East Anglia Bus Scene

[F Great Eastern]

There is a Yellow Plaxton coach that has appeared in their yard. This was seen yesterday on passing. Not sure if will be in fleet or it’s with their PSV Recycling LTD company.

523FN is down as being a white Volvo B8R based Plaxton coach on BusListsOnTheWeb with a manufacture date of March 2024, which suggests it's either a Panther or a Leopard.

The yellow one must be for onward sale.

 

[Flange Squeal]

Dan’s Coach Travel have posted on their Facebook page that a new service is to be announced shortly between Stowmarket, Cedars Estate and Stowupland. They are trying to encourage people to keep using their commercial shopper bus services. I was wondering if anyone knew what service is due to commence, who the operator is, and if it is commercial?

Around two years we had some ideas to register some bus services. Also at this time Suffolk County Council had to make several bus cuts in the area. So we stepped up to help all the areas affected.

Fast forward till now we have been running these services commercially for nealy two years. Which means other than the tiny amount we get from bus passes and the few fares that's all we make. We have always made it clear we don't make anything out of these but do them as we love our community.

Many of you will hear shortly of a new service being provided between Stowmarket-Cedars Estate-Stowupland. Which is good news for those in the area but sadly we haven't been offered any funding for our existing trips or asked if we would provide more. Some of these runs will overlap ours. Which is concerning.

We just ask our loyal passengers to keep coming with us. Help support your local company who have supported you when you were forgotten. Here's hoping it will not affect our numbers to much

Source: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/VS15Lpd6HJZZpKmG/?

 

[Volvodart]

Dan’s Coach Travel have posted on their Facebook page that a new service is to be announced shortly between Stowmarket, Cedars Estate and Stowupland. They are trying to encourage people to keep using their commercial shopper bus services. I was wondering if anyone knew what service is due to commence, who the operator is, and if it is commercial?


Source: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/VS15Lpd6HJZZpKmG/?

Per this link April 2024, it is First Bus "funded by UK Government"

Bus Timetable Updates

home.suffolkonboard.com

 

[buslad1988]

Dan’s Coach Travel have posted on their Facebook page that a new service is to be announced shortly between Stowmarket, Cedars Estate and Stowupland. They are trying to encourage people to keep using their commercial shopper bus services. I was wondering if anyone knew what service is due to commence, who the operator is, and if it is commercial?


Source: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/VS15Lpd6HJZZpKmG/?

Will be First’s new town service 87/87A announced today. Not sure why it’s a stand-alone service rather than being incorporated into the core Ipswich - Stowmarket timetable. It doesn’t enable through connections so hardly encouraging. A re-introduction of 88 variants and an express would have perhaps been more beneficial and create more use.

There are also many outlying villages being removed from the Suffolk bus network from the same date. The county council supported services 70A, 78 and 79 are being withdrawn.

See First website here:

Service Changes from 14th April 2024

We’re making some changes to our Ipswich Reds services from Sunday 14th April 2024. NEW! Stowupland Circular 87|87A New services providing a half-hourly daytime service on Monday to Saturdays between Stowmarket Town Centre, Cedars Park, and Stowupland.

www.firstbus.co.uk

Also announced is Ipswich Buses “new” hourly 8B to Bramford. Again also being introduced as a stand-alone service which isn’t incorporated into the town service 8 timetable despite being numbered like it is and is the same colour on the town network map. During the day an 8 and 8B are timetabled to operate one minute apart from Tower Ramparts.

See Ipswich Buses website here:

Introducing the 8B, a NEW bus service between Bramford and Ipswich | Ipswich Buses

www.ipswichbuses.co.uk

 

[_sSamuel]

Will be First’s new town service 87/87A announced today. Not sure why it’s a stand-alone service rather than being incorporated into the core Ipswich - Stowmarket timetable. It doesn’t enable through connections so hardly encouraging. A re-introduction of 88 variants and an express would have perhaps been more beneficial and create more use.

