All Change In Lowestoft

I had to go to the bank today, much to my annoyance. However the silver lining framing that cloud was it gave me an excuse to go to Lowestoft on the first day of the revised X1/X2/X22 services. Not something I would normally bother with these days but as I was there it seemed rude not to.

Nothing to report on the X1, as actually there are less X1's at Lowestoft now than there were, with two journeys an hour from Norwich now terminating at James Paget Hospital. However the X2 is now rather more interesting.

Generally speaking thee are 4 buses an hour from Lowestoft to Norwich - two X2's which operate the usual route within Lowestoft but now go fast to Norwich via Beccles omitting North Cove, Hales, Loddon and Chedgrave. By lucky chance the first vehicle I saw on the new fast X2 was Gemini 37575, which only transferred over from Yarmouth yesterday, and still carries Yarmouth vinyls. Incidentally sister 37577, also transferred from Yarmouth, has had its vinyls removed so naturally was on the X1 via Yarmouth!

37575 departs for Norwich

The other two buses an hour are on the new X22, which meanders around Lowestoft and Carlton Colville before following the old X2 route, one bus an hour serving North Cove and the other serving Hales. Both buses serve Loddon and Chedgrave. Here is 37571 leaving Lowestoft.

37571 leaving Lowestoft on the new X22

There have been several fleet movements at Lowestoft recently, and I got the chance today to catch up on a few things. Firstly the last remaining Pointer Dart, 43466 has been finally withdrawn. It has been replacd by a more modern Plaxton Dart from Bristol, 42943, WA56 OAS, the first of many that will be replacing the Jersey Darts. Today it was out on the 99's to Kessingland. I couldn't help noticig the seats didn't look that great. Hope they're not all like that.

42943 on the 99's

Three buses have returned to Lowestoft after a short spell at Norwich. E200's 45116/7/8 were all out on local routes today. 45117 had an extended layover which gave me the chance to get two rather good pics.

45116 passes 45117

45118 still with Purple Line branding passes 45117

I was also lucky enough to see oe of the two ex Essex B10BLE's seeing out their last days at Yarmouth.  East Norfolk Bus Blog reports today that 66168 iis in fact going to get a reprieve and be converted at Rotherham to DDA compliant to join the loan fleet. Sadly, though, it seems that 66169, pictured below isn't so lucky and so the scrapman beckons in 24 days time. 66169 was on the 1A today.

66169 nearing the end of the road

 Switching operators for a second a new route in Lowestoft is the 60J, which operates 3 journeys to James Paget Hospital via Lound and Blundeston, replacing the recently withdrawn 60. Today Anglian Optare Versa 308 was on the route and I believe this to be the first published pic of a 60J.

Anglian Versa 308 on the 60J to James Paget

And finally I had to travel home via Beccles and couldn't resist this last pic. It seems the X2/X22 goes out one way and back the other. I had passed Lowestoft heritage bus 8 on the X22, but an hour later it was at Beccles bus station on the X2. Does look rather good.

First Lowestoft heritage Bus 8 at Beccles