David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos

Tuesday 30 June 2026 (0944) - On Thursday 18 June the Flixbus Norwich-London service 007 had two additional round trips added to the schedule. In addition to the existing runs (0900 from Norwich/1600 from Victoria Coach Station which serve Thetford and Stratford and are worked by Transport Made Simple/Central Connect/Simonds), the new runs are worked by Hearns Coaches based in the north London area: 0700 Victoria-Stratford-Thetford-Norwich (arriving 1055) 1210 Norwich-Thetford-Stratford (arriving 1500) 1540 Stratford- Thetford-Norwich (arriving 1840) 1955 Norwich-Thetford-Stratford-Victoria (arriving 2320) Neoplan Tourliner OU22 ZXE was seen approaching Fiveways, Barton Mills as it worked the 0700 service from London (Victoria Coach Station) to Norwich. It was new to Hearn’s in May 2022. Completing the picture is a delivery van from The Corner Stores in nearby Mildenhall.

Tuesday 19 May 2026 (approx. 1145) – Southgate and Finchley Coaches ( London N11) DC19 SFC seen at The Naze near Walton-on-the-Naze having brough a party of students to the nature site. It is a Plaxton Leopard bodied Volvo B8R new in May 2019.

Tuesday 19 May 2026 (approx. 1145) – Southgate and Finchley Coaches ( London N11) DC19 SFC seen at The Naze near Walton-on-the-Naze having brough a party of students to the nature site. It is a Plaxton Leopard bodied Volvo B8R new in May 2019.

Tuesday 19 May 2026 (approx. 1145) – Southgate and Finchley Coaches ( London N11) DC19 SFC seen at The Naze near Walton-on-the-Naze having brough a party of students to the nature site. It is a Plaxton Leopard bodied Volvo B8R new in May 2019.

Monday 18 May 2026 (1344) – First Bus/First Essex 37613 (WX58 JXY) seen in Colchester High Street. It is an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Volvo B9TL new in November 2008 to First Bristol that carries the First Essex livery. Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain which served as a provincial Roman capital of Britain. The city was was attacked and destroyed during Boudica's rebellion in AD 61. Sometime after the destruction, London became the capital of the province of Britannia. Colchester claims to be Britain's first city and has been an important military base since the Roman era through to the present day. Colchester Castle was constructed in the eleventh century on earlier Roman foundations. The Balkerne Water Tower built in 1883 and affectionally known as Jumbo, can be seen in the background.

Wednesday 20 May 2026 (0814) – Transport Made Simple/Konnectbuses 634 (SN64 OAS), an Alexander Dennis Enviro400D new to Konectbus (634) in September 2015, seen in Walton-on-the-Naze when working school service ‘Lower 4’ to Tendring Technology College. In late September 2025 the Go-Ahead Group sold its Go East Anglia operations to TMS. That purchase included the Konectbus brand (in Norfolk) and the Konectbuses brand (in Essex and Suffolk). The latter had only been created a short time before when Go Ahead had merged its Hedingham and Chambers businesses owned for a number of years and managed by Konectbus. In ‘Buses’ magazine June 2026 it was reported that TMS would be rebranding its various East Anglian operations under the Central Connect name. This bus wears the Central Connect blue livery with the Konectbus name and legal address.

Tuesday 19 May 2026 (0816) – A damp morning on the seafront in Walton-on-the-Naze. Transport Made Simple/Konnectbuses 524 (LX05 EZG) was arriving to take up duty on a school service to Tendring Technology College and is a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL It had been new to Go-Ahead owned London General (WVL210) in July 2005.to operate Transport for London services and after reaching the maximum age for such work was cascaded out of the capital .and became a Hedingham and District vehicle. In late September 2025 the Go-Ahead Group sold its Go East Anglia operations to TMS. That purchase included the Konectbus brand (in Norfolk) and the Konectbuses brand (in Essex and Suffolk). The latter had only been created a short time before when Go Ahead had merged its Hedingham and Chambers businesses owned for a number of years and managed by Konectbus. In ‘Buses’ magazine June 2026 it was reported that TMS would be rebranding its various East Anglian operations under the Central Connect name.

