David Slater (Spoddendale)'s photos

Friday 9 January 2026 (1021) – A rather damp morning in King Street, Mildenhall. Mulleys Motorways MUI 7949 approaches the Bus Station when working service 355 from Holywell Row and Beck Row to Bury St. Edmunds. This was the 1020 departure from Mildenhall on which I took a ride to Bury St. Edmunds. It is a former Dublin Bus Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL which I believe it was their AV202 (01 D 10202) new in December 2001/January 2002. When imported to Britain it received registration number LW51 ZMV although Mulleys re-registered it to MUI 7949 in May 2016. On this little outing today I travelled on three buses: Bus 1: Mulleys Motorways MUI 7949 – Mildenhall to Bury St. Edmunds Bus 2: Mulleys Motorways YT11 LPY - Bury St. Edmunds town service M11 to/from Nowton Estate Bus 3: Stephensons of Essex 804 (EU74 KTT) – Bury St. Edmunds to Mildenhall

Friday 9 January 2026 (1022) – A rather damp morning in Mildenhall. Mulleys Motorways MUI 7949 was about to depart on the 1020 service 355 to Bury St. Edmunds on which I took a ride. It is a former Dublin Bus Alexander ALX400 bodied Volvo B7TL which I believe it was their AV202 (01 D 10202) new in December 2001/January 2002. When imported to Britain it received registration number LW51 ZMV although Mulleys re-registered it to MUI 7949 in May 2016. Note the flags on the bus stop pole. During the Summer a National Express coach stop sign had been added to the pole although it would appear that something may have given it a nudge at some point along the way. Around the same time National Express also added a display unit containing a QR code for passengers to obtain information but, like the Suffolk County Council timetable display unit, both face away from where passengers wait! Do the passengers have any idea there is such information to be had? On this little outing today I travelled on three buses: Bus 1: Mulleys Motorways MUI 7949 – Mildenhall to Bury St. Edmunds Bus 2: Mulleys Motorways YT11 LPY - Bury St. Edmunds town service M11 to/from Nowton Estate Bus 3: Stephensons of Essex 804 (EU74 KTT) – Bury St. Edmunds to Mildenhall

Friday 9 January 2026 (1126) – Mulleys Motorways Limited YT11 LPY seen in St. Andrew’s Street South, Bury St. Edmunds having worked the 1055 town service M11 to/from the Nowton Estate. It is a Scania N230UD OmniLink new in April 2011 to Menzies Parking, Heathrow (S26) although had been acquired from Beestons Coaches. Previous operators of the vehicle included Xelabus, Eastleigh and Caelloi Motors Pwllheli. A photograph of this bus taken by Ipernity contributor John Oram when it was operated by Xelabus may be seen via this link: www.ipernity.com/doc/286547/36297890 On this little outing today I travelled on three buses: Bus 1: Mulleys Motorways MUI 7949 – Mildenhall to Bury St. Edmunds Bus 2: Mulleys Motorways YT11 LPY - Bury St. Edmunds town service M11 to/from Nowton Estate Bus 3: Stephensons of Essex 804 (EU74 KTT) – Bury St. Edmunds to Mildenhall

Friday 9 January 2026 (1104) – On board Mulleys Motorways Limited YT11 LPY working the 1055 Bury St. Edmunds town service M11 to the Nowton Estate. It is a Scania N230UD OmniLink new in April 2011 to Menzies Parking, Heathrow (S26) although had been acquired from Beestons Coaches. Previous operators of the vehicle included Xelabus, Eastleigh and Caelloi Motors Pwllheli. A photograph of this bus taken by Ipernity contributor John Oram when it was operated by Xelabus may be seen via this link: www.ipernity.com/doc/286547/36297890 On this little outing today I travelled on three buses: Bus 1: Mulleys Motorways MUI 7949 – Mildenhall to Bury St. Edmunds Bus 2: Mulleys Motorways YT11 LPY - Bury St. Edmunds town service M11 to/from Nowton Estate Bus 3: Stephensons of Essex 804 (EU74 KTT) – Bury St. Edmunds to Mildenhall

Friday 9 January 2026 (1159/1200) – Stephensons of Essex 804 (EU74 KTT), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D new in September 2024, seen on a rather wet day at Bury St. Edmunds. It was working the 1150 service 16 from West Suffolk Hospital to Newmarket on which I travelled to Mildenhall. On this little outing today I travelled on three buses: Bus 1: Mulleys Motorways MUI 7949 – Mildenhall to Bury St. Edmunds Bus 2: Mulleys Motorways YT11 LPY - Bury St. Edmunds town service M11 to/from Nowton Estate Bus 3: Stephensons of Essex 804 (EU74 KTT) – Bury St. Edmunds to Mildenhall

Saturday 25 May 1991 – RAF Mildenhall is occupied by the United States Air Force and part of its role has been to handle passenger traffic for service personnel and dependants. The base is assigned the IATA airport code MHZ. This view is airside of the passenger terminal where a number of personnel carriers are parked. The two larger buses have Dodge or Renault chassis and the smaller ones mainly the Sherpa model built by Leyland-DAF or LDV. When I first moved to Suffolk in early 1979 USAF operated a fleet of U.S. built school bus style buses at the neighbouring air bases at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath. However, the 1980s USAF sourced vehicles of the types also supplied to the British Ministry of Defence (for example models like the Wadham Stringer bodied Renault/Dodge types).

