Neal's Travel

Monday 1 November 2021 (0848) – Neals Travel OIG 6923 seen arriving at the Mildenhall Hub/Mildenhall College Academy (MCA) when working Suffolk County Council school contract ML413 from Lakenheath. It is a Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B12M that was new to Skills Coaches of Nottingham in September 2003 registered FJ53 LZU. At some point along the way it may have carried registration number SIL 6436. The Mildenhall Hub, opened in the late summer of 2021, is located on the western edge of the town centre and houses a number of different community facilities including the Council Offices, Clinic, Library, Leisure Centre, Swimming Pool, Police Offices, etc all of which were previously located in different parts of the town. MCA, expanded with the merging of the Mildenhall Upper and Riverside Middle Schools, serves students from a wide catchment area brought in by various contract vehicles and normal passenger services.

Monday 1 November 2021 (0855) – Neals Travel OIG 6912, a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B12BT, seen leaving the Mildenhall Hub/Mildenhall College Academy (MCA) having worked Suffolk County Council school contract ML422 from Red Lodge. The Mildenhall Hub, opened in the late summer of 2021, is located on the western edge of the town centre and houses a number of different community facilities including the Council Offices, Clinic, Library, Leisure Centre, Swimming Pool, Police Offices, etc all of which were previously located in different parts of the town. MCA, expanded with the merging of the Mildenhall Upper and Riverside Middle Schools, serves students from a wide catchment area brought in by various contract vehicles and normal passenger services.

Tuesday 6 September 2022 (0854) – Neal’s Travel OIG 6919 seen arriving at the Mildenhall Hub/Mildenhall College Academy (MCA) when working a Suffolk County Council school contract. It is a Volvo Prestige 9700 that was new to BM Coaches of Hayes in July 2009 registered FJ09 XGT.

Tuesday 6 September 2022 (0847) – Neal’s Travel OIG 6927 seen arriving at the Mildenhall Hub/Mildenhall College Academy (MCA) when working a Suffolk County Council school contract. It is a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B13RT new to Lochs and Glens in July 2012 registered BX12 CUK,

Thursday 26 May 2022 (1147) - Neal’s Travel JKZ 1693, a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL new to Lothian Buses (706) in September 2005 registered SN55 BKE, seen at the company yard in Isleham.

Thursday 26 May 2022 (1151) – Vehicles parked at the Neal’s Travel premises in Isleham. OIG 6921, a Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B10M OIG 8935, a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B11RT OIG 6925, a Sunsundegui Sideral bodied Volvo B7R in April 2006 registered FJ06 BPE OIG 6923, a Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B10M JAZ 8315, a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B11RT BU16 PBF, a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B11RT new in June 2016 to Loch and Glens JKZ 1693, a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL new to Lothian Buses (706) in September 2005 registered SN55 BKE

Tuesday 11 October 2022 (1126) - Neal’s Travel OIG 6922, a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B7TL new to Lothian Buses (718) in October 2005 registered SN55 BLJ, seen in Fred Archer Way, Newmarket.

Saturday 1 August 2009 (1414) – On Newmarket Race Days Neal’s Travel work the shuttle service from the town centre to the racecourse. New in March 2005 Eurocoach LX33 bodied Mercedes-Benz O 814D AE05 EFJ was seen in the High Street.

Thursday 4 November 2010 (0726) – Neal’s Travel of Chippenham (Cambridgeshire) FJ53 LZU seen in Lakenheath High Street (Suffolk) prior to working a school contract. It is a Jonckheere Mistral bodied Volvo B12M new to Skills of Nottingham in September 2003.

Saturday 30 November 1996 – Neal’s Travel P430 JDT, a Plaxton Première 320 bodied Dennis Javelin new in August 1996, parked at their Isleham premises.

A Saturday in December 1998 (1007) – King Street Lay-by in Mildenhall. Left is Burtons Coaches S102 VBJ, a Plaxton Beaver bodied Mercedes-Benz Vario O 814D new in November 1998 loading on service 355 to Bury St. Edmunds. Right is Neal’s Travel J832 RNK loading on service 209 to Newmarket. It has similar bodywork to the Burtons vehicle although was new in April 1992 at the time when Reeve Burgess, the original builders of the Beaver model, was being integrated into Plaxton. This vehicle apparently carried body numbers of both concerns. Chassis was Mercedes-Benz Vario O 811D. In the background is Neal’s Travel M373 VER, the regular vehicle on the group of Mildenhall services which included a town circular and runs to the nearby villages of West Row and Beck Row. It was a Mercedes-Benz 709D with locally built bodywork by Cambridge based Marshall SPV new in October 1994.

