Go Goodwins Gem Gone
Suddenly, and without any official waning, the company announced that it would cease operations on Saturday 22nd April. Their fleet has been of high quality ranging from minibus to double deck.
Do not confuse this modern Little Gem ...
... with Greater Manchester PTE's delve into the minibus market in years past. 
Transport for Greater Manchester issued this announcement on Friday last.
Transport for Greater Manchester issued this announcement on Friday last.
The Little Gem web site tries to be positive, but ...
Ipswich Buses In Babergh
Babergh is a historic name resurrected to give some status to a District Council that abuts Ipswich, stretches east to the peninsula between the rivers Orwell and Stour ...
... and bulges west with Hadleigh and Sudbury being the largest communities.
Ipswich Buses runs a healthy selection of routes into the District, all numbered into the 90s.
The 91 to Hadleigh and Sudbury perversely does nit appear on the company's Babergh network map ...
... possibly because the main service is operated by BE (Beestons) ...
... with IB only running one early morning round trip on the Monday to Friday schedule. But a chocolate peanut to IB for including the full timetable on their own website!
92 Ipswich to Manningtree ...
... manages a bus every two hours.
93 Ipswich to Colchester
... but runs hourly through the day.
The 94 and 695 are schoolday variants.
97 Ipswich to East Bergholt
... also has a 98 variant on schooldays but likewise runs every hour otherwise.
So that's Babergh - a significant network for Ipswich Buses.
And the above bridge? Basically it has nothing to do with Babergh or Ipswich Buses. Orwell Bridge opened way back in 1982. It carries the A14 over the River Orwell just south of Ipswich.
The A14 runs from the Midlands to Felixstowe and parts of it are new-build, other bits were once the A45. The bridge is super splendid.
It has even got footpaths!
Dateline Saturday 22nd
The plan was to go with family to enjoy a ride on the short preserved bit of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway ...
The fbbs were thrilled with the potential visit as it was "Locals Weekend" whereby those dwelling in the EX and TN postcode area could turn up for a free ride.
fbb lives in the EX area!
Sadly, pretty much the whole of the population of those areas had turned up, the car park was packed and more were queueing to get in. The fbbs drove on to Lynton.
While the fbb's took a symbolic return ride ...
... on the cliff railway.
The Cliff Railway is a splendid but brief and expensive at £3.50 for single journey of approx 2 minutes. But, importantly, it operates with zero emissions and no harm to any planet or nearby star system as it is powered by water from the River Lyn.
... the younger set went for a brisk stroll via part of the Valley of the Rocks - and got lost!
Lunch was taken at a delightful caff called the Vanilla Pod ...
... on a back street near the town centre and just round the corner from the car park and the museum.
So, a quick quiz for our readers, Here are two extracts from the menu; an all day breakfast ...
... and a Mezze breakfast.
Which did fbb choose? And which did the younger members of the family choose? For the record, Mrs fbb consumed a two-egg sandwich on white.
How Much?
fbb still cannot find out how much this book costs.
Designed by The Barded Bus Beautifier from the Bush it looks a splendid volume to own. fbb advises his readers to be very careful of ordering from Amazon (when it becomes available).
Another volume with the same title may disappoint ...
... as it has surprisingly few pictures of buses between its covers.
Puzzle Picture
Puzzle Picture
What is this street name's connection with public transport?
Here is the same sign with No1 Grandson successfully photo-bombing fbb's journalistic efforts.
World War 3 ...
... did not start at Ilfracombe yesterday afternoon ...
... but there was a serendipitous happening involving historic Public Transport. Both happened here:-
Next Holiday Tuesday blog : 25th April
In & Out of Service is certainly available here at £40 +p&p : https://www.londonbusmuseum.com/shop/
ReplyDeleteSmall publishers need all the support they can get- and would much prefer ypou to buy direct rather than using Amazon, whose terms often disadvantage them.
Deletethe link doesn't lead to Amazon ...
