Mulleys Volvo B7TLs

Monday 15 March 2021 (0750) – Mulleys Motorways LW51 ZHJ is an Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL new to Dublin Bus in January 2002 as their AV215 (01 D 10215). It was seen in Fred Archer Way, Newmarket when working the 0730 service 311 from Exning to Bury St. Edmunds. Directly in front is Stephensons of Essex 461 (EU60 CBF), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200, which had just departed the bus station on the 0750 service 16 to Bury St. Edmunds via Mildenhall. The (quite small) bus station can be seen on the right where three vehicles are standing. Left to right they are: Stephensons of Essex 637 (YN55 NJE), an East Lancs Omnidekka bodied Scania N94D that had been new to London Sovereign (SLE27) in October 2005. It was working the 0740 service 310 from Exning to Bury St. Edmunds (due to depart at 0750). Stagecoach East (Cambus) 15465 (AE09 GYP) working the 0646 service 12 from Ely to Cambridge (due to depart at 0751). It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UD new in March 2009. Mulleys Motorways YY63 WCO, a Plaxton Elite bodied B13RT, about to work the 0750 service 311X to Bury St. Edmunds. This coach had been new to Park’s of Hamilton in January 2014 for National Express service work and whilst with Park’s it carried registration LSK 819. There are a number of the main secondary schools located in Bury St. Edmunds and, along with the West Suffolk College, they collectively generate quite a significant amount of daily traffic from the Newmarket area. The services are also available to the general public. Until January 2021 services 310/311 had mainly been worked by Suffolk Norse and Suffolk County Council before that. In 2013 the County Council entered a working partnership with Norse, a facilities company owned by Norfolk County Council, to create Suffolk Norse owned 20% by SCC and 80% by Norse. In September 2021 the partnership will be dissolved. Towards the end of 2020 Suffolk Norse relinquished the contracts for the 310/311 services. Replacement service licences were obtained by Mulleys Motorways and Stephensons of Essex effective from 4 January 2021. Newmarket bus station is a rather small affair, the main part comprising just two nose in loading bays. A third vehicle can also load in what is the exit road – thus when a vehicle is loading there it prevents other vehicles moving out. Regular drivers employ tactics to avoid getting hemmed in (I speak from experience!). There is also a kerbside loading bay ahead of the latter parallel to the exit road itself – but that sees little use. In the short period before 0800 the bus station gets quite busy with the Stephensons service 16 departure at 0750 and a Stagecoach (Cambus) service 12 Cambridge departure at 0751 in addition to these five school related services bound for Bury St. Edmunds: 0750 Mulleys 311 (Originating at Exning travelling via the residential areas in the north of the town then onward via Moulton) 0750 Mulleys 311X (Direct from the Bus Station then via Kentford and the A14) 0750 Stephensons 310 (Via Kentford) 0755 Stephensons 311 ((Originating at Exning travelling via the residential areas in the north of the town then onward direct via the A14) 0800 Stephensons 311A

Monday 15 March 2021 (0750) – Mulleys Motorways LW51 ZHJ is an Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL new to Dublin Bus in January 2002 as their AV215 (01 D 10215). It was seen in Fred Archer Way, Newmarket when working the 0730 service 311 from Exning to Bury St. Edmunds. There are a number of the main secondary schools located in Bury St. Edmunds and, along with the West Suffolk College, they collectively generate quite a significant amount of daily traffic from the Newmarket area. The services are also available to the general public. Until January 2021 services 310/311 had mainly been worked by Suffolk Norse and Suffolk County Council before that. In 2013 the County Council entered a working partnership with Norse, a facilities company owned by Norfolk County Council, to create Suffolk Norse owned 20% by SCC and 80% by Norse. In September 2021 the partnership will be dissolved. Towards the end of 2020 Suffolk Norse relinquished the contracts for the 310/311 services. Replacement service licences were obtained by Mulleys Motorways and Stephensons of Essex effective from 4 January 2021. Newmarket bus station is a rather small affair, the main part comprising just two nose in loading bays. A third vehicle can also load in what is the exit road – thus when a vehicle is loading there it prevents other vehicles moving out. Regular drivers employ tactics to avoid getting hemmed in (I speak from experience!). There is also a kerbside loading bay ahead of the latter parallel to the exit road itself – but that sees little use. In the short period before 0800 the bus station gets quite busy with the Stephensons service 16 departure at 0750 and a Stagecoach (Cambus) service 12 Cambridge departure at 0751 in addition to these five school related services bound for Bury St. Edmunds: 0750 Mulleys 311 (Originating at Exning travelling via the residential areas in the north of the town then onward via Moulton) 0750 Mulleys 311X (Direct from the Bus Station then via Kentford and the A14) 0750 Stephensons 310 (Via Kentford) 0755 Stephensons 311 ((Originating at Exning travelling via the residential areas in the north of the town then onward direct via the A14) 0800 Stephensons 311A

