30888 returns home and more

As reported in our previous post, the Lowestoft heritage livery has now returned home to East Anglia. She left Rotherhams Midland Road depot this morning around 11am. In return was a Purple Line Trident which will receive e leather seating and a rear repaint. 

30888 looking a bit different to what it did before it's makeover outside the entrance to the Midland Road depot. © Darren Sentance

It even has the black lining! © Darren Sentance

As reported on East Norfolk Bus Blog, Dennis Trident 33055 (LN51GKO) was sent up during the summer for major roof repairs to cure leaking problems. She is being unbranded for the Pink Line and painted into Firsts 'Olympia' livery.

33055 in the paintshop ready for a repaint. © Darren Sentance

In other news, former Great Yarmouth Volvo President 32201 (LT52WTF) is currently undergoing an M.O.T and will enter the paintshop when 33055 emerges.

My thanks to Darren for the information and photos.

Fleet Update ~ First

Alexander Dennis Dart 42921 EU05AUN which was transferred to Norwich earlier this year has now been permanently transferred back to her old home of Great Yarmouth.

42921 on Priory Plain working the 4 to Barrack Estate earlier this evening.

I understand Norwich will be receiving another B7RLE Eclipse from Ipswich soon. I am told it will be 66982 KX05MHL which will join sister 66977 KX05MHA which was transferred to Norwich a few months ago.

Firsts very own Chris Speed informs me that 42921 will be painted 'correctly' after the summer rush. She is the only Dart of this type in Eastern Counties to wear Olympia livery at the moment, but i am told that her sisters at Yarmouth will be painted in the upcoming months.

Renowning in Norwich and New BorderBus arrival

This morning i headed over to the 'Fine City', Norwich, to try and hunt down all of the Volvo B10BLE Wright Renowns that are on loan from FirstYorkshire to cover repaints. Within minutes of me being on Castle Meadow, one came, then another! 60621 R784WKW was the first to arrive.

60621 working a 14A to Wymondham.

 A few minutes later, sister 60618 R781WKW appeared on the 13 to Attleborough.

60618 was employed on the 13 route.

 I then had a few rides to N&N Hospital to Sprowston on 66112 R912BOU with literally, the best driver ever. I had been having a conversation with him on Castle Meadow about them and he said "They are lovely buses to drive, I've just had 60621 on the 14s and i have to say, for a 1997 vehicle, they are so nice, they go smoothly, they have brilliant steering, and so comfortable".

66112 at Sprowston terminus.

Today has been an interesting day for the 39, with 45116, 42921, 47508 and 47511 being employed on it.

47511 at Castle Meadow bound for Lakenham.

 Now, the moment you've all been waiting for..........BorderBus' new vehicle!!!!!

Today, the amazing BorderBus received a brand new ADL Enviro200. It carries registration SN15LLA and is fitted with a ZF gearbox that reduces fuel consumption by 20%. I am informed she will be on loan for this week.

Photo (c) copyright Steve W.

Find out more information on this amazing vehicle by clicking here.

Latest Movements

Thanks to my contacts within First and my good friend Sam Larke, i can reveal a few of the latest happenings.

First Eastern Counties
Tomorrow, Lowestoft based Slimbus 43863 EG52FFK, formerly a Great Yarmouth vehicle, will make a return to the town on loan for the summer, whereas Volvo B10BLE 60621 R784WKW, currently at Yarmouth, which is on loan from Yorkshire, will move down to Lowestoft.

As reported in our previous post, former Lowestoft ADL Enviro200s 45119 RT09JPT and 44928 EU08FHB are going up to Rotherham Sunday for a repaint into the Ipswich livery and a refurb (leather seats).

KonectBus

802 rarely working the 53 in Norwich yesterday morning.

Thanks to Sam Larke, i can bring you the news that ADL Enviro400 602 SN10CFF has returned from repaint and now wears Konects livery. BendiBus 802 BD57WCZ has now left for repaint and is likely to return in the new Park & Ride livery.



anglianbus
Thanks to Steve W, i can bring you news that on Tuesday, 907 YT51EBF returned to anglian permanently. She was transferred to Chambers a couple of years ago.  So far i haven't seen her in service.

Many thanks to my contacts for the information.

