Diary 2024

Friday 9 February 2024 (1051) – A broadside view of Whippet Coaches WG103 (BF63 HFB), a Wright Eclipse Urban 2 bodied Volvo B7RLE new in September 2013, seen from Maids Causeway. On the left is Stagecoach East 27853 (AE13 DZZ), an Alexander Dennis Enviro300D new in May 2013.

Friday 9 February 2024 (1404) – My trip from Cambridge to Norwich and back was on Megabus service M87 operated by Prospect Coaches 151 (PR19 STU), an Irizar i6 integral new in June 2019. Seen in Norwich bus station it had worked the 0830 Birmingham-Cambridge-Norwich service (due to arrive at 1235 arriving only one minute late!) and was about to work the 1405 Norwich-Cambridge-Birmingham-Manchester-Liverpool service. Almost ready for boarding the coach is seen in Norwich bus station with the display ‘M87 Liverpool via Birmingham’.

Friday 9 February 2024 (1252) – Borderbus of Beccles 216 (YT59 SFO) seen in St. Stephens Street, Norwich departing as the 1250 service 146 to Southwold via Beccles and Kessingland. It is a Scania N230UD OmniCity new to London United (SP90) in October 2009. Signage is part of the roadworks taking place in Queens Road part of which had closed the entrance to Norwich bus station.

Thursday 21 March 2024 (1007) – Wisbech bus station Stagecoach East (Cambus) 10866 (YX67 VDA), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 bodied Scania N250UD new in December 2019, had worked the 0930 service 46 from March going on to work the 1015 return journey. I had travelled on this bus from Guyhirn. The First Eastern Counties ‘excel’ service covers the journey between Guyhirn and Wisbech in 14 minutes travelling along the A47 (South Brink) however, I fancied travelling on the more local service 46 which takes about 22 minutes travelling via the North Brink and Wisbech St. Mary. The driver (left), possibly a new recruit, appeared to be receiving route tuition from her colleague in the hi-vis jacket. In the background is First Eastern Counties Buses 36903 (YN69 XZG), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 City bodied Scania N250UD, working an eastbound ‘excel’ service to Peterborough.

Thursday 21 March 2024 (1200) – Stagecoach East (Cambus) 36011 (AE07 KYS), now a training bus, is an Alexander Dennis Enviro200D new in July 2017 which was seen leaving Peterborough bus station. When I visited Peterborough in February 2019 this bus carried a pink based livery for Cancer Research.

Wednesday 17 April 2024 (1009) – Red Eagle Buses 50122 (YX08 MFO), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200 bodied Dart new to London United (SDE1) new in July 2008, seen in High Street, Marlow working the 0900 Lane End to Maidenhead Wednesday only service 155. This service is one of a set of local services worked by a single bus which provides links from various small communities into Marlow (5 days a week), High Wycombe (4 days a week) and Maidenhead (1 day a week). The working diagram on Wednesdays is: 0745 Chinnor Hill-High Wycombe (Royal Grammar School) 0820 (654) 0900 Lane End-Marlow (Court Garden) 0915 0915 Marlow (Court Garden)-Little Marlow-Marlow Bottom-Marlow (Court Garden) 1003 1005 Marlow (Court Garden)-Maidenhead 1024 1030 Maidenhead- Marlow (Court Garden) 1049 1130 Marlow (Court Garden)-Marlow Bottom- Little Marlow-Maidenhead 1226 1230 Maidenhead- Little Marlow-Marlow Bottom-Marlow (Court Garden)-Lane End 1343 1355 Marlow (Court Garden)-Little Marlow-Marlow Bottom-Marlow (Court Garden) 1437 1555 High Wycombe (Royal Grammar School)-Chinnor Hill 1630 (654) On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays a different route pattern operates with the bus serving the same districts but running to High Wycombe. The working diagram is: 0745 Chinnor Hill-High Wycombe (Royal Grammar School) 0820 (654) 0900 Lane End-Marlow (Court Garden) 0925 (156) 0926 Marlow (Court Garden)-Little Marlow-Marlow Bottom-Marlow (Court Garden) 1005 (160) 1010 Marlow (Court Garden)-Marlow Bottom-High Wycombe 1045 (158) 1125 High Wycombe- Marlow (Court Garden) 1143 (158) 1145 Marlow (Court Garden)-Little Marlow-Marlow Bottom-Marlow (Court Garden) 1223 (160) 1225 Marlow (Court Garden)-Lane End 1249 (156) 1315 High Wycombe-Marlow Bottom- Marlow (Court Garden) 1349 (158) 1400 Marlow (Court Garden)-Little Marlow-Marlow Bottom-Marlow (Court Garden) 1438 (160) 1555 High Wycombe (Royal Grammar School)-Chinnor Hill 1630 (654)

