Monday 18 March 2024

Feline Executive Travel To Cease Trading

Over the weekend Feline Executive Travel of Catfield in Norfolk has announced that it will cease trading from 29th March 2024.

Iveco ET07 FET at Feline Travel's Catfield premises
Richard Hipkiss and his wife Mary have owned and operated the business since January 2014 and are to retire to Tenerife. Most of the staff have already found continuous employment and Sunbeam Luxury Coaches is taking over its rural services. School contracts have already been awarded to other operators.

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter  FY03 WZR formed part of the fleet in an October 2017 visit 
Information sourced from the company's Facebook site.

Roy

Friday 15 March 2024

Another Withdrawal

Another Volvo B7/ Wright Eclipse Gemini has been withdrawn at First Great Yarmouth's Caister Road depot. 37022 YJ06XKL joins similar 37023 YJ06 XKM removed from service earlier in the month.

37022 in use in Gorleston High Street in March last year
My thanks to First Great Yarmouth for the information

Roy

Thursday 14 March 2024

New Look for Former Norwich Geminis

One of  recent withdrawls from the Norwich fleet has now gained a new look with its new owners and also lost its roof in the process!

Formerly 37405 with First, MX58DXS is now wearing a new Red & Cream livery ready to operate an Open Top Service in Southend with Ensignbus.

Others are also being prepared including what was 37406 MX58DXT seen below under preparation at Ensign.

Many Thanks to Chris Dugdell for the info and Photographs.

Red Line Moves

Two more Norwich Red Line liveried vehicles appear to have moved away from the city this week due to the influx of electric vehicles with 36191 BN12JYR noted working a contract in Lowestoft today and 36196 BN12JYW noted in Great Yarmouth on the 8 service joining sister 36193 BN12JYT which arrived last week in the town.

 
36191 pictured in Castle Meadow back in 2021


36196 also in Castle Meadow shortly after repaint in 2017

Grahame.

Wednesday 13 March 2024

Service Alterations Registered ~ 13th March 2024

More interesting entries appear in today's East of England Traffic Commissioner's Notices and Proceedings Report.

Two operators are to vary their services including Sanders Coaches which is amending the route and timetable of its 18/18A service between North Walsham and Cromer from the 31st March 2024.
Coastal Accessible Transport Services is altering its Suffolk South service at Woodbridge Turban Centre and the South East circular in Leiston from 1st April 2024.

Both Sanders Coaches and Feline Executive Travel are cancelling services,. The former relates to the 704 schools service between Sutton Road, Hickling and Stalham Junior School from 31st March 2024
Richard Hopkiss and Pamela Hopkiss, operating as Feline Executive Travel at Sutton Road in Catfield, are to cease running services 1A / 1B, 2, 3, 4, 5 from 29th March 2024. The routes will be taken over by Sunbeam Coaches of Hevingham.

The latest Notices and Proceedings Report will be available to view here soon.

Roy

Tuesday 12 March 2024

Tuesday Wonderings

Three vehicles of interest were noted earlier this afternoon in Great Yarmouth and two were from from the Simonds Coaches fleet which were observed at Beach Coach Station



Both YVF 158 and 98 TNO are Van Hool Alizee T9 bodied Volvo B12Bs and are about to depart on a factory contract.



Noted outside the New Beach Hotel on Marine Parade was D.J. Thomas Volvo 9700 DJ12 DJT with fleet number 80 applied.

Roy

Monday 11 March 2024

SPS StreetLites At Caister Road

Following Grahame’s report on two Wright StreetLites joining the Specialist Passenger Solutions fleet at Lowestoft, two further vehicles are observed in the rear yard at First’s Caister Road depot early today. 


After their repaint at Marden Commercials in Essex, SK17 HGY and SK17 HGX are expected to join two others at Lowestoft to provide workers transport for the new Sizewell C construction project.

My thanks to First Great Yarmouth for the photo.

Roy