The Last Day

Thanks to Firsts very own Chris Speed, i can exclusively report the upcoming changes to the Purple Line in Norwich, and the new life for Two Enviro200s. Today was the last day of ADL Enviro200s 45119 (RT09JPT) and 44928 (EU08FHB) in Norwich. As tomorrow morning they'll be driven up to Rotherhams Midland Road depot for a repaint into the Ipswich livery and a refurb. 45119 was acquired by First from JP Travel in early August 2012 whereas 44928 arrived in late August and is ex SM Coaches. They will see service in Ipswich on the Two recently acquired routes from Beestons.

44928 down Thieves Lane in Salhouse near Wroxham a couple of months ago working the Green Line service 14.

Chris says that the WrightBus Streetlites will take over and operate the 39. He says that they can now get round Lakenham as there are new Double Yellow lines now on the road meaning cars can't park there anymore.

Many thanks to Chris for the update.

First day of new service 3 timetable

Just a reminder, tomorrow is the first day of the new timetable for the First summer service 3 between Vauxhall Holiday Park and Hemsby Beach. Which means an extra vehicle will be on the route and the route will have extra layover times. The route will be every 30 minutes from tomorrow (27th July) until Saturday 29th August. The route operates via Great Yarmouth Town Centre, Seashore, Caister, Scratby and Newport and also calls in at Great Yarmouth Rail Station.

The nicest bus in the Great Yarmouth fleet - 33423 SN60CAA at Seashore last year working the route.

Fleet focus ~ FirstGreat Yarmouth

As the 8 is my local route, I've decided to do a focus of what vehicles were used on it up to now and what are used on it, and honestly it hasn't really changed..as absolutely anything is used!

We start off with the Wright Renown, they are, or were a regular on the 8 route and allot the majority of other routes.

60814 is seen her working the 8 route to Caister. Photo Copyright (c) Syd Eade.

At this moment in time, the most regular vehicle on the 8 is a Plaxton President, not forgetting ALX400s, Olympians, and Geminis.

Plaxton President 32208 seen on Northgate Street in Great Yarmouth Friday afternoon working the 8 to James Paget Hospital.

This years loanees so far ~ FirstGreat Yarmouth

Early this year, FirstGreat Yarmouth's Ex Leicester ALX400s were sent One or Two at a time up to Rotherhams Midland Road depot for DDA conversion and a repaint into the new livery. This meant loan vehicles came in their place. Volvo B10BLEs from Yorkshire were the vehicles that were loaned.

One of the 3 loaned vehicles - 60621 working the 1A to Lowestoft seen here at James Paget Hospital.

Later on in the year, what was Great Yarmouth based ALexander Dennis Dart 42921 EU05AUN was sent down to Lowestoft to cover vehicles off the road, it then returned to Great Yarmouth for the most of about a week, where it was then sent up to Norwich to cover for Alexander Dennis Enviro200 (SWB) 45117 ST58JPT which was off the road having a new rear axle. 42921 then became a permanent member of the Norwich fleet where it now wears the new 'Olympia' livery.

42921 seen in Norwich working the 39 a couple of weeks ago.

During 42921 was "on loan", Former Ipswich Scania L94UB Wright Axcess-Floline 65588 V588DVF was loaned for no apparent reason. After a few days at Norwich, she moved over to Great Yarmouth. She saw use on near enough every route during her time in the town. But sadly suffered a gearbox failure which caused the buses life to come to an end. She now sits out the back of the historic Caister Road depot with a few Volvo Olympians awaiting scrap.

65588 on the forecourt of the Caister Road depot back in March.

 During Radio 1s Big Weekend in Norwich, Four of Great Yarmouth's Ex-X1 Volvo B9TL Geminis were loaned to Norwich for a trip to a football game at Wembley, meaning 4 of Norwich's Volvo B9TL Gemini 2's which see regular use on Norwich's Blue Line service between Norwich Rail Station and The University Of East Anglia which is a short route, were loaned to Great Yarmouth to cover.

One of Four Gemini 2's loaned to Great Yarmouth - 36180 works the 1A to Martham.

 This one wasn't really a loan, it just finished it's night on the X1 at Caister Road and then ended up on a Great Yarmouth town service the next day! Lowestoft based Ex-X1 Volvo B9TL Gemini 37571 AU58ECV spent a day on the 8 route betwen James Paget Hospital and Caister.

