David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos

Tuesday 4 August 2026 (approx. 1120) – St. Andrews Street South, Bury St. Edmunds. Left: Stephensons of Essex 510 (YN08 OAM) working the 1115 service 15X (from the Bus Station) to Haverhill. It is an East Lancs Olympus bodied Scania N230UD that had been new to Centrebus (902) in June 2008. It was in June 2008 that East Lancs merged with Optare and since this vehicle was registered that month I would suggest it was an East Lancs product rather than Optare as I have seen quoted here and there. Perhaps registered in Yorkshire after admin was transferred there?? Right: Transport Made Simple/Central Connect/Konectbuses 806 (YN55 PZH) arriving on the 1020 service 47 from Clare. It is an East Lancs Omnidekka bodied Scania N94UD new to Metrobus (906) in February 2006. It carries the Go-Ahead inspired Chambers livery.

Tuesday 4 August 2026 (approx. 1117) – Mulleys Motorways SK68 TWP, a Wright StreetLite DF seen in St. Andrews Street South, Bury St. Edmunds about to work the 1120 service M55 to the Mildenhall Road and Howard Estates. It had been new to MD Bus & Coach, St. Helens in December 2018, acquired by Mulleys from Passenger Plus in the latter part of 2025.

Tuesday 4 August 2026 (approx. 1116) – Mulleys Motorways buses in St. Andrews Street South, Bury St. Edmunds working town circular services. Two Wright StreetLite DF buses that had been new to MD Bus & Coach, St. Helens in December 2018 acquired by Mulleys in the latter part of 2025. SK68 TWP was about to work the 1120 service M55 to the Mildenhall Road and Howard Estates. SK68 TWN had just returned on service M44 from the Mildenhall Road and Howard Estates. YJ57 YDB, an Optare Solo that had been new to Peterborough Council in December 2007, approaches having departed the nearby Bus Station on the 1115 service M88 to Horringer Court and Priors Estates..

Tuesday 4 August 2026 (approx. 1117) – Mulleys Motorways SK68 TWP, a Wright StreetLite DF seen in St. Andrews Street South, Bury St. Edmunds about to work the 1120 service M55 to the Mildenhall Road and Howard Estates. It had been new to MD Bus & Coach, St. Helens in December 2018, acquired by Mulleys from Passenger Plus in the latter part of 2025. In the background is Stephensons of Essex 644 (YN55 NKG), an East Lancs Omnidekka bodied Scania N94D that had been new to London Sovereign (SLE38) in October 2005), arriving on the 1015 service 15X from Haverhill.

Saturday 25 July 2026 (0955) – Stephensons of Essex 510 (YN08 OAM) seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1000 service 16 from Newmarket to Bury St. Edmunds/West Suffolk Hospital. It is an East Lancs Olympus bodied Scania N230UD that had been new to Centrebus (902) in June 2008. It was in June 2008 that East Lancs merged with Optare and since this vehicle was registered that month I would suggest it was an East Lancs product rather than Optare as I have seen quoted here and there. Perhaps registered in Yorkshire after admin was transferred there?? What about the secateurs?? Quite a necessary item of kit for any bus/coach photographer at Fiveways, Barton Mills!! The shrubbery between the fence of the Shell Service Area and the roadway is always kept nicely trimmed but, from time to time, there are wayward shoots that sometimes get in the way of my photographs. So, the secateurs come in very handy.

Saturday 25 July 2026 (0955) – Stephensons of Essex 510 (YN08 OAM) seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1000 service 16 from Newmarket to Bury St. Edmunds/West Suffolk Hospital. It is an East Lancs Olympus bodied Scania N230UD that had been new to Centrebus (902) in June 2008. It was in June 2008 that East Lancs merged with Optare and since this vehicle was registered that month I would suggest it was an East Lancs product rather than Optare as I have seen quoted here and there. Perhaps registered in Yorkshire after admin was transferred there??

Saturday 25 July 2026 (0955) – Stephensons of Essex 510 (YN08 OAM) seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1000 service 16 from Newmarket to Bury St. Edmunds/West Suffolk Hospital. It is an East Lancs Olympus bodied Scania N230UD that had been new to Centrebus (902) in June 2008. It was in June 2008 that East Lancs merged with Optare and since this vehicle was registered that month I would suggest it was an East Lancs product rather than Optare as I have seen quoted here and there. Perhaps registered in Yorkshire after admin was transferred there??

Saturday 25 July 2026 (0955) – Stephensons of Essex 510 (YN08 OAM) seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills when working the 1000 service 16 from Newmarket to Bury St. Edmunds/West Suffolk Hospital. It is an East Lancs Olympus bodied Scania N230UD that had been new to Centrebus (902) in June 2008. It was in June 2008 that East Lancs merged with Optare and since this vehicle was registered that month I would suggest it was an East Lancs product rather than Optare as I have seen quoted here and there. Perhaps registered in Yorkshire after admin was transferred there??

