Ipernity HFF

Friday 3 May 2019 (1327) – East Yorkshire 9919 (YX02 LFU), an Alexander ALX300 bodied MAN 18.22 new in July 2002 with fleet number 329, is now assigned to the driver training fleet. It was seen here leaving the parking compound in Arnold Street close to the company’s garage on Anlaby Road, Hull.

Thursday 6 May 2004 (1427) - I was travelling on Ulsterbus 691 (ACZ 6691), a 1999 Plaxton Excalibur bodied Volvo B10M-62, working the Stranraer-Birmingham section of the Belfast-Birmingham service 921. As we passed Burton-in-Kendal service area on the M6 Motorway at 1427 we encountered the northbound 921 service which had left Birmingham at 1100. He was on time and would be taking a rest stop at Tebay Service Area in about 22 minutes. Couldn’t tell which coach this was unfortunately. It could possibly have been 692 on which I had travelled north two days earlier. The no roller type destination sign was a possible clue.

Sunday 15 April 2007 (approx 0820) - East Yorkshire Motor Services Limited 37 (3277 KH ex V838 JAT), a Plaxton Premiere bodied Volvo B10M (new 1999), seen at the coach stop opposite the Railway Station in Scarborough about to depart as the 0815 National Express service 322 to Brecon (Wales). Travelling via various towns and cities including Hull (0955-1000); Nottingham (1255-1300); Birmingham (1415-1515 where it partakes in the interchange hub); and Cardiff (1745-1750). It was due to arrive in Brecon at 1910. New coaches were anticipated within the forthcoming weeks which would oust this coach from National Express work. The art deco theatre was the ODEON cinema in my childhood.

Friday 8 January 2016 (1311) – H C Chambers and Son Limited (Go-Ahead) 1502 (YN55 PZD) seen turning into Vinery Road, Bury St. Edmunds when working service 753 to Sudbury. It is an East Lancs Omnidekka bodied Scania N94UD new to Metrobus (also Go-Ahead owned) in February 2006.

Friday 8 September 2023 (1106) – Arriva 3773 (FL63 DXD) heading from Holywell Hill to Chequer Street in in St. Albans. It is a Wright Pulsar 2 bodied VDL SB200 new in December 2013 Working the 0915 service 724 from Heathrow Central to Harlow. Just sneeking into the photo on the left is Red Eagle 50108 (YX11 BGU), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 bodied Dart new in April 2010 to Centrewest (DML44162).

Monday 29 April 2019 (0948) – Mulleys Motorways YN54 AHA seen in Mill Street, Mildenhall passing a prolific display of springtime wisteria on the former Palmer’s Dentist property. It is a Scania N94UD OmniCity that was new to Nottingham City Transport (208) in September 2004 and was operating the 0940 service 357 to Bury St. Edmunds via Red Lodge, Tuddenham, Cavenham and Risby.

Wednesday 18 October 2023 (0955) – Whippet Coaches WG102 (BF63 HFA) seen leaving Drummer Street bus station, Cambridge when working the 0955 service 18 to St. Neots via Grantchester, Bourn and Cambourne. It is a Wright Eclipse 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE new in September 2013 which was acquired for and when Whippet ran on Busway service C from Cambridge to St .Ives etc on the northern Busway. The company curtailed those operations but then began working services P and U that used the southern Busway to Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

Thursday 2 September 2004 – DK’Bus Marine, Dunkerque, France 222 (574 TC 59) turning from Boulevard Alex III at Place Jan Bart when working a mid-day run on service 4. Depending on its age the bus could be a Renault, Iveco or Irisbus built R312 or Agora. At the time the company was owned by Connex and had a fleet of 101 vehicles comprising 34 articulated single deckers (9 GNV powered); 58 standard single deckers (34 GNV powered) and 9 mini-buses. DK’Bus Marine operates the network under contract to SMTP (Syndicat Mixte des Transports Publics da la Communauté urbaine de Dunkerque), a consortium of local municipalities in the Dunkerque area.

