1980s/1990s A11 Barton Mills/Red Lodge

Sunday 5 May 1985 – Swaffham Coachways (S N and C A Clarke) WNV 824W, a Jonckheere Bermuda bodied Volvo B10M new to Len Wright Travel in May 1981, carried Leger Travel branding. It was seen on the car park of the Bull Inn, Barton Mills whilst after taking a toilet and refreshment break. The car park is where Chestnut Close now stands.

Sunday 5 May 1985 – Swaffham Coachways (S N and C A Clarke) WNV 824W, a Jonckheere Bermuda bodied Volvo B10M new to Len Wright Travel in May 1981, carried Leger Travel branding. It was seen about to pull out on to the A11 at Barton Mills after taking a break at the Bull Inn. Work had already started to upgrade the A11 to become dual carriageway between Fiveways, Barton Mills and Red Lodge. The car travelling towards the camera is passing the end of Tuddenham Road.

Sunday 5 May 1985 – Swaffham Coachways (S N and C A Clarke) WNV 824W, a Jonckheere Bermuda bodied Volvo B10M new to Len Wright Travel in May 1981, carried Leger Travel branding. It was seen pulling out on to the A11 at Barton Mills after taking a break at the Bull Inn. Work had already started to upgrade the A11 to dual carriageway between Fiveways, Barton Mills and Red Lodge. The house on the right now stands on the corner of the dual carriageway and Tuddenham Road. The company also operated sister vehicle WNV 822W.

Saturday 29 July 1989 - The Dog and Partridge Inn at Barton Mills closed some years ago and is now a private house. It occasionally had coaches call for refreshments and Matthews of Shouldham, Norfolk (Blue Coaches) B622 DDW had called in around lunchtime. It was a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Bedford YNT that had bee new to Cleverly (Capitol Coaches) of Cwmbran in South Wales in May 1985.

Saturday 29 July 1989 - The Dog and Partridge Inn at Barton Mills closed some years ago and is now a private house. It occasionally had coaches call for refreshments and Matthews of Shouldham, Norfolk (Blue Coaches) B622 DDW had called in around lunchtime. It was a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Bedford YNT that had bee new to Cleverly (Capitol Coaches) of Cwmbran in South Wales in May 1985.

Saturday 29 July 1989 - The Dog and Partridge Inn at Barton Mills closed some years ago and is now a private house. It occasionally had coaches call for refreshments and Matthews of Shouldham, Norfolk (Blue Coaches) B622 DDW had called in around lunchtime. It was a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Bedford YNT that had bee new to Cleverly (Capitol Coaches) of Cwmbran in South Wales in May 1985.

Saturday 18 September 1995 (approx. 1200) – Bedfordshire County Council Social Services Department F40 KRO seen during a refreshment break at Barton Mills (A1065 lay-by). It was a Dennis Javelin with Wadham Stringer bodywork which featured a toilet compartment and a nearside wheelchair lift.

Saturday 18 September 1995 (approx. 1200) – Bedfordshire County Council Social Services Department F40 KRO seen during a refreshment break at Barton Mills (A1065 lay-by). It was a Dennis Javelin with Wadham Stringer bodywork which featured a toilet compartment and a nearside wheelchair lift.

Central Coachways of Walsall was the coaching unit of West Midlands Travel (formerly the West Midlands PTE) that operated a summer Saturday holiday service to Great Yarmouth and Caister which passed along the A11 at Barton Mills. The cover on the left is that of the summer 1988 leaflet whereas the timetable on the right is for the following year which included a pick-up point in Coventry new that year.

Saturday 3 September 1988 - Central Coachways of Walsall 1908 (E908 UOH), a Bova Futura FHD 12 new in March 1988, operating ‘The Norfolk Coastliner Express’ (West Midlands to Great Yarmouth/Caister-on-Sea) seen on the A11 at Barton Mills. Central was the coaching unit of West Midlands Travel (formerly the West Midlands PTE. (Was re-registered later as JIW 3696). Link to the 1989 timetable for this service: www.ipernity.com/doc/davidslater-spoddendale/42049936

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. In this view we see C101 DYE, an MCW Metroliner, operated by Central Coachways of Walsall – the coaching unit of West Midlands Travel (formerly the West Midlands PTE) operating ‘The Norfolk Coastliner Express’ (West Midlands to Great Yarmouth/Caister-on-Sea). The coach had been new to London Coaches with whom WMT operated a joint Birmingham-London ‘London Liner’ express service. It had just passed Sanara Services, a popular stop for coaches, but not for this one.

