Round Up

A long time since my last post, for no particular reason except I need a break! So with the footy starting tomorrow I'm taking that break, and unless anything amazing happens like the whole of Norwich fleet being replaced next week I'll be staying in and only reporting news I find elsewhere (with full credit) or am kindly given. My enthusiast batteries need recharging big time!

So what has happened since my last post? Well on Monday I finally met the gentleman that is Tim (Suffolk Raider) Miller in his bustling shop in Beccles. A real pleasure, Tim, we will have to make that a regular thing, and note to First Lowestoft - if the fan on 30901 can't be fixed can it be kept off the X2 as it nearly blows you away in Tim's shop!!!

Tuesday saw me at Lowestoft in the company of one of Lowestoft's finest drivers who to avoid embarrassment shall remain nameless, but I did a couple of circuits on the 99 to see how things are progressing. That's enough about that but while at Lowestoft Bus Station between trips we did see quite an unusual working in one of Anglian's Optare Versas operating on the 60 to Beccles. The Versas are normally exclusively on the Norwich town route 53 (I think - don't correct me if I'm wrong it's 50 something) - so  a rare sight to see one in Lowestoft. Obviously run out of mobile bbq's. Later on I saw 32064 in service on the 8's, but the pic I got was so awful it was deleted on the spot! I understand 32061 wasn't greeted with the greatest enthusiasm when it arrived at Ipswich the back end of last week, with a few things to be put right before it could enter service. Seemed ok the day before when I saw it in service in Yarmouth so a bit of a mystery that one.

Anglian 308 Optare Versa  AU11 EPF very unusually on the 60 to Beccles

Today I was in a fearful mood and sulked to Cromer and back not talking to anyone! No pics but a few sightings. There was a Streetlite on the aforementioned 53's (I think), and something I have never seen before gas bus 110 AU13 FBL was operating to 87 to Poringland all day. Konectbus Trident 504 was on the 8's. I passed the above Versa between Poringlland and Norwich running out of service so probably on way to operate one of the afternoon 84's or 85's.

In other news Sanders new ex I.O.M. DAF Lowlanders shoulod be in service soon. I travelled on one of the two remaining tri-axle deckers today for the first time - no idea which one - Orion I think - and loved it - you can really feel the power and very few rattles for a 9yo. Norfolk Green have got two "new" Dennis Darts in service - a real step free forward that one - and the only thing which might illicit a post from me tomorrow is if, as today, Ipswich Buses have their open top Atlantean running in normal service. It was on the 5/11 today and as it is precisely 11 years since I last went on an Atlantean in service (First's open top Atlantean from Lands End for the record)  I won't pass up the chance if it's out again tomorrow.

That's about it - I'd just like to say thanks to each and every one of you who have read, contributed, commented, corrected, or encouraged me in the first 7 months of the blog. I can't believe how it has taken off, and who is actually reading it! I'll be back in a few days when batteries and enthusuasm are recharged, but in the meantime if there's anything you think I should know about that needs publicising don't hesitate to let me know. Come on England/Belguim!!!