Mulleys Optare Solos

Thursday 30 July 2020 (1144) – Mulleys Motorways YJ57 YDB seen in West Row when working the 1130 circular service 358 from Mildenhall which arrives back in Mildenhall at 1144. It is an Optare Solo that had been new to Peterborough Council in December 2007.

Thursday 30 July 2020 (1144) – Mulleys Motorways YJ57 YDB seen passing the War Memorial in West Row when working the 1130 circular service 358 from Mildenhall which arrives back in Mildenhall at 1144. It is an Optare Solo that had been new to Peterborough Council in December 2007. The driver is wearing a face mask as part of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic safeguards.

Thursday 30 July 2020 (1144) – Mulleys Motorways YJ57 YDB seen passing the War Memorial in West Row when working the 1130 circular service 358 from Mildenhall which arrives back in Mildenhall at 1144. It is an Optare Solo that had been new to Peterborough Council in December 2007. The driver is wearing a face mask as part of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic safeguards.

Monday 2 December 2024 (1215) - Mulleys Motorways YJ57 YDB, a 10.2 metre long Optare Solo new to Peterborough City Council (#600) in December 2007, seen in St. Andrews Street, Bury St. Edmunds. The Council began a small scale bus operation in 2007(?) in order to operate a number of regular bus services which could not be run viably by a commercial operator thus requiring Council subsidy. On July 1 2011 this operation was transferred to Enterprise Peterborough, a partnership created by the Council with outsourcing contractor Enterprise. In 2013 it was decided that these bus services, branded ‘Local Link’, would again be contracted out and Stagecoach in Peterborough became the chosen bidder.

Wednesday 30 April 2025 (0955) – Mulleys Motorways YJ57 YDB seen on Prince Charles Avenue, Bury St. Edmunds when working Town Circular service M44. It is a 10.2 metre long Optare Solo new to Peterborough City Council (#600) in December 2007. The Council began a small scale bus operation in 2007(?) in order to operate a number of regular bus services which could not be run viably by a commercial operator thus requiring Council subsidy. On July 1 2011 this operation was transferred to Enterprise Peterborough, a partnership created by the Council with outsourcing contractor Enterprise. In 2013 it was decided that these bus services, branded ‘Local Link’, would again be contracted out and Stagecoach in Peterborough became the chosen bidder.

Wednesday 30 April 2025 (0956) – Mulleys Motorways YJ57 YDB seen on Prince Charles Avenue, Bury St. Edmunds when working Town Circular service M44. It is a 10.2 metre long Optare Solo new to Peterborough City Council (#600) in December 2007. The Council began a small scale bus operation in 2007(?) in order to operate a number of regular bus services which could not be run viably by a commercial operator thus requiring Council subsidy. On July 1 2011 this operation was transferred to Enterprise Peterborough, a partnership created by the Council with outsourcing contractor Enterprise. In 2013 it was decided that these bus services, branded ‘Local Link’, would again be contracted out and Stagecoach in Peterborough became the chosen bidder.

Wednesday 30 April 2025 (0956) – Mulleys Motorways YJ57 YDB seen on Prince Charles Avenue, Bury St. Edmunds when working Town Circular service M44. It is a 10.2 metre long Optare Solo new to Peterborough City Council (#600) in December 2007. The Council began a small scale bus operation in 2007(?) in order to operate a number of regular bus services which could not be run viably by a commercial operator thus requiring Council subsidy. On July 1 2011 this operation was transferred to Enterprise Peterborough, a partnership created by the Council with outsourcing contractor Enterprise. In 2013 it was decided that these bus services, branded ‘Local Link’, would again be contracted out and Stagecoach in Peterborough became the chosen bidder.

Wednesday 30 April 2025 (0956) – Mulleys Motorways YJ57 YDB seen on Prince Charles Avenue, Bury St. Edmunds when working Town Circular service M44. It is a 10.2 metre long Optare Solo new to Peterborough City Council (#600) in December 2007. The Council began a small scale bus operation in 2007(?) in order to operate a number of regular bus services which could not be run viably by a commercial operator thus requiring Council subsidy. On July 1 2011 this operation was transferred to Enterprise Peterborough, a partnership created by the Council with outsourcing contractor Enterprise. In 2013 it was decided that these bus services, branded ‘Local Link’, would again be contracted out and Stagecoach in Peterborough became the chosen bidder.