DeleteThe link doesn't, but the commenter at 09:24 is pointing out FBB's screenshot is from Amazon.
DeleteI'm surprised FBB hasn't looked directly at the Classic Bus website, which also states it is £40. I suspect FBB is trying to get a copy cheaper, despite the fact it's only been out for 8 days!
I have a delightful poster, produced c.1982, from Ipswich Buses inviting me to "Fly the Orwell" in a double-decker bus on circular routes 9/10. The view from the top deck must have been tremendous (unlike the zero view offered by a car) but I don't think any buses go over it today unless IB run summer town tours. On the other hand the sailing barge Victor and the river cruiser Orwell Lady offer great trips which pass under the bridge (which, as will be pointed out, is actually two parallel bridges with a gap between the carriageways).
ReplyDeleteThere's a single with-flow peak journey in each direction on First's X7 from and to Felixstowe that nominally uses the bridge.
DeleteAh, didn't realise that.
Deletehttps://auctions.specialauctionservices.com/images/lot/1290/12906_8.jpg
There's no access for pedestrians to use the Orwell Bridge (nor anything but the bravest (foolhardiest?) of cyclists). The picture is of a service access. Contrast with various other bridges (Forth, Humber, Medway, Woolston) where such provision was made.
ReplyDeleteThere's also a public footway across the "old" Severn Road Bridge (the M48).
DeleteLincolnshire Road Car Company had a Bus Depot at Ropery Road in Gainsborough - and it had an office adjoining where you used to be able to get timetable leaflets! Relocated many years ago.
ReplyDeleteThis is Ropery Road, lfracombe; a town whose road names are made up of individual tiles. Hampstead's black and white tiles.look better but blue does suit a seaside town. Ropery Road once had a Southern National bus garage and bus station which I believe is now a car park. Home from home for fbb.
DeleteBack on 14th August 2004 I travelled on Ipswich Buses 9 MRT9P on the City Sightseeing tour of Ipswich. The tour went over the Orwell Bridge and being on an open top Atlantean, the views and the engine sounds were amazing, it was however a little bit breezy up there:-)
ReplyDeleteIB routes 97/98 do run along the B1456 directly beneath the Orwell Bridge...
ReplyDeleteAll of the current Babergh network has its origins in long-standing Eastern Counties (ECOC) routes viz:
Beestons (IB) 91 is the former ECOC 205 Ipswich – Hintlesham – Hadleigh – Sudbury, later becoming 205/206 Ipswich – Hintlesham – A1071/Pond Hall Road – Hadleigh - Sudbury. These eventually became First Eastern Counties (FEC) 90/91. I lose track of how Beestons became the main operator when FEC pulled out – there had been some sort of joint working of the 90/91?
IB 92 covers part of the former ECOC/ENOC joint 123 Ipswich – Holbrook – Manningtree – Mistley – Clacton (or the ECOC 221 Ipswich – Holbrook – Manningtree – Mistley), latterly FEC 96. Route acquired as Carters 92.
IB 93 is the former ECOC/ENOC 207 Ipswich – East Bergholt – Colchester, which begat a 208 variant via the villages of Capel St Mary and East Bergholt (rather than sticking to the A12). The latter’s route later took precedence assumed the 207 number. Route acquired by IB as Carters 93 etc; various versions of the 93 had been operated since the mid 1990s, successively as FEC 93, First Eastern National (FEN) 93, and Network Colchester (Arriva) 93. IB’s success in maintaining the 93 is no mean feat given the far superior rail link Ipswich – Manningtree – Colchester, the inevitably long journey time of the 93 and the relatively slim pickings via the villages en route.
IB 94 is the former ECOC 209 Ipswich – Tattingstone – East Bergholt, another acquisition via Carters.
IB 97/98 are the former ECOC 202/203 Ipswich - Woolverstone – Chelmondiston/Harkstead – Shotley, latterly First Eastern Counties 97/97A (FEN 97/97A contracted Sunday service). IB stepped in when FEC pulled out.