Saturday 25 July 2026 (0949) – Quite a necessary item of kit for any bus/coach photographer at Fiveways, Barton Mills – a pair of secateurs!! The shrubbery between the fence of the Shell Service Area and the roadway is always kept nicely trimmed but, from time to time, there are wayward shoots that sometimes get in the way of my photographs. So, the secateurs come in very handy. In the background to this scene is an Iveco mini-coach operated by Summit Minibuses and Coaches, Paddock Wood (RF22 MYS new July 2022)

Saturday 25 July 2026 (0957) – Summit Minibuses and Coaches, Paddock Wood RF22 MYS, an Iveco mini-coach new in July 2022, seen arriving at the Shell Service Area at Fiveways, Barton Mills.

Saturday 15 August 2026 (1455) – Centaur Travel, Dartford YT17 EZP, an Irizar i6 new in March 2017, seen at the July Racecourse in Newmarket.

Saturday 15 August 2026 (1457) – The coach park at the July Racecourse in Newmarket. Cozy Travel, Sandy CO59 ZYO, a Neoplan Tourliner N2216 that had been new to Voel, Dyserth, North Wales in January 2011 registered PJ60 VNF GDS Travel, Spalding V100 GDS, a Jonckheere JHV bodied Volvo B9R new to Plastow’s Travel, Wheatley in December 2012 registered BX62 BJY C&G Coach Services, Chatteris K19 CNG, a Caetano Levante bodied Scania K440 new National Express (SH185) in August 2014 registered BK14 LFZ

Saturday 15 August 2026 (1751) – The companies in the Millers Partners businesses continue to work the shuttles on race days between Newmarket town centre/railway station and the two racecourses. The coaches of Mil-Ken Travel, Neals Coaches and Andrews Coaches can be seen on the work. A Plaxton Panorama double deck coach with Andrew’s Coaches fleetnames seen through a tinted window of the mini-bus as we were leaving the July Racecourse. (Taken through the tinted window of the mini-bus we were travelling in)

Saturday 15 August 2026 (1752) – The companies in the Millers Partners businesses continue to work the shuttles on race days between Newmarket town centre/railway station and the two racecourses. The coaches of Mil-Ken Travel, Neals Coaches and Andrews Coaches can be seen on the work. Mil-Ken Travel OIG 8937 seen through a tinted window of the mini-bus as we were leaving the July Racecourse. It is a Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B12B that had been new to Fourway (Cropper) of Leeds in June 2006 registered YN06 RVL. (Taken through the tinted window of the mini-bus we were travelling in)

Saturday 15 August 2026 (1753) – On race days the A1304 road alongside Newmarket’s July Racecourse has additional temporary traffic control measures. This view, unfortunately clicked at the wrong moment, failed to capture the large yellow flashing lights on the stationary highways truck. We were following Ambassador Travel 304 (BV72 XFA), a Caetano Levante III bodied Scania K410 new in November 2022, which was working the 1405 National Express service 727 from Heathrow Airport to Great Yarmouth. It was running about 28 minutes late. Looking at the tracker on the Bus Times website it would appear it departed from Cambridge (Parkside) on time (1705) but seemingly got delayed along Newmarket Road in the vicinity of the Cambridge Football Club ground where there had been a home game. It took 37 minutes to travel from Parkside to Cambridge Airport, a distance of about 2.5 miles.

Saturday 15 August 2026 (1754) – The companies in the Millers Partners businesses continue to work the shuttles on race days between Newmarket town centre/railway station and the two racecourses. The coaches of Mil-Ken Travel, Neals Coaches and Andrews Coaches can be seen on the work. On the right as we headed away from the races was Andrews Coaches OIG 6923, a Sunsundegui SC7 bodied Volvo, running empty back to racecourse the July Racecourse to collect more homegoing racegoers. (Original registration LD66 DGF?) We were following Ambassador Travel 304 (BV72 XFA), a Caetano Levante III bodied Scania K410 new in November 2022, which was working the 1405 National Express service 727 from Heathrow Airport to Great Yarmouth. It was running about 28 minutes late. Looking at the tracker on the Bus Times website it would appear it departed from Cambridge (Parkside) on time (1705) but seemingly got delayed along Newmarket Road in the vicinity of the Cambridge Football Club ground where there had been a home game. It took 37 minutes to travel from Parkside to Cambridge Airport, a distance of about 2.5 miles.

Saturday 15 August 2026 (1357) – Anita’s Coach and Mini-bus Hire Limited is based at Stansted Airport. AC74 ERN, a Yutong ZK6938HQ new in September 2024, seen at the July Racecourse in Newmarket. (Taken through the tinted window of the mini-bus we were travelling in)

Saturday 15 August 2026 (1357) – Anita’s Coach and Mini-bus Hire Limited is based at Stansted Airport. AC74 ERN, a Yutong ZK6938HQ new in September 2024, seen at the July Racecourse in Newmarket. (Taken through the tinted window of the mini-bus we were travelling in) Anita’s Coach and Mini-bus Hire AC74 ERN