Monday 22 April 2024 (1050) – The Southern section of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway links Cambridge Railway Station with the Trumpington Park & Ride site with a spur to serve the growing Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Following two unrelated off bus fatalities on the southern Busway in 2022, one involving a male cyclist and one involving a female pedestrian, the northbound track (running towards the city centre) was closed in early 2022 and remined so for two years whilst the County Council and the Health & Safety Executive decided a course of action (that is perhaps to say faffed about). Temporary safety fencing was put in place to separate the track from the adjacent footpath/cycle path/maintenance track. Instead of positioning the fencing on the latter it was decided to use the northbound Busway track hence why it was closed. During the period of closure buses and their frustrated passengers had to face long delays each morning on the way to the city using already busy roads. Permanent fencing was duly erected and the northbound track re-opened at Easter 2024. The new fencing features yellow opening gates for use in the event of evacuation/emergencies. Also part of the fencing are small openings to allow animals the same option. In this view taken from Hills Road bridge Whippet Coaches WG114 (MX23 LCW) was on the approach to Cambridge Railway Station when working the 1037 service U1 from Addenbrooke’s Hospital to Girton Corner. It is a Mellor Sigma 12 electric single decker new in August 2023.

Sunday 5 May 2024 – The Mayor of Ipswich (Councillor Lynne Mortimer) had arrived at Christchurch Park, Ipswich to officially start the 2024 Ipswich-Felixstowe Historic Vehicle Run. She is seen seated in the small buggy alongside preserved Ipswich 9 (MRT 9P) used as a grandstand. It is a Roe bodied Leyland Atlantean AN68/1R was new in May 1976 as a normal covered top bus. The programme showed over 700 entries featuring Cars (514), Buses & Coaches (22), Commercials (32), Military (36), Motorcycles (81) and Leisure/special vehicles (52). The latter category included no less than 27 Sinclair C5 (and one C6) battery electric tricycles some of which are in the foreground.

Friday 7 June 2024 (1028) – Thetford bus station. Konectbus 646 (LX09 FCD) seen arriving at Thetford bus station from Watton on service 81. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 bodied Trident that had been new to London General (E127) in July 2009. Coach Services Limited had worked service 81 for a number of years and a number of their vehicles dominate the scene. They are from left to right: BU16 OZO, an MCV Evolution bodied Volvo B8RLE new in July 2026 BJ11 EAX, a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL new to Tower Transit (VN36146) in June 2011 BN61 MWZ, , a Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvo B9TL new to Tower Transit (VN37952) in December YT09 YHM, an Optare Omnidekka bodied Scania N270UD that had been new to Nottingham City Transport as their 970 new in May 2009. The Omnidekka design was created by East Lancashire Coachbuilders which passed to Optare in October 2008.

Wednesday 19 June 2024 (1010) - Simonds of Botesdale Limited BT13 YWF seen in Stanton when working the 0940 service 338 from Garboldisham to Bury St. Edmunds. It is an MCV Evolution Volvo B7RLE new to the company in August 2013. In May 2024 the Simonds business was acquired by Vectare and the Simonds services are to be rebranded. This was the third of four buses I travelled on today during a morning outing. The buses were: Bus 1: Mulleys CH56 FDU – Mildenhall to Bury St. Edmunds Bus 2: Simonds SN56 AGV – Bury St. Edmunds to Stanton via Ixworth Bus 3: Simonds BT13 YWF – Stanton to Bury St. Edmunds via Walsham-le-Willows Bus 4: Mulleys LW51 ZHJ – Bury St. Edmunds to Mildenhall

Friday 5 July 2024 (0815) – The Vertas Group is a service and facilities business owned by Suffolk County Council. YX22 LTT, a Plaxton Leopard bodied Volvo B8R new in August 2022, seen at Barrow when working school service BE206 to the Bury St. Edmunds schools. This service starts at Barrow (Three Horseshoes) at 0810 travelling via Great Saxham (0820) running to Beetons Way (for King Edward Grammar School) and Beetons Way (St. Benedict’s School and County Upper School (0837)). Having operated a transport fleet in its own right for many years, in 2013 SCC formed a partnership with Norse (Norfolk County Council) forming Suffolk Norse. At its formation SCC placed all its school bus fleet into that partnership. In September 2021 the partnership ceased and the fleet passed to Vertas, a facilities support company owned by SCC.