It is likely that First were reluctant to incorporate the new Stowupland extension into the existing 88, as I believe all current 88 workings are either school runs, or are interworked with them, thus making it rather difficult to add extensions to the route. Additionally, it is possible to connect through on the route. For example, 87s from Stowupland to Stowmarket arrive at Bury Street at :10 and :40, whilst 88s depart for Ipswich at :20 and :50. Whilst this is a 10 minute connection, it does avoid the risk of missing a connecting bus...

 

[buslad1988]

It is likely that First were reluctant to incorporate the new Stowupland extension into the existing 88, as I believe all current 88 workings are either school runs, or are interworked with them, thus making it rather difficult to add extensions to the route. Additionally, it is possible to connect through on the route. For example, 87s from Stowupland to Stowmarket arrive at Bury Street at :10 and :40, whilst 88s depart for Ipswich at :20 and :50. Whilst this is a 10 minute connection, it does avoid the risk of missing a connecting bus...

That makes some sense however it does seem lazy. This town service during the afternoon is more frequent than the main 88 - incorporating the extra bus into the core service could have maintained a better headway during the school times and potentially an express return service in the peaks (like X7 Felixstowe). Stowmarket is a growing town but the bus network feels disjointed; some kind of cross-town link might have been a better idea. No one likes having to change buses either! A direct link from Stowmarket/Needham Market to Anglia Retail Park and Asda would also provide new direct leisure links. Feels like there is so much potential for this government funding to have been better spent.

Likewise the Ipswich Buses 8B to Bramford could have been incorporated into the First 88 network instead to open up links to Claydon and onwards rather than just a small village to Ipswich (like the 89 did previously). It would have made the service more attractive and potentially viable in the longer term.

Or if the 8B must be Ipswich Buses atleast making it part of the town service 8 with an even headway and maybe to Ipswich Rail Station would have gained it some extra passengers to/from Bramford Road and be more beneficial. The new service doesn’t even call at the same stand at Tower Ramparts as the 8 - it’s just confusing! They should have called this new service 18.

 

[Kartenga]

Beestons Update

BUS 91R - Scania Omnidekka has come to Beestons and is being prepared for service for possibly Saturday this week. It's already repainted into white livery. I don’t know the original registration but there were two orange Mulleys Motorway deckers in the Beestons Yard.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Bus 91R is former OIL 2232 from Don Fraser Coaches of Holmeswood, believed to be originally on a 56 plate. This will replace the recently written off East Lancs Omnidekka YN03 DDA (previously also 523 FN)

It's fitted with seatbelts but manual destination blinds so Beestons are making some Mods to it to make it suitable for them before it entering service. It has the same high backed seats as 524 FN.

There will also be more news to follow in the days ahead.

 

[Magdalia]

I'm not sure if this discussion is the right place for this.

BBC News are reporting cuts to bus services in the Saffron Walden area, routes previously operated by Central Connect.

Buses in Essex and Hertfordshire abruptly withdrawn

The local council says it is coming up with new timetables after a bus company cancelled services.

www.bbc.co.uk

People living in a rural district said they have been left stunned after six bus services were taken off the road.
The routes are used mainly by people in Uttlesford, Essex, but also travel into Hertfordshire and Suffolk.
The operator Central Connect said it first told the local council in September that it was struggling to run the six routes.
Essex County Council (ECC) has drafted in other firms to operate "temporary timetables" following the news.
The local authority said Central Connect's actions were "disappointing".
Some of the people using the routes - the 301, 316, 318, 319, 320 and the 321- are school children.

 

[GusB]

I'm not sure if this discussion is the right place for this.

BBC News are reporting cuts to bus services in the Saffron Walden area, routes previously operated by Central Connect.