Thursday 2 September 2004 – DK’Bus Marine, Dunkerque, France 429 in Place Jean Bart (Boulevard Sainte Barbe beyond) when working a mid-day run on service 1A from Rosendaël, on the eastern side of the town, to Grande-Synthe, on the western side of the town. Both these communities are townships in their own right separate from the administration of Dunkerque itself. Depending on its age the bus could be a Renault, Iveco or Irisbus built Agora. At the time the company was owned by Connex and had a fleet of 101 vehicles comprising 34 articulated single deckers (9 GNV powered); 58 standard single deckers (34 GNV powered) and 9 mini-buses. DK’Bus Marine operates the network under contract to SMTP (Syndicat Mixte des Transports Publics da la Communauté urbaine de Dunkerque), a consortium of local municipalities in the Dunkerque area.

Friday 18 March 1994 - TCRB (Boulogne-sur-Mer, France) 47 (6872 PD 62) seen at the company garage. It was probably a Renault SC10 which had an open rear area in the same style as a small number of Paris buses. (TCRB – Société des Transports en Commune Region Boulonnaise)

A weekday in March 1999 (1105) – Ownership of County Bus and Coach Company passed to the Cowie Group in 1996, Cowie renamed itself Arriva the following year. County’s operations from the Ware garage carried the name Lea Valley. DWL402 (J402 XVX), a Wright Handybus bodied Dennis Dart 9SDL 3011 new to County in April 1992, and was seen in Buntingford when working the 1030 service 331 from Royston to Hertford (due there at 1155).

Tuesday 5 December 2023 (1108) – First Eastern Counties Buses 36173 (BD11 CFX) and 36171 (BD11 CFU) seen during a short stopover in Mildenhall bus station. The two Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TLs, new in July and June 2011 respectively, were operating a staff contract for Traditional Norfolk Poultry and had made a call to enable passengers to get some shopping. This was the first time in about two years that I had seen buses on the contract myself although my wife’s friend has seen them parked in the bus station in recent weeks. At the time I saw (in November 2019) them they were passing straight through Mildenhall heading, I believe, towards Ely. The buses carry lettering and branding for Norwich city service 13. During October 2023 FEC received the first of its new electric buses for Norwich city services which has possibly resulted in these older buses now being available for contract work.

Wednesday 5 July 2017 (1559) – Go-South Coast (Southern Vectis) 1150 (HW09 BCU), a Scania OmniCity N230UD new in March 2009, seen climbing Ocean View Road towards Upper Ventnor when working the 1445 service 3 from Ryde to Newport.

Thursday 6 July 2017 (1240) – A general view of the yard at the Go-South Coast (Southern Vectis) outstation in Ryde. Up on the ramp is the only green bus on site during my visit, 1107 (HW58 ARZ), a Scania OmniCity N230UD new in September 2008. All the others carried the Vectis Blue livery which is applied to vehicles in the private hire and school transport fleet. Alongside is 7042 (MV02 UMS), a Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo B12M new to Shearings Holidays (415) in March 2002 and 3815 (HW62 CNJ). Two Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 double deckers are in the background of the photograph.

Friday 7 July 2017 (1020) – The sound of an engine from an earlier era coming up a nearby hill prompted me to direct the camera towards what I heard and I clicked this photograph. CDL 899, an Eastern Coachworks bodied Bristol K5G dating from 1939, is in the heritage fleet of Go-South Coast (Southern Vectis) having been new to the Southern Vectis Omnibus Company. It was climbing the hill towards Trinity Road in Ventnor.

Friday 7 July 2017 (1040) – Following the withdrawal of the normal bus service from Ventnor to St. Lawrence (west of the town) and Bonchurch (to the east) a substitute was provided with support from Ventnor Town Council. Service 31 covers three different routes worked by one mini-bus five days a week between 0945 and 1348. Renault mini-bus HX53 AZC, operated by Priory School in Whippingham, was seen on the Esplanade seafront.

Wednesday 5 July 2017 (1300) – Seaview Services, Sandown, Isle of Wight takes its name from the small town of Seaview from where it once ran bus services to Ryde. Van Hool Alizee bodied Volvo CDL 647 was seen at Appuldurcombe House. It was new to Red Line of Penwortham in June 2004 registered YK04 FWB. (It had also carried registration 12 RED with Red Line). The registration now carried by this coach is one of the traditional Isle of Wight issues dating from around the mid/late 1940s.

Monday 3 July 2017 (1309) – Lucketts of Fareham YN16 NZW, an Irizar i6 integral new in March 2016, seen leaving Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight.