1980s/1990s A11 Barton Mills/Red Lodge

Saturday 3 July 1993 - Taylor’s Reliance Coaches was based in Meppershall, Bedfordshire and operated two summer Saturday holiday services to Norfolk Coast resorts which passed along the A11 taking a refreshment break at Barton Mills. 578 CYA, a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Tiger, was working the Cromer, Sheringham and Mundesley service on this occasion. This coach had past links with Suffolk having been new to Morley’s Grey Coaches of West Row as VGV 50X in January 1982. Taylor’s had subsequently modified the front end fitting a destination dome and, as with other coaches in the fleet, updated the front by fitting a Plaxton Paramount I lower panel. After service with Taylor’s it moved on and along with way carried registration numbers VIL 3087 and DMJ 401X.

Saturday 3 July 1993 - Taylor’s Reliance Coaches, Meppershall, Bedfordshire 2290 PK was a Plaxton Paramount I bodied Volvo B10M new to Epsom Coaches, Epsom, Surrey as A503 WGF in April 1984. Taylor’s had a number of vehicles that had been updated with later model front panels and this coach has a Paramount III lower front panel. It was seen here during a refreshment break at Barton Mills when working the Great Yarmouth, Hemsby and Lowestoft summer Saturday service. The company also operated a service to Cromer, Sheringham and Mundesley. The latter was being operated by 578 CYA, a Plaxton Supreme bodied Leyland Tiger, today.

Saturday 3 July 1993 - Taylor’s Reliance Coaches, Meppershall, Bedfordshire 2290 PK was a Plaxton Paramount I bodied Volvo B10M new to Epsom Coaches, Epsom, Surrey as A503 WGF in April 1984. Taylor’s had a number of vehicles that had been updated with later model front panels and this coach has a Paramount III lower front panel. It was seen here during a refreshment break at Barton Mills when working the Great Yarmouth, Hemsby and Lowestoft summer Saturday service. The company also operated a service to Cromer, Sheringham and Mundesley. Standing behind is Soul Brothers of Olney, Buckinghamshire VUD 483, a Plaxton Paramount II bodied DAF SB2300 new to Smiths of Alcester as C783 MVH in April 1986. Walker’s Snack Bar can be seen on the right where the holidaymakers (and drivers!) can get sustenance.

Saturday 19 August 1995 - Taylor’s Reliance Coaches, Meppershall, Bedfordshire 617 MUR was a Plaxton Paramount I bodied Volvo B10M new to Richardson Coaches, London SW14 as PGH 687Y in June 1983. Taylor’s had a number of vehicles that had been updated with later model front panels and this coach has a Paramount III lower front panel. It was seen here during a refreshment break at Barton Mills when working the Cromer, Sheringham and Mundesley summer Saturday service. In the timetable for 1995 this service also called at various points to serve the Norfolk Broads boatyards but these destinations were not shown in the timetable for 1998 so I presume they did not prove popular as the coastal resorts themselves. The company also operated a service to the resorts and holiday sites along the coastal area around Great Yarmouth, Hemsby and Lowestoft.

Saturday 6 August 1994 - Taylor’s Reliance Coaches, Meppershall, Bedfordshire TSU 477 was a Plaxton Paramount I bodied Leyland Tiger new to Hills of Tredegar as B617 CKG in April 1995. Taylor’s had a number of vehicles that had been updated with later model front panels and this coach has a Paramount III lower front panel. It was seen at Barton Mills (A1065 lay-by) during a refreshment break when working the summer Saturday holiday express service Cromer, Sheringham and Mundesley. The company also operated a service to the resorts and holiday sites along the coastal area around Great Yarmouth, Hemsby and Lowestoft.

Saturday 4 July 1992 - Taylor’s Reliance Coaches, Meppershall, Bedfordshire TSU 477 was a Plaxton Paramount I bodied Leyland Tiger new to Hills of Tredegar as B617 CKG in April 1995. It was seen at Barton Mills (A1065 lay-by) during a refreshment break when working a summer Saturday holiday express service to the Norfolk Coast. The company operated two such services, one serving Great Yarmouth, Hemsby and Lowestoft and another serving Cromer, Sheringham and Mundesley.

Saturday 4 July 1992 - Taylor’s Reliance Coaches, Meppershall, Bedfordshire TSU 477 was a Plaxton Paramount I bodied Leyland Tiger new to Hills of Tredegar as B617 CKG in April 1995. It was seen at Barton Mills (A1065 lay-by) during a refreshment break when working a summer Saturday holiday express service to the Norfolk Coast. The company operated two such services, one serving Great Yarmouth, Hemsby and Lowestoft and another serving Cromer, Sheringham and Mundesley. Also in the photograph is Ouse Valley Coaches E22 XHL, a Bedford YNT with the later style Plaxton Paramount, body new in April 1988 to Grant and McAllin, Beighton near Sheffield. Ouse Valley is also from Bedfordshire being based in Goldington.