Wednesday 20 May 2026 (1115) – As my wife and I had a morning coffee outside a nice bakery shop in High Street, Manningtree I took this opportunist shot of First Bus/First Essex 33656 (SN12 ADU). It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 bodied Volvo B9TL that had been new to First Edinburgh in November 2007 which was working the 1035 service 104 from Colchester to Harwich.

Wednesday 20 May 2026 (1115) – First Bus/First Essex 33656 (SN12 ADU) seen squeezing past the old Market Cross building in the High Street, Manningtree. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 bodied Volvo B9TL that had been new to First Edinburgh in November 2007 which was working the 1035 service 104 from Colchester to Harwich. The Manningtree Ox - Note the sculpture set high on the building which pays homage to William Shakespeare. In the play ‘Henry IV Part 1’, Falstaff is upbraided by Prince Hal as being 'a roasted Manningtree Ox with a pudding in his belly'. It is mostly a metal outline of an ox and within the belly of the sculpture hangs a large golden orb representing the pudding.

Wednesday 20 May 2026 (1105) – As my wife and I had a morning coffee outside a nice bakery shop in High Street, Manningtree I took this opportunist shot of First Bus/First Essex 37138 (SN57 HCX) as it passed by. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 bodied Volvo B9TL that had been new to First Edinburgh in November 2007 which was working the 1010 service 104 from Harwich to Colchester.

Tuesday 19 May 2026 (approx. 0816) – Transport Made Simple/Konectbus/Konectbuses 249 (LX13 CZC) seen on a damp morning in Walton-on-the-Naze when working the 0812 service 7 from The Naze to Clacton-on-Sea. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D that was new to Stagecoach owned East London Bus (36560) in August 2013. Working a Konectbuses service the bus carried the legal name and address of Konectbus, East Dereham. In late September 2025 the Go-Ahead Group sold its Go East Anglia operations to TMS. That purchase included the Konectbus brand (in Norfolk) and the Konectbuses brand (in Essex and Suffolk). The latter had only been created a short time before when Go Ahead had merged its Hedingham and Chambers businesses owned for a number of years and managed by Konectbus. In ‘Buses’ magazine June 2026 it was reported that TMS would be rebranding its various East Anglian operations under the Central Connect name.

Tuesday 19 May 2026 (approx. 0816) – Transport Made Simple/Konectbus/Konectbuses 249 (LX13 CZC) seen on a damp morning in Walton-on-the-Naze when working the 0812 service 7 from The Naze to Clacton-on-Sea. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D that was new to Stagecoach owned East London Bus (36560) in August 2013. Working a Konectbuses service the bus carried the legal name and address of Konectbus, East Dereham. In late September 2025 the Go-Ahead Group sold its Go East Anglia operations to TMS. That purchase included the Konectbus brand (in Norfolk) and the Konectbuses brand (in Essex and Suffolk). The latter had only been created a short time before when Go Ahead had merged its Hedingham and Chambers businesses owned for a number of years and managed by Konectbus. In ‘Buses’ magazine June 2026 it was reported that TMS would be rebranding its various East Anglian operations under the Central Connect name.