Friday 26 July 2024 (1037) – Norwich Castle stands high above Castle Meadow as First Eastern Counties Buses 36564 (BK73 AHU), a Wrightbus Streetdeck Electroliner delivered in January 2024, passes by going to Queens Hills on service 24. Snapped through the muddy upper deck windscreen of Sanders Coaches double decker (PC23 SAN). The tall crane has been in place for quite a while now as work proceeds on a four year project to transform the interior of the Keep by reinstating the floors and room layout of the medieval period. www.norwichcastle.norfolk.gov.uk/article/30292/Royal-Palace-Reborn-at-Norwich-Castle

Monday 12 August 2024 (1050) – Mulleys Motorways AP12 BUS, an s MCV Evolution bodied Volvo B7RLE, seen at West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St. Edmunds when working Town Service M22. It had been new to Pulham and Sons (Coaches) Limited of Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire in March 2012. 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.

Sunday 11 August 2024 – Welcome to The Big Bus Show, Stonham Barns, Suffolk! This was the third year that this event had been held at Stonham Barns and it is now living up to its name. The number of entries has risen significantly since the initial event in 2022.

Sunday 1 September 2024 – BUSES Festival, Sywell Aerodrome Preserved former London Buses LS343 (AYR 343T) Leyland National new in August 1979. The bus was for sale and part of a display for Bus & Coach Repairs Limited.

Thursday 12 September 2024 (0818) – Millenium Travel (Mansfield) Limited GXZ 144 seen on Mansfield Road in Blidworth. It is a Sitcar bodied Mercedes-Benz O 816D which I believe was new to London Mini Coaches, Isleworth in May 2009 registered WA09 DZT.

Tuesday 17 September 2024 (1439) – Lynx (Coastal Red) 25 (YJ60 KAU) seen near Sandringham House, Norfolk when working the 1405 service 35 from Hunstanton to King’s Lynn. It is an Optare Tempo X1190 that was new to Transdev Blazefield owned Lancashire United (1304) in September 2010. Lynx provides a bus every 15 minutes between King’s Lynn and Hunstantion featuring minor route differences. Each hour there are two service 34 trips (taking 56 minutes), one service 35 trip (taking 58 minutes and serving the visitor centre and Sandringham House) and one ‘Coastliner’ service 36 trip (a more direct service along the main A149 road taking 50 minutes). The latter continues to Wells-next-the-Sea before turning inland to travel to Walsingham and Fakenham.

Thursday 19 September 2024 (1044) – Market Street in Ely with two buses operated by Dew’s Coaches Limited on ‘Ely Zipper’ services which I sampled today. BL24 GYP is an MCV eVoRa bodied Volvo B8RLE new in June 2024. The driver was on a break before working the 1115 departure of the ‘Ely Zipper 2’ service to Chatteris/ and the 1200 return. Thiis was one of the vehicles that Dew’s had on display at two recent bus rallies I attended a few weeks earlier. (The ‘Big Bus Day’ at Stonham Barns and the BUSES Festival at Sywell Aerodrome). In the background is SN68 AGF is a Wrightbus StreetLite DF working the original circular service (now known as ‘Ely Zipper 1’) which is a circular travelling to Witcham, Haddenham, (plus Aldreth on a couple of trips on Thursdays), Wilburton, Stretham and Little Thetford returning to Market Street – a journey of 55 minutes. There are five full anti-clockwise journeys in the morning plus the first journey of the day which starts from Witcham. In the afternoon there are four full clockwise journeys plus the last journey of the day terminating at Witcham. It had been new to Passenger Plus, Tadworth, Surrey in February 2019 and was acquired by Dew’s in May 2023. I had travelled on the 0930 trip and found it to be a rather bumpy and noisy bus!