‘Scene’ in Norfolk

This is the concluding part of series of blogs that came out of a weeks stay on the Norfolk coast.

They have included the buses in Cromer, Sheringham, Norwich (twice) and trains from the North Norfolk and Bure Valley Railways.

This blog essentially tidies up the items that did not feature in any of the above.

Norfolk is a beautiful county with a vast array of transport interest to offer in addition to all the other attractions.

I would not hesitate to recommend Norfolk to anyone, give it a try. You will not be disappointed.

FA10 ENG

A Scania K400EB6 with Irizar i6 bodywork seen at the Aylsham terminus of the ‘Bure Valley Railway’ (see blog dated 12th. Dec 2015). 

 

Seen in the livery of ‘Glenton Select’ who call themselves “the wee big Scottish coach operator”.

 

SP06 FBF

 

A Bova FHD12-340 Futura seen at the Aylsham terminus of the ‘Bure Valley Railway’ (see blog dated 12th. Dec 2015). 

 

Seen in the fleet of ‘Kingdom’s Coaches’ from Tiverton in Devon.

BD64 NCZ

 

A Mercedes-Benz Tourismo coach working for ‘Hamilton-Gray' (HG) but with a ‘Majestic’ sticker in the windscreen. 

 

Pictured just after crossing the bridge in Wroxham. ‘HG’ are based in Exeter.

 

A very brief visit to Great Yarmouth produced the following from the ‘Anglian Bus Ltd’. fleet

 

AU61 AVK

 

A Scania K230UB with OmniLink bodywork on route 7 which works in from Norwich.

 

WX62 HHF

An unusual MAN Ecocity gas powered bus in ‘ABL’s fleet. The bodywork is by Caetano. Working  service 7 from Great Yarmouth.

 

X229 WRA

 

An Optare Excel that at one time worked in the East Midlands for ‘trentbarton’.

 

 ‘First’ group (the major local operator’) produced

 

AU58 EDJ

 

A Volvo B9TL with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodywork. Working in the branded livery for route X1 which runs from Peterborough to Lowestoft.

 

The distance according to Google maps being 108 miles.

 

AU05 AUM

 

A Dennis Dart SLF with Plaxton Pointer 2 bodywork seen in our old friend the ‘Barbie’ livery.

 

How much longer can it last !!!!

 

 

Wells next the Sea (what a lovely name) had these two Optare products on view

 

YJ09 LBG

 

An Optare Solo of ‘Norfolk Green (NG) in the dedicated ‘Coasthopper' livery. This route links Kings Lynn with Cromer.

 

The small number 47908 on the front dash panel identifies the bus as being part of ‘Stagecoach’s fleet. ‘NG having been taken over by them in 2013.

 

YJ10 EYD

An Optare Versa in ‘NG’ standard fleet livery although at the time of writing buses are being repainted into ‘Stagecoach’ livery.

 

 

‘Scene’ in and around Norwich Bus Station

Whilst on holiday on the North Norfolk Coast, the lure of the county town Norwich could not be ignored.

 

As we arrived by bus in the bus station, that seems a good place to start.

 

YJ56 ATX

 

An Optare Tempo of ‘Norfolk Green’ (NG).

 

At one time ‘NG’ was an independent operator but as of December 2013 it became part of the ‘Stagecoach’ group as ‘Stagecoach in Norfolk’.

 

YN57 HPU

A Optare Solo of ‘Anglian Bus Ltd’ (ABL).

 

YX63 LJV

 

Passing by the entrance to the bus station was this Alexander Dennis Ltd. Enviro 400 of ‘First Eastern Counties’ (FEC).

 

Seen operating on part of service X1 that at its longest links Lowestoft with Peterborough which according to Google maps is over 100 miles!

 

SN10 CFD

 

An ‘ADL’ Enviro 400 of ‘konectbus’ (kb) working on the Park & Ride (P&R) service from Harford.

 

‘kb is another one time independent who have joined a larger group. In their case the ‘Go Ahead’ group.

 

BL57 OXN

 

A Mercedes-Benz 0305G articulated Citaro. Another ‘kb’ bus working a ‘P&R’ service. This time from Costessey.

 

At one time it was part of the ‘London General’ fleet that was banished from the capital by London Lord Mayor Boris Johnson.

 

 

YN06 JWC

 

A Scania N94UD Omnidekka with East Lancs bodywork. 

 

Seen the livery of another independent operator ‘Sanders of Holt’ (at least at the time of writing they still were).

 

Formerly in the fleet of ‘Reading Transport’.

