Mulleys Optare Solos

Tuesday 20 March 2012 (1156) - Mulleys Motorways expanded their Bury St Edmunds town service network on Monday 19 March 2012. Three additional Optare Solos, all new to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru, were acquired for the additional services and have been repainted orange. They carry a display on the rear panel outlining the services offered. CN56 FDU is seen in St.Andrew’s Street working the Moreton Hall service M33.

Tuesday 20 March 2012 (1231) - Mulleys Motorways expanded their Bury St Edmunds town service network on Monday 19 March 2012. Three additional Optare Solos, all new to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru, were acquired for the additional services and have been repainted orange. CN56 FDU working the Moreton Hall service M33 is an Optare Solo model 920SL (9.2 metre long slimline model) .

Saturday 9 November 2014 (1253) - Normally the buses assigned by Mulleys Motorways Limited to operate the Suffolk County County Council service 375 are a full sized single decker (on journeys at school times) or otherwise a Mecedes-Benz Vario. This was an unusual working for Optare Solo CN56 FDU which was poised to work the 1300 departure from Bury St. Edmunds. New to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru. A 920SL model (9.2 metre long slimline).

Friday 5 December 2014 (1044) - Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU seen on stand 4 in Bury St. Edmunds bus station about to work the 1045 service 386 to Stowmarket. New to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru. As January 2015 approaches, when the Disability Discrimination Act requires buses to be fully accessible, so the Mercedes-Benz Vario buses not equipped with wheelchair lifts that are normally used on these services will be obsolete. Whilst the three steps of the rugged Vario can be difficult for the elderly that use these services, the model has proved its worth on the rural lanes - many of which are lined with high grass bankings contribute to body damage.

Friday 5 December 2014 (1106) - Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU seen in Rougham when working the 1045 service 386 to Stowmarket. New to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru. As January 2015 approaches, when the Disability Discrimination Act requires buses to be fully accessible, so the Mercedes-Benz Vario buses not equipped with wheelchair lifts that are normally used on these services will be obsolete. Whilst the three steps of the rugged Vario can be difficult for the elderly that use these services, the model has proved its worth on the rural lanes - many of which are lined with high grass bankings contribute to body damage.

Friday 5 December 2014 (1111) - Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU seen seen in Hessett when working the 1045 service 386 from Bury St. Edmunds to Stowmarket. New to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru. As January 2015 approaches, when the Disability Discrimination Act requires buses to be fully accessible, so the Mercedes-Benz Vario buses not equipped with wheelchair lifts that are normally used on these services will be obsolete. Whilst the three steps of the rugged Vario can be difficult for the elderly that use these services, the model has proved its worth on the rural lanes - many of which are lined with high grass bankings contribute to body damage.

Friday 5 December 2014 (1147) - Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU seen in Bury Street, Stowmarket when working the 1145 service 386 to Stowmarket. New to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru. As January 2015 approaches, when the Disability Discrimination Act requires buses to be fully accessible, so the Mercedes-Benz Vario buses not equipped with wheelchair lifts that are normally used on these services will be obsolete. Whilst the three steps of the rugged Vario can be difficult for the elderly that use these services, the model has proved its worth on the rural lanes - many of which are lined with high grass bankings contribute to body damage.

Friday 5 December 2014 (1203) - Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU seen in Rattlesden when working the 1145 service 386 to Stowmarket. New to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru. As January 2015 approaches, when the Disability Discrimination Act requires buses to be fully accessible, so the Mercedes-Benz Vario buses not equipped with wheelchair lifts that are normally used on these services will be obsolete. Whilst the three steps of the rugged Vario can be difficult for the elderly that use these services, the model has proved its worth on the rural lanes - many of which are lined with high grass bankings contribute to body damage.

Friday 5 December 2014 (1204) - Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU seen in Rattlesden when working the 1145 service 386 to Stowmarket. New to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru. As January 2015 approaches, when the Disability Discrimination Act requires buses to be fully accessible, so the Mercedes-Benz Vario buses not equipped with wheelchair lifts that are normally used on these services will be obsolete. Whilst the three steps of the rugged Vario can be difficult for the elderly that use these services, the model has proved its worth on the rural lanes - many of which are lined with high grass bankings contribute to body damage.

Friday 5 December 2014 (1206) - Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU seen on Rising Sun Hill overlooking the village of Rattlesden when working the 1145 service 386 from Stowmarket to Bury St. Edmunds. New to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru. As January 2015 approaches, when the Disability Discrimination Act requires buses to be fully accessible, so the Mercedes-Benz Vario buses normally used on these services will be obsolete. Whilst the three steps of the rugged Vario can be difficult for the elderly that use these services, the model has proved its worth on the rural lanes - many of which are lined with high grass bankings contribute to body damage. (To see a photograph of a Burtons Coaches Mercedes-Benz Vario photographed in almost the same spot nine years earlier see: www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/39082316/in/album/686381 )

Friday 5 December 2014 (1206) - Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU seen on Rising Sun Hill on the climb out of Rattlesden when working the 1145 service 386 to Stowmarket. New to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru. As January 2015 approaches, when the Disability Discrimination Act requires buses to be fully accessible, so the Mercedes-Benz Vario buses not equipped with wheelchair lifts that are normally used on these services will be obsolete. Whilst the three steps of the rugged Vario can be difficult for the elderly that use these services, the model has proved its worth on the rural lanes - many of which are lined with high grass bankings contribute to body damage.

