Eastern Counties (ex Eastern National) A694 OHJ in Mildenhall – 16 Mar 1996

Saturday 16 March 1996 (1105) – The Badgerline Group, owners of the Eastern National Omnibus Company, and GRT Bus Group, the owners of the Eastern Counties Omnibus Company, merged in April 1995 to become First Group. As with the various large groups vehicle transfers were regularly undertaken.

Alexander TE type bodied Leyland Tiger A694 OHJ, new to ENOC in November 1983, is seen here at Mildenhall Church wearing full Eastern National Badgerline livery complete with the badger logo but operating for the Eastern Counties Omnibus Company. It was working the Newmarket to Thetford service 200, a service supported by Suffolk County Council. Operators of such supported services were expected to display a ‘County Connections’ board which included the SCC crest. This bus does, although many didn’t. I personally don’t think the travelling public knew or cared what the board meant.