Ipswich Today Part Two

Welcome to Part Two of my jaunt to a very cloudy and murky Ipswich today. if you missed part one, which is possible as it was only posted an hour or so ago then click here and catch up before reading this one.

The latest vehicle to return from Rotherham is ex First Essex Volvo B7rle 66986. She will soon be joined by her sister 66985, but for today I was just happy to get a decent pic, with one of Ipswich's finest behind the wheel who made sure I had the shot. This is the first self taken pic to appear on any blog, which is always down to luck and not judgement as I can't just jump on a bus, or in a car and get down there whenever I want.

Ex First Essex Volvo 66986 leaves a wet and murky Ipswich for Stowmarket (trust me on that)

Earlier I had been round the depot and finally got a decent shot of E200 44516. Here she is before the new vinyls had been applied (see Part One).

E200 44516 is the centre of attention at Ipswich Depot this morning

Leaving First now and I was lucky enough to see three vehicles not normally seen in the County Town of Suffolk. Well to be fair the first one has been seen a bit but it sounded good! It looks like those God awful Plaxton Plastic Plasma Primo things or whatever they are called that Simmonds have normally on the 113/114 might be reaching the end of the line as there were two different vehicles on the route today. The first was an AD E200 with what I can only describe as appallingly hard looking seats. However even an E200 mini is better than a Plasmo washing machine!

Simmonds E200 MX11 JYO leaves Ipswich for Diss

The second rogue vehicle on the route was much more unexpected, however. I have never ridden the route, mainly due to the aforementioned washing machines, but had I had time I would have sunk into the sumptuous seats of Van Hool Volvo B10M coach that appeared today. I'm told some of the roads are pretty tight so it must have been fun getting a coach round there. There was a tiny destination board which had mostly slipped below windscreen level, but I imagine the passengers know a Simmonds vehicle by now when they see one.

Simmonds van Hool bodied Volvo B10M 4940 VF leaves Ipswich for Diss

 As if that wasn't a rare enough sighting what came in 20 mins later topped it all. I have been admiring the vehicles Beestons have on the 91 between Ipswich and Sudbury for roughly 7 years now but today was the first time I had seen a single decker on the route.

Beestons Volvo B10B X568 YUG on the 91 at Ipswich

I am grateful to Dave from Beestons for supplying the info about this vehicle. X568 YUG is a Volvo B10B formally of Keighley & District in Yorkshire, and is covering on the 91's while the Scania Omnidekka's undergo seat trim refurbishment. During halfterm this vehicle is undergoing a DDA interior upgrade including seats and floor. I can't wait to see the result of that. Arriving at Beestons this week are ex Transdev Scania Omnidekkas YN54 OAG/H which will still be Transdev red and dual door for now. Dave has promised me an update on the bendibuses soon.

To finish the report of today I caught 66957 back to Woodbridge and then a not so luxurious ride on Scania 65579 back to Wickham Market and my Suffolk Links minibus home. My thanks to all managers, staff and drivers for making today worthy of two posts, which I wasn't expecting when I left home this morning.