Rear end advertising and the like

Wednesday 30 Sept 2009 (1140) – On Monday 28 Sept Mulleys Motorways Ltd commenced operation of their circular service M44 in Bury St Edmunds using two Optare Solos. MX57 HDH, seen in St Andrew’s Street South, was new in Sept 2007 to Nightingale Coaches (Johnson) of Greencroft, Annfield Plain, County Durham.

Tuesday 20 March 2012 (1156) - Mulleys Motorways expanded their Bury St Edmunds town service network on Monday 19 March 2012. Three additional Optare Solos, all new to Bebb Travel of Llantwit Fadre, South Wales and latterly operated by Veolia Transport Cymru, were acquired for the additional services and have been repainted orange. They carry a display on the rear panel outlining the services offered. CN56 FDU is seen in St.Andrew’s Street working the Moreton Hall service M33.

Friday 22 August 2014 (0842) - Coach Services Limited of Thetford commenced operation of the Sunday bus services in Bury St. Edmunds on Sunday 6 April 2014. Supported by Sunday Suffolk County Council the services had been operated by Mulleys Motorways from their inception in November 2012. This advert was carried on the rear panel of Optare Solo MX04 VMA.

Friday 22 August 2014 (0842) - Coach Services Limited of Thetford Optare Solo VX04 VMA seen at Mildenhall. A rear advert was carried for the Sunday bus services operated by the company commencing Sunday 6 April 2014. These services, supported by Sunday Suffolk County Council, had been operated by Mulleys Motorways from their inception in November 2012. MX04 VMA, a model 920, was new to the company in July 2004.

Saturday 9 August 2014 (1600) - Galloway Coach Travel 330 (YJ14 BGE), a new style Optare Solo, seen in Bury St Edmunds bus station ready to work the 1610 service 384 to Stowmarket. It was new in April 2014.

Wednesday 15 June 2011 (0935) - Galloway European Coachlines Mercedes-Benz Tourismo BF60 OGB seen at Bury St Edmunds bus station. The coach carries some very colourful graphics featuring part of the World and a lines of stars each of which contains a picture of a tour destination.

Saturday 2 August 2014 (0852) - Stephensons of Essex 457 (GU52 HJY) carries a rear end advert for Bury St. Edmunds jeweller Thurlow Champness. A Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart new to Jenkins of Newick, East Sussex (Coastal) in November 2002.

Saturday 2 August 2014 (0852) - Stephensons of Essex 457 (GU52 HJY) carries a rear end advert for Bury St. Edmunds jeweller Thurlow Champness. A Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Dart new to Jenkins of Newick, East Sussex (Coastal) in November 2002.

Wednesday 31 October 2012 ( 0842) - A view in Bury St. Edmunds bus station with Ambassador Travel 206 (FJ09 DXA) (Caetano Levante bodied Scania) working on National Express service 491 on stand 1; Coach Services YN57 FZL (Wright bodied Scania) on stand 2; Mulleys Motorways MUI 7949 (Wright bodied Scania) on stand 3; Mulleys Motorways AY55 DGE (Plaxton Beaver bodied Mercedes-Benz Vario) on stand 4; Simonds AE06 XSB (an MCV Evolution bodied MAN) on stand 5; Chambers P902 RYO (a Northern Counties bodied Volvo Olympian new as London General NV102) on stand 6; and an unidentified coach of Daish’s Holidays on stand 9.

Thursday 4 October 2012 (1024) - Simonds of Botesdale Limited (R O Simonds) AE07 DZH, an MCV Evolution bodied MAN which was seen at Bury St Edmunds. This bus carries a rear end advert for the company’s services between Diss and Norwich.

Friday 21 September 2012 (1405) - Simonds of Botesdale Limited (R O Simonds) AE06 XSA has carried a vinyl advert for a local business on the rear panels for quite some time. An MCV Evolution bodied MAN new in August 2006 seen at Bury St Edmunds.

Saturday 5 February 2011 (0915) – A driver recruitment poster carried by Simonds (Botesdale) Limited of Diss MCV Evolution bodied MAN AE07 DZG. A smaller version of the advert was carried inside some buses to publicise a recruitment evening the company held on 26 January 2011.

Friday 23 May 2014 (1241) - An interesting rear end advertisement for a one day only excursion carried by Simonds of Botesdale/Diss JGV 929. A most enterprising and bespoke advert. Bus adverts are usually compiled with greater longevity than for something so topical that would very soon be be out of date. JGV 929 is an Optare Excel which was new to Ipswich Buses as P192 SGV in June 1997 although acquired by Simonds from Carters Coaches.

Saturday 23 August 2014 (1424) - This summer some of the buses in the fleet of Simonds of Botesdale Limited (R O Simonds) have carried rear end adverts for Banham Zoo. AE07 DZG, an MCV Evolution bodied MAN new in March 2007, carries the tiger version. It was seen at Bury St Edmunds.

Saturday 26 July 2014 (1155) - This summer some of the buses in the fleet of Simonds of Botesdale Limited (R O Simonds) have carried rear end adverts for Banham Zoo. AE09 DJF, an MCV Evolution bodied MAN new in June 2009, carries the penguin version. It was seen at Bury St Edmunds.

Friday 17 June (0906) - Stephensons of Essex Limited buses at Bury St Edmunds bus station. Left: 952 (H552 VAT) Northern Counties bodied Volvo Olympian new to East Yorkshire Motor Services in September 1990. Right: 462 (YX11 CTO), an Alexander Dennis Enviro 200, almost brand new.

Friday 2 November 2012 (0947) – Stephensons of Essex 203 (OW03 LFL) carries branding for the ‘Suffolk Express’ Bury St Edmunds to Ipswich coach service X14 which began on Monday 22 October 2012. An Irizar Century bodied Scania K114 seen at Bury St. Edmunds about to depart on the 0945 service to Ipswich. Full digital destination displays are carried on the front and rear.

Thursday 10 November 2011 (1344) - Stephensons of Essex began operating town services in Bury St Edmunds in late October marketed as ‘Breeze’. Five Alexander ALX200 bodied Dennis Darts (435-439) carried ‘Breeze’ branding and each had a different ‘passenger’ pictured on the rear. 437 (LX51 FGG) was new in September 2001 to Stagecoach Selkent (London) as their SLD307. They say that the eyes on the portrait of the Mona Lisa follow the viewer around the room - the eyes of this lovely lady seem to do likewise.