Friday 5 December 2014 (1333) - Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU seen at Shimpling Street when working the 1300 service 375 from Bury St. Edmunds. On this particular departure this section of the service is a circular via Shimpling Street, Shimpling, Bridge Street and Alpheton as it return to Bury St. Edmunds. New Year. New to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru. As January 2015 approaches, when the Disability Discrimination Act requires buses to be fully accessible, so the Mercedes-Benz Vario buses normally used on these services will be obsolete. Whilst the three steps of the rugged Vario can be difficult for the elderly that use these services, the model has proved its worth on the rural lanes - many of which are lined with high grass bankings contribute to body damage.

Friday 5 December 2014 (1333) - Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU seen at Shimpling Street when working the 1300 service 375 from Bury St. Edmunds. On this particular departure this section of the service is a circular via Shimpling Street, Shimpling, Bridge Street and Alpheton as it return to Bury St. Edmunds. New Year. New to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru. As January 2015 approaches, when the Disability Discrimination Act requires buses to be fully accessible, so the Mercedes-Benz Vario buses normally used on these services will be obsolete. Whilst the three steps of the rugged Vario can be difficult for the elderly that use these services, the model has proved its worth on the rural lanes - many of which are lined with high grass bankings contribute to body damage.

Friday 5 December 2014 (1333) - Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU seen at Shimpling Street when working the 1300 service 375 from Bury St. Edmunds. On this particular departure this section of the service is a circular via Shimpling Street, Shimpling, Bridge Street and Alpheton as it return to Bury St. Edmunds. New Year. New to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru. As January 2015 approaches, when the Disability Discrimination Act requires buses to be fully accessible, so the Mercedes-Benz Vario buses normally used on these services will be obsolete. Whilst the three steps of the rugged Vario can be difficult for the elderly that use these services, the model has proved its worth on the rural lanes - many of which are lined with high grass bankings contribute to body damage.

Saturday 31 March 2012 (1855) – The last departure from Bury St Edmunds bus station by First Eastern Counties was the 1832 service 81 to the Mildenhall Road and Howard Estates which was worked by Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart 43435 (P435 NEX) seen here passing West Suffolk College. Two Mulleys buses pay homage to the last departure. The Eastern Counties Road Car Company Limited, an ancestor of FEC, established a base in Bury St Edmunds sometime in the 1920s and the closure ended a presence by the company and its predecessors spanning more than 80 years.

Wednesday 14 February 2018 (1158) – Buses parked in the layover bays in Bury St. Edmunds bus station. On the left is Mulleys Motorways Optare Solo CN56 FDU new to Bebb Travel in October 2006. On the right is Fareline Bus and Coach Company (Geoff Morss) F38 DAV, a Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B10M that had been new to Kenzie’s Coaches of Shepreth in March 1989. In front of that is Simonds of Botesdale Limited (R O Simonds) WVE 284, an East Lancs bodied Scania N94UD that had been new to Blue Triangle Buses of Rainham, Essex in December 2005 registered BV55 UCY. H C Chambers and Son Limited legal lettering but wearing Hedingham Buses livery 260 (EU56 FLR) was seen in Bury St.Edmunds bus station. It is an Alexander Dennis (Plaxton Pointer style) bodied Dart new in September 2006. Other unidentified vehicles present at the time were a double decker of Mulleys and single deckers of Chambers and Stephensons.

Wednesday 8 August 2018 (1316) – For some time the section of St. Andrew’s Street North close to the main shops in Bury St. Edmunds has been closed resulting in buses being diverted along Parkway and Risbygate Street. Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU, an Optare Solo new to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales in October 2006, crosses Parkway on Risbygate Street as it arrived back on town service M44 from the Mildenhall/Howard Estates. On the far left of the photograph, in the centre of the roundabout, is a statue of St. Edmund at his martyrdom made from steel wire with steel arrows penetrating his heart and body.

Saturday 23 November 2019 (1020) – St. Andrew’s Street North, Bury St. Edmunds. Left: Mulleys Motorways CN56 FDU is an Optare Solo 920SL (9.2 metre long slimline model) new to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales in October 2006. It was leaving as the 1015 town service M88 to the Horringer Court and Priors Estates. Right: Stephenson’s of Essex 442 (YX10 FEH) is an Alexander Dennis Enviro200 that had been new to Abellio owned Travel London (8531) in June 2010 for operation on Transport for London service contracts. It was arriving as the 0900 service 385 from Stowmarket. Service 385 has been worked by Galloway Coach Travel for many years but since Galloway and Stephenson’s came under related ownership buses of the latter are often seen on the service.