First
The remaining Streetlites have arrived at Great Yarmouth depot - I'm up there tomorrow (Thursday) so hopefully some of them might be out.
Last night ex Colchester B7rle 66984 returned to Ipswich from Rotherham. By lucky chance I was in Ipswich today and managed to get a couple of shots at it having safety checks.
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| Volvo B7rle 66984 undergoing safety checks at Ipswich |
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| Looking all clean and shiney until it meets the Suffolk Winter again! |
Ipswich Buses
Had a pleasant drink this afternoon with Malcolm Robson and Operations Manager Dean Robbie this afternoon. Very little to report from there except the next repaint will be a Solo in December. However they did reveal that gradually all the P&R Versas are going to have their MAN engines replaced with Cummins engines. The first one to be done is 147 YK08 EPD, which will be taken by low loader to Hartlepool next week for its heart transplant operation.
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| Ipswich Buses 147 in Ipswich on the first day of their operatioon |
Anglian have annnounced on their website that Tridents 723 and 711 T823/11 RFG have left for Hedingham, the latter for spares. However, this is being disputed by some, who claim that 711 has actually returned to Brighton & Hove for spares. Either way they have both gone!
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| Anglian 711 on the 60 at Lowestoft Station in Dcemeber 2013 |
Scanning VOSA this week there are a few interesting applications. In Ipswich the 6 month trial Sunday service to Debenham is being scrapped from 11th January, however the 63B service to Woodbridge is clearly remaining as there has been an application to amend both timetable and stopping places.
Anglian are amending the timetable on the 87/88/88A, and the 93 which operates between Bungay and Norwich is being scrapped.
There will be timetable alterations to all of Carters routes out of Ipswich, and a couple of Beestons' routes out of Hadleigh to Stowmarket and Bury St Edmunds
One that made me sit up was that Konect are amending the timetable to the 2 and 2A between Sheringham and Norwich. I have heard whispers about that route and will be very interested to see the amended timetable when it is announced.
That's just about it for tonight - more of a supplement than a full issue, but I'll have more on Sunday plus extra posts before then.
Sorry to say I told you so but Debenham sunday service was doomed from the start.it has never worked in the past when it has been tried. It wasnt pushed anyway.i bet there are people who live in Debenham who dont even know about it.Unfortunately,I dont think a sunday Framlingham service would do any better. Ive been on there on saturdays and there have been times when it has been dead.i havnt been on for a month due to work commitments but hopefully saturdays will pick up nearing xmas.
ReplyDeleteWeekdays are busy but suspect there are a considerable number of free passes and student passes in all that which might distort the numbers.we have gone from having buses every 2 hours ( IB,Beestons,Far East Travel) to now every 2 and half hours.Everytime council cuts are brought up,we sit and hope the 118/119 is left alone.Like everywhere else,its use it or lose it. 20 + years ago,we didnt have a bus through cretingham. Would hate to go back to that.
ReplyDeleteDo Cretins live in Cretingham? I think the 118/9 is safe if that1715 I caught back tonight is anything to go by. I caught the 0935 in from Fram the other week and that was standing by time we got to Ipswich too. I see far emptier buses than the 118/9 - the 113/4 being an example. People forget that even in NBC's day there were virtually empty buses too.
DeleteWhich makes me wonder y they thought a Sunday 116 was a great idea when they cnt get people on there or 114 during the week? Apart from the 7.55,the 9.35 is quite often busy(or used to when i caught it in Earl Soham) but that was carrying alot of free passes. Take your point about empty buses.of course there will be less demand on some routes during off peak but its where there buses carrying 3 or 4 people regularly where eyes will be scrutinizing when the council needs to make savings. We shall see next year when tenders come up for renewal.
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