King's Lynn - 18 Sep 2025

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1001) - Coach Services Limited BU16 OZO, an MCV eVolution bodied Volvo B8RLE new in July 2016.seen as it arrived in King’s Lynn bus station on the 0850 service 88 from Thetford. I had travelled on this bus from South Gate, London Road, the first of four I travelled on during my outing in King’s Lynn today. The very watchful driver had spotted me waiting at the bus stop but I couldn’t see the bus due to a dustbin lorry pulling up to empty the nearby dustbins! Bus 1: Coach Services Limited BU16 OZO – South Gate, London Road to the Bus Station. Bus 2: Lynx (Coastal Red) 11 (YJ07 VSK) – Bus Station to Felstead Estate then Gaywood Tesco. Bus 3: Go to Town (WNCT) RX72 TJV – Gaywood Tesco via North Lynn to the Bus Station. Bus 4: First Eastern Counties Buses 36903 (YN69 XZG), Bus Station to South Gate, London Road.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1018) – Lynx (Coastal Red) 11 (YJ07 VSK), an Optare Tempo X1200 new to Trentbarton (313) in August 2007, seen in King’s Lynn Bus Station about to work the 1020 Felstead Estate circular service 42. I travelled on this bus, the second of four I travelled on during my outing today: Bus 1: Coach Services Limited BU16 OZO – South Gate, London Road to the Bus Station. Bus 2: Lynx (Coastal Red) 11 (YJ07 VSK) – Bus Station to Felstead Estate then Gaywood Tesco. Bus 3: Go to Town (WNCT) RX72 TJV – Gaywood Tesco via North Lynn to the Bus Station. Bus 4: First Eastern Counties Buses 36903 (YN69 XZG), Bus Station to South Gate, London Road.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1128) – West Norfolk Community Transport trades as Go to Town and as well as providing services from the rural hinterland of Downham Market, Swaffham, Wisbech and King’s Lynn operates a number of town services in the latter. Having planned my itinerary to include a ride on the Grange Estate service 4 in North Lynn, I was initially surprised at the type of bus that turned up although, as the vehicle meandered round the narrow avenues and streets (with a prolific number of speed humps, parked cars and delivery vans) I realised the benefits of such a vehicle. (Having said that I had seen a Wright Streetlite WF working an earlier service 4 run). RX72 TJV, an EVM Cityline bodied Mercedes-Benz 517 CDi Sprinter new in November 2022, seen in the Bus Station having returned from working the 1100 circular service. The full circular takes 29 minutes and runs every 30 minutes. This was the third of four buses I travelled on during my outing today: Bus 1: Coach Services Limited BU16 OZO – South Gate, London Road to the Bus Station. Bus 2: Lynx (Coastal Red) 11 (YJ07 VSK) – Bus Station to Felstead Estate then Gaywood Tesco. Bus 3: Go to Town (WNCT) RX72 TJV – Gaywood Tesco via North Lynn to the Bus Station. Bus 4: First Eastern Counties Buses 36903 (YN69 XZG), Bus Station to South Gate, London Road.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1206) – First Eastern Counties Buses 36903 (YN69 XZG), one of 19 Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 City bodied Scania N250UDs (numbered 36901-36919) added to the fleet in November/December 2019 to operate the Norwich-Peterborough ‘excel’ service. This was the 0947 service B from Norwich (Railway Station) to Peterborough seen passing the South Gate in London Road, King’s Lynn. The South Gate guarded the southern approaches to the town for nearly 600 years. Not only did it perform a defensive role but it also acted as a point of entry and exit to collect tolls and duties on merchandise. Traffic heading towards the town passes through the archway whereas traffic heading out of town passes alongside the building. The First Eastern Counties King’s Lynn garage, which is just around the corner from here, provides almost all of the buses for the service (15 allocated at King’s Lynn garage and 4 at Norwich garage). This is where most of the driver changeovers take place and the bus is leaving after a new driver had taken over. The ‘excel’ service timetable is quite complex but uniform. To legitimately keep this quite lengthy service within the rules of local bus service regulations rather than the more stringent rules pertaining to true long distance type operations, the services are registered in shorter segments although the buses run through: PF0000323/373: Norwich-East Dereham PF0000323/372: East Dereham-King’s Lynn PF0000323/371: King’s Lynn-Wisbech PF0000323/370: Wisbech-Peterborough PF0000323/433: Norwich-Swaffham The full timetable may be seen via this link: tinyurl.com/wt35yxnv This was the last of four buses I travelled on during my outing today: Bus 1: Coach Services Limited BU16 OZO – South Gate, London Road to the Bus Station. Bus 2: Lynx (Coastal Red) 11 (YJ07 VSK) – Bus Station to Felstead Estate then Gaywood Tesco. Bus 3: Go to Town (WNCT) RX72 TJV – Gaywood Tesco via North Lynn to the Bus Station. Bus 4: First Eastern Counties Buses 36903 (YN69 XZG), Bus Station to South Gate, London Road.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1003) - Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) 21 (YJ60 KAA) seen in King’s Lynn Bus Station departing as the 1000 service 49 to Fakenham. It had arrived at King’s Lynn about ten minutes before having worked the 0900 service 46 from Wisbech.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1001) - Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) 21 (YJ60 KAA) seen in King’s Lynn Bus Station about to work the 1000 service 49 to Fakenham. It had previously worked the 0900 service 46 from Wisbech. Rear panels of Lynx buses usually carry a message regarding services, tickets, the phone app etc. The plain rear panel on this bus looks rather bare in comparison.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (approx. 1130) – A stand-off or attempt to kiss? Most of the single deckers in the Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) fleet are Optare Tempos acquired from different sources. About 20 such models are operated. Two examples that had both been new to Trent Barton/trentbarton are seen here on lay-over in King’s Lynn Bus Station. Left is 11 (YJ07 VSK) new in August 2007 (as Trent Barton 313) and right is 16 (FD54 JYB) new in February 2005 (as Trent Barton 303).

