David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos

Tuesday 26 March 2024 (1400) – Stephensons of Essex driver training bus 7033 (LK03 NLG) seen in Newmarket bus station. It is an SC Coachbuilders (Caetano, UK) bodied Transbus Dart new to First Centrewest in April 2003 as their DHL505. During its time with Stephensons it has also carried registration number A17 SOE. In the background is Stephensons 470 (SN66 WLO) about to depart as the 1400 service 16 to Mildenhall and Bury St. Edmunds. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D that had been new to Dunn-Line (1406) in November 2016.

Tuesday 26 March 2024 (1400) – Stephensons of Essex 470 (SN66 WLO) leaving Newmarket bus station when working the 1400 service 16 to Mildenhall and Bury St. Edmunds. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D that had been new to Dunn-Line (1406) in November 2016.

Tuesday 26 March 2024 (1400) – Stephensons of Essex vehicles in Newmarket bus station. Left is driver training bus 7033 (LK03 NLG), an SC Coachbuilders (Caetano, UK) bodied Transbus Dart new to First Centrewest in April 2003 as their DHL505. During its time with Stephensons it has also carried registration number A17 SOE. Right is 470 (SN66 WLO) departing as the 1400 service 16 to Mildenhall and Bury St. Edmunds. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D that had been new to Dunn-Line (1406) in November 2016.

Sunday 7 April 2024 (1130) – Prospect Coaches of Lye near Stourbridge PR71 MEG seen on the A11 at Barton Mills when working the 0830 Megabus service M87 from Birmingham to Norwich. Running spot on time and due to arrive in Norwich at 1235. It would then return from Norwich as the 1405 service to Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. An Irizar i6 integral new in June 2019. Now in an uninspiring all white scheme, when seen in the past this coach had a sort of ‘halfway house’ version of a Megabus livery with blue and yellow vinyls, one on the roof over the windscreen and a band along each side.

Sunday 7 April 2024 (1130) – Prospect Coaches of Lye near Stourbridge PR71 MEG seen on the A11 at Barton Mills when working the 0830 Megabus service M87 from Birmingham to Norwich. Running spot on time and due to arrive in Norwich at 1235. It would then return from Norwich as the 1405 service to Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. An Irizar i6 integral new in June 2019. Now in an uninspiring all white scheme, when seen in the past this coach had a sort of ‘halfway house’ version of a Megabus livery with blue and yellow vinyls, one on the roof over the windscreen and a band along each side.

Sunday 7 April 2024 (1130) – Prospect Coaches of Lye near Stourbridge PR71 MEG seen on the A11 at Barton Mills when working the 0830 Megabus service M87 from Birmingham to Norwich. Running spot on time and due to arrive in Norwich at 1235. It would then return from Norwich as the 1405 service to Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. An Irizar i6 integral new in June 2019. Now in an uninspiring all white scheme, when seen in the past this coach had a sort of ‘halfway house’ version of a Megabus livery with blue and yellow vinyls, one on the roof over the windscreen and a band along each side.

Sunday 7 April 2024 (1130) – Marrett’s Chariots (AFSC Limited) M500 STR seen outside the Bull Inn at Barton Mills. It was on a private hire assignment and had run down from Norfolk with the first members of the party and was collecting a few additional passengers here. It is a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo that had been new to Travelmaster (Swans) of Chadderton in March 2018 registered BU18 YNR. The scrapes near the rear wheel might imply it has been doing a little chariot racing!

Sunday 7 April 2024 (1130) – Marrett’s Chariots (AFSC Limited) M500 STR seen outside the Bull Inn at Barton Mills. It was on a private hire assignment and had run down from Norfolk with the first members of the party and was collecting a few additional passengers here. It is a Mercedes-Benz Tourismo that had been new to Travelmaster (Swans) of Chadderton in March 2018 registered BU18 YNR. The scrapes near the rear wheel might imply it has been doing a little chariot racing!

Tuesday 8 November 1994 – The management of Schering-Plough decided it would be a good idea for the workforce at Mildenhall to visit the new head office at Welwyn Garden City for familiarisation visits which took place over three days 8/9/10 November 1994. I was tasked to hire the coaches and chose Neal’s Travel that provided Caetano Optimo bodied Toyota Coaster H314 HRY each day. It was seen in the office car park at Mildenhall on the first day. The staff based at Welwyn Garden City had visited the Mildenhall site on 25 and 27 October.

Tuesday 8 November 1994 – The management of Schering-Plough decided it would be a good idea for the workforce at Mildenhall to visit the new head office at Welwyn Garden City for familiarisation visits which took place over three days 8/9/10 November 1994. I was tasked to hire the coaches and chose Neal’s Travel that provided Caetano Optimo bodied Toyota Coaster H314 HRY each day. It was seen in the office car park at Mildenhall on the first day. The staff based at Welwyn Garden City had visited the Mildenhall site on 25 and 27 October.

Saturday 6 February 1993 - Neal’s Travel E46 MMT, a Reeve Burgess bodied Mercedes-Benz L307D new in September 1997, seen parked at the former Mildenhall Upper School/Dome Sports Centre in Mildenhall.

Tuesday 27 December 1994 – The Neal’s Travel fleet had quite a number of small sized mini-coaches some of which were operated on taxi licences. This view at the Isleham premises shows (left to right): K327 EJV, an Autobus Classique bodied Mercedes-Benz 410D new in August 1992 E46 MMT, a Reeve Burgess bodied Mercedes-Benz L307D new in September 1997 E353 DHK, a Ford Transit (possibly taxi/non-PSV) C235 GNA, a Ford Transit/Deansgate new in 1986

Wednesday 8 August 1984 – Twin sisters watch Mum, Dad and a passer by struggling to get their camping trailer straightened up to reverse back for the bus in Eype, Dorset. Their Ford Cortina Estate is well packed with holiday equipment. Southern National (or Western National?) 93 (VOD 93K), a Marshall bodied Bristol LHS6L new in February 1972, was arriving from Bridport on service 408.

Thursday 21 March 2024 (1357) – Whenever I am travelling by the Volvo depot at Witchford I try to swing by to see what new buses might be around. Brylaine Travel SN08 BXK is a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL that was new in June 2008 to Lothian Buses (897).

Thursday 11 May 1995 – King Street, Mildenhall just after 1800 hrs Left: Stagecoach owned United Counties Omnibus Company 711 (K711 KSA) had pulled up to set down students on a special contract for Cambridge Regional College. It was an Alexander RL bodied Leyland Olympian that was new to Fife Scottish, also a Stagecoach subsidiary, in September 1992. This was the regular bus assigned to the contract. It was part of the Huntingdon garage allocation although was parked overnight at the outstation site at Fiveways Filling Station, Barton Mills. Right: Neal’s Travel M373 VER had just arrived back from Beck Row on the last run of the day on the Mildenhall group of three local services. It became the regular vehicle on these services which comprised a town circular and runs to the nearby villages of Beck Row and West Row. New to Neal’s in October 1994 this was a Mercedes-Benz 709D with locally built bodywork by Cambridge based Marshall SPV.

Thursday 21 March 2024 (1217) – First Eastern Counties Buses 36901 (YN69 XZD), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 City bodied Scania N250UD seen in Peterborough bus station having just arrived spot on time (1217) as the 0900 service B from Norwich. It would return to Norwich as the 1240 service C on which I travelled to Guyhirn. This vehicle was the first of the 19 such buses delivered in late 2019 and allocated to King’s Lynn garage for the upgraded Norwich to Peterborough ‘excel’ service. 36901 arrived in November 2019 with the others arriving the following month.

Thursday 21 March 2024 (1238) – The upper deck of First Eastern Counties Buses 36901 (YN69 XZD), was the first of the 19 Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 City bodied Scania N250UDs delivered in late 2019. Allocated to King’s Lynn garage they were for the upgraded Norwich to Peterborough ‘excel’ service. 36901 arrived in November 2019 with the others arriving the following month. Seen about to depart Peterborough bus station as the 1240 service C to Norwich on which I travelled to Guyhirn. It had previously worked the 0900 service B from Norwich arriving Peterborough spot on time at 1217. Earlier I had travelled from Wisbech on similar bus 36904 and had chosen the front offside seat above the driver. During the journey I thought the seat was a little more upright for my comfort and had negative thoughts about this type of bus for a long journey. However, on this return journey I eventually sat in one of the single seats near the top of the stairs which was far more comfortable being slightly more reclined. Studying the front seats I saw that the more upright aspect of the seat was due to the compact space between the front bulkhead and the stairs bulkhead.

Thursday 21 March 2024 (1239) – On board First Eastern Counties Buses 36901 (YN69 XZD), the first of the 19 Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 City bodied Scania N250UDs delivered in late 2019 for the upgraded Norwich to Peterborough ‘excel’ service. 36901 arrived in November 2019 with the others arriving the following month. All 19 are allocated to King’s Lynn garage which is almost mid-way between Norwich (approx. 44 miles) and Peterborough (approx. 35 miles). The route diagram on the stairs panel shows the ‘excel’ service variations (A, B and C). Seen in Peterborough bus station the bus had arrived spot on time (1217) as the 0900 service B from Norwich and was about to return as the 1240 service C on which I travelled to Guyhirn (1310). Earlier I had travelled from Wisbech on sister vehicle 36904 and had chosen the front offside seat above the driver. During the journey I thought the seat was a little more upright for my comfort and had negative thoughts about this type of bus for a long journey. However, my return ride on to Guyhirn I sat in one of the single seats near the top of the stairs which was far more comfortable being slightly more reclined. Studying the front seats (left) I saw that the more upright aspect of the seat was due to the compact space between the front bulkhead and the stairs bulkhead.