1980s/1990s A11 Barton Mills/Red Lodge

Saturday 3 September 1988 - A poor photograph showing a Luton and District Duple Dominant bodied Leyland Leopard 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. The basic livery is that of National Express although the ‘National Express’ fleetname had been replaced with ‘Luton & District’. Quite likely a former United Counties Omnibus Company vehicle. 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. Seamarks Coach and Travel of Luton B455 AUR, a Caetano Algarve bodied Volvo B10M new in May 1985, is following.

Saturday 6 August 1994 – Luton and District 143 (A143 EPA) carrying Red Rover fleetnames seen heading away from Fiveways Roundabout at Barton Mills when operating towards the Norfolk Coast. 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 whilst the re-building work was carried out is visible on the right. The coach is a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Leyland Tiger which was new to London Country as a Green Line coach in February 1984 (fleet number TPL43).

Wednesday 3 August 1994 – Luton and District 201 (SIB 8529), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger, seen during a refreshment break at Barton Mills (A1065 lay-by). The operations in the High Wycombe and Amersham area were branded Chiltern Bus and this coach carries the fleetname Chiltern European. (It may have been new as E324 OMG).

Wednesday 3 August 1994 – Luton and District 201 (SIB 8529), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger, seen during a refreshment break at Barton Mills (A1065 lay-by). The operations in the High Wycombe and Amersham area were branded Chiltern Bus and this coach carries the fleetname Chiltern European. (It may have been new as E324 OMG).

Saturday 26 August 1989 – Luton and District 114 (RUT 224) was a Bova Europa which was absorbed with the business of Tourmaster or Dunstable in 1988. Seen at Sanara Services on the A11 at Red Lodge, Suffolk once a popular refreshment stop for passing coaches.

Saturday 26 August 1989 – Sanara Services on the A11 at Red Lodge, Suffolk was a popular refreshment stop for holiday coaches. Left: Luton and District 114 (RUT 224) was a Bova Europa which was absorbed with the business of Tourmaster or Dunstable in 1988. Right: Wainfleet Coaches of Nuneaton F868 RFP, a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Dennis Javelin new in April 1989, was operating on hire to Harry Shaw of Coventry.

Saturday 26 August 1989 – Wainfleet Coaches of Nuneaton F868 RFP, a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Dennis Javelin new in April 1989, seen at Sanara Services, Red Lodge, Suffolk operating on hire to Harry Shaw Travel.

A Saturday in May 1999 – Wainfleet Coaches of Nuneaton MIW 5787, a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo, seen taking a break at Red Lodge on the A11 in Suffolk en route to Great Yarmouth. Red Lodge once had a number of establishments where coastal bound coaches would stop for a refreshment break but by this time Red Lodge had a by-pass and options were limited. The Red Lodge Inn and the neighbouring Red Lodge Transport Café were all that remained. Even the ‘Happy Eater’ that occupied the building on the right had closed.

Saturday 20 May 1998 (0820) - Owner-driver Steve MacKenzie of West Row near Mildenhall B284 AMG seen travelling round Fiveways roundabout, Barton Mills. It was Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Bedford YNV new in early 1985 to Arrowline of Hayes, Middlesex although it came from Veazey Coaches of Winwick, Cambridgeshire. Steve was a former Morley’s Grey Coaches driver who set up his own business sometime after Morley’s ceased trading in 1985.

Saturday 20 August 1988 - Wessex of Bristol 291 (SND 291X) seen setting down at the Sanara Services (formerly known as the Suffolk Punch) in Red Lodge when working the 1040 National Express service 747 from Cambridge to Great Yarmouth.

Saturday 13 April 1985 - Ambassador Travel LL796 (OEX 796W), a Willowbrook bodied Leyland Leopard that had been new to Eastern Counties in December 1980, seen passing the Dog and Partridge Inn on the old A11 at Barton Mills when working the 1245 Cambridge to Thetford service 747. The pub subsequently closed but the building remains as a private residence named Trego House. The area on the right bordered by the wall and wooden posts supporting the chain link fence was the car park of the Bull Inn where the houses on Chestnut Close were later built.

Saturday 13 April 1985 - Ambassador Travel 907 (B907 RVF), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger just a few weeks old, seen passing the Dog and Partridge at Barton Mills when working the 1420 Norwich to London bound National Express service. National Holidays lettering is carried as is the Ambassador Travel fleetname on the first side window. The Dog and Partridge closed some years ago and is now a private residence.

Sunday 19 August 1984 – Eastern Counties LT893 (EAH 893Y), a Plaxton Paramount 3200 bodied Leyland Tiger, seen at Barton Mills when working the 1020 Norwich to London ‘Norfolk Flyer’ service 099 to London. It was new in February 1983 and passed to Ambassador Travel just a few weeks later in September 1984 when Eastern Counties was split up. It carried the Eastern Counties name in red letters along the top edge of the first large side windows. The National Express name was carried on the lower panels behind the rear wheels (white lettering on a blue block just visible in this shot). I had heard that the National Bus Company or National Express hierarchy were not pleased with the creation of this branding on the vehicles which defied the National Express corporate identity. In the background, on the approach to Fiveways roundabout, is another coach working on a National Express service. That was United Counties 179 (EBD 179X), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Leyland Leopard new in July 1982, on a service 747 working from Bedford to Lowestoft. From 28 April 1985 this trip was extended back to start from Northampton at 0835. End to end service 747 linked Bristol with East Anglia offering, broadly speaking, a frequency of every two hours. Coaches started out from and ended up at principal mid-way points at the start of/end of the day. East of Cambridge United Counties participated on this one trip travelling east during the morning arriving at Great Yarmouth or Lowestoft in the early afternoon then returning in the mid to late afternoon arriving back home in the evening approx 2000/2030. Millford’s Garage is on the left, then selling Texaco fuel from pumps right alongside the roadway, was subsequently redesigned and greatly improved. The new workshop buildings stood behind the new filling station and these buildings are now the workshops of the East of England Ambulance Service.

March 1985 – Ambassador Travel 904 (A667 XDA) was an MCW Metroliner double deck coach new to Midland Red Express in June 1984 seen on the A11 approaching Fiveways roundabout at Barton Mills. In late 2014 this twelve or so mile section of the A11 between Barton Mills and Thetford was the last part of the A11 to be dualled and the scene in this photograph has changed beyond all recognition. Whilst this coach regularly worked on National Express services between Norwich and London today I think it was on some other work.

Saturday 9 February 1985 – An Ambassador Travel MCW Metroliner seen on a snowy morning passing The Manor at Barton Mills when working the 0820 Norwich to London National Express service.

Sunday 6 January 1985 – An Ambassador Travel MCW Metroliner, one of the three A-XDA registered new to Midland Red Express in June 1984, seen passing Mulberry Harbour on the old A11 at Barton Mills in heavy weather when working the 0820 National Express service 099 from Norwich to London. These impressive vehicles had seating for 79 passengers (57 on the upper deck and 22 on the lower deck).

Sunday 24 March 1985 – Two Ambassador Travel Leyland Leopard coaches seen on the old A11 about to pass the end of Bell Lane, Barton Mills. Despite wearing National Express livery they were not working on National Express services today but were part of a huge convoy of buses and coaches conveying supporters of Norwich City Football Club bound for Wembley for the League Cup Final against Sunderland. Norwich were triumphant with a 1-0 win. LL813 (JCL 813V), with Willowbrook bodywork new in November 1979, was being followed by on of the Duple Dominant bodied coaches from the LL822-825 batch (RNG 822-825W) new in April 1981. Both had been new to Eastern Counties.

Sunday 29 July 1984 – Two National Express service coaches passing at Barton Mills both operated by National Bus Company subsidiaries. Heading away from the camera is Eastern Counties LT890 (EAH 890Y), a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Leyland Tiger, working on the ‘Norfolk Flyer’ service 099 to London. It was new in February 1983 and passed to Ambassador Travel in September 1984 when Eastern Counties was split up. Heading towards the camera is United Counties 174 (CNH 174X), an Eastern Coachworks bodied Leyland Leopard new in March 1982, on a service 747 working from Bedford to Lowestoft. From 28 April 1985 this trip was extended back to start from Northampton at 0835. End to end service 747 linked Bristol with East Anglia offering, broadly speaking, a frequency of every two hours. Coaches started out from and ended up at principal mid-way points at the start of/end of the day. East of Cambridge United Counties participated on this one trip travelling east during the morning arriving at Great Yarmouth or Lowestoft in the early afternoon then returning in the mid to late afternoon arriving back home in the evening approx 2000/2030.