Thursday 18 September 2025 (approx. 1130) – A stand-off or attempt to kiss? Most of the single deckers in the Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) fleet are Optare Tempos acquired from different sources. About 20 such models are operated. Two examples that had both been new to Trent Barton/trentbarton are seen here on lay-over in King’s Lynn Bus Station. Left is 11 (YJ07 VSK) new in August 2007 (313) and right is 16 (FD54 JYB) new in February 2005 (303).

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1053) – Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) 29 (T29 KLN) at Gaywood Road (Tesco) working the 1000 service 49A from Fakenham to King’s Lynn. It is an Optare Tempo X1200 that had been new to Transdev owned Yellow Buses, Bournemouth (17) in June 2009 registered R17 TYB.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1103) – Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) 12 (YJ07 VSL), an Optare Tempo X1200 new to Trentbarton (314) in August 2007, seen in Gaywood Road (Tesco), King’s Lynn returning to the Bus Station on the Felstead Estate circular service 42.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1012) – King’s Lynn Bus Station. The two Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) are: Left, is 66 (YX23 OSE), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D MMC new in August 2023. This model has been the choice for new double decker buses since 2021 with about 7 delivered so far Prominent is 33 (YY24 ELH), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D MMC new in July 2024. This model has been the choice for new single decker buses when four were delivered at that time followed by three more delivered in September 2025. In the far background Stagecoach East Midlands 15808 (FX12 BAV), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400 bodied Scania N230UD and Go to Town (West Norfolk Community Transport) SK68 TNE, a Wright Streetlite WF new in September 2018.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1015) – Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) 33 (YY24 ELH) seen in King’s Lynn Bus Station departing for Hunstanton on service 34. It is an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D MMC new in July 2024. This model has been the choice for new single decker buses when four were delivered at that time followed by three more delivered in September 2025.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1105) – A warning to cyclists carried by Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) 11 (YJ07 VSK), an Optare Tempo X1200 new to Trentbarton (313) in August 2007.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1008) - Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) 66 (YX23 OSE), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D new in August 2023, seen on layover in King’s Lynn bus station. This model has been the choice for new double decker buses since 2021 with about 7 delivered so far.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1001) - Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) 66 (YX23 OSE), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400D new in August 2023, seen on layover in King’s Lynn bus station. The vehicle in front of that is Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) 52 (LJ53 BFU), a Wright Pulsar Gemini bodied DAF DB250 new in September 2003 to Arriva London South (DW21). Later sold to Reading Buses where it was branded for their ‘Silver Stars’ school bus services and has retained their silver livery.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1001) – Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) buses in King’s Lynn Bus Station. Left: 27 (YJ60 KBF), an Optare Tempo that had been new to Lancashire United as their 1305 in September 2010. Right: 33 (YY24 ELH), an Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro200D MMC new in July 2024.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1013) – The view of King’s Lynn Bus Station features buses of three of the five main operators serving the town. Represented in this photograph are buses Go to Town (West Norfolk Community Transport), Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) and Stagecoach East Midlands. The other two main operators are Coach Services of Thetford and First Eastern Counties Buses. Lynx 57 (LJ04 LEU) was approaching the loading stand in order to work the 1015 circular service 38 to Fair Green, Middleton, North Runcton, West Winch and King’ Lynn. It is a Wright Pulsar Gemini bodied DAF DB250 new to Arriva London South (DW55) in April 2004.

Thursday 18 September 2025 (1051) – Lynx (Coastal Red Limited) 11 (YJ60 KAU), an Optare Tempo X1200 that had been new to Lancashire United as their 1304 in September 2010, at Gaywood Road (Tesco) heading for Hunstanton on service 34.