Weekly News Round Up 25/1/15

It is a quiet period in the transport industry in these parts. Seriously quiet. For example there is not a single alteration to bus services coming up in Suffolk in February. Not one. Not so much as a timetable tweak. So right now news is hard to find and everyone is resorting to desperate posts about the past and mundane subject - myself included - just to get something to read out.

Nothing to report from Ipswich - 69006 is still to come down from Rotherham so Scania 65588 as reported on Friday is still soldiering on. No more repaints in Norwiich, although it s reported that Purple Line Trident 33003 has had the white "Norwich" vinyls applied. More little bus transfers are taking place this weekend.with ex Jersey Dart 43859 moving to Lowestoft. East Norfolk Bus Blog also reports that sister vehicle 43864 will move once engine probs are sorted, and this has meant that three more E200's have moved from Lowestoft to Norwich - 44516/7/928 have gone to the City, which has meant that three of the Norwich Solo's have been spotted laid up at Rowntree Way not doing much at all.

Further afield the three Yarmouth B10M Renowns withdrawn last week, 60813/4/66126 have made the journey down to Plymouth. Lucky Plymothians! It has emerged, again on ENBB that one of the Yorkshire Renowns reported to be at Lowestoft, 66112, is actually at Yarmouth, which would explain why no one has seen her in Lowestoft! B7tl 30888 remains officially on loan at Lowestoft but last I heard that would soon become a permanent transfer as it is earmarked for the Lowestoft heritage livery.

That's it for buses - simply no more news I can think of but this week's big event has been on the railways.

East Anglia's newest resident - the ex Virgin Trains Pretendolino made its long awaited debut on Thursday, if only a test run not in public use, but it won't be too ling before she's out in service. It is understoood she will run complete and not be split up as was first speculated. The set operated a test run from Norwich to Cochester and back on Thursday and Geoff Tibble managed to take the most wonderful pic, taken at Dagworth, north of Stowmarket,  which he has kindly allowed me to use. You can access Geoff's Flickr page which has some of the most stunning railway photography I've ever seen here.

The Pretendolino heads towards Stowmarket, with the DVT unusually at the London end.   pic (c) Geoff Tibble

In fact I hope Geoff doesn't mind but I simply have to share another of his pics with you. Over the last couple of weekends East Coast Mainline services have been diverted between Peterborough and London via Ely and Cambridge. As the Peterborough - Ely section is unelectrified that has meant only HST's can operate the service, and here is a pic that should be on display in a gallety somewhere of an HST captured at Eastree, which is between March and Whittlesea in the Cambridgehire Fens.

Just wow! An East Coast HST at Eastree.   pic (c) Geoff Tibble

Tomorrow (Monday) is quite a big day in the bus world with new services and indeed companies starting, and the fragmentation of the X1 gets its first weekday test. I'll be out there where it matters and look out for a post tomorrow evening with all the news and pics. Have a great week.