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. In this view we see C101 DYE, an MCW Metroliner, operated by Central Coachways of Walsall – the coaching unit of West Midlands Travel (formerly the West Midlands PTE) operating ‘The Norfolk Coastliner Express’ (West Midlands to Great Yarmouth/Caister-on-Sea). The coach had been new to London Coaches with whom WMT operated a joint Birmingham-London ‘London Liner’ express service. It carries lettering between the decks for that service.

Saturday 26 August 1989 – Looking in rather poor shape, this Plaxton Viewmaster bodied Volvo B58 (TGD 991R) had been new to Park’s of Hamilton in March 1977 and then later operated by Tellings-Golden Miller. The livery outline and 'Highline Cruiser' lettering remain from TGM. It was seen taking a refreshment break at the Suffolk Punch cafe/Sanara Services in Red Lodge, Suffolk the parking ground of which was less than presentable with a dirt surface surrounded by piles of old pallets. I can’t say where Tricolour was based, I have read in perhaps Hertfordshire.

A Saturday in August 1990 – London Country Bus South West BTL44 (C144 SPB), a Berkhof Everest bodied Leyland Tiger new in February 1986, seen here heading through Red Lodge in Suffolk. Green Line livery in the National Bus Company style is carried. The Green Line brand originated with the London General Omnibus Company in 1930 later passing to London Transport. In 1970 it then passed to the National Bus Company and this livery style is that of the NBC.

Saturday 3 September 1988 – I am not exactly certain just which company was operating this vehicle at the time. London Country North East was privatised on 22 April 1988 when it was bought by the AJS Group who later created two companies in the names of County Bus and Coach and Sovereign Bus and Coach. National Bus Company style Green Line livery was carried by C203 PPE although it was working National Express summer Saturday holiday service 103 from Hatfield to Great Yarmouth when seen travelling on the A11 through Red Lodge, Suffolk. The vehicle is a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger. It features the low driving position which combined with the 3500 high model gives a very large size windscreen. It was new in August 1985 as fleet number STL3 in the London Country Bus Services fleet.

A Saturday in August 1983 – London Country North East TD7 (YPD 107Y) was a Duple Dominant IV bodied Leyland Tiger new in April 1983 operated on a five year lease and in later life was operated by Delaine of Bourne. (It was based at Hatfield garage from new until September 1986 and then moved to Stevenage, Hertford and Harlow garages before its return off lease in May 1988). It was seen at the Suffolk Punch Café in Red Lodge on the A11 in Suffolk when operating the summer Saturday holiday National Express service 103 from Hatfield to Great Yarmouth. For a number of years this service and service 102 (Luton to Sheringham) passed through Red Lodge and Barton Mills sharing a common route and timings between Baldock and Norwich. United Counties provided the coaches initially although service 103 was later covered by LCNE and I think Luton and District later became the operator of service 102.

A Saturday in August 1983 - For a number of years National Express holiday Saturday services 102 (Luton to Sheringham) and 103 (Hatfield to Great Yarmouth) passed through Red Lodge and Barton Mills. They shared a common route and timings between Baldock and Norwich serving Royston, Cambridge, Newmarket and Thetford with an unnamed 30 minute refreshment break between the two latter towns which was the Suffolk Punch (later renamed Sanara Services) in Red Lodge for a while. United Counties provided the coaches initially although service 103 was later covered by London Country North East usually with a Green Line coach and I think Luton and District later became the operator of service 102. In this view at Red Lodge we see two United Counties vehicles. The green and white Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol RELH (facing west) was 216 (KRP 216L) operating service 102 and the National white liveried Duple Dominant bodied Leyland Leopard (facing east) was 254 (XTF 808L) was operating service 103. This coach was new to Ribble (#1034) in July 1973. The Suffolk Punch building is on the right.

Saturday 20 August 1988 – Luton and District 168 (VNH 168W) pulling out of Sanara Services at Red Lodge, Suffolk after making a refreshment stop when working a summer Saturday coastal holiday service to Great Yarmouth. It was a Duple Dominant bodied Leyland Leopard new in April 1981 to United Counties Omnibus Company. Luton and District was created on 1 January 1986 when the National Bus Company owned United Counties was split up into three bus operating companies plus the separate Engineering Division. The driver of Woods of Essex HPH 714V, also a Duple Dominant but on Volvo B58 chassis, holds back to let the L&D coach out onto the busy main road.