1980s/1990s A11 Barton Mills/Red Lodge

Saturday 19 August 1995 – York Brothers of Cogenhoe near Northampton operated a summer Saturday holiday service from the Northampton area to Great Yarmouth. Plaxton Supreme VI bodied Ford R1115 50 (RBD 287Y) (Originally FNM 710Y then SYK 901 before it became RBD 287Y). It was seen at Barton Mills during a refreshment break. This lay-by alongside the A1065 has become one of the last remaining places for a coach to stop between Newmarket and Thetford. Although only featuring a toilet block and Walker’s Snack Bar it was a popular calling place with four other coaches present in the photograph.

Saturday 19 August 1995 – York Brothers of Cogenhoe near Northampton operated a summer Saturday holiday service from the Northampton area to Great Yarmouth. Plaxton Supreme VI bodied Ford R1115 50 (RBD 287Y), named ‘HMS Manchester’, was seen at Barton Mills during a refreshment break. This lay-by alongside the A1065 has become one of the last remaining places for a coach to stop between Newmarket and Thetford. Although only features a toilet block and Walker’s Snack Bar. (Originally FNM 710Y then SYK 901 before it became RBD 287Y).

York Brothers (Northampton) Limited, based in Cogenhoe (about 6 miles east of Northampton), operated some summer Saturday holiday services. This timetable shows those operated in 1994 including that to the Norfolk Coast which passed along the A11 at Barton Mills. York’s became part of the Bowen Travel Group which went into administration in late 2012.

York Brothers (Northampton) Limited, based in Cogenhoe (about 6 miles east of Northampton), operated some summer Saturday holiday services. This timetable shows those operated in 1994 including that to the Norfolk Coast which passed along the A11 at Barton Mills. York’s became part of the Bowen Travel Group which went into administration in late 2012.

Saturday 13 July 1991 - L F Bowen of Birmingham EEW 126Y seen during a refreshment stop at AJ’s Family Restaurant, Barton Mills when operating a summer Saturday holiday express service from the West Midlands to the Norfolk Coast. It is a Jonckheere Jubilee bodied DAF SB2300 new to Young’s Coaches of Rampton, Cambridgeshire in April 1983.

Saturday 19 June 1993 - AJ’s Family Restaurant at Barton Mills (now Five Guys after being the Pancake and Waffle Shack in between) became a regular refreshment stop by the coaches of L F Bowen of Birmingham when operating their summer Saturday holiday express service from the West Midlands to the Norfolk Coast. In this view D784 SGB, a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M which had been new to Park’s of Hamilton in March 1987, was running as coach number 3 today. On the left is a coach of Leon’s of Stafford that was also part of the Bowen’s convoy. (Originally posted 29 May 2016)

Saturday 19 June 1993 - L F Bowen of Birmingham D784 SGB, a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M which had been new to Park’s of Hamilton in March 1987, seen at AJ’s Family Restaurant at Barton Mills during a refreshment when operating the summer Saturday holiday express service from the West Midlands to the Norfolk Coast.

Saturday 3 September 1988 – L F Bowen of Birmingham EOI 4362 travelling through Red Lodge, Suffolk when operating a summer Saturday holiday express service from the West Midlands to the Norfolk Coast. A Volvo chassis with bodywork badged ‘Moseley’. The UK coach dealership Alf Moseley of Loughborough imported Spanish and Portugeuse coaches for the UK market which it badged with the Moseley name. I don’t want to commit myself but I think the bodywork on this one was built in Spain by Unicar.

Saturday 12 August 1989 – L F Bowen of Birmingham EOI 4362 taking a refreshment break at Sanara Services in Red Lodge, Suffolk when operating a summer Saturday holiday express service from the West Midlands to the Norfolk Coast. The parking ground at Sanara, formerly known as The Suffolk Punch, was less than presentable with a dirt surface surrounded by piles of old pallets. A Volvo chassis with bodywork badged ‘Moseley’. The UK coach dealership Alf Moseley of Loughborough imported Spanish and Portugeuse coaches for the UK market which it badged with the Moseley name. I don’t want to commit myself but I think the bodywork on this one was built in Spain by Unicar.