 

 

SN62 AVY

 

An ADL’ Enviro 400 again of ‘kb’. Working on service 6 from Watton.

 

 

W219 PRB

 

An Optare Excel once more working for ‘kb’. 

 

It has an East Midlands connection having formerly been a member of the ‘trentbarton’ fleet.

 

 

WX62 HHF

 

An unusual MAN Ecocity gas powered bus in ‘ABL’s fleet. The bodywork is by Caetano.

 

Working  service 7 from Great Yarmouth.

 

 

SN60 CAA

 

An ‘ADL’ Enviro 400 of ‘FEC’ being based in Great Yarmouth.

 

Working on service X1 from that town.

 

 

PN03 UMH

 

A Dennis Trident with Plaxton President bodywork working for ‘Norse’.

 

Formerly part of the ‘Go- Ahead London General’ fleet.

 

 

GX10 HBY

 

An ‘ADL’ Enviro 300 of ‘NG’.

 

Part of the deal when ‘Stagecoach’ took over ‘NG’ was to retain the ‘NG’ livery for a period of time (which I think was up to two years).

 

This bus shows the ‘NG’ colours but painted in what I would call ‘Stagecoach’ style which I think is very attractive.

 

 

YJ03 UML

 

A rare Optare Spectra. Seen working for ‘NG’. 

 

Based on DAF SB250 running units it was previously part of the ‘Reading Transport fleet’.

 

This was Optare’s first attempt at a double decker and at the time of writing, its most successful.

 

‘Scene’ in Chester bus station

A brief visit to Chester on a cold but very sunny winters day produced the following in and around the bus station

 

YD02 PXM

 

A DAF powered BOVA Futura of ‘Albert Wilde and Son Coaches’ who are based at Heage in Derbyshire.

 

Formerly in the fleet of ‘KM Travel’ (KMT) of Barnsley. The basically ‘KMT’ livery looks well with the new owners livery superimposed on it. Driven by ‘Son’ Phillip.

 

Y531 NHK

 

A Dennis Trident with Alexander ALX 400 bodywork on the Chester City Sightseeing service. 

 

Formerly No. 17470 in the ‘Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire’ fleet. It originally worked in Chester during 2013 in an all red livery with no other branding than prominent ‘Stagecoach’ titling.

 

Y969 WDM

 

A Volvo B6BLE with Wright Crusader bodywork working on the ‘Townlynx’ service. Previously with ‘Dublin Bus’ where it was registered 01-D-10041. 

 

MX13 AAY

A MAN A22 EcoCity with Caetano City Gold bodywork. Powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). One of 10 similar, it operates from ‘Arriva North West’s depot at Runcorn.

 

S267 JUA

 

A DAF DB250RS with Alexander ALX400 bodywork. Previously employed in London by Arriva as DLA 67 in dual doored form (H45/17D). It is now single doored (H45/23F) and works out of Winsford depot.

 

CX07 CPZ

 

A VDL SB120 with Wright Cadet bodywork working for ‘Arriva Buses Wales’ out of Chester depot. A bit odd that seeing that Chester is in England.

 

MX07 NTT

An Optare Solo M880SL of ‘Arrowebrook Coaches’ to whom it was new and it operates out of that operators Wervin Road depot in Chester. they also have a depot on the Wirral at Heswell.

 

AA04 GHA

 

A VDL SB120 with Wright Cadet bodywork Working ‘GHA Coaches’ of Wrexham service No. 82 to Northwich Bus Station.

 

SF04 VTE

 

A Transbus International Dart SLF with Plaxton Pointer 2 bodywork currently working for ‘Stagecoach Chester’. Originally delivered to ‘Stagecoach Western’ at Kilmarnock before coming South in 2012.

 

YJ59 GFY

 

An Optare Solo of ‘GHA Coaches’ operating in the ‘deebee’ livery

 

DK09 GYH

 

A Volvo B7RLE with Wright Eclipse Urban bodywork working on the ‘Stagecoach Chester & Wirral’ (SC&W) operated

‘Park & Ride’ branded service funded by  Cheshire West & Chester council.

The history of the bus is unusual in that it was new to ‘First Group’ (FG). ‘FG’ had taken over ‘Chester Bus’ in 2007 and ordered a batch of buses of which this one was a member. 

It was announced in 2013 that ‘Stagecoach’ had taken over the ‘First’ services in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Wirral and Wrexham.

 

 

DK09 GXW

 

Another Volvo B7RLE with Wright Eclipse Urban bodywork with the same history as as DK09 GYH

 

 

Further photos can be seen on my Flickr