Monday 8 January 2024 (1041) – The bollards and signage at the McDonalds ‘restaurant’ at Fiveways, Barton Mills spell out ‘Welcome to Barton Mills’. Passing by in the background is Mulleys Motorways LW51 ZHJ working the 1020 service 355 from Bury St. Edmunds to Mildenhall and Beck Row. It is an Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL that was new to Dublin Bus in January 2002 as their AV215 (01 D 10215).

Thursday 24 June 2021 (0856) – For a long time Bury St. Edmunds has been served by quite a number of bus operators and continues to be so. Four double deckers from four different companies are seen here in the bus station. A Stephensons (green and white) East Lancs Omnidekka bodied Scania N94UD stands beyond. The other vehicles are: Mulleys Motorways LW51 ZHJ, an Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL new to Dublin Bus in December 2002 (AV215 (01 D 10215)). Konectbus/Chambers (Go-Ahead) 803 (YN55 PZE), an East Lancs Omnidekka bodied Scania N94UD new to Metrobus (also Go-Ahead owned) in February 2006. Coach Services of Thetford CS63 BUS, a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL new in October 2013.

Wednesday 16 December 2020 (1623) – Mulleys Motorways LW51 ZHJ seen setting down in Mildenhall High Street when working the 1535 service 955 from Bury St. Edmunds to Lakenheath. It is an Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL new to Dublin Bus in January 2002 as their AV215 (01 D 10215).

Saturday 28 May 2022 (0927) - Mulleys Motorways LW51 ZHJ seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 0920 service 355 from Mildenhall to Bury St. Edmunds. It is an Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL new to Dublin Bus in January 2002 as their AV215 (01 D 10215).

Saturday 28 May 2022 (0927) - Mulleys Motorways LW51 ZHJ seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 0920 service 355 from Mildenhall to Bury St. Edmunds. It is an Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL new to Dublin Bus in January 2002 as their AV215 (01 D 10215).

Monday 17 July 2017 (0756) – Mulleys Motorways SJ02 AAW is a former Dublin Bus Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL. I believe it was their AV248 (02 D 10248) new around January 2002. It was seen in Barton Mills when working the 0735 service 955 from West Row and Mildenhall to Bury St Edmunds.

Wednesday 5 September 2018 (1105) – H C Chambers and Son (Go Ahead Group) 268 (AE59 AWM), a MCV Evolution bodied Alexander Dennis Enviro200 new to Thames Travel in December 2009, had just arrived at Bury St. Edmunds bus station and was heading to find a parking space in the layover bays. Mulleys Motorways SJ02 AAW and Fareline Bus & Coach Services F38 DAV are already occupying two of the bays.

Sunday 25 November 2018 (1114) – Mulleys Motorways operated the Bury St. Edmunds Christmas Fayre Park and Ride shuttle again this year. Having arrived only a couple of minutes from the Park and Ride site at Saxham SJ02 AAW was returning there to get more visitors. It is a former Dublin Bus Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL which I believe was their AV248 (02 D 10248) new around January 2002,

Sunday 25 November 2018 (1111) – Mulleys Motorways operated the Bury St. Edmunds Christmas Fayre Park and Ride shuttle again this year. SJ02 AAW, a former Dublin Bus Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL which I believe was their AV248 (02 D 10248) new around January 2002, is seen in Crown Street as it arrived from the Park and Ride site at Saxham.