Saturday 12 August 1989 – L F Bowen of Birmingham EOI 4362 taking a refreshment break at Sanara Services in Red Lodge, Suffolk when operating a summer Saturday holiday express service from the West Midlands to the Norfolk Coast. The parking ground at Sanara, formerly known as The Suffolk Punch, was less than presentable with a dirt surface surrounded by piles of old pallets. A Volvo chassis with bodywork badged ‘Moseley’. The UK coach dealership Alf Moseley of Loughborough imported Spanish and Portugeuse coaches for the UK market which it badged with the Moseley name. I don’t want to commit myself but I think the bodywork on this one was built in Spain by Unicar.

Saturday 13 July 1991 - L F Bowen of Birmingham KJW 69W seen at AJ’s Family Restaurant at Barton Mills during a refreshment stop when operating the afternoon return of their summer Saturday holiday express service to the Norfolk Coast from the West Midlands. It is a Caetano bodied DAF MB200 new in April 1981.

Saturday 29 June 1991 - L F Bowen of Birmingham KJW 69W seen at AJ’s Family Restaurant at Barton Mills during a refreshment stop when operating the afternoon return of their summer Saturday holiday express service from the Norfolk Coast to the West Midlands. It is a Caetano bodied DAF MB200 new in April 1981.

Saturday 20 August 1988 – L F Bowen of Birmingham NOL 44X seen travelling on the A11 through Red Lodge, Suffolk heading for the Norfolk Coast when operating a summer Saturday holiday service from the West Midlands. It was a Volvo B58 with Plaxton Supreme VI bodywork new in March 1982.

Saturday 9 August 1997 – Leon’s of Stafford 77 (5702 PL), a Van Hool Alizee bodied Scania, seen during a refreshment stop at AJ’s Family Restaurant, Barton Mills when operating a duplicate for L F Bowen of Birmingham’s summer Saturday holiday express service from the West Midlands to the Norfolk Coast.

Saturday 13 July 1991 – Lichfield City Coaches A656 EMY seen during a refreshment stop at AJ’s Family Restaurant, Barton Mills when operating a duplicate for L F Bowen of Birmingham’s summer Saturday holiday express service from the West Midlands to the Norfolk Coast. It is a Leyland/Roe Royal Tiger Doyen new to National Travel London in May 1984.

Saturday 12 August 1989 – West Midlanders bound for a holiday on the Norfolk coast seen alighting from their holiday coaches for a toilet and refreshment break at Sanara Services in Red Lodge, Suffolk. Left: Sealandair of West Bromwich PFK 174W, a Plaxton Supreme bodied Ford R1114 new in August 1980, was operating on hire to L F Bowen and duplicating what was their service. Right is L F Bowen’s EOI 4362, a Volvo chassis with bodywork badged ‘Moseley’. The UK coach dealership Alf Moseley of Loughborough imported Spanish and Portugeuse coaches for the UK market which it badged with the Moseley name. I don’t want to commit myself but I think the bodywork on this one was built in Spain by Unicar. The parking ground at Sanara, previously named the Suffolk Punch, was less than presentable with a dirt surface surrounded by piles of old pallets.

Saturday 12 August 1989 – West Midlands based L F Bowen operated a Saturday holiday service from its native area to the Norfolk coast and over the years the coaches made a toilet and refreshment stop at either Red Lodge or Barton Mills. In this view, taken at Sanara Services in Red Lodge, Bowen’s own coach is seen with two duplicates provided by Sealandair of West Bromwich. The coach nearest the camera is a Plaxton Paramount 3500 bodied Volvo B10M, one of the company’s latest coaches at the time. Next to it is their PFK 174W, a Plaxton Supreme bodied Ford R1114 new in August 1980. Furthest away is Bowen’s EOI 4362, a Volvo chassis with bodywork badged ‘Moseley’. The UK coach dealership Alf Moseley of Loughborough imported Spanish and Portugeuse coaches for the UK market which it badged with the Moseley name. Sanara Services was previously named the Suffolk Punch and stood across the road from where the Doctor’s Surgery was constructed in later years. The Sanara site is occupied by residential homes now.

Sunday 5 May 1985 – Swaffham Coachways (S N and C A Clarke) WNV 824W, a Jonckheere Bermuda bodied Volvo B10M new to Len Wright Travel in May 1981, carried Leger Travel branding. It was seen on the car park of the Bull Inn, Barton Mills whilst after taking a toilet and refreshment break. The car park is where Chestnut Close now stands.