Buses in Essex and Hertfordshire abruptly withdrawn

The local council says it is coming up with new timetables after a bus company cancelled services.

www.bbc.co.uk

There is a thread discussing the issue here:

Central Connect (Vectare) withdraw tenders with no notice

Central Connect - owned by Vectare sine September 2023 - have announced a number of Essex County Council contracts will cease from this weekend. Their version of events is on their website at Vectare.co.uk. The Essex County Council response is on TravelEssex.com. It appears many journeys have...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Magdalia]

There is a thread discussing the issue here:

Central Connect (Vectare) withdraw tenders with no notice

Central Connect - owned by Vectare sine September 2023 - have announced a number of Essex County Council contracts will cease from this weekend. Their version of events is on their website at Vectare.co.uk. The Essex County Council response is on TravelEssex.com. It appears many journeys have...

www.railforums.co.uk

Thanks. I tried to find an existing discussion by searching on Saffron Walden. But nobody in that thread actually mentioned the town served by all of the withdrawn routes!

Please move if you think it appropriate.

 

[F Great Eastern]

Two Triaxle Volvo B7L MCV EvoSeti deckers have been delivered to Beestons of Hadleigh.

They are in a silver based livery apparently on private plates, haven't seen them yet.

Enviro 400 MMC YX23 OSM is due to leave the fleet any day.


EDIT

2x Beestons Volvo B8L MCV EvoSeti 12.8m with 98 seats.

I believe there are the first of their type in the UK, the ones with Sanders are a shorter model.

MUN56N

Things I wasn't expecting see today - a brand new tri-axle decker with a Suffolk operator. Brand new (registered 5 days ago) MCV Evoseti bodied Volvo B8L with Beestons of Hadleigh.

www.flickr.com

MUN59N

And then a second one appeared! So Beestons have two new MCV Evoseti bodied Volvo B8Ls - the first brand new tri-axle deckers for a Suffolk operator I think? The registrations reflect the owners name of course.

www.flickr.com

 

[Flange Squeal]

I don’t think that this has been mentioned yet, but Awayadays has ceased operations following the death of David McMaster. A post on their Facebook says that Ensignbus have taken on the fleet and private hire bookings.

COMPANY UPDATE ‼️

Following the sad passing of Awayadays operator David McMaster in 2023, the Awayadays company is no longer in a position to run its tours and private hire. However, some very good news is that we have now secured the services of Ensignbus to operate bookings on our behalf using the original Awayadays bus fleet supported by their own buses where needed - effective April 2024.

Ensignbus is a trusted, large scale operator who we have always had the pleasure of working closely with. Please contact us for private hire requests (email [email protected]) - we’d love to help transport you and your guests. Perfect for weddings, parties, wakes, school visits, proms and more.

Please note the City Sightseeing Open Top Tour in Norwich has been suspended until further notice.

www.awayadays.com

Source: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/ZYQMS3cH1pgjqQHm/

The East Norfolk Bus Blog has published photos showing the fleet (Routemaster CUV 191C and City Sightseeing open tops Plaxton President T40 NRW/X589 EGK and Leyland Olympian G520 VBB) at Ensignbus’ premises.

Norwich Sightseeing Tours Cease​

After more than twenty years of providing tourists and locals trips around the fine city, Norwich's Sightseeing Tours have ceased their services immediately.



Following the passing of Awayadays and City Sightseeing Norwich operator David McMaster, the service is no longer able to run tours and private hire. In its time the group provided free vintage bus rides at Christmas raising money for charity.



Meanwhile some of the existing fleet has transferred to Ensignbus at Purfleet where photos of them were taken by Mark Doggett. Private bookings using the original fleet will still be available but will now be operated by a separate company - Norfolk Vintage Bus Hire



My thanks to Mark for the use of his photos

Roy

Source: https://eastnorfolkbus.blogspot.com/2024/04/norwich-sightseeing-tours-cease.html?m=1

This obviously means the Norwich City Sightseeing service is not operating, with the official website saying “Product temporarily unavailable”. It’ll be interesting to see if another operator will take it on, particularly with the vehicles now being in the hands of First Group through the Ensignbus division. I’ve not personally seen the tour to know what patronage is like, but Awayadays have been running it for some time now so it must be fairly well established?