Sunday 28 November 1999 - Neal’s Travel T665 WVA, a Plaxton Beaver bodied Mercedes-Benz Vario O 814D new in July 1999, seen at King Street, Mildenhall about to work the 1009 Suffolk County Council Sundaybus service 357. This service had been revised from Sunday 3 October 1999 and comprised the following trips: 0840 Stowmarket-Mildenhall (0946) service 358 1009 Mildenhall-Lavenham (1110) service 357 1145 Lavenham-Mildenhall (1246) service 357 1309 Mildenhall-Lavenham (1410) service 357 1445 Lavenham-Mildenhall (1546) service 357 1609 Mildenhall-Lavenham (1710) service 357 1745 Lavenham-Mildenhall (1842) service 357 1843 Mildenhall-Stowmarket (1943) service 358

Sunday 9 January 2000 (approx. 1000) - Neal’s Travel T665 WVA, a Plaxton Beaver bodied Mercedes-Benz Vario O 814D new in July 1999, seen parked outside the Bussens and Parkin store in King Street, Mildenhall prior to moving along to the lay-by to work the 1009 Suffolk County Council Sundaybus service 357 to Lavenham. This service had been revised from Sunday 3 October 1999 and comprised the following trips: 0840 Stowmarket-Mildenhall (0946) service 358 1009 Mildenhall-Lavenham (1110) service 357 1145 Lavenham-Mildenhall (1246) service 357 1309 Mildenhall-Lavenham (1410) service 357 1445 Lavenham-Mildenhall (1546) service 357 1609 Mildenhall-Lavenham (1710) service 357 1745 Lavenham-Mildenhall (1842) service 357 1843 Mildenhall-Stowmarket (1943) service 358 Bussens and Parkin closed around December 2021 although the buildings still stand. Snushall's Fish and Chip shop is visible on the right. A fish and chip shop still trades there but with different owners and part of the building also features a coffee shop and a barbers shop.

Sunday 28 November 1999 - Neal’s Travel T665 WVA, a Plaxton Beaver bodied Mercedes-Benz Vario O 814D new in July 1999, seen at King Street, Mildenhall about to work the 1009 Suffolk County Council Sundaybus service 357. This service had been revised from Sunday 3 October 1999 and comprised the following trips: 0840 Stowmarket-Mildenhall (0946) service 358 1009 Mildenhall-Lavenham (1110) service 357 1145 Lavenham-Mildenhall (1246) service 357 1309 Mildenhall-Lavenham (1410) service 357 1445 Lavenham-Mildenhall (1546) service 357 1609 Mildenhall-Lavenham (1710) service 357 1745 Lavenham-Mildenhall (1842) service 357 1843 Mildenhall-Stowmarket (1943) service 358

Friday 21 January 2005 – Neal’s Travel AK02 LUY, a Eurocoach Clady bodied Mercedes-Benz Atego 122L that was new in May 2002, seen parked in College Heath Road, Mildenhall. Owned by the Neal family the fleetname on the rear panel correctly contains a possessive apostrophe whereas the fleetnames on the side and front don’t have one. Edging their bets perhaps?

Friday 21 January 2005 – Neal’s Travel AK02 LUY, a Eurocoach Clady bodied Mercedes-Benz Atego 122L that was new in May 2002, seen parked in College Heath Road, Mildenhall.

Saturday 25 November 1989 – Neal’s Travel then of Chippenham (later of Isleham) F73 FUS seen entering King Street, Mildenhall returning with the 1207 Town Circular Service. Neal’s commenced operating a revised service around Mildenhall and the surrounding villages on the previous Monday (20 November) following the withdrawal by the Eastern Counties Omnibus Company of their ‘Mildenhall Mini-Link’ services on 18 November. F73 FUS was a Scott bodied/conversion Ford Transit new to Neal’s a year earlier in November 1988.

Friday 9 February 2024 (0931) – Neal’s Coaches, Isleham (or Mil-Ken Travel) N21 NKT seen parked on the A1303 between Cambridge Airport and Quy. It is a Jonckheere bodied Volvo B11RT which I believe was new in November 2016 as BT66 MPX to Proctors Coaches, Leeming Bar for Lochs and Glens contract work.