T766 JYB waiting between contracts. It is a Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B10M that was new to Berry’s of Taunton in April 1999.

Saturday 30 May 2015 (1438) - Stagecoach (East Kent) 36871 (GN13 EYF), an Alexander Dennis Enviro200 new in May 2013, seen at Ramsgate Harbour. It carries 'The Loop' livery for the circular service linking Margate-Broadstairs-Ramsgate-Westwood-Margate.

Mildenhall bus station opened for business on Monday 16 January 2006 (although the formal opening was the next day). It was located on the site that was once the town car park and a small bus lay-by which closed one year and one week earlier on 10 January 2005. A Burtons Coaches Plaxton Beaver bodied Mercedes-Benz Vario is loading for Bury St. Edmunds. This photograph was taken from the upper deck of a double decker bus parked in the layover bays alongside the children's playground.

Thursday 26 March 2015 (1649) - A sunny evening in Barton Mills with a Mulleys Motorways Alexander Royale bodied Volvo Olympian. It had worked an afternoon run from Bury St Edmunds (a combined school related public service) and was now returning to Ixworth.. Mulleys operated two buses like this which were new to Rossendale Transport in August 1994 (M529/530 RHG).

Monday 28 February 2022 (1401) – Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) 62 (SK21 FNH) seen at The Green in Burnham Market when operating the 1230 Coastliner service 36 from Kings Lynn to Wells-next-the-Sea and Fakenham. Lynx currently operates two such Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D MMC double deckers (61/62) that were new in April 2021, both carry lettering and a stylised map of the Coastliner service. The local bakery has a most novel direction sign in the form of the bicycle set halfway up the building!

Thursday 17 August 2000 (approx. 1140) - Stagecoach Cambus 576 (P576 EFL) seen at the Newmarket Road Park and Ride site in Cambridge. It carries the red Park and Ride livery for the cross city service 77 that linked the two Park and Ride sites at Madingley Road (on the west side of the city) with that at Newmarket Road (on the east side of the city). It is a Northern Counties bodied Volvo Olympian new in January 1997.

Tuesday 29 March 2022 (1051) – First Eastern Counties Buses Limited 37572 (AU58 ECW) seen outside the Town Hall in Great Yarmouth when working the 0958 Coastal Clipper service 1A from Martham to Lowestoft. It is a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL new in October 2008. A bus with ECW as part of its registration number and one heading to Lowestoft at that! For many years the erstwhile bus body building company Eastern Coachworks (ECW) was based in Lowestoft now but a memory. (First Eastern Counties Buses Limited is now marketing itself as Coastal Reds in the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft area a name not to be confused with unrelated Lynx Bus in North Norfolk that is registered with Companies House as Coastal Red Limited).

Tuesday 29 March 2022 (1056) – First Eastern Counties Buses Limited 37024 (YJ06 XKN), a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL new in May 2006 to First West Yorkshire, seen on Hall Quay by Great Yarmouth Town Hall. The company is now marketing itself as Coastal Reds in the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft area using this new livery style that is replacing the First Bus corporate style. (The Coastal Reds name should not be confused with unrelated Lynx Bus in North Norfolk that is registered with Companies House as Coastal Red Limited).

Tuesday 29 March 2022 (1051) – First Eastern Counties Buses Limited 47504 (SN64 CPY), a Wright StreetLite DF new in November 2014, seen on Hall Quay by Great Yarmouth Town Hall. The company is now marketing itself as Coastal Reds in the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft area using this new livery style that is replacing the First Bus corporate style. (The Coastal Reds name should not be confused with unrelated Lynx Bus in North Norfolk that is registered with Companies House as Coastal Red Limited).

Sunday 26 Sept 2010 (1440) – Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company (Go-Ahead Group owned) 617 (GX03 SSZ), a Scania N94UD OmniDekka with East Lancs body new June 2003, seen at Devil’s Dyke, the terminus of service 77. Most of the company’s buses carry names of people having a connection with the Brighton area. Douglas Reeve was a local organist, born in Brighton, who played the organ at Brighton cinemas and The Dome Concert Hall for many years and from where the BBC broadcast regular performances. Devil’s Dyke is located about five miles (8 kilometres) outside Brighton. The Dyke valley is the longest, deepest and widest ‘dry valley’ in Britain. Legend has it that the Devil dug the chasm to drown the parishioners of the area known as The Weald. In reality the land is thought to have been shaped over 10,000 years ago by erosion carving out the chalk based landscape. The National Trust maintains this natural environment which is popular with walkers and for the pursuit of outdoor activities. Hang gliders and paragliders take advantage of the high ground and thermal draughts, high ground which also provides stunning countryside views.

Sunday 15 May 2022 (1301) – The Fenland Busfest at Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire. The rally is held in the town centre occupying Broad Street and Market Street with the rally control/bus ride departures centred on the Market Place. Arriving to take up a run to Ramsey is preserved former National Travel (South West) 359 (KAD 359V), a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Leopard new in March 1980. National Express livery with ‘Black and White’ fleetnames. In the square is X562 EGK, a Plaxton President bodied Volvo B7TL, was new in November 2000 to London General as their PVL162, loading for March. Prominent in the Market Place is the Buttercross dating from 1680 originally a place for traders to sell goods. By the early 1800s it was used less and less and almost faced demolition but was re-roofed and survived. Before the present day bus station was created buses departed from the square and the Buttercross was used as a shelter by the waiting public. HBM: A tenuous link to Happy Bench Monday are the bench tables outside the George Hotel (Wetherspoons) which was doing a very good trade. HTT: The same tenuous link to Happy Tuesday Table at the George plus the tables for the memorabilia sales people around the Buttercross.

Friday 8 July 2022 (1048) - Mulleys Motorways MX57 HDH, seen on the approach to the Old Cattle Market Bus Station in Ipswich arriving on service 111 from Hitcham (Cross Green). It is an Optare Solo 920SL (9.2 metres long slimline model) that had been new to to Nightingale Coaches (Johnson) of Greencroft, Annfield Plain, County Durham in September 2007. Following is First Eastern Counties Buses 67775 (SN62 AXO), an Alexander Dennis Enviro300 new to First Midland Bluebird in January 2012, operating the Park & Ride service 800. Happy Bench Monday!

Monday 21 February 1994 (approx. 0800) – Barry Plumpton Minibuses Mercedes-Benz GPV 264V seen in Barton Mills on a wintry morning running empty to start a school contract. In addition to an operating base in Mildenhall I believe Barry also had a base at Feltwell.

Saturday 5 November 2022 (0952) – One of the two World War II commemorative benches which stand in King Street, Mildenhall just opposite the bus station. In the background is Stephensons of Essex 467 (SN66 WKF), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 which was new in September 2016 - coincidentally to another company named Stephensons based in Yorkshire. It was working the 0900 service 16 from Newmarket to Bury St. Edmunds.

Sunday 28 June 2015 (1437) – O Ddrws I Ddrws, a community organisation, Renault mini-bus CN12 DFP seen at Aberdaron on the tip of the Llŷn peninsula in north west Wales. It was working the Sunday only Llŷn Coastal Bus service. For information the approximate translations are: O Ddrws I Ddrws = From door to door Bws Arfordir Llŷn = Llŷn Coastal Bus