Saturday 22 January 1994 (1215) – Passengers arriving at Newmarket Rookery Bus Station having travelled on Wessex of Bristol 163 (K794 OTC) working the 1030 London-Lowestoft National Express service 597. It is a Plaxton Expressliner II bodied Volvo B10M new in June 1993. Service 597 began with the Summer 1993 timetables on Sunday 23 May 1993 and was mainly worked by Ambassador Travel (Anglia) Limited except for the 1030 London-Lowestoft service (arriving 1435) and the 1615 Lowestoft-London service (arriving 2020). Initially these runs had been worked by Scottish based Express Travel Services, the workings sandwiched between overnight Scotland-London and London-Scotland runs. However, with the commencement of the Winter 1993/1994 schedules on Monday 1 November 1993, the runs passed to Wessex and presumably they were operated between Bristol-London/London-Bristol runs. The driver and stewardess stretch their legs during the brief call here.

Saturday 28 May 1994 – Coaches parked at RAF Mildenhall attending the annual Air Fete. This event was one of the largest aircraft shows in the country until it ceased to be for security reasons (circa early 2000s).

Monday 26 February 2001 (approx. 1335) - Cardiff Bus/Bws Caerdydd 258 (G258 HUH), a Leyland Lynx 1 new in January 1990, seen leaving Cardiff bus station during a downpour.

Thursday 25 February 1985 – Former London Transport DM1825 (GHM 825N), an MCCW (Metro-Cammell) bodied Daimler Fleetline new in 1975, seen in College Heath Road, Mildenhall. Coach Services Limited are recorded as acquiring the vehicle some months later (September 1985) although at the time of the photograph it may have been on loan from Ensign Bus. It was passing a parked Leyland truck operated by Bridge Farm Dairies (Dairy Time), a company which was based in Mildenhall for many years.

Sunday 23 May 1993 – The first day of the Summer National Express schedules saw service 747 re-numbered 347 and quite a significant number of changes. Newmarket was no longer served on the main daytime journeys. Premier Travel Services Limited 378 (G378 REG), a Plaxton Expressliner bodied Volvo B10M new in February 1990, was working the Great Yarmouth-Paignton National Express service 347 and was seen at the end of St. Andrew’s Street in Mildenhall having just departed King Street at 1050.

Saturday 16 March 1985 – Former Ribble Motor Services 1538 (KCK 884) as a race control unit at the East of England Showground near Peterborough. It is a Burlingham bodied Leyland PD3/4 new in May 1958, one of 105 such buses that were Ribble’s first 30 feet long double deckers seating 72 passengers. They were fitted with a sliding entrance/exit door and full front style bodywork.

Saturday 18 June 1994 (approx. 1300) – Eastern Counties Omnibus Company Limited LW796 (OEX 796W) was seen heading out of Mildenhall when working the Thetford-Newmarket service 200. It is a Willowbrook bodied Leyland Leopard PSU3E/4R that was new as a National Express liveried coach in December 1980 (with fleet number LL796). In the split of ECOC it passed to Ambassador Travel for continued use on National Express services. However, it later returned to ECOC. In the days leading up to this photograph being taken new boundary signs had been erected on the main roads leading into Mildenhall.

July 1992 – Suffolk County Council has operated a coach fleet for many years initially used just for the transport of students. Later some of the home to school/college services were made available to the general public. HAX 5W was seen at King Street, Mildenhall on a morning working to Bury St. Edmunds. It is a Duple Dominant bodied Bedford YMT that had been new to Bebb Travel, Llantwit Fadre in September 1980.

Sunday 3 February 1985 – Duncan’s Coaches of Sawtry near Peterborough. Plaxton Supreme bodied Ford coach passing the end of Bell Lane, Barton Mills as it travelled westbound on the old A11 road. (Possibly GEG 604W or GEG 605W which were both new in September 1980)

Saturday 28 May 1994 - Coaches parked at RAF Mildenhall attending the annual Air Fete. This event was one of the largest aircraft shows in the country until it ceased to be for security reasons (circa early 2000s). These two coaches carried re-registrations relevant to the owners. Left: Al’s International of Birkenhead A20 ALS, a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied DAF Right: O R Jones and Sons Limited of Llanfaethlu near Holyhead, Isle of Anglesey. Side lettering reads ‘Teithiau Gwyliau-Jones’. A Bova Futura FHD12-280 new to Crosville Motor Services in April 1985 registered B58 DMB.

Sunday 24 March 1985 – Keymers Coaches of Aylsham WVF 635S, a Duple Dominant bodied Bedford YMT new in December 1977 heading away from Fiveways, Barton Mills followed by Spratts of Wrenningham Duple Dominant. They were just two of the many coaches heading westbound today which I believe were part of the huge convoy of buses and coaches conveying supporters of Norwich City Football Club to Wembley for the League Cup Final against Sunderland. Norwich City was triumphant with a 1-0 win.

Wednesday 27 March 2013 (1654) – MyCoach (West London) BJ03 JHA, a Caetano bodied Mercedes-Benz 1836RL new to Pullmanor (Redwing) in June 2003, seen at West Ramp coach park, Heathrow Airport. A political message was carried on the rearmost window, ‘Dokdo is Korean Territory’. Dokdo, a group of islets in the Sea of Japan also known as the Liancourt Rocks, is governed by South Korea although such sovereignty is disputed by Japan and North Korea.