37571 working the 8 to James Paget Hospital seen here departing Market Gates.

 Currently, Great Yarmouth have Three Norwich based Volvo B7TL Plaxton Presidents on loan to cover for the Summer Service 3 between Vauxhall Holiday Park and Hemsby Beach. All Three Presidents were formerly based at Great Yarmouth but gradually made their way up to Norwich.

One of Three Plaxton Presidents currently on loan to Great Yarmouth - 32211 is seen here up at Caister, outside Reynolds coaches of Caister depot.

Also to note, Volvo B7L Eclipses 66301, 66335 and 66342 have made their way over and into service in the last few months.

66301 when she was over here having just finished duties on the 6 to Bradwell.

  30888 returned off loan from Ipswich and was back for a few days before one day being immediately taken out of service on the 8 at Caister and taken down to Lowestoft. She is now currently up at Rotherhams Midland Road depot being painted into Lowestoft Corporation colours. A big thanks to Steve W for providing a photograph of her during her days at Ipswich!

30888 while she was on loan to Ipswich. Photo (c) Steve W.

And just to finish off, Former Jersey Dart 43868 EG52FGX made it's way over to the town too early this year, along with 43859 and 43863.

Weekly Update

Tuesday afternoon i headed out with local enthusiast Syd Eade. When we first met there wasn't much happening, but then recently repainted ALX400 59 (32059) W219XBD into Great Yarmouth Transport colours pulled in on the 1 to Lowestoft so we boarded her down to Lowestoft in order to get a photograph of her pulling out. 

32059 departing Lowestoft Martham bound on the 1.

 We then got what could be our last ride on Lowestoft Dart 43466 R466CAH, which is on it's last legs. It's a shame really as it's still such a lovely bus and gives the ride i remember as a child.

43466 in Hollow Grove working the 101.

 Today i headed out just to ride about really..but when i decided to head up to Caister Road 32062 pulled round fresh from the paintshop! All of FirstGreat Yarmouth's ALX400s are now in the new livery, excluding 32059 of course. Lowestoft based 30900 W774DWX also made her way into Great Yarmouth today on the 8 route, what it's here for i don't know, as far as i know, 30889 W744DWX remains on loan also.

Doesn't she look fab! 32062 awaiting a wash at the Caister Road depot this afternoon.

 Something else also caught my eye! Former Norwich B7L Eclipse 66334 MV02VBZ has had her Norwich vinyls removed and replaced with Great Yarmouth ones.

66334 on the forecourt of the Caister Road depot showing off her new vinyls.

 Lastly, thanks to East Norfolk Bus Blog, i can bring you the sad news that Volvo B10BLE 60622 R785WKW is being transferred up to Norwich joining her sister 60618 R781WKW to cover repaints, leaving just 60621 R784WKW at Great Yarmouth.

60622 returning from Bradwell on the 6 on Monday afternoon.

Old and New; which do you prefer?

Today i headed down to Hopton where recently aquired AEC Swift 85 WEX685M was at the Lions Club fete in Hopton along with FirstGreat Yarmouth Wright Streetlite 47506 SN64CRF.

85 sits in the Hopton sunshine alongside 47506.

They both attracted lots of attention through the day, and were having photographs taken by many of the Hopton locals. Lots of elderly people were amazed by how good looking 85 is and how well it's been looked after over the years. The youngsters were getting involved too, maybe a little too much! I won't go into too much detail but lets just say, they weren't on their best behaviour!

The great publicity done by First which was in the window on 47506.

 I hung around from around 1pm until 4pm in order to get photographs of 47506 and 85 together departing, and succeeded. And a shout out goes out to Sheldon Rees who kindly put Town Centre 6 on the Streetlite for me, cheers mate!

One of my favourite photos of a Streetlite, 47506 leaves with 85 not far behind it.

I have to say, they just look fabulous together!

Bye bye..47506 makes it's way back home to Caister Road with 85 following up behind it.

Big thankyou to Chris Speed and Sheldon Rees for making the day a great one, wouldn't have been the same without you both.

Now it's the big question, which do you prefer? The Streetlite or the Swift? Why not leave a comment!