Friday 29 April 2022 (1146) – Mulleys Motorways Optare Solo MX08 DFY seen on Hardwick Lane, Bury St. Edmunds when working the town circular service M22. It had been new to J S Brunskill, Coundon, Bishop Auckland in March 2008.

Friday 29 April 2022 (1146) – Mulleys Motorways Optare Solo MX08 DFY seen entering the grounds of West Suffolk Hospital when working Bury St. Edmunds town circular service M22. It had been new to J S Brunskill, Coundon, Bishop Auckland in March 2008.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 (1223) – Mulleys Motorways Optare Solo MX08 DFY seen parked in Bury St. Edmunds bus station. It had been new to J S Brunskill, Coundon, Bishop Auckland in March 2008.

Thursday 24 June 2021 (0900) – Mulleys Motorways Optare Solo MX08 DHN seen just after leaving Bury St. Edmunds bus station when working the 0855 departure of Suffolk County Council contracted service 377 to Rougham and Bradfield St. George. It had been new to Tyrers of Nelson, Lancashire in March 2008 although was latterly operated by Wheelers Travel, Southampton. Passing by in the background is Stagecoach East 15214 (YN15 KHL) which, despite wearing the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway livery and lettering, was arriving from Cambridge and Newmarket on service 11. It is an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UD new in August 2015. For many years vehicles on the services to/from Newmarket would leave the A14 at the ‘Sugar Beet Roundabout’ (junction 43) to then travel to the Bus Station. However, more recently a timing point has been introduced at West Suffolk College on all timings on every trip (Mondays to Saturdays). In the past the buses used to come up the hill of St. Andrew’s Street North (from the right) whereas now they arrive by travelling down the hill (from the left).

Friday 29 April 2022 (1144) – Mulleys Motorways Optare Solo MX08 DHN seen on Hardwick Lane, Bury St. Edmunds when working the 1135 departure of Suffolk County Council contracted service 377 to Rougham and Bradfield St. George. It had been new to Tyrers of Nelson, Lancashire in March 2008 although was latterly operated by Wheelers Travel, Southampton.

Friday 29 April 2022 (1144) – Mulleys Motorways Optare Solo MX08 DHN seen on Hardwick Lane, Bury St. Edmunds when working the 1135 departure of Suffolk County Council contracted service 377 to Rougham and Bradfield St. George. It had been new to Tyrers of Nelson, Lancashire in March 2008 although was latterly operated by Wheelers Travel, Southampton.

Saturday 25 March 2023 – Mulleys Motorways Optare Solo YJ55 BGU seen in the yard at Ixworth. It was new to Pullman of Crofty near Swansea in October 2005. Mulleys has found the Optare Solo a useful type of vehicle for its service work and operates various combinations of slimline and standard width types of differing lengths. There have also been a number of examples acquired solely to provide spare parts for the operational fleet like that in the background dating from 2004. (MX04 V**).

Monday 12 August 2024 (0949) – Mulleys Motorways YJ54 UBX seen at West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St. Edmunds when working Town Service M22. It had been new to Johnson’s, Henley-in-Arden in February 2002. Mulleys and Stephensons both operate town services serving the hospital, both running hourly, although nowadays it is the out of town bus services provided by Coach Services Limited (84/86) and Stephensons (15X/16) that provide the most frequent options between Bury St. Edmunds town centre and the hospital.

Tuesday 4 November 2025 (1215) – Wearing a poppy for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal, Mulleys Motorways Optare Solo MX08 DFY seen departing Bury St. Edmunds Bus Station on the town circular service M88 to the Horringer Court and Priors housing estates. It had been new to J S Brunskill, Coundon, Bishop Auckland in March 2008.

Saturday 2 April 2011 - From the driving seat of a Mulleys Motorways Optare Solo in St Andrew’s Street South, Bury St Edmunds. The bus was about to leave on service M55 to the Mildenhall Road and Howard Estates. The old gent at the kerb always seemed to time it just right to routinely catch this bus. Anyway, if he had missed it the next one was only 20 minutes later. The buildings housing Palmer's on the left and Karooze on the right now have different occupants. The shrounded former Woolworth's on the extreme right became a Tesco Express.