Coach Services of Thetford W727 XCE in Lakenheath - 27 Jun 2004

Sunday 27 June 2004 (approx. 1043) – ‘The Brecks Warrener’ was a project sponsored by a number of conservation and community bodies to enable people to visit the Breckland Forest area located between Brandon and Thetford. As part of the project a scheduled mini-bus service offered four round trips linking Thetford-High Lodge Forest Centre-Brandon-Brandon Country Park-Weeting-Hockwold-Lakenheath at weekends/holidays in May and daily from 29 May to 5 September 2004. In addition there was also a ‘Demand Responsive Service’ during the same period which operated at weekends until the end of October capable of carrying bicycles and wheelchairs.

In this view Coach Services Ltd of Thetford W727 XCE, an LDV mini-bus, was seen arriving in Lakenheath spot on time on the first trip of the day. It displayed a fine array of destination cards showing ‘445’, ‘LAKENHEATH’ and ‘VIA HIGH LODGE’.

The ‘Brecks’ (Breckland) is the name for the area on the Suffolk/Norfolk border that has a history going back to the Stone Age. Around 2000 years ago it was the heartland of the Icenci people led by Queen Boudicca. From Neolithic times flint was mined in the area and the buildings in the background are typical of many still found in the area today.

Rabbits were introduced to the area by the Normans in the 12th century farmed for their meat and fur nurtured in special enclosures called Warrens. The largest concentration of warrens in Britain was in the Brecks where the dry sandy soil was easy for making burrows. The Warrener provided skilled management of the warrens.