Tuesday 19 May 2026 (approx. 1417) – Transport Made Simple/Konnectbus/Konectbuses 249 (LX13 CZC) seen in Walton-on-the-Naze when working the 1412 service 7 from The Naze to Clacton-on-Sea. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D that was new to Stagecoach owned East London Bus (36560) in August 2013. Working a Konectbuses service the bus carries the legal name and address of Konectbus, East Dereham. It has been somewhat taxing to keep up with the acquisitions, re-namings and inter-company vehicle transfers within this bus group of late. Vectare (renamed Transport Made Simple in June 2024) had acquired Central Connect in August 2023 and has now adopted that name for subsequent acquisitions - notably the former Go Ahead East Anglia business in September 2025 which operated as Konectbus in Norfolk and Konectbuses in Suffolk and Essex (the latter being the former Hedingham & District plus H C Chambers and Son). In late September 2025 the Go-Ahead Group sold its Go East Anglia operations to TMS. That purchase included the Konectbus brand (in Norfolk) and the Konectbuses brand (in Essex and Suffolk). The latter had only been created a short time before when Go Ahead had merged its Hedingham and Chambers businesses owned for a number of years and managed by Konectbus. In ‘Buses’ magazine June 2026 it was reported that TMS would be rebranding its various East Anglian operations under the Central Connect name.

Monday 18 May 2026 (1216) – The Park and Ride service in Colchester is worked by Arriva Southern Counties. 4122 (SN67 WUL), an Alexander Dennis Enviro200D MMC new in September 2017, carries dedicated branding for the service. It was seen in High Street having arrived from the Park and Ride site to the north of the city. The service runs as a loop around the centre picking up and setting down simultaneously at three stops (High Street, St. John’s Street and Head Street) as it returns to the site. The Balkerne Water Tower built in 1883 and affectionally known as Jumbo, can be seen in the background. Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the first major city in Roman Britain which served as a provincial Roman capital of Britain. The city was attacked and destroyed during Boudica's rebellion in AD 61. After the destruction London became the capital of the province of Britannia. Colchester claims to be Britain's first city. Colchester Castle was constructed in the eleventh century on earlier Roman foundations.

Monday 18 May 2026 (1153) – The Park and Ride service in Colchester is worked by Arriva Southern Counties. In this view taken at the Park and Ride site to the north of the city, 4122 (SN67 WUL) - one of the branded Alexander Dennis Enviro200D MMC buses new in September 2017, was about to take up a service to the city centre.

Monday 18 May 2026 (1157) – On board Arriva Southern Counties 4122 (SN67 WUL) at the Colchester Park and Ride site to the north of the city. It is an Alexander Dennis Enviro200D MMC new in September 2017 as it was about to leave for the city centre.

Tuesday 19 May 2026 (1457) – Transport Made Simple/Konectbuses 292 (EU59 AFF) in Walton-on-the-Naze when working the 1446 service 7 from The Naze to Clacton-on-Sea. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 bodied Dart that was new to Hedingham & District (L380) in September 2009. It has been somewhat taxing to keep up with the acquisitions, re-namings and inter-company vehicle transfers within this bus group of late. Vectare (renamed Transport Made Simple in June 2024) had acquired Central Connect in August 2023 and has now adopted that name for subsequent acquisitions - notably the former Go Ahead East Anglia business in September 2025 which operated as Konectbus in Norfolk and Konectbuses in Suffolk and Essex (the latter being the former Hedingham & District plus H C Chambers and Son). This bus wears the Central Connect colours with Konectbuses fleetnames.

Tuesday 19 May 2026 (1457) – Transport Made Simple/Konectbuses 292 (EU59 AFF) in Walton-on-the-Naze when working the 1446 service 7 from The Naze to Clacton-on-Sea. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 bodied Dart that was new to Hedingham & District (L380) in September 2009. This bus wears the Central Connect colours with a fleetname style that embraces both the Konectbus and Konectbuses names. Legal lettering is that of Konectbus, East Dereham. It has been somewhat taxing to keep up with the acquisitions, re-namings and inter-company vehicle transfers within this bus group of late. Vectare (renamed Transport Made Simple in June 2024) had acquired Central Connect in August 2023 and has now adopted that name for subsequent acquisitions - notably the former Go Ahead East Anglia business in September 2025 which operated as Konectbus in Norfolk and Konectbuses in Suffolk and Essex (the latter being the former Hedingham & District plus H C Chambers and Son).