Covers of the Taylor’s Reliance Coaches summer Saturday holiday services timetables for 1995 and 1998. The owners of the company, which was based in Meppershall, Bedfordshire, retired in 2001 and the business closed down.

Taylor’s Reliance Coaches was based in Meppershall, Bedfordshire and operated two summer Saturday holiday services to Norfolk Coast resorts which passed along the A11 taking a refreshment break at Barton Mills. In the 1995 timetable the Cromer/Sheringham service also served a number of Norfolk Broads boatyard towns but these had been discontinued in the 1998 timetable (see next frame). Note how the services picked up and set down simultaneously performing a circular run calling at each resort just the once. The owners retired in 2001 and the business closed down.

Taylor’s Reliance Coaches was based in Meppershall, Bedfordshire and operated two summer Saturday holiday services to Norfolk Coast resorts. This timetable shows those operated in 1998 which passed along the A11 taking a refreshment break at Barton Mills. Note how the services picked up and set down simultaneously performing a circular run calling at each resort just the once. The owners retired in 2001 and the business closed down.

Saturday 20 August 1988 – The community of Red Lodge on the A11 between Newmarket and Barton Mills was by-passed in September 1991 but prior to that it was always busy with traffic particularly on summer Saturdays when holidaymakers were heading to or from the coast. York Brothers of Cogenhoe near Northampton operated a summer Saturday holiday service from the Northampton area to Great Yarmouth. A Plaxton Supreme bodied AEC Reliance seen heading through Red Lodge on its way to Great Yarmouth. Registration number XHO 856 is carried.

Saturday 1 August 1992 – York Brothers of Cogenhoe near Northampton 62 (KHB 34W), a Plaxton Supreme VI bodied Ford R1115, seen at AJ’s Family Restaurant at Barton Mills in Suffolk when operating their summer Saturday holiday service back to Northampton from Great Yarmouth. (Premier Travel Services 372 (G372 REG) is in the background having pulled in to draw fuel at the Fina Filling Station).

A Saturday in August 1992 (approx. 1610) - York Brothers of Cogenhoe near Northampton Plaxton Supreme bodied Ford R1115 coaches seen at AJ’s Family Restaurant at Barton Mills in Suffolk when operating their summer Saturday holiday service back to Northampton from Great Yarmouth. On the right is 50 (RBD 287Y) (a Supreme VI model originally FNM 710Y then SYK 901 before it became RBD 287Y new in 1982) and on the left is 63 (OPR 505W) new in 1981.

Saturday 6 August 1994 – York Brothers of Cogenhoe near Northampton 84 (946 BKH), a Setra S215HR new in 1985 as B84 GBD, seen at Barton Mills during a refreshment break. This lay-by alongside the A1065 features a toilet block and Walker’s Snack Bar just visible in the background and was used by a number of different summer Saturday coastal holiday services including that operated by Taylor’s of Meppershall. One of their coaches is parked in the background. Both companies no longer trade.

Saturday 6 August 1994 – York Brothers of Cogenhoe near Northampton 84 (946 BKH), a Setra S215HR new in 1985 as B84 GBD, seen at Barton Mills during a refreshment break when operating their summer Saturday holiday service from the Northampton area to Great Yarmouth. This lay-by alongside the A1065 features a toilet block and Walker’s Snack Bar.

Saturday 6 August 1994 – York Brothers of Cogenhoe near Northampton 84 (946 BKH), a Setra S215HR new in 1985 as B84 GBD, heading away from Fiveways Roundabout at Barton Mills when operating their summer Saturday holiday service from the Northampton area to Great Yarmouth. This road is now a dual carriageway here but at the time of this view was only single carriageway. The bridge over the drainage channel had recently been re-opened after being re-built. The temporary girder bridge and road bed used whist the re-building work was carried out is visible on the right.

Saturday 9 August 1997 – York Brothers of Cogenhoe near Northampton 54 (XVY 392), a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Volvo B10M new in April 1985 as B711 PEC to Stainton Coaches of Kendal. It later became LIB 3766 then B196 MAO before XVY 392. It was seen at AJ’s Family Restaurant at Barton Mills in Suffolk when operating the summer Saturday holiday service from Northampton to Great Yarmouth.

A Saturday in August 1992 (approx. 1610) - York Brothers of Cogenhoe near Northampton Plaxton Supreme VI bodied Ford R1115 50 (RBD 287Y), named ‘HMS Manchester’, seen at AJ’s Family Restaurant at Barton Mills in Suffolk when operating their summer Saturday holiday service back to Northampton from Great Yarmouth. (Originally FNM 710Y then SYK 901 before it became RBD 287Y).