David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos

Friday 24 July 2026 (1013) – The fence sign says ‘Welcome to Barton Mills’. Theobolds Coaches of Luton YJ25 CVA, a Temsa HD13 new in April 2025, was resuming its journey after taking a break at the Shell Service Area, Fiveways, Barton Mills. It carried a window label for Verulam U3A, a St. Albans based charity for senior citizens to meet and learn new hobbies and skills. Their website told that this was a day trip to Dereham and the Mid-Norfolk Railway. (The same coach appeared again the next day as it operated on Theobolds Great Yarmouth day excursion/holiday shuttle)

Friday 24 July 2026 (1013) – Theobolds Coaches of Luton YJ25 CVA, a Temsa HD13 new in April 2025, was resuming its journey after taking a break at the Shell Service Area, Fiveways, Barton Mills. It carried a window label for Verulam U3A, a St. Albans based charity for senior citizens to meet and learn new hobbies and skills. Their website told that this was a day trip to Dereham and the Mid-Norfolk Railway. (The same coach appeared again the next day as it operated on Theobolds Great Yarmouth day excursion/holiday shuttle)

Saturday 25 July 2026 (0925) – Theobolds Coaches of Luton YJ25 CVA, a Temsa HD13 new in April 2025, seen at the Shell Service Area, Fiveways, Barton Mills. For some years Theobolds has operated this combined holiday express service/day excursion from Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Luton to Great Yarmouth on Summer Saturdays. For 2026 the dates of operation were the five Saturdays of the school holiday period (25 July to 22 August). As well as carrying holiday passengers who stay at the coast for a week or more the coach is also advertised as a day excursion. It would give day visitors an arrival at about 1130 returning about 1630. Theobolds appears to share the same management as County Coaches (UK) LLP which trades as coachhire4u. The logo of the latter appears around the vehicle. (This same coach had called here for a break the previous day working a private hire trip)

Saturday 25 July 2026 (0925) – Theobolds Coaches of Luton YJ25 CVA, a Temsa HD13 new in April 2025, seen resuming its journey after taking a break at the Shell Service Area, Fiveways, Barton Mills. For some years Theobolds has operated this combined holiday express service/day excursion from Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Luton to Great Yarmouth on Summer Saturdays. For 2026 the dates of operation were the five Saturdays of the school holiday period (25 July to 22 August). As well as carrying holiday passengers who stay at the coast for a week or more the coach is also advertised as a day excursion. It would give day visitors an arrival at about 1130 returning about 1630. Theobolds appears to share the same management as County Coaches (UK) LLP which trades as coachhire4u. The logo of the latter appears around the vehicle. (This same coach had called here for a break the previous day working a private hire trip)

Saturday 25 July 2026 (0925) – Theobolds Coaches of Luton YJ25 CVA, a Temsa HD13 new in April 2025, seen resuming its journey after taking a break at the Shell Service Area, Fiveways, Barton Mills. For some years Theobolds has operated this combined holiday express service/day excursion from Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Luton to Great Yarmouth on Summer Saturdays. For 2026 the dates of operation were the five Saturdays of the school holiday period (25 July to 22 August). As well as carrying holiday passengers who stay at the coast for a week or more the coach is also advertised as a day excursion. It would give day visitors an arrival at about 1130 returning about 1630. Theobolds appears to share the same management as County Coaches (UK) LLP which trades as coachhire4u. The logo of the latter appears around the vehicle. (This same coach had called here for a break the previous day working a private hire trip)

Friday 24 July 2026 (0956) – 1st Bus Stop, Gravesend CO09 ACH, a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo that had been new to Westbus in September 2011 registered BF61 HBD, seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills.

Friday 24 July 2026 (0956) – 1st Bus Stop, Gravesend CO09 ACH, a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo that had been new to Westbus in September 2011 registered BF61 HBD, seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills.

Friday 24 July 2026 (0956) – 1st Bus Stop, Gravesend CO09 ACH, a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo that had been new to Westbus in September 2011 registered BF61 HBD, seen at Fiveways, Barton Mills.

Wednesday 22 July 2026 (1022) – A line up of Mulleys Motorways vehicles seen at the Ixworth premises. Left to right: YN04 UJS, an East Lancs Omnidekka bodied Scania N94UD that had new to Nottingham City Transport (736) in May 2004 LW51 ZHJ, an Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL new to Dublin Bus in January 2002 as their AV215 (01 D 10215) SJ02 AAW, an Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL new to Dublin Bus in early 2002 as their AV248 (02 D 10248) GO07 DRM, a Scania K230UB OmniLink new as a Scania demonstrator in July 2007 registered YN07 LHO. Following its demonstration period it first passed to Astons of Kempsey and then to DRM of Bromyard where it took on its present registration MUI 7949, an Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL which was new to Dublin Bus in December 2001/January 2002 as their AV202 (01 D 10202) (When imported to Britain it received registration number LW51 ZMV and Mulleys re-registered it to MUI 7949 in May 2016) YX69 LCM, a Plaxton Panther 3 bodied Volvo B8R that had been new to Williams Coaches, Brecon in November 2019 AP12 BUS, an MCV eVolution bodied Volvo B7RLE that had been new to Pulham and Sons (Coaches) Limited of Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire in March 2012 BT10 YWF, an MCV eVolution bodied Volvo B7RLE new to Simonds of Botesdale Limited, Diss in August 2013 SK68 TWN, a Wright StreetLite DF that had been new to MD Bus & Coach, St. Helens in December 2018

Wednesday 22 July 2026 (1026) – Mulleys Motorways SK68 TWN, a Wright StreetLite DF that had been new to MD Bus & Coach, St. Helens in December 2018, seen at the Ixworth premises.

Wednesday 22 July 2026 (1025) – Mulleys Motorways BV26 HTU, a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo added to the fleet in March 2026, seen at the Ixworth premises.

Wednesday 22 July 2026 (1026) – Mulleys Motorways Mercedes-Benz Tourismo coaches parked at the Ixworth premises. With the advent of the much larger sized wing mirrors on modern day coaches it has become the norm for such vehicles to be parked nose in so that the mirrors are less vulnerable to damage by other vehicles. Left: WSV 888 had been new to Armagh Coaches, Milford, Co. Armagh in March 2017 registered BN17 JFJ and was later operated by Impression Holidays and Excursions of Peterborough. When with company, which closed in early 2020, it had been re-registered EC17 PCT and came to Mulleys with that registration. Right: WSV 999 was new to Mulleys in March 2017 registered BN17 JFK.

Wednesday 22 July 2026 (1022) – Two Ford Transit minibuses operated by Mulleys Motorways seen parked at Stow Road, Ixworth. Alongside is a Peugeot van that hasn’t moved for a little while. New circa 2003/2004 I had driven that van a fair number of times and had made use of it for a mid-duty siesta on Saturday afternoons when I worked for the company!

Wednesday 22 July 2026 – When Jack Mulley established Mulleys Motorways in Ixworth in the late 1930s his business was based at these premises the High Street. The archway to the yard is flanked by two residential properties, that on the left features period petrol pumps as a nod to the past. Note the swing out arms above the pumps that held the hose and nozzle to dispense the fuel. Each has a sight glass to show fuel was passing through. There are some more residences through the archway known as Mulleys Yard.

Wednesday 22 July 2026 (1209/1210) – Since Vectare acquired the business of Simonds of Botesdale Limited in April 2024 followed by the Vectare re-naming to become Transport Made Simple in June 2024 and then the acquisition of Konectbus/Konectbuses in September 2025 - there have been many inter group vehicle transfers not to mention the Central Connect name being applied to service registrations! Konectbus 607 (SN61 CZX), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D new in January 2012, was seen in High Street, Ixworth as it worked the 1130 service 70 from Diss to Bury St. Edmunds, a service inherited from Simonds.

Wednesday 22 July 2026 (1209/1210) – Since Vectare acquired the business of Simonds of Botesdale Limited in April 2024 followed by the Vectare re-naming to become Transport Made Simple in June 2024 and then the acquisition of Konectbus/Konectbuses in September 2025 - there have been many inter group vehicle transfers not to mention the Central Connect name being applied to service registrations! Konectbus 607 (SN61 CZX), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D new in January 2012, was seen in High Street, Ixworth as it worked the 1130 service 70 from Diss to Bury St. Edmunds, a service inherited from Simonds.

Wednesday 22 July 2026 (1210) – Since Vectare acquired the business of Simonds of Botesdale Limited in April 2024 followed by the Vectare re-naming to become Transport Made Simple in June 2024 and then the acquisition of Konectbus/Konectbuses in September 2025 - there have been many inter group vehicle transfers not to mention the Central Connect name being applied to service registrations! Konectbus 607 (SN61 CZX), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D new in January 2012, was seen in Stow Road, Ixworth as it worked the 1130 service 70 from Diss to Bury St. Edmunds, a service inherited from Simonds.

Wednesday 22 July 2026 (1210) – Since Vectare acquired the business of Simonds of Botesdale Limited in April 2024 followed by the Vectare re-naming to become Transport Made Simple in June 2024 and then the acquisition of Konectbus/Konectbuses in September 2025 - there have been many inter group vehicle transfers not to mention the Central Connect name being applied to service registrations! Konectbus 607 (SN61 CZX), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D new in January 2012, was seen in Stow Road, Ixworth as it worked the 1130 service 70 from Diss to Bury St. Edmunds, a service inherited from Simonds.