Friday 5 April 2019 (1734) – Mulleys Motorways SJ02 AAW stuck in Friday tea-time traffic on the old A11 (Newmarket Road), Barton Mills when heading back to Ixworth after completing the school service 956 from Bury St. Edmunds to Worlington and Mildenhall. It is a former Dublin Bus Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL which I believe was their AV248 (02 D 10248) new around January 2002. Queuing traffic on the A11 dual carriageway from Chalk Hill to Fiveways encourages drivers to try and beat the queue by turning off and using the parallel old road. However, they then have difficulty re-joining the dual carriageway and have also to queue along with rat run traffic travelling out of Mildenhall through Barton Mills village. Those drivers who then try to avoid that queue use Bell Lane and The Street and when reaching The Bull find themselves in another queue. Unfortunately the legitimate routine local traffic like the bus gets bogged down in the queues.

Friday 1 October 2021 (1201) – Mulleys Motorways SJ02 AAW seen in traffic waiting to turn from Kingsway to North Terrace in Mildenhall. Fortunately, it had not been overly delayed by the pandemonium created by motorists queueing to panic buy fuel at the Jet filling station during a tanker delivery driver shortage. The bus, which was working the 1120 service 355 from Bury St. Edmunds to Beck Row, is a former Dublin Bus Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL which I believe was their AV248 (02 D 10248) new around January 2002

Friday 1 October 2021 (1202) – Mulleys Motorways SJ02 AAW seen in traffic in North Terrace, Mildenhall. Fortunately, it had not been overly delayed by the pandemonium created by motorists queueing to panic buy fuel at the Jet filling station during a tanker delivery driver shortage. The bus, which was working the 1120 service 355 from Bury St. Edmunds to Beck Row, is a former Dublin Bus Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL which I believe was their AV248 (02 D 10248) new around January 2002

Friday 1 October 2021 (1158) – Mildenhall’s War Memorial stands at the junction of Kingsway and King Street. Made from Portland stone it was unveiled in October 1920. Mulleys Motorways SJ02 AAW passes by when working the 1120 service 355 from Bury St. Edmunds to Holywell Row and Beck Row. It is a former Dublin Bus Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL which I believe was their AV248 (02 D 10248) new around January 2002.

Saturday 26 August 2023 (0927) – Mulleys Motorways and Stephenson’s of Essex compete on services between Mildenhall and Bury St. Edmunds. This quick shot features a bus of each company on their respective services. The Mulleys vehicle is SJ02 AAW which was working the 0920 service 355 from Mildenhall to Bury St Edmunds. It is an Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL that had been new to Dublin Bus as their AV248 (02 D 10248) around January 2002. The Stephensons vehicle is 433 (EU10 NVS) which was working the 0900 service 16 from Bury St. Edmunds to Mildenhall (0930) and Newmarket (1016). It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro bodied Dart new in August 2010.

Friday 6 October 2023 (0755) – Mulleys Motorways MUI 7919 seen by the Bull Inn at Barton Mills when working the 0730 service 955 from West Row to Bury St. Edmunds. Primarily this is a school related service but can be used by the general public. Mulleys has operated this service for many years and it was once a journey I regularly drove when I worked for the company. The timetable had been adjusted slightly when the service re-commenced after the summer break being advanced by five minutes. MUI 7919 is an Alexander bodied Volvo B7TL new as Dublin Bus AV14 (00D 40014) in September 2000 which became X179 CHJ when imported to England. Mulleys re-registered it to MUI 7919 in May 2016.

Friday 6 October 2023 (0755) – Mulleys Motorways MUI 7919 seen by the Bull Inn at Barton Mills when working the 0730 service 955 from West Row to Bury St. Edmunds. Primarily this is a school related service but can be used by the general public. Mulleys has operated this service for many years and it was once a journey I regularly drove when I worked for the company. The timetable had been adjusted slightly when the service re-commenced after the summer break being advanced by five minutes. MUI 7919 is an Alexander bodied Volvo B7TL new as Dublin Bus AV14 (00D 40014) in September 2000 which became X179 CHJ when imported to England. Mulleys re-registered it to MUI 7919 in May 2016.