Squirrells Coaches

Thursday 27 April 1995 (approx. 1915) – R J Squirrell of Old Mill Garage, Hitcham, Suffolk MNM 34V, a Plaxton bodied Leyland Leopard new in March 1980 to British Airways (fleet number C276), seen on Angel Hill, Bury St. Edmunds.

A Saturday in March 1997 – Squirrell’s Coaches of Hitcham, Suffolk YRP 371 seen outside Mildenhall Town Football Club’s ground. It is a Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B10M-61 that had been new to Cotters of Glasgow in July 1984 with this registration number. It subsequently was operated by Crosville Wales (fleet number CVV541) and Mulleys Motorways of Ixworth. Squirrell’s acquired the coach from Mulleys around 1995.

A Saturday in March 1997 – Squirrell’s Coaches of Hitcham, Suffolk YRP 371 seen outside Mildenhall Town Football Club’s ground. It is a Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B10M-61 that had been new to Cotters of Glasgow in July 1984 with this registration number. It subsequently was operated by Crosville Wales (fleet number CVV541) and Mulleys Motorways of Ixworth. Squirrell’s acquired the coach from Mulleys around 1995.

Thursday 25 November 2010 (1212) – Squirrells Coaches of Hitcham YLZ 1389 seen at Bury St Edmunds bus station. It is a Ferqui Solera bodied Mercedes-Benz O 1120L that was new in September 1998 to Bolderson (trading as Supertravel) of Speke, Liverpool registered S7 STM. It became S84 KLG when sold by the original owner.

Wednesday 19 September 2012 (1358) - Squirrell’s Coaches of Hitcham S139 RWA seen at Bury St. Edmunds bus station. It was a Hispano bodied Mercedes-Benz O 404 that had been new to Clarksons Coaches of South Elmsall in October 1998.

Wednesday 19 September 2012 (1358) - Squirrell’s Coaches of Hitcham S139 RWA seen at Bury St. Edmunds bus station. It was a Hispano bodied Mercedes-Benz O 404 that had been new to Clarksons Coaches of South Elmsall in October 1998.

Wednesday 19 September 2012 (1358) - Squirrell’s Coaches of Hitcham S139 RWA seen at Bury St. Edmunds bus station. It was a Hispano bodied Mercedes-Benz O 404 that had been new to Clarksons Coaches of South Elmsall in October 1998.

Saturday 23 June 2012 (0804) - Three vehicles of Squirrell’s Coaches of Hitcham seen at Bury St. Edmunds bus station shifting loads and loads of excited Cub Scouts. The two leading vehicles are Hispano bodied Mercedes-Benz O 404 models of which only about 70 of the type were sold in Britain. S139 RWA had been new to Clarksons Coaches of South Elmsall in October 1998. Y369 UOM had been new to Austin of Earlston, Berwickshire in March 2001. Behind them is what I think was YLZ 1389, a Ferqui Solera bodied Mercedes-Benz O 1120L that was new in September 1998 to Bolderson (trading as Supertravel) of Speke, Liverpool registered S7 STM. It became S84 KLG when sold by the original owner.

Saturday 23 June 2012 (0804) – Two Hispano bodied Mercedes-Benz O 404 coaches from the Squirrell’s Coaches of Hitcham fleet seen in Bury St. Edmunds bus station shifting loads and loads of excited Cub Scouts. Only about 70 of the type were sold in Britain. S139 RWA had been new to Clarksons Coaches of South Elmsall in October 1998 and Y369 UOM had been new to Austin of Earlston, Berwickshire in March 2001. A third coach on the same private hire job was YLZ 1389, a Ferqui Solera bodied Mercedes-Benz O 1120L.

Saturday 9 August 2014 (1801) - Squirrells Coaches of Hitcham, Suffolk OO05 FLX seen in Bury St Edmunds bus station. It is an Unvi bodied Mercedes-Benz which had been new to Felix Coaches of Long Melford and had been operated by Mil-Ken Travel prior to being added to the Squirrells fleet.

Saturday 20 August 1988 – In the days when the A11 travelled straight through Red Lodge we see a trio of coaches from the West Midlands working holiday services to the Norfolk coast. Leading is a Caetano Alpha bodied Bedford YMT of DPC Coaches (D P Croot) of Birmingham. It had been new to Davidson of Forfar, Scotland in March 1980. Immediately following is a Plaxton Supreme bodied Bedford (MJU 9W?) of Harry Brown and Sons Limited also of Birmingham. The third coach is an unidentified Plaxton Supreme. Things have really changed here in the years since the Red Lodge by-pass opened in September 1991. The road width has been narrowed and wide cycle/footpaths created. Lots of residential homes now line the road. The building directly behind the leading coach, once the ‘Red Lodge Garage’, survived in a derelict state until circa 2020 but was then demolished. Note the ‘Happy Eater’ restaurant in the distance – no longer on the roadside to capture passing traffic it closed after the by-pass